Darknesswassuch a comforting experience. It neither assaults the senses withanoverwhelmingintensity, nordidreveal any unpleasantness one may happen upon in the world. Therewasno time in darkness. No worries in darkness. No exhaustion in darkness. Onlyever a relaxingnumbnessin darkness.


    Itcould havebeencold, yet it wasdifficultto tell when that all therewas tofeel. Therewas alsono one else to bother you in thecalm void, their existence unproven with no way of sensing them. If there is no one except yourself, couldyou truly ever be alone?


    Apple certainly was not.


    He had his memories and the people that dwelled within them. A scene of himselfas a childdining on ahandfulof fresh rosehips,whilstsheltered under a sunlit tree flashed byin his mind. The time his father discovered he wasdwimmer-blessedandthe proud face he displayedat the news. His brief apprenticeship at the Crystal Castle and meeting the renown Duke that ruled the structure. His first love, an accomplishedprostitute whotook hisfirsttime in hisadolescence. Sadly, not all of the memories that filed by were pleasant - however.


    His elder brothers beating him under his favourite tree. His father discovering that Apple’s youngersister was alsodwimmer-blessedand possessed a talent for it thateclipsed his own. The heckling from his masters and fellow apprentices at thatquartz palace. The realisation that the prostitute who took his virginity was only kindand sweetto himwasbecause he simply paid herto be.


    It would seem that in life it was impossible to have the good without the bad and vice versa. All Apple could do was either embrace the bad and use its experiencesto help him grow, or hide it deep awayfrom hissenese, less he ever thinks about it again.


    **********


    “Apple, apple! Wake up!”


    Apple flickered his eyelids slowly. His consciousness laggedas itattempted to return tothe physicalworldand with it, the great pains his body had endured. Cuts and bruisesinfectedand inhabited his flesh. A deep gauge in his side from a spear stung as the humid air touched it. A bulbous lump of puncture marksplagued his shoulder. A scatteringof arrowswas nestledinside the meat of his back. A slick hand of dried blood and decapitated finger. Nausea from blood loss and arapidlygrowing fever from the ill humours that crept through hisopenwounds.


    “Apple! Can you hear Mula?”A frightened sounding voice from beside asked.


    Apple licked his cracked lipswith his dry tongueand forcefully coughed the lastdregsof his saliva from his throat into his mouth. “Water...” He managed to croak.


    A moment later he felt awarmliquid trickle down his gullet, invigorating himever so slightly.


    Once the waterfall stopped and his mouthhadbecomemoister,hewasableto regain himself. “Hey, Mula.” He gasped. “Any goblins shown up since I took a nap?”


    Apple was unsure what kind of expression the girl was making. He tried to turn his head and look at her but it simply hurt just too muchto do so. “No,” she whispered. “Nogobbiessince we kill the ones in this room.” She replied. Her false bravery evident in the hiccups that slipped through her words.


    Apple sighed with relief. He was certain more goblins would have shownup at some point but he was at least glad Muladid not haveface any of them on her own. Well, as of right now she still would have to,forApplewas nothing but a breathing corpse at this moment. “You’ve donewell, Mula.” He praised her. “You’ve done so much for me, but sadly I still need your help.”


    Apple heard her gulp. “Kay. What you need?”


    “I need you to grab one of the torches from the wall.” He requested of her. Then followed by the all too familiar “Kay,” and the sound of footsteps dissipating in thedistance.


    Growing footstepsnow, accompanied by the warmth and light of fire, indicated her return.


    “Good job, Mula. Now, what I’m about to ask of youisn’t going to be easy.”


    “Kay, what Mula do to help?”


    “I need you cut my coat into pieces so my wounds are visible, don’t worry the coats useless now anyway.Then I need you to place that torch on all the big wounds.”


    “But wouldn’t that hurt?” She squeaked.


    “Oh,it’s going to be the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced. But it beats bleeding to death.” He told her with complete honesty.


    “Mula don’t want to hurt Apple.”She stuttered.


    “Don’t think aboutit as hurting me. You’re saving me. You’ll be my hero.”


    “What’s a hero?”


    An unexpected question, Apple mused. “Erm, a hero is someone who does good things and helps people. Everyone loves a hero,myselfincluded.”


    There was a long pause, followed by the eventual sound of cutting. He began to feel thewarmair as it touched his bare skin, oh how itstung. Now that his torso was completely bare, he waited.


    “Mula, what are waiting for? Hurry up.”


    “But, but–“


    “No buts.” He ordered. “I know what I’m asking is hard, definitely something a child shouldn’t have to do, but you signed up for this. I need you Mula. Please be my hero and save me.” He begged


    “O-kay. Mula will be your hero.”She nodded.


    Apple smiled, he was proud of her. “Wait!” He suddenly cried.


    “What?” She yelped.


    “Put one of those strips of leather you cut of in mygob, preferably a less bloody one.”


    “Kay.” Apple felt an invisible forced jam a piece of leather in hismouth. Now all that was left to do was wait.


    After what felt like a lifetime, hewasfinallykissed by the flame.


    Mula hovered the torch over the wound in Apple’s side as close as possible without touchingkissingitwith the woodof the torch. Immediately he screamed. It was agony. Simpleprimalagony,the time he was forced to place his hands nearafire tomelt the copper of hiscatalystcould not even compareto what heexperiencednow.


    His veins bulged and his body spasmedwildly, his only positive emotion was the joy he felt in remembering to ask Mula to put leather in his mouth, if shehad not, he would have bit through his tonguelong ago.Although, even with the leatherto aid him, he couldstilfeelhis teethgrindtogether through the tough material.


    Appleeventually no longer feltthe fire upon his skin and almost weptwith relief, until he remembered it was far from over.


    Over and over the flames cauterised his exposed flesh, causing him to sweat profusely and pass outfrom shock over and over againduring the wholeinopportunemedical procedure. On several occasions he hadto franticallyrearrange the leather in his mouthwith tongue, due to biting clean through it three times.


    His shoulder, his thigh, the stumphere his finger once wiggled, and several places on his torso had once again become sealed thanks to thepoweroffire. Albeit instead of pleasing skin,form of ugly charred scabs that beckoned infectionnow laidacrosshis body. Apple wasnottoo worried about the foul humours that would soon assault himthough, hisdwimmer-fuelledbody would destroy most of the humours without him having to doanything.Atthis moment in time Applehad amuch more worrisome concern. The five arrows lodged in his back still remained. He feared this moment the most, for how could a child pull out the missiles and not damage his insides in the process. Apple hoped greatly that the arrows didnotpossess a stone or metal head and instead just a sleek piece of sharpened twig.


    Apple could feel the intensity of Mula’s thoughts as her gaze bore down on his back. They had no tools nor experience to aid them. Just yank and burn;yank and burn.


    “Don’t keep me waiting, Mula. We bothknowwhat you must do to me. Better now than later.” He told her calmly, as he rested sideways upon the floor. The warmth of his scorched wounds almost relaxing, like a warm summer day.


    “I can’t.”Sheobjected.


    “Please Mula, please. You’ve already healed most of my wounds, just a few more to go.”


    “But-but, what if Mula pulls one out wrong and it gets stuck?”She tried to reason.


    “Well that’s a risk I’mwilling to take. More of those ugly bastardswill be here soon. I won’t be able to fight them with these arrows paralysing the muscles in my back.”


    Then there was silence. Not a single sound did Apple hear, except for his ownlabouredbreaths. It appeared that Mula lacked a rebuttal, yet was still unwilling to free the arrows from inside him. Apple was loathed to nag a child until they agreed to cause him immense pain and risk his life.However,Apple had always been a little on the selfish side.


    “Mula...” He said ever so softly. “Remember, Mula, I’m magic. Us magicians are a bit tougher than the average man, we also heal faster. The only reason I’m still alive right now is because of my magic, and the very same magic that flows through my body will keep me alive while you pull the arrows from my back.”


    “Really?” She whispered, her child mind feedinguponthe wonderousconcept of magic–clinging toithopefully.


    “Yes, really. So please, Mula. Do it; I beg you.”


    He felt the flesh of his back contort backwards. The dried blood that coated the wooden shaft became moist again from the spasms of the moving arrow. Apple felt Mula spin, shimmy, and tug at the arrow until it eventually came out with a pop. He felt nothing drag his flesh along with it as it was pulled out of him,foretellingthat it was mostly likely just woodin its entirety. Next came the fire, anall too familiar warmth that Apple refused to acknowledge was touching him. He could notallow himself to succumb to the pain and cry out, for Mula’s sake.


    “Great job, Mula. Just four more to go.” He wheezed through grittedbloodyteeth.


    The secondremovalwas very much like the last,torture that threatened to silence his consciousness, yet thankfully wasstill just sharpened wood.Withdespairevidentin Mula’s actions, the third arrow was armed with a head of a different material.


    It could have been rockor metal that protruded from the stick, not that Applepondered what it was too much.The sensation of it leaving his body and dragginga chunk of himself along with itdistracted his thoughtsquite well. This time, he wasunable tohold in his anguish. A sudden roar, quicklyfollowed by a forced cough to attempt to bury his screams came after.


    “Areyou okay?” He barely heard Mula ask.


    Apple gathered himself as fast as possible. “Me?” Hemimickedcausally. “I’m fine...Just,justcarry on...”


    The sting of fire was his answer.Only two more to go.


    Fatemust have landed a drop of pity upon Apple as the fourth arrow was just wood.The drop must have evaporated just before Mula yanked free the fifth.


    Again, scraps ofhis valuable flesh, blood and muscle were scooped out of him as if the goblin had shot him with a particularlyjagged arrow-tip. It was the last one and Apple was too tired to fight his primal urges, so he screameda horse scream. A thunderous cry that bulged the veins in his neck and aged his throat by several years in an instant. Not even the chewed leather in his mouth was able to muffle the magnitude of his trauma.


    When the final touch of fire left the hole in his back, Apple’s body collapsed. Not a single bit of tension lurked within his frameanymore. If one stood far enough away, unable to see the details of Apple’sbody, they wouldprobablythink he looked quite peaceful.


    “Apple! Apple! Apple!” He heard Mula cry in his ear.


    He failed to stir. All desire had left him and now he wished nothing more than to remain completely still – forever.Although, much to his annoyance,hecould not dothatright now, no matter how much he wanted to. The brave little girl beside him needed a least one more slice of praisefor her effortsbefore he rested.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    “I’m alive Mula.” He mumbled. His words barely audible as his lips were pressed against thedampground. “Yadid great...Gonnarest now. Wake me when goblins show up...”


    ***********


    What Apple told Mula was a lie in a sense,he was not asleep, although he was at least asrested as a person could be before they were truly titled as unconscious.


    Using the tiny trickle of consciousness left in the physical world, he willed thelast of hisdwimmerwithin him to heal himself. He knew no spells nor held vast knowledge about the human body to assist him,neverthelessit was better than nothing.


    He induced a fever upon himself, burning hisdwimmerfiercelysoit burnedthe ill humours that have crept inside him. He also used the warmth to relax his muscles; aidingintheir recovery. A whisper of water was sent to his blood and told to procreate. His last reverses of the raw mystical energyhe was blessed withwasspread throughout his body and ordered to cure him in any way possible. A crude method to say the least,yet it was the best he could do. The major downside of what Apple was doing, however, was that heburnedmoredwimmerthan he could produce, meaning that hewouldonly have asmereplash left when the goblins would arrive.


    ***********


    It was not the cries of Mula that eventually stirred Apple, it was merely himself. Just as how one would awake from their slumber for a reason unknown at time, Apple too awoke from neither the aid of the outside world, nor from the completion ofhisrest.


    Apple spat dry phlegm from his mouth and pressedhis palmsupon the ground to rise himself. His body still ached horribly and he shook while he stood, yet stand he still did. Something that only very recently was impossible for the magician.


    It was dark in the room. The torches that were scattered around ithadallbeensnuffed outby time. His body trembled from the cold, as his upper body was now completely exposed to the elements.


    “Mula? Where are you, Mula?” He cried out into the darkness, while healsosearched forhiscatalyst.


    No response. Apple began to worry and looked for his staff with a growing desperation. It did nottake long to finditluckily,forit was right next to where he had rested, just hidden behind the veil of blackness and groggy eyes.


    As soon as his hand clasped the familiar wooden shaft, he invokeda light spell.


    Once everything was visible againthrough an orange tint, he searched for Mula.


    It only took a second to recognise her silhouette sat about twenty feet in front of him, facing away. Apple forgot the existence of caution andlimped with hastetowards her. He almost tripped over the corpse of a goblin as he approached.


    He paused for a moment and noticed that four goblin bodies surrounded the unmoving girl. Apple scanned the room and saw all the goblins he had foughtearlier;these remains were new toApple.


    He darted towards her with increased panic, the threat of reopening his injuriesdidnot eventicklehis mind.


    She was breathing.Her hunchedframe rocked back and forthsoftly while she slept sat up.Placed upon her lap was theshort sword of the former goblin leader, drenched inthickbrown ichor.


    Apple inspected her gently, not wishing to disturb her. Apart from the occasional scratch and being covered in goblin blood, she seemed fine. Apple was impressed. He had acquired a deadly little thing on his journey, shewould mostcertainlymake a fine warrior when shehadallgrown up. Apple thought that heshouldincrease his physical training, or shewould quicklysurpass him in only a few years,perhapseven less.


    He would notjust get stronger for his own pride though. Shame clung to him the moreand more whilsthegazedat the sleeping child. He had relied far too much on her. Apple was most likely twice her age and he had been treating her like a fellowcompanion. She was supposed to be his shadow, his helper, not his equal. He had no doubt in his mind that shewould become far stronger than him in the future, butright now she was not. She needed some pampering while she was still young, he doubted shehadbeen given any her entire life and he didnot want that trend to continue. Apple decided that after this, theywouldbe going on a much more“child friendly”adventure.


    For now, however, he still had a mission to do. They needed to hunt down the remaining goblins and look for any hostagesandhopefullyacquiresome loot along the way.


    Henudgedher awake. “Hey there, sleepy-head.” He smiled.


    Apple saw a flash of primal instinct on Mula’s face, quickly followed by recognition,“Apple!” She beamed. “You’re alive.” She leapt to her feet and hugged him tightly, startling him. He eventually wrapped his arms awkwardly around her as well,ignoring the pain it brought. Heunused to displays of affectionand was extra careful not to whack her with his heavy catalystby accident.


    “All thanks to you, kid.” He replied, composing himself.


    “Sorry for not waking you. Only fourgobbiesshowed up. Mula knew she could take them on own.” She apologisedwith aboast.


    “I know, Mula, I know. We’ll talk later...” Apple looked towards the exit.“I’m bloody sick of this cave. Let’s just finish our job here and head back to that hairy fellow’s house - whose name suddenly escapes me.” Hegroaned.


    “Kay.” She nodded.


    The two releasedtheir embrace,Apple stretchedhis damaged bodywhile Mula picked up her new bronze sword. Apple kept his mouth shut, he actually had planned to claim that sword for himself, but could notbear to ask Mula to part with it. He hoped hewouldfind something just as good as they scoured the rest of the cave.


    **********


    The pair retraced their steps and ventured into every single tunnel they came across. So far, they had come across nothing but dead ends and the occasionalfewgoblins. They never saw more than five at once, even while tired and greatly injured, the creatures were easily slaughtered. The mayhemthe pair had caused must have dispersed the remainder of the cowardly creatures into every nook and cranny of their home.


    Apple was mostly upset that he had failed to find any item more advanced than a stone axe and even those were quite rare. He was sure one of his father’s men had mentioned that goblins liked to steal things, perhapsthey kept it all in one designated treasure room.Although, the more Apple thought about it, the more he realised that since the only people the goblins stole from werelowly surfs, they mostly likely didnot possessanythingworthwhile. The two had also yet come across another human being, if there were any prisoners, they were probably kept in the same roomor nearby for they too were a type of treasure.


    After several more fruitless tunnels, they finally happened upon another open area. While of very similar design to the leader’s lair, it was much smaller and lacking decorative fireof his domain. It was so small in fact that Apple could see the other side from the entrance, and the shape of another cavern along hiding along its body.


    As they marched through that opening, the smellthat already houndedthemworsened.


    Apple had grown fairly accustomed to the foul scents that dwelled within this cave. He believed he probablymost likely did not smell much better either. Yet, thescentsthat wafted their way towards himmade him feel like he had entered this place for the first time all over again.


    The all too familiar smell ofexcrement,urine, muck, andagedentrailsdesecrated his nose and clogged his throat. Smells he couldnoteven identify choked his eyelids and burned the flesh of his irises. The aromas grew stronger and stronger as he pressed forward.


    Then Applesaw thesource of the smells.


    In thatverysameinstant, he took hold of Mula and threw her back into the tunnelfrom whence they came.


    “Don’t come in here!” Heroaredat her, while she laid breathless upon the groundin shock. “Don’t you dare come in here, or I’ll abandon you, forever!” He spat, completely uncaring of her feelings at this very moment.


    Apple turned back towards the room of smells and prayed Mula would obey him, even if it meant hating himforever.


    He found his goblins, he found hisdesiredtreasure, and he found his hostages.


    He could notbelieve how foolish he was. The signs were all there. The warnings from that woman about Mula joining him in goblin slaying. The lack of girls around the hamlet. The very nature of all living creatures, so well-known to everyone, yet Apple had ignored them all for he had yet totrulymature.


    The circle may have forced him to grow in many ways, ithad also forced him hide from the desires of the living. He had spent over a year hiding from lifeitselfandhadgot pretty good at it too.Alassolitude leads only to imagination. Wondrous dreams of epic adventures, vast treasure, beautiful damsels in distress, and most importantly hope. Splendid fantasies to rival any children’s book. Sweet, sweet delusions that filled the unknown gaps of reality.


    All this time the onlythingApple had truly takenseriously was the Circle. Wild animals, bandits, even hordes ofgoblins, allfantasticchapters in his story.


    Not too long ago he was sprawled on a cave floor bleeding to death, yet even then Apple was never truly worried. What a moving part in a novel it would make. He even thought about the manly scars hewouldacquire from it.


    This was the first time Apple truly saw the world. Something no teeth, spears, arrows, or evenpowerfulmagicshad managed to accomplish. Right now, absolutely nothing was trying to harm him, they were far too occupied to do so. He never felt so hopelessly ignored.


    Women. All around the roomwere women.Young women, old women. Small women, large women.


    For every two women there was one goblin present in the room. All either laid atop a woman, or gluedecstaticallybehind them.


    Naked defiled bodieslaidlimpacrossthecoldground,whilstfoul creaturesbarely taller thaninfants thrashed around inside themgleefully. Only the occasional gasp indicted life in the goblin’streasure.


    For the first time in Apple’s magical life, fire was first and only choice of battle. He lacked skill and affinity to use the elementsaffectively, yet right nowhis mindevenonce considered an alternative. It was themanifestationof destructionitselfandthat was whatAppledesperately desired in this moment.


    He charged and took hold of the skull of a goblin,a vile creaturethathand noteven noticed his presence as it lost itself in ecstasy. Embers dribbledfromApplesfingers and feasted upon the goblin’sbulbous cranium. Its horse screams fuelled Apple’s rage as he crushed its calcium shield in his grip and boileditspathetic excuse for abrain. Only when its skullcompletelybecame a puddle and its brain was sliced intopiecesby Apple’sgrip, its ooze drippingthrough the gaps in between his fingers, did Apple finally let go.


    Not even bothering to wipe any of the gunk ofhis scarred hand, he pounceduponanotherof the monsters, howling all the while.


    Apple roared so loudhis own ears shook from the pitch;He didnotcare. He needed them to hear him;to see him;to smell him;to notice him as theirgreatestenemy. It was vital toApplethat they attacked him immediately, he couldnotallow even one more second of their defilement to occur – herefused to.


    He screechedin satisfaction as themonsters finally came at him.


    Lacking a weapon, one leapt at Apple with gaping maw and readied claws. Apple jammed his arm willingly inside its revolting mouth and cooked its insides. Heyankedhis arm freewithoutgrace, dragging asmuch of thecreature''sinsidesalong with it.


    Another came at him and he simply caved in its skull with his staff. Unsatisfied with that kill, Apple grabbed another of the fiends by its gluttonous maw, lifting it off the ground to eye level, welding itsownlips shut with the red aura of his palm.His free hand he took hold of itsdelicatewristand forced it to tear open its throat with the pointed nails ithadthreatened him with.Stillnotfeelingslightlysatisfied, he threw the creaturecarelessly to the groundandsearchedfor more prey. Most were crowding around him now, weary of his might, yipping pitifully at him. He took no notice of them, however, for at the back of the room were two goblins still partaking in their prisoner’s flesh;Apple blacked out.


    **********


    When he awoke once more, he found himself standing in the centre of the treasure room. His body stiff from the weight of the blood and innards that clung to it. In his left hand was hisbelovedstaff, in his right was a goblin’s arm he did notrememberclaiming.


    All around the room werethebeaten andsmokyremains of goblins, almost none of them still possessed all of their limbs, some even lacking a head.


    This wasnotthefirst timeApplehad lost himself to rage, yet it the first timehefailed to feel a single shred of remorse. Every single fibre of his being told him thesecreatures had to cease existing, his actions made as much as sense tohis beingas eating and sleeping.


    Now that the goblins were all dead, next came the hardest part,tendingtothe women.


    “Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead...” Hemumbled with a monotonous tone. “Alive!” Apple finally breathed


    Applewouldtake it no more and weptwaterless tears. Never in his life had he seen such horror. Such one-sided vileness. Only one woman still drew breath and just barely at that. Some looked as if theyhadperishedweeks ago,bloated skin, contorted veins, and black lips. The goblins didnoteven try to rid their prizes of grubsthat feasted upon them. Two of them looked as young as Mula.Apple heaved over and over again but there was no food to be found in his stomach.


    Apple slumpeddown beside theonlyaliveprisonerand washed her body with warm waterwith his last few drops ofdwimmer. Hewould notallow anyone in the hamlet to see what covered her.


    Apple tried to find something to warm her with but came up empty. With complete silence, he picked up her limp body and placed herfrail body overhisgoodshoulder.


    He wanted to burn the rest of the bodies, to allow them even the slightest respect of passing, yet heno longerpossessedeven a singleslitherofdwimmerleft within him. With no other options, he finally left the room, never giving thegoblin’smeagretreasure a second glace. His desire to leave trumped everythingelse.


    Back in the tunnel he found Mula waiting for him. He could notbring himself to meet her gaze after what he did to her. “Let’s go. I’ve found the prisoner,”was all hecould bring himselfto say.


    Apple could feel Mula stare at the girl on hisslung across his shoulderintensely. After a few secondsof nothingness,she simply nodded and walked ahead of him.


    The two marched back through the cave in complete silence. The frail body on hisshouldergrowing heavier and heavier by the second. Luckily, they never saw a single living goblin on their wayout.


    It was night when they finally left thegoblin cave. They had been in that accused lairfor quite a whileit would seem.


    Mula immediately noticed the lanky hunter: Nick, propped beside the cave entrance. Sprinkled around him were over a dozen lifeless goblincorpses.


    Apple didnot need to inspect theNick’s bodyto know he was dead, the blood, stiffness, and several tree branches protruding from his front told him enough.


    “That explains why we never saw him again...What a shame, he seemed like a good man.” Apple sighed.


    Mula grunted in supposed agreement and crouched down next to the man. Apple saw her pick up a large blade from at his feet. When she returned to his side, he recognised the foot-long razor metal as ascramasax,asingle bladed iron dagger that he himself used to own, until he lost it in the side of a stampeding boara while back. Apple thought about asking for the short sword now that she had something more suited to herbut decided it was not agood time.


    Resisting the temptation to loot the man himself, Appleignored the wobbling of his legsand foggy breaths,and headed back towardsthe hamlet.


    He gazedlonginglyat the night sky, trying to distract himself from the fresh memories of the day’s events. Yet he could not, for the full moon’s beauty frustrated him. People of magic abilityand liquid affinitytypically lovedthe complete exposer of the moon.Itsmajestic curvatureand silver glow. He was nonormallyexceptioneither, but not tonight. Tonight, he wanted nothing shining down on him–he wantednothing at all.