《Emovere》 Prologue: Like A Flower, This Country Shall Too Bloom Fortuna City 3 Days Before The Great War "Do you think the rumors are true? Are we really going to war?" "I don''t wanna go to war...my wife and I just had twins, a boy and a girl...I miss the Queen. She would never let it come to this" "Aye! Shut up you idiots, the chancellor''s about to speak" As Chancellor Cedric approached the pedestal he looked out to his kingdom, the state of Perdita. The coldness in his eyes froze the hundreds of Perditians in their tracks. He cleared his throat before speaking, a bit of blood spattered onto his handkerchief. ¡°Greetings to my fellow Perditians. Since the news of our King¡¯s passing I, like the rest of you, have had my heart shattered into pieces. I¡¯ve known him for as long as I can remember and to think he would pass¡­my heart arches. BUT! I have picked myself up and now with The Honored Sword¡¯s assistance, I will lead this state to further success than we¡¯ve ever tasted. It was us who were this country¡¯s first born! It was us who have led this country to its most impressive feats! It was us who was labeled the beacon ¡ª the beacon of hope! And now we will show Excitatur, Aidia, Sollicitus, Inanis, and Spes that we will be the ones to unite Emovere! My dear citizens, since the death of Elpis I shall take the mantle of Emovere¡¯s next savior! I will lead our beautiful state of Perdota to the promise land! This state has known a many of wars, but this will be the final one. We, yes we, will lead the charge! We''ll start by destroying that unholy neighbor of ours, Spes, then the rest will follow suit! Why Spes you ask with those confused looks on your face? Well, it''s simple really." The chancellor pounded his fist into the podium before continuing. "THEY have sought out this war! THEY have desecrated the graves of our brothers and sisters! THEY have spat in the face of our religion! Our freedom! But most of all it was THEM who assassinated our once late, great queen and left our state headless! So, we will have vengeance and take back our losses!" The words from Cedric seemed to draw something out of the citizens as they erupted into an uproar. The chancellor motioned the crowd to calm itself before continuing, "One last thing if you all will, with that said, this is our final warning to all Spesians: come crawling to Perdita & beg us for mercy, or become a casualty of war!" As Cedric continued to rally the citizens, two individuals looked on from a nearby watchtower. "So, that¡¯s your plan? You greedy bastard. You claim you care about the people, but it was you who abandoned this state.¡± Felichs scoffed as they spat in Cedric¡¯s direction. ¡°Aye now, you¡¯ll have your chance to take his head soon. For now you just need to calm yourself, alright? The tall man reminded them as he stood up and grabbed his sword. ¡°Well, he¡¯s right there. I could just kill him now if I wanted to.¡± ¡°Haha! You think you¡¯re as good a shot as Rose? Besides, we gotta do it right or else we¡¯ll just rile up this crowd. Do that and we¡¯ll have a whole new fight on our hands, one you¡¯ll have to explain.¡± ¡°Tch. I want him dead.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°And you¡¯ll get him, but not yet.¡± ¡°Then when? If we pass up this opportunity then we¡¯ll have to wait until the party and then what? If we miss either one of these opportunities we¡¯re screwed and then you¡¯ll be the one doing the explaining.¡± ¡°Ugh, look, I get you have a vested interest in this, way more than the rest of us, and maybe you¡¯re right, but still. We have a way to get him later and look out there,¡± the man granted Felichs and turned them towards the knights by Cedric¡¯s side, ¡°You see them right? Those aren¡¯t the type of soldiers you just wanna rush in head first against. That¡¯s Perdita¡¯s ace up the sleeve, The Honored Sword. You act reckless against them and you¡¯re dead. ¡°I¡¯ve fought one of them before you know.¡± ¡°And if it wasn¡¯t for me you¡¯d be dead. I get that you¡¯ve been through a hell of a lot over these past few years, but get yourself together already. I need the Felichs that actually used their brain to formulate strategies. Not this new Felichs that walks around with their head down and can¡¯t look anybody in the eyes. Speaking of eyes, maybe you can¡¯t come up with anything because of all of that damn hair in your face. What made you grow your hair out to begin with?¡± ¡°Whatever I say would just make me sound like I¡¯m bitching now wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I meant. Just get your head together alright? You can still save her you know?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­I guess so¡­¡± Felichs pushed aside their hair and inspected the scene. ¡°The sky. It seems less cloudier than it has been. It¡¯s still gray though. Sad. I¡¯d love to see the sky be blue. You know I¡¯ve read that it used to be a beautiful light blue during the summertime.¡± ¡°Yeah. Someday we¡¯ll make that dream a reality. But first we need to take him down ¡ª properly.¡± The two stare on in silence. ¡°I¡¯ve thought over it and you¡¯re right. I hate to miss this opportunity, but there¡¯s no point if we both end up dead. So, do you think she¡¯ll really take the seat as leader of Perdita? Or will she continue pestering me about it?¡± ¡°Haha! Good luck winning that one. Besides you lived here. Most of the people who¡¯ll be fighting this war are like you. So, who better to lead the people than the one most like them. ¡°You¡¯d be right if that piece of shit wasn¡¯t a hero to these idiots. So even if we were to take him down there¡¯s no way the people would accept me so easily. Unless!¡± ¡°Unless what?¡± ¡°You kill him.¡± ¡°Me? Did you not listen to-¡± ¡°I¡¯m not done yet. You kill him and I kill you.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you desire then so be it. I knew what would be at stake ever since I joined all those years ago.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean literally kill you, but make the people believe I did. Once you take his head I¡¯ll be the first towards you knife in hand.¡± The man burst into a boisterous laughter as he slammed his hand into Felichs¡¯ back. ¡°OUCH! What was that for?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the Felichs I know. Alright let¡¯s get- ready yourself.¡± ¡°Eh? Wait. Is that¡­¡± Three sets of repeated clapping could be heard. One clap. Two claps. Three. "Eh bien, bien, bien, je dirai. Je suis impressionn¨¦. Tu es vraiment une personne sp¨¦ciale n''est-ce pas?¡± ¡°Oh ho, my apologies, I forget you lower class fools only speak your type of English. Anywho, I¡¯m not so sure about the red headed one, but you my dear, could prove to be a valuable asset. What say you swear your allegiance to your future king, Cedric, and I¡¯ll forget everything you said. As a bonus I¡¯ll even allow your friend here to live ¡ª just minus the arms.¡± ¡°By the looks of that blade you must be the one I¡¯ve heard so much about. They say you¡¯re the strongest weirder of a sword this land has ever seen.¡± ¡°Ils auraient raison, mais je n¡¯aime pas ces choses insignifiantes. I only care for one thing and that¡¯s¡­never mind fools like you would never understand. I¡¯ll ask one more Felichs, what is your decision? Side with us and live or die where you stand?¡± ¡°I can only buy you about five minutes, Felichs, so if you got a plan then make it quick.¡± ¡°Plan? Sorry man but I don¡¯t have one. Not against a demon like her.¡± ¡°Thought so. Alright then, plan b it is.¡± ¡°And what exactly is plan b if you don¡¯t mind me asking? "Kill this bitch and hope we make it out alive!" The man ordered as he reached for his sword. ¡°Flower Technique: Botanical Blade!¡± ¡°So that¡¯s your decision then? Fine! I''d love nothing more than for someone from this Goddess-forsaken country to ACTUALLY give me a challenge. So, I, the descendant of Jeanne d''Arc, Rouen d''Arc accept you as a worthy opponent, you better not be a waste of my time, fools." Turn 1: You Are I, But I Am Not You It was a surprisingly quiet day, the first one in months that Felichs could remember. They lay on the ground beside a tree, legs crossed, running their fingers through their curly, brown hair that was just barely darker than their skin, while drinking water gathered from the nearby lake. ¡°Ouch! Stupid knots! Ughhh, sometimes I really hate my hair. And this water¡­this can¡¯t be potable. This is life in Pauper I guess. My pants are all ripped up and full of holes. Shirts barely even a shirt ¡ª practically wearing a bra ¡ª but aye at least my shoes look cool. Although they¡¯re kinda tight, man I wish that guy had bigger feet.¡± Felichs groaned to themselves as they stood up stretched. ¡°In three months it¡¯ll be my birthday. I became an adult last year and what have I got to show for it? Mom¡¯s still sick. No medicine. We barely have any food. What am I doing with my life? I don¡¯t care what happens to me, I just needa find a way to get mom better already. I hate this shit and I hate this nasty water!¡± Felichs took another long, deep breath before pulling out a few chess pieces from their pocket. ¡°A rook. A knight. Some pawns. And a stupid queen. I never understood why the queen¡¯s so loved. Like, sure, she¡¯s powerful, but so are the others. Besides, anybody can become a queen, hell even I could if I wanted to. Imagine me, Queen Felichs, ruler of Emovere! That would be something now wouldn¡¯t it¡­except nobody would want to call me queen because ¡®you¡¯re a boy not a girl¡¯ so stupid I swear. But at least I¡¯ll always have chess. It¡¯s a stressful game that¡¯s for sure, but the good kinda stress. The one that helps you forget about life¡¯s worries, take a deep breath, and completely and utterly dominate your opponent in many, many ways. Plus you can play by yourself too! Which is great¡­seeing as I¡¯m always alone. Eh, at least I got that old man in Mediocris I can visit from time to time. Then again, he¡¯s probably mad that I stole from the shop next to his. At least he let me take these pieces from his old chess board. Huh? What¡¯s this on the queen? Some kinda flower carved into the bottom?¡± As they held out the queen suddenly a loud cry could be heard coming from the middle of Pauper. ¡°M¨¦NOS IS REAL! TOURNOU¨¢ TOU M¨¦NOS IS REAL!¡± Shouted a man on horseback. ¡°Great¡­And just when I thought I heard enough of this stupid M¨¦nos, here comes another idiot to spread the good news¡­¡± grumbled Felichs as they put pieces into their pocket. They climbed the tree to get a better view of the situation. As they scanned over Pauper, Felichs spotted a guy whose skin was as white as snow matching his hair. He wore jeans and a jacket that were both made of leather, topped off with spiked boots to match. He charmed no facial hair making his appearance to be of someone in their early to mid twenties. He rode through Pauper on horseback shouting as loud as he could as if to make sure the entire town heard him. Many were startled, not only by his shouting but by his odd choice of fashion. ¡°Who in Eirini¡¯s name would ever dress like that?¡± One man shouted from a fish stand. ¡°Come here sonny, I could use a new trash bag.¡± An old lady gestured as she slapped her knee. ¡°Look, mama! I think he¡¯s the one who stole our tarp!¡± Shouted a little girl pulling on her mother¡¯s dress. Pauper was an extremely poor town, one of the poorest in all of Emovere. Every building was made of old wood and if the wind hit hard enough all would come crumbling down. There were no conventional roads either as they were all made from dirt. The city had a foul odor fuming through it that, unless you were from Pauper, would make a nose bleed profusely. The council of Perdita had little to no care for the town as they removed the police force, hospital, and all other council-owned buildings. This meant its residents either visited the local ¡°doctor¡± who would give out stolen medications they did not know much of, or went to Mediocris which laid five miles to the north. So, to see someone like this was an anomaly to those of Pauper. The man continued riding through until he was stopped by members of a local Pauper gang, The War God¡¯s Reapers. ¡°So the M¨¦nos is actually real eh? Snickered a young boy by the name of Snake. ¡°Seems so, but aye, who gave dis guy duh right to enter our turf?¡± Grumbled another man whom the town called Bulldog. ¡°Teehee, whoever he is, the boss is gonna get upset if we let uninvited guests come and go without permission!¡± Giggled a young lady by the name of Lana ¡°P-p-please gentlemen, lady, I assure you I m-m-meant no disrespect. I-I-I just wanted to make sure everyone heard or else I¡¯d be in d-d-deep trouble.¡± Said the oddly dressed screecher. ¡°Gentlemen? ZAHAHAHA! Oh, buddy you ran into duh last people who could be anythang but gentle.¡± Bulldog huffed as he inched closer to the man. ¡°Besides, how do we know you¡¯re telling the truth? I mean, anyone can ride through a place yelling a bunch of nonsense.¡± Challenged Snake as he placed himself besides the suspicious man. ¡°M-m-my name is B-B-Bert. I was t-t-told to deliver this message by my boss. I don''t know their name, I-I-I¡¯ve never even seen their face! But they massacred those people who attacked them during the first showing of M¨¦nos.¡± Stuttered Bert as they pleaded their case to the three individuals. The War God¡¯s Reapers was a gang from East Pauper who had total control of its east river. Many knew not to show their face around this side of the town, the one exception being those who were outsiders. The Reapers popped up about three to four years ago and have been causing havoc ever since. The murder rate on the east side had gone up tremendously, including tensions with other gangs in the town, but the oddest thing is that no one knew who led them. The only known piece of information is that the leader has long red hair. The situation had started to drag out and the gang¡¯s frustration ever grew. By this point, the residents had hidden well enough to watch what would transpire but not be caught. Bulldog grabbed the man and ripped off his jacket and pants while Snake stabbed his foot with a large knife to keep him from running. Lana pulled out a crowbar and beat the man mercilessly until he broke his foot trying to escape the gang¡¯s onslaught. Felichs had no thoughts of intervening, as they watched the gruesome beating of this poor man go down. They had learned all too well to mind their own business as this was the way of Pauper. Gangs ran this run-down city and you either avoided them or faced certain death. With so many gangs in Pauper though, avoiding one gang meant possibly running into another. So the better you hid yourself the less likely you were to run into them. Sadly, a few female citizens were caught, and forced to chase the man who, after breaking his foot, was able to escape on his horse. Knowing what this gang¡¯s punishment would be for women, they ran as fast as they could, throwing anything within arm¡¯s reach. ¡°Those damn psychopaths¡­I really need to get out of here before I end up like Snow White¡¯s gay brother. Ugh, I wish I could have gotten closer though. I could¡¯ve heard everything they said, but at least I was able to make out his boss massacring people. Although, I don¡¯t know what idiot just tells that kind of thing to anyone so willingly¡­Who am I kidding, there¡¯s no way that story was actually true. I mean, come on, one person wiping out a hundred people instantly? That sounds insane¡­¡± Felichs thought to themself as they ran home hoping to not be caught. An hour later Felichs arrived home, but something seemed strange. It was quiet. Too quiet. Now seeing as they lived on Pauper¡¯s poorest side this was nothing new. Most people were in their houses early to avoid and made as little noise as possible so they wouldn¡¯t be found. The houses, if you could even call them that, were made up of brittle wood, topped with leaves & branches to help against weather conditions. This was not the case for the home of Felichs since, thanks to their mother, theirs was built with clay instead of wood and plotted behind a few big willow trees. While this may not have been the best idea since their house stood out more than the others, Felichs, and their mom both felt it would be safer against harsh weather and possible intruders, or so they thought, as it seemed this night brought upon Lady Luck¡¯s ugliest face. ¡°Why the hell is the door open?!¡± Felichs thought to themself as they began to panic.¡°Calm down you idiot, you can¡¯t lose your cool. They started scraping their shark-like teeth together, the sound causing them frustration helped ease their worried mind. Before going inside, they went to the nearest tree and grabbed their makeshift knife. After an attack from a neighbor who tried stealing their bread a few months ago, they decided to hide a few knives in each of the trees and under the dirt for safety. They slowly crept towards the door as lightly as possible, while avoiding branches and leaves, so they wouldn''t make any noise. As they leaned against the wall, nearest the door, they peered inside. Nothing was broken nor had there been any blood marks. ¡°So it wasn¡¯t a robbery¡­or a murder¡­I know nobody stopped by to visit. We don¡¯t have any other family that I know of and the weirdos in this neighborhood know not to visit. So, what the hell is going on?¡± Felichs said in a low whisper. As Felichs took a few steps inside they noticed a light coming from their mother¡¯s room. This was strange as they didn¡¯t own any lights and they just went through their last candle yesterday. Their grip on the knife started to get tighter as their breathing grew heavier. Their rage began to reach its peak as they could only think the worst possible thoughts. Their breathing grew so heavy it could hold down a raging bull then almost instantly eased as they heard the soothing voice of their mother call out to them ¡°Felichs? Is that you? Come in sweetie, everything¡¯s fine, we have a guest.¡± Their mother said as loud as she could. Their mother had a serious illness which made it hard for her to raise her voice. With a quick braiding technique they learned from an old friend, they were able to tie a part of their hair around the handle to hide the knife to conceal it behind them. Upon opening the door, a person in an all-white suit sat drinking tea with their mother. Their face was mostly covered but they noticed a big scar that appeared to be running down to their jawline. Their suit was topped off with a burgundy top hat and burgundy gloves. This mysterious person sat one leg crossed over the other, glaring at Felichs. ¡°I¡¯ve never been to hell but it feels like Synkrousi¡¯s aura is tearing apart my skin. So why don¡¯t I feel bloodlust? It feels warm. Like I¡¯ve felt this aura before, but I also feel scared. I can feel the hairs on my body sticking up. Shit, I need to calm down. Whoever this person is they don¡¯t know about the knife behind my back, so I¡¯m good. Calm down Felichs.¡± Felichs thought to themself as they could feel their heart pounding. ¡°Greetings dear Felichs, my my, you have such a beautiful aura to you, almost as beautiful as your hair.¡± Giggled the mysterious individual as they slightly lifted their mask and sipped from their cup. ¡°I bet you could warm the heart of an angered beast!¡± ¡°That¡¯s funny because I couldn¡¯t say the same for you.¡± snickered Felichs as they tried playing off their fear. ¡°Oh? I get that a lot.¡± Responded the individual. Felichs raised their eyebrow then added, ¡°So I¡¯m guessing my mom gave you my name right? ¡°I mean that would¡¯ve been the easiest way, but I already knew your name, my dear. You see, I happen to know the names of all the special people in Emovere. It¡¯s kinda like a job of mine. So, is knowing when to choose violence or peace.¡± The individual smirked as they sipped their tea. ¡°You know, I do admire an individual ready to protect themselves, but wouldn¡¯t you agree that violence is only needed as a last resort? Especially when the presence of it isn¡¯t needed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry sweetie, they¡¯ve been nothing but kind the entire time.¡± Sana assured them Felichs, while shocked, did as the visitor asked, effortlessly throwing the knife into the wall. They chuckled at the sight before offering Felichs some tea and then sat, so they could converse. The watchful young Felichs kept their focus on every word the visitor said, every pause they took, even every breath they breathed., Everything seemed to be normal, but one thing did stand out though, whoever this person happened to be, they were no ordinary individual. They seemed to be so calculated, answering without any type of hesitation. It was like they knew every statement or question that would be said to them before it was said. The fear in Felichs¡¯ body had grown again, this time even heavier than before causing their entire inner self to tremble greatly. They thought to themself, ¡°I want to kill this person¡­I just need one opening¡­¡± ¡°Everything will be alright my child, quell your bloodlust.¡± A voice whispered to them ¡°What the who was that?¡± Felichs thought as they began to look around frantically. ¡°Is something the matter sweetie?¡± Sana asked with a concerned look on her face. ¡°Yeah I¡¯m fine, I thought I heard something out back. It was likely just my imagination though.¡± Felichs responded smiling to ease their mother¡¯s worry. ¡°Pahaha, they just seem to be the cautious type is all. No need to be concerned, it¡¯s better to care for your surroundings rather than ignore them and end up surrounded.¡± The visitor chimed in. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you referred to me in that manner. Most people meet me and just assume ¡®he must be a dude, so I¡¯m gonna call him a dude¡¯ It¡¯s really irritating¡° grumbled Felichs as the tension began to ease from their body. ¡°Well, when people choose to see only that which lies on the surface they can never see someone¡¯s real face.¡± Responded the visitor as they tipped their hat. ¡°By the way Felichs, what are your thoughts on the current state of Emovere? I asked your mother this question before your arrival, and her answer was quite intriguing.¡± the visitor chuckled, taking another sip of their tea. ¡°You mean a country where the poor are poor in every aspect and the rich are only wealthy in their pockets? Or do you mean a country where war is a pastime and the solution is supposed to be some stupid tournament?¡± Gibed Felichs. The visitor let out a soft chuckle and then asked, ¡°Now, I don¡¯t mean to pry when asking this but is there any reason you haven¡¯t drank your tea? I promise you it¡¯s safe if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about.¡± The visitor remarked in a concerned manner. Felichs laid back against the wall and gently tossed the cup up in the air, before swiftly kicking it across the room, flying directly into the knife. It was crushed completely on impact. ¡°You come in here with tea, and have a full-on conversation with us like we¡¯re best friends, yet you¡¯ve been hiding your real intentions it seems and you haven¡¯t even introduced yourself. Pretty rude if you ask me. So who are you and what do you want? And don¡¯t think about not answering because those weren¡¯t questions, I will get my answers.¡± Felichs smirked at them. The visitor let out a boisterous laugh, ¡°I see, I see. You are as intelligent as I imagined! Maybe a bit too much on the hot-headed side, but you¡¯ll learn to calm that someday. Yes! Yes! Alright then my dear, your wish is my command.¡± The individual stood up and bowed, ¡°While I can¡¯t reveal too much at the moment, I am the host of the tournament, Tournou¨¢ Tou M¨¦nos! The one that shall save this land! Also, for now, feel free to call me Tournament. I¡¯m here to give you this box and the chance of a lifetime! Please open it.¡± The box was small, no bigger than a box of tissues. It was burgundy with a white ribbon in the shape of a flower on top, with a small note saying ¡°To Felichs, Happy Early Birthday.¡± ¡°Guess you don¡¯t know everything about me, my birthday isn¡¯t for another three months.¡± Felichs chuckled. ¡°Is that so? Mine actually just passed.¡± Tournament responded with a chuckle of their own. Felichs raised their eyebrow, then shook their head showing little concern for the comment, and slowly opened the box. Inside was a small letter and a much smaller box. They read through the few pages, looking up at Tournament every so often, then they opened the smaller box, and inside it revealed a watch. ¡°So you want me in this Tournou¨¢ To somewhere? What¡¯s odd though is why bring an invitation if there¡¯s no limitation? Seems it would¡¯ve been easier to send that guy on the horse again, or maybe someone with both their feet intact.¡± Questioned Felichs with a raised eyebrow. Tournament chuckled aloud. ¡°So, you noticed that too eh¡­the poor fool. Regardless, after my messenger didn¡¯t return, I decided to come myself. Plus, after I learned you were here I just had to see you for myself¡­The one who night favors.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the second time I heard that phrase said to me¡­I mean there¡¯s a benefit to being black but damn this is feeling racist¡­¡± muttered Felichs to their self. Felichs shook their head and chuckled a bit before responding, ¡°Wait, wait, wait, hold on a second. You said you¡¯ve only been here for awhile¡­so how exactly did you know he didn¡¯t return?¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, well that¡¯s a secret for me to know.¡± Tournament giggled. ¡°And you to find out?¡± Felichs responded slightly confused by Tournament¡¯s unfinished statement. Tournament said nothing in response but smirked as they sat back in their chair smugly. After the conversation, Tournament bid Sana and Felichs farewell, wishing them both a peaceful night. As they left they made sure to leave some food and extra tea packets on the counter as a parting gift. Before leaving though Tournament whispered something in Felichs ear, causing their eyes to grow wide and a single tear to roll down their cheek. After seeing them out, Felichs helped their mother get into bed before heading up to the roof to watch the stars. Many thoughts ran through their mind about the earlier conversation. ¡°What did you mean by I¡¯m special? I¡¯m not a piss-ass noble and I¡¯m here, my future¡¯s as dark as this country¡¯s heart. Hell, will I even¡­ ugh whatever. I don¡¯t care what that creep says or thinks. I¡¯m just a regular person, who will live a regular life that someone from Pauper lives and when I die, hopefully, I¡¯ll be reincarnated as something worth caring for or maybe my soul will finally be sent to Fos, so I can just sleep. I¡¯m tired¡­so tired¡­¡± They started to lay back, scraping their teeth to calm themself, as they stared at the night sky. The sound of sharp objects scraping together was like nails on a chalkboard for Felichs, but the frustration it caused helped ease their anxious mind. ¡°Ughhh this sucks. These stupid trees are blocking the moon tonight. Why did we have to live here of all places? I mean, mom was in the military, so why the HELL are we in this poor ass town?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I¡¯m so, so sorry¡­¡± sobbed an unfamiliar voice. ¡°H-huh? Mom? Is that you?¡± Sporadically whispered Felichs. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. If only I fought harder that day, then none of you would have to go through this¡­¡± continued the voice. ¡°Wait¡­I heard this voice earlier when that creep was talking to me, but whose voice is this? Well, I wish whoever it is would just respond to me already instead of crying.¡± Whispered Felichs once again, this time with clear frustration in their voice. ¡°Ugh, whatever, I¡¯m going to sleep. Keep talking to yourself weirdo¡­then again, if someone passed I¡¯d be the weirdo talking to themself.¡± ¡°You¡­child of Pauper, will face many trials and tribulations. You MUST overcome them and unleash your full potential. I can not aid you in this journey, nor can I give you my name, but one day I will be able to. For now, though, I will leave you with this. Our connection is NOT by chance but one of fate for you are one of the special ones that I made sure would hear my voice when the time comes.¡± Felichs lowered their head before responding, ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not special. I¡¯m just so tired¡­¡± They began to doze off mid-sentence before falling asleep for the night. As they slept they thought back to the simpler times before their mother¡¯s illness. ******************************************* Roughly a year ago It was a chilly afternoon, as the snow lay on the ground. Those of Pauper hated this time of year the most as many did not have the proper clothing to support them in the harsh winter conditions. A retired medic by the name of Sana had returned home. She had a child, who was seventeen at the time, whom she hadn¡¯t seen for about three years since being on base. As she approached her home all the nerves had finally set in. ¡°What if they¡¯re still mad about the incident from a few years ago? Do they still even live here? Have they found a new home? What if they hate me and want nothing to do with me anymore¡­?¡± Sana thought to herself as she slowly rubbed her face. While her nerves were high, her faith in Felichs was even higher. She knew that even if they left, her child was not dead and wherever they may be, they were safe. However, in hopes that Felichs was home, Sana decided to lightly knock on the door as a way to not startle them, but as she reached out a hand grabbed by the shoulder causing her reflexes to set in. She grabbed the person¡¯s wrist and bicep then proceeded to flip them over her. She was about to continue on the attack as she readied her knife until she realized who the attacker was. ¡°Argh¡­I guess it wasn¡¯t the smartest idea approaching from behind, should¡¯ve thought that one through.¡± Felichs said as they slowly got up from the ground while rubbing the back of their head. Sana reached out her hand to help them up before giving them a big hug. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry sweetie, I have to remember this isn¡¯t war. Not everyone is trying to kill me. I¡¯m also sorry for being away for so long, I know I said it was only supposed to be a year¡­I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be forced to stay longer.¡± Sana said as tears began to roll down her face. ¡°It¡¯s ok Mom, I get it, you¡¯re one of the best doctors in all of Emovere. So, when duty calls, you have to do what¡¯s needed. And as far as the flip, I¡¯ll be fine, I''ve dealt with way worse this week. With that said though, if you hug me any tighter I- I won¡¯t be ok.¡± chuckled Felichs trying to lighten the mood. ¡°I know, I just, I just, I feel so ba-¡± responded Sana before Felichs cut her off. ¡°I said it¡¯s fine, I can take care of myself. Plus Mediocris is only a few miles away and there''s a really nice bartender there that I¡¯m good friends with. He would let me visit and if I was hungry, which was all the time, he would give me some food to eat.¡± Felichs said with a big smile on their face. ¡°HONEY WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR TEETH, WHY ARE THEY SO SHARP?!?!?! Sana screamed as Felichs tried to shush her. ¡°Keep it down Mom, you want everyone to know? I did this as a way to defend myself in case I¡¯m ever attacked and need a last resort¡­or sometimes as a first resort¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t like to hear you¡¯re getting into fights. I mean, I get you have to protect yourself, but I don¡¯t want to lose you¡­¡± said Sana as she wiped her tears. ¡°I¡¯m glad you were able to make another friend, after always being by yourself for so many years.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­a friend¡­¡± Felichs thought to themself. ¡°Well anyways, how about we get inside, and I cook up some food for us? I was able to get enough food to last us a few months. And I even learned how to cook from this cute chef too.¡± Sana smirked. ¡°That¡¯s just like you¡­meet someone cute, yet never get enough money out of them so we can leave Pauper.¡± Felichs grumbled. That evening the two went inside and cooked a nice warm meal together. ¡°Mmm¡­mmm¡­mmm! This is really good mom!¡± Felichs said trying their best to form a smile. ¡°Teehee, you don¡¯t have to lie, sweetie, I know I¡¯m still a lousy cook. I wanted to try the recipes I learned, but I think I added too many seasonings. Maybe if I recook it with a tiny bit less it¡¯ll taste better!¡± Sana spluttered as she jumped up and started rummaging through the assorted seasonings. ¡°I think it needs more than a bit less seasonings¡­actually a lot less,¡± Felichs mumbled to themself. ¡°It¡¯s fine mom, I haven¡¯t eaten since yesterday so I¡¯ll eat anything, to be honest.¡± ¡°Huh? Why haven¡¯t you been eating? Questioned Sana. ¡°Kinda forgot¡­kinda spent my day and night in a cell¡­¡± Felichs giggled as they bit into their potato. Sana stared blankly at Felichs as she rubbed her head. She took a deep sigh before responding. ¡°What am I going to do with you? Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop getting in trouble? Scolded Sana. ¡°What did you do this time?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault. The food looked good, and besides they would just throw it in the trash at the end of the day anyway. So, I thought about helping myself to it.¡± Grumbled Felichs. The rest of the night was filled with the two of them laughing, eating, and talking about their respective stories over the past few years. This would also be the last night Felichs would smile as it was also Sana¡¯s last healthy night before her illness would pop up drastically changing the future forever. Back to the present Felichs felt something fuzzy on their face causing them to wake up. Much to their surprise it was an owl sitting on their face. ¡°Why do these stupid birds keep using my face as a nest?¡± Felichs said. ¡°Who, who.¡± Answered back the owl. ¡°I-I¡¯m not doing this,¡± Felichs said out loud before shooing the bird away As they slowly sat up a small piece of paper fell from the owl¡¯s talons onto their lap. The paper was stamped with a bloody handprint. As they unrolled it they started to breathe heavier and heavier. The words inside caused great fear to build up in Felichs. ¡°So, it¡¯s kill or be killed, eh? Idiots. Killing a bunch of random people won¡¯t change this country. If a business is failing everybody calls for the head to step down and be replaced with someone new. That¡¯s because they¡¯re in charge. They make the decisions. Inadequate workers can slow a business down, inadequate bosses will run a business into the ground. So killing a bunch of randoms isn¡¯t gonna change this country. It¡¯s these heads that need to be changed.¡± Felichs said as they crumbled up the paper and shoved it in their pocket. A few houses down sat a shadowy figure on top of a house as the moon surrounded them. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re more like me than even I had realized,¡± Thought Tournament as a smirk grew upon their face. Another individual appeared from a shroud of mist. ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is a bit unfair? I mean are you sure they¡¯re even worth going through all this trouble for?¡± Questioned the second individual as he scratched his head. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Unfair? Is it not unfair that such a special person be stuck in this wretched environment, Fox? Is it not unfair that the less fortunate not be given more AND better opportunities in life? Life is all about unfair advantages and disadvantages, so why can¡¯t I give an individual with numerous disadvantages one tiny advantage?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of interest in this kid, you know that? I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t tell them your real name¡­Tournament.¡± Fox responded as he let out a slight chuckle. ¡°Touch¨¦. Jokes aside, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s absolutely beautiful when you can find someone in life who thinks the same way you do?¡± ¡°Ehh, I don¡¯t know. I mean the last time I did, he died. The poor bastard.¡± Fox shrugged. ¡°As for this situation though, what if Felichs doesn¡¯t want too-¡± ¡°Oh trust me, they will. Once they know the truth they¡¯ll have no other choice.¡± The next morning Felichs woke up and jumped down from the roof. They went out back to grab the water bucket and towel, then went to help bathe their mother. This had become an everyday routine for the two ever since Sana had contracted her illness. They even had a song they would sing together; Sana would sing the first line, and then Felichs would sing the second. The third and fourth lines would follow this same pattern. ¡°The nights are so long, but soon the Sun will rise We give the moon its hugs and say our goodbyes We watch the Sun peek through the clouds in the sky Until it rests again and calls forth a moonlit night¡± This was Sana¡¯s favorite song that she used to sing with her mother when she was a child. Whenever she was sad or upset, her mom would sing it to her over and over again until Sana was prancing around the house humming a tune. After washing her off, Felichs helped her get dressed and then made them both some food. Their house didn¡¯t have a kitchen, actually, it only consisted of a living room with two windows and pillows that acted like couches, a small washroom that was basically a closet-sized bathroom, and their mom¡¯s room that had a mattress and blankets. Felichs usually slept on the roof as it allowed them to watch over the house and get the advantage if anyone tried breaking in. They made the usual breakfast: bread, diced-up potatoes, eggs, some tea for Sana, and water for themself. They both sat together and talked about the night before as they ate breakfast. ¡°You know, you don¡¯t have to go if you don''t want to,¡± Sana said with worry in her voice. ¡°Eh, if it takes me away from this city then I might as well head out,¡± Felichs replied nonchalantly. ¡°While I¡¯m glad you¡¯ll be able to leave, I¡¯m going to miss you, sweetie. And I¡¯m honestly worried about you too, what with traveling all around Emovere.¡± Felichs grinned, ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll only wreck the parts of it I don¡¯t like¡± Sana chuckled, ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant. That tournament-¡° Felichs cut her off, ¡°Don¡¯t be, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± This is what Felichs said out loud, but it was just to calm their mom¡¯s nerves; honestly, they were worried. They had remembered the way Tournament reacted to their question about the likelihood of death. ¡°Death isn¡¯t something that can be avoided, in fact, it''s more likely to happen the more you stress about it.¡± But it wasn¡¯t THEIR death they were worried about. They¡¯ve been in enough near-death experiences to not be scared of it. What they did wonder though, was if they would be able to kill someone who they didn¡¯t have an issue with. Could they rip away someone else¡¯s chance at happiness just for their own sake? Felichs was not only a deep thinker, but very anxious and hoped this wouldn¡¯t be the thing that caused them their life. After eating, Felichs sat their mother close to the window so she could watch the sunrise. Ever since she became sick, watching it rise & set had become her favorite thing to do. Her new phrase was ¡°It¡¯s odd you know, the closer we get to death, the more we appreciate the small things about life that make it so beautiful.¡± Felichs, however, had a much darker outlook on life, so it was hard for them to fully grasp what their mother was trying to say. Still, just like with the bathing, they made sure to help her get to the window each morning, while Sana tried her hardest to lay down on her own by night. Before they left they made sure to mess with the branches in a way so they would block the house from sight as best as possible, then headed out. Felichs opened the paper they had in their pocket. The bloody handprint stood out but it wasn¡¯t just because of the blood, it was also the shape, it appeared to be a flower but also looked like two hands. One appeared to be a smaller woman¡¯s hand and the other appeared to be a child¡¯s hand. They thought back to Tournament¡¯s hands, but they were hiding their true hand size under their gloves, that one was out of the equation. Felichs tried holding the paper at different angles to see if their eyes had just been playing tricks on them, but every angle showed two hands. Maybe someone working for Tournament is giving these to spice things up or lessen the number of participants. Well, whatever it was Felichs was not going to let this information go to waste, instead seeing if it was factual or not. Since the tournament was still weeks away, four to be exact, Felichs decided to work on skills they felt would come in handy. Growing up in the slums made it very easy to pick up stuff like sneaking and pickpocketing, and they were already a pretty good fighter, so the only areas they felt necessary were athleticism and deception. Since there was a junkyard in Pauper, athleticism would be easy; deception was going to be an issue though. The only way to work on this would be interacting with others, which meant the possibility of running into one of the local gangs. Pauper had been flooded with them for a few years now. Every side of the city was controlled by different gangs, some sides even having multiple. The War God¡¯s Reapers controlled every aspect of East Pauper and its rivers. Nobody got in or out unless you had permission, the 26 Belials controlled the South and its factory, which they also controlled as the only source of income. The West was controlled by so many different gangs that nobody went that way unless they lived there. Lastly was the north and this area was controlled by Tertius Oculus, who believed they were descendants of Synkrousi. Pauper was a hot mess and Felichs wanted out any way possible. They decided to hold off on the deception training and headed to the junkyard. It used to be the home to Vastum, a gang that inhabited this place and ran all of Pauper for a few years before suddenly disappearing. Nobody¡¯s heard from them since; some say they all were killed, and others say they went into hiding, but that wasn¡¯t on the mind of Felichs. The only thing they were focused on was improving and this was just the place. It was stockpiled with many things: broken-down cars they could use for climbing and box jumps, cargo containers with just enough space in between for long jumps, and excavators to hide in, in case any gangs came around. They would spend the next twelve days training here for hours upon hours, occasionally taking food to their mother and making sure she was safe. Sadly their training couldn''t be super intense and they were even filled with tons of short breaks due to their not-so-healthy lifestyle. The lack of proper meals had finally caught up to them, so they decided to go do their favorite thing; steal! They needed to plan accordingly for such a big heist, so they decided to train for a few extra days. By the end of their fourth training session seeing as it was nightfall, this excited Felichs because it meant one thing: Mediocris. Mediocris was a middle-class city north of Pauper. It was the biggest city in all of Perdita and also its second most protected city. It had everything: schools, churches, grocery stores, thrift shops, a mall, and even a hotel. There were many other things that typical cities had, but only one of them was the reason why Felichs loved visiting it. No, it wasn¡¯t because it was a nicer city or because they were meeting up with anyone, but, they did plan on visiting their friend Bellus. No, this was because they were able to do their favorite thing which was stealing! Mediocris, as the name suggests, had mediocre police who just drank throughout the day & spent the night at brothels with cheap, yet desirable hookers. This allowed Felichs to steal food or medicines from the local grocery stores and pharmacies without having to worry about being arrested. They had their favorite spots to hit up like the grocery outlet Chase¡¯s Fruit Store and the pharmacy Law¡¯s Heart & Mind because they were in the backstreets, which meant fewer eyes to see them. However, today they wanted to put their training to the test, so they decided to go to Mediocris¡¯ Hospital. A five-story building, with its fourth and fifth floors still under construction and its windows barred. The hospital sat in the center of the city with only one security guard & not many workers. As they approached the building Felichs decided they would scale from the outside and sneak in through the fifth floor. They had really good eyes, better than most actually, so they hid in a bush & scouted out the building. They would analyze people¡¯s patterns to see when the best time would be to get in and how long they would have to get out. With 6 total workers in the hospital, two on each floor, and the security taking roughly ten minutes on floors one through five, Felichs knew they should start from the top and work their way down. While five stories would¡¯ve been impossible to scale before, they had a sudden rush of adrenaline and ran toward the wall. They grabbed the barred window, pulled themselves up, then kicked as hard as they could up to the next story¡¯s window. They had gotten up to the third floor with this tactic when they ran into an issue; there were no more barred windows. There was a balcony above them, but they noticed earlier that it was frequently visited by the nurses. ¡°Tch, why does my luck always run out,¡± Felichs thought to themselves smacking their lips As they were about to give up and go through an open window on the third story, they heard what appeared to be two people on the balcony. ¡°Come on Derek stop, what if somebody catches us?¡± Asked a woman in an excited but nervous tone. ¡°Then we¡¯ll charge ¡®em to keep the show going. Now get over here.¡± said a man in a groggy voice as he kissed the lady and groped her breast. She suddenly pulled away upon hearing the bushes moving. Unbeknownst to her it was Felichs who had thrown their shoe at the bush. The lady suggested they go to another room to continue. A moment later they both left the balcony. Felichs waited a minute to make sure no one else would come out, then proceeded to leap over to the balcony that was about a foot away. Thanks to the preoccupied couple leaving the sliding door open, Felichs broke the handle so it couldn¡¯t be locked. ¡°That should give me some extra time.¡± Felichs thought to themself. After a few more pulls and pushes they were able to make it up to the fifth-floor window and hop in. Upon entering they headed over to the room their mom once occupied for a few days, hoping to find some medications. They shuffled through drawers & cabinets only to find needles, gloves, cups, and other typical things one would find in a hospital room. ¡°Well at least I can take this pillow and blanket with me for mom. But damn there¡¯s gotta be something in here.¡± Felichs said aloud while rummaging through the drawers. ¡°Maybe the others rooms will have something.¡± Sadly, every room on the fifth and fourth floors was the same. The third floor, however, was different. They found a doctor¡¯s office with the nameplate missing. They reached for the handle expecting it to be locked, but by a stroke of pure luck, it wasn¡¯t. They proceeded inside the small room that had clear cabinets on both sides that were filled with numerous types of different medications and a desk stacked with paper. ¡°Strange, you would think a room without a nameplate on it wouldn¡¯t have a bunch of paperwork,¡± said Felichs in a low whisper. ¡°I would think so too.¡± Came a woman¡¯s voice The voice that came from behind Felichs left them completely frozen. ¡°A woman?! That can¡¯t be there was only three and they were on the bottom floors¡­then why is there one right behind me? And why do I know this voice???¡± Felichs thought to themself There was no point in running since the room only had one door. Fighting was an option, but they feared the lady would scream for help. They had no choice but to turn around slowly with their hands up and hope to find a way to run later. As they turned around the lady¡¯s face left Felichs shocked as their fear rose nearly to its max! ¡°Well hello there Felichs. Wow, you¡¯ve changed since the last time I saw you¡­you disgusting creature!¡± The lady said as she spit in their direction ¡°No, no, NO! Why the hell did it have to be her of people??? There¡¯s no way she¡¯s still a doctor here! She was said to have been fired so why? Why am I face to face with the lady who¡¯s been haunting me for years¡­damn it my heart pounding out of my chest and this stupid sweat¡­I can feel it running down my face¡­why, why, WHY!¡± Felichs screamed to themself. Not even the fires of hell couldn¡¯t warm their frozen body up as it grew harder and harder to breathe. The sweat slowly poured out from their hands. As each drop hit the ground they could slowly feel death approaching them. This person that was now in front of them was one who would put fear in the devil Synkrousi herself. Dr. Benignus. The same doctor who left a scar on Felichs that not even the gods and goddesses could heal. ******************************************* Two years ago Dr. Benignus was a pretty famous doctor in not only Mediocris, but all of Emovere. Sadly, it for all the wrong reasons. Even two years ago she appeared the same as she did in present day. A beautiful woman who wore black-framed glasses, average height, a bit on the thicker side, with long, blonde hair that reached down to her lower back. If you had just seen her in passing you would never think that such a beautiful woman could do the things she¡¯s done. She was renowned as one of the smartest people in all of Perdita. However, it seems with intelligence comes craziness because she had one major issue: Dr. Benignus was a masochist and a psychopath. While doing surgeries on people she would use them as live test subjects. It didn¡¯t matter the age or gender of the patient either, young, old, man, or woman, If you could breathe you were experimented on. Some mentioned age trying to find a way to prevent humans from feeling physical pain, but this wasn¡¯t out of the kindness of her heart. No, her goal was to create a drug that would prevent pain. She believed, that if accomplished, not only would she become rich, everyone would praise her. Benignus was, at one point, the head doctor in Mediocris for five years before getting fired from her position after experimenting on the wrong guy. Not only did the man die from extreme blood loss, but he also had connections to the council. Had it happened any sooner, maybe Felichs wouldn''t have had to endure the pain they are now. ¡°AAAAAARRRRRGH! I''M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!¡± Felichs screamed in agony as the needles went deeper and deeper into them. ¡°WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME YOU PSYCHO BITCH!¡± Dr. Benignus chuckled as she ever so slowly pulled the needles out of Felichs, ¡°What do I want from you? Oh, nothing really, it¡¯s your mother I actually want something from. Sadly, she isn¡¯t here now, is she? So I¡¯ll just settle for you! The sick little delusional creature that she birthed. Seriously, I can¡¯t believe she created something that thinks it doesn¡¯t have a gender, you have a penis you¡¯re a boy, you faggot! Ugh you disgust me so much, I¡¯ll make you feel the pain that your whore of a mother made me feel!¡± Felichs panted heavily, feeling lightheaded as she had taken so much blood out of them. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t know what the heck you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re so special because your mother is loved by the commanders. You¡¯re nothing! Do you understand me? You¡¯re nothing but a disgusting, sick, creature who needs to die already! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE YOU WORTHLESS PIG!¡± Dr. Benignus screamed as she began smacking Felichs across the face. ¡°You¡¯re such a jealous bitch!¡± Laughed Felichs, trying to mask the pain as more needles entered their body. ¡°If you wanna sleep with the commanders that bad, maybe you should try bathing. I can smell that useless thing between your legs all the way from here.¡± ¡°Hmph. Jokes huh? Well, how''s this for a joke?¡± Dr. Benignus stabbed Felichs in the stomach with a scalpel then walked out of the room. As a nurse was about to run in, Felichs heard her scream for nobody to save that them. On the cusp of passing out from the injury, a nurse snuck in and told Felichs they would help them. While Felichs was scared, they trusted the nurse, seeing as it was their best option to live. After he gave them anesthesia and pulled the knife out, he continued pushing down on the open wound until it was done being stitched up. Afterward, he sanitized the wound, then carried Felichs out of the room and into the alley, where he hid them in a trash can. He ran off back inside but made sure to leave Felichs a knife in case Benignus came back. ¡°Argh¡­how the hell is someone like that a doctor? I-I-I can¡¯t believe this¡­I just wanna go home. Bellus! He should be able to help.¡± Felichs said aloud as they lay in the alley. They could still feel the effects of the anesthesia as they were barely able to stand. They walked down the alley, using the wall to keep themselves from falling over. They decided to go to Bounce Man, a gay bar in Mediocris. Felichs had become pretty close with the bartender ever since they got caught trying to steal from him a few months back. Since it was close to morning time they figured there wouldn¡¯t be too many people inside, so Bellus should be free. About a few minutes later, Felichs arrived at Bounce Man around 2:00 am, and just as they expected it was practically empty. The place looked like any typical club. It had a bright flashing sign on the outside that read ¡°Bounce Man¡± and big windows surrounded by lights. The disco ball flashed multiple different colors, the tiled floor was all white and had its own set of flashing lights that were used for dancing games, and there were multiple stripper poles for those who wanted to earn some extra cash. Now normally an eighteen-year-old wouldn¡¯t be allowed in here but everyone knew Felichs and welcomed them with open arms. The regulars were like family to Felichs, something they always wanted. As Felichs walked inside, they headed over to the counter and flipped a cup in the air, it was one of their many ways to call over Bellus . ¡°Aye, what the fuck?¡° Bellus said in high high-pitched tone. Felichs put their arms on the counter as they chuckled, ¡°Hehe, how¡¯s the gayest thing since men doing double hookah puffs, doing?¡± ¡°Well, well, well, if it isn''t Pauper¡¯s little Robin Hood. Still stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, or was it stealing from the rich and giving the finger to the poor?¡± Laughed Bellus as they gave Felichs a hug Bellus was the owner and bartender of the hottest gay bar in Mediocris: Bounce Man. He got the name of the place from an anime he used to watch when he was a child, and ever since it¡¯s made him a fortune. He was a tall, dark-skinned slender man, with long braids that usually matched his outfits. He also loved to dress as flamboyant as possible, usually wearing tight, leather pants with glitter, a matching crop-top vest and shoes. Every once in and awhile he would even do his makeup, but that was only if he knew his favorite pay pigs were stopping by. They chatted for a bit, catching each other up on things that had happened over the last few weeks. Eventually, Felichs told them about Dr. Benignus. ¡°So Mediocris¡¯ favorite psych ward patient has returned, eh? I heard she left for a while, I guess your mother¡¯s absence gave her the motivation to return. What I don¡¯t get though is how did you end up in her office?¡± Bellus asked Felichs replied, ¡°Well basically, I had been working a ma and pa shop in the back alleys. As I was picking the lock, my hand slipped which caused the alarm to go off early. I started to hear cops yelling at me, I panicked and ran, then suddenly heard a lady¡¯s voice call out to me. She told me to come inside and she would hide me. As I walked inside I got hit in the head from behind and blacked out. And then after a while, boom, now I¡¯m here half dead and mostly tired!¡± Bellus sighed, ¡°You always seem to find yourself in the worst predicaments ever, yet by some stroke of luck you get out of them barely alive.¡± ¡°Haha, guess it¡¯s Eir¨ªni paying me back for all the times Synkrousi showed her ugly face¡± chucked Felichs. For the rest of the night, Felichs and Bellus hung out, drinking and laughing. Since Felichs was still a minor they weren¡¯t allowed to drink, so Bellus always gave them their favorite: apple juice. Afterward, he gave them a few things to eat and drink for the week, then escorted Felichs safely out of Mediocris. ******************************************* Back to the present. ¡°Hmph, I see Mediocris¡¯ biggest failure has finally returned to get off on more people¡¯s pain.¡± Fretted Felichs as they felt the hairs rise all over their body. ¡°Shit calm down Felichs you¡¯ll be ok. You¡¯ll outsmart this psychopath and make it home.¡± ¡°Like I ever cared about being a doctor. I¡¯m enjoying all of the free time I¡¯ve attained. It¡¯s allowed me to make preparations and learn a few new things.¡± Benignus giggled. ¡°Make preparations? What, you preparing to traumatize more kids?¡± Felichs asked. ¡°Hehe, as much as I would love to HELP more people I have more pressing matters. Have you met Tournament? HA! Don¡¯t even answer that because of course you haven¡¯t! Why would somebody with a beautiful aura like that ever want a NOBODY like you in their tournament? I told you, you¡¯re not special.¡± Dr. Benignus said as she began to tie her hair up. ¡°No way this psychopath was allowed in the tournament.¡± Thought Felichs. ¡°You have to be joking.¡± ¡°Usually, I wouldn¡¯t waste my energy on someone like you, but your filthy self may try joining Tourno¨¢ Tou Menos and I just can¡¯t have that. So maybe it would be best to take you out now!¡± Dr. Benignus screamed as she put her gloves on. She lunged forward at Felichs, grabbing them by the throat. They tried reaching for their knife, but the doctor was too smart and with her free hand grabbed Felichs and squeezed their bicep at just the right point causing their right arm to go limp. With their left hand they slapped Benignus, as hard as they could, then kicked her in the stomach. Felichs still didn¡¯t have any feeling in their right arm, but used that to their advantage as they rammed Benignus into the door. Her head slammed into it which caused her to stumble, giving them a few seconds to try and get use of their arm again. This proved to be a costly mistake. She began pulling their hair and yelling at Felichs, ¡°YOU¡¯RE A BOY! A BOY! A BOY! A WORTHLESS BOY, FAGGOT! YOU¡¯LL NEVER BE A GIRL! YOU¡¯LL NEVER BE SPECIAL! YOU AND YOUR MOTHER WILL DIE!¡± She reached into her coat and grabbed a few needles and began squeezing them tightly. The veins on her hands began bulging out, sweat was dripping down her face, and her eyes were burning with anger. ¡°You stupid, worthless, disgusting creature! I should¡¯ve killed you two years ago. This time¡­this time though I will make sure to finish the job! And now that your mother¡¯s back, after I¡¯m done with you I can deliver your head to her, then kill her too! It¡¯ll be amazing! Then I¡¯ll be the¡­¡± Felichs couldn¡¯t make out the rest of what was said, as they began looking for a possible way out. ¡°Shit, there¡¯s no way I can take her on right now! Not like this. This room is too small and she¡¯s blocking the only exit. What should I do? What should I do?¡± Felichs thought to themself as they panicked. Felichs¡¯ breathing grew heavier and heavier, as they looked around trying to find something they could do or use against her. Maybe delusions or reality, but it appeared as though Dr. Benignus'' needles grew larger and larger, as she inched closer towards them. Felichs thought their eyes were playing tricks on them, but they weren''t; her needles indeed grew a lot larger; they looked ten times bigger than before! Felichs started throwing things at her like paper and pencils from the desk, trying to find some way to escape. Their fear. now rising to its maximum point, believing this is where they would die. A floodgate of tears began to ride down the sides of their cheeks, heart popping out of their body as they backed against into the wall. Felichs started contemplating if it would be better to just kill themself and so they took their knife and plunged it towards their neck ready to take their life, when suddenly everything slowed down and a set of words appeared before them:

Wheel of Breath:

Fear- ¡°Eyes Of A Dead Mafioso¡±

Followed by what appeared to be a woman¡¯s voice, ¡°for the next five seconds everything you see will have its time slowed down. Afterward, you will lose five seconds of your lifespan. Use this new ability wisely, as it could lead you to an early grave.¡± Everything in front of them began to slow down to the point that you couldn¡¯t tell if it was moving or not. Although confusion had set in, Felichs started running out of the room. Before exiting they ran up to Benignus and punched her in the face as hard as they could, then ran out of the room and down the hall to the window. As they were running Felichs noticed that everything was moving slowly, it felt like the air was too. They jumped through the window and scaled back down the hospital. Felichs continued running, panting hard and stumbling. ¡°What the heck was that? Why did everything slow down? Was that me? Did I do that?¡± So many thoughts had gone through their mind as they ran home. Before they left, Felichs remembered the entire reason they came to Mediocris and headed over to grab some medicine from Law¡¯s Mind and Heart. This little pharmacy was owned by a snobby old man who would refuse services to anyone who couldn¡¯t pay no matter how badly injured or sick they might be, so Felichs felt nothing anytime they stole from his shop. They pulled a hairpin out of their pocket, repeated a few up-down-side-to-side motions until cracking the lock, and then ran to the back of the shop where the medications were. They pulled their knife out and broke the glass, causing the alarm to go off. Felichs grabbed a few regular medications they would normally get like Xanax, oxycodone, and codeine, then exited the pharmacy and ran home. They arrived home later that night exhausted. As they walked inside, their mom was in the living room drinking tea. They handed her some medicine and as usual Sana had no questions about where they got it from, nor how they paid for it. She just smiled, thanked them, then took her medication. Felichs went out back to grab the water bucket, removed their clothes, then started scrubbing themselves off. Thanks to a few altercations they had gotten into that week and now the recent one with Dr. Benignus, their body was covered in cuts and bruises. The water wasn¡¯t the cleanest, but it did get the job done removing the dirt and blood from their skin. ¡°I hate this life¡­I hate having to clean myself with dirty water and no soap while others have bathrooms with different kinds of soaps and warm water. I hate having to steal from places just to get food and medicine when this stuff should be free. I hate that I have to wear the same clothes while others have a lot of different outfits for the month. Some even have the same outfit in different colors I heard. I hate that I have no one to talk to. I wish¡­I could just die already¡­maybe I should¡¯ve let her just kill me¡± These dark, depressing thoughts swarmed Felichs mind as they air-dried outside. They had a love-hate relationship with nighttime. It was dark at night which meant they were in their safe space; a place where their anxiety could not reach them, allowing them to be calm. But where there was peace, like a coin, there was always something on the other side, and for Felichs that was depression. As their mind became clearer and more focused, their worst thoughts would be brought to the surface. Felichs knew one day that this other side of them would lead to their demise. They picked up the water bucket and headed back inside. Worried about how the discussion would go, Felichs was hesitant to tell their mom about what happened, but Sana noticed and asked them about it. ¡°So you happened to meet Dr. Benignus¡­¡± Sana said as her voice sounded troubled, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry sweetie... and she called you such horrible things¡­I love you just the way you are my child. Don¡¯t let anybody ever tell you that you¡¯re not who you believe you are. You¡¯re my baby and I love you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok Mom, I don¡¯t blame you; she¡¯s a psychopath¡­¡± replied Felichs trying to calm down. ¡°No you don¡¯t understand, she¡¯s a psychopath, because of me,¡± explained Sana. ¡°But she seemed so jealous that the commanders all favored you. How can it be your fault who favors who? Asked Felichs, now even more confused. ¡°Dr. Benignus doesn¡¯t hate me because the commanders love me, she hates me because her dad¡¯s in love with me to the point that he ignores her. He would always praise me for my ability to heal people and say that my talents were special. Explained Sana as she lowered her head. ¡°A-ability to heal? But you¡¯re just a doctor? All doctors heal people!¡± Responded Felichs confused and shocked. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to tell you the full truth. Sit down sweetie, this may take a while and all of it might not make the most sense.¡± Sana sighed heavily before continuing, ¡°Ever since the Queen Elpis passed and the wars broke back out , people have talked about how it seems like certain people have these supernatural abilities. Nobody knows how they came about or why they did. The first time they were seen was in a skirmish between Perdita and Spes when a Perditian swordswoman was overpowered by an individual. She said the person she fought, had grown claws and destroyed her blade with ease before striking her. A few were skeptical to believe this, but seeing the large, wolf-like scratches on her torso was all the proof they needed. Eventually, a few more ability sightings were talked about. Then, fifteen years ago, I joined the military. I was in the middle of combat when a comrade of mine was injured. She was my best friend, so seeing her lifeless body was too much. I broke down crying, holding the bullet wounds and praying to Eirini that she wouldn¡¯t die. My tears fell onto her wounds and as I screamed louder and louder for help, something amazing happened. Her wounds started healing up and soon her lifeless body was once again full of life. I was in complete shock and soon the rumors started spreading that I was an angel. That¡¯s why I was gone¡­it wasn¡¯t to heal but to learn. To learn how to awaken and harness this power for Perdita¡¯s military, to eventually control this country.¡± explained Sana, confused herself. Felichs sat in silence as their mom slowly got up, bones cracking as she did. ¡°Mom,¡± Felichs said in a low tone ¡°Yes, sweetie.¡± Felichs¡¯ mom responded as she forced a smile. ¡°These abilities. These experiments. Are these the cause of your illness?¡± Felichs asked in a concerned voice. Sana looked at Felichs in silence, not muttering a word Tears started to roll down Felichs¡¯ eyes. They walked outside and headed up to the roof. It was a few weeks before the tournament and Felichs grew more and more worried. A plethora of thoughts raced through their troubled mind. What if there were others in the tournament who had these same abilities or even stronger ones that could cause great destruction? There¡¯s no way death wasn¡¯t going to be an option. Felichs reached into their pocket and grabbed the note reading over it again. Felichs Solis Ira Malu Mori The rest of the names weren¡¯t legible, but there appeared to be at least three others. They examined the page closer trying to see if something was hidden. They turned the page over and over multiple times, hoping something, anything would show itself to them. However, the only thing that was there was the bloody handprint. As Felichs looked closer at it they noticed it wasn¡¯t completely smooth, it had very slight cracks in it that could easily be overlooked. They started scratching it, hoping to find something to ease their restless mind. What happened next though caused their eyes to widen. Some of the blood fell off, but most of it stayed and formed what appeared to be the words: ¡°One day you¡¯ll understand why Felichs¡­¡± ******************************************* The next morning Felichs woke up and went about their usual daily activities. They decided to not tell their mom about the letter, knowing it would cause too many complications. Instead, they went outside and gathered some of their knives, made a quick braid, and wrapped the end around one of their knives. They attached two others to their belt and then gave their mom one. Sana knew something was different about Felichs. ¡°I know you say everything¡¯s going to be alright, but I¡¯m still going to be worried,¡± Sana said in a low tone. ¡°Like I said before, don¡¯t be. I promise I¡¯ll be safe and even try my best not to get into fights before the tournament or on my way back, after I win it.¡± Felichs smiled as wide as possible, showing all their teeth. ¡°Whether you win or lose, just please come back to me baby, you¡¯re all I have left,¡± Sana said as tears started to form. ¡°Every since I lost your sis-¡± ¡°Mom...I thought we said we wouldn¡¯t talk about her. Every time we do you blame yourself even though it¡¯s not your fault.¡± Felichs barked. ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry sweetie, just promise me one thing. Whatever you do, don¡¯t do something you¡¯ll regret. Got it?¡± Sana asked. ¡°Yeah, mom. I got it.¡± Felichs replied. They gave their mom a big hug goodbye then helped them get to the window before heading to Fortuna. Normally, they wouldn¡¯t be allowed here, but Tournament had assured them they would be allowed entry upon flashing the letter. Fortuna was a noble-only city that lay north of Mediocris and was the one city Felichs stayed far away from. It was heavily guarded with elite military forces everywhere, patrolling on the ground and keeping watch from the lookout towers. The city was lined with houses, but the three big houses in the center of its city were the most important. Two of those belonged to the main noble families and the other one to the members of the council. There were also two hospitals, one belonging to House Mors and the other to House Vita. Its population only held about a few hundred citizens, half belonged to the two families and the council, while the others belonged to the lesser noble families. As they walked through Fortuna, Felichs could feel the glares of disgust from its citizens. ¡°What is Pauper-trash like that doing here¡± Scoffed Fortuna Citizen A. ¡°What a disgusting creature. It looks like it hasn¡¯t eaten in weeks¡± Fortuna Citizen B said as they slightly threw up in their mouth ¡°I couldn¡¯t even turn that thing into a good slave if I wanted to.¡± Fortuna Citizen C snickered. These were just some of the things said about them, but Felichs paid them no mind. They had heard these things many times and knew getting into an altercation with anyone from Fortuna would have them imprisoned for life. After the assassination of King Olivier lll, the nobles, and Chancellor Cedric took control of Perdita, allowing the nobles to have the power to make laws for the state and run Perdita in whichever they saw fit. Felichs lowered their head and walked through the city until they reached the center. The letter told them to head to the council¡¯s house and so they did. Upon arriving they were greeted by a very large man, about seven feet tall, who had a rough face covered in scars and missing his left eye. He wore a suit and greeted Felichs, requesting they hurry inside. ¡°You¡¯re really early you know? Matter of fact, you¡¯re an entire two hours ahead of schedule.¡±The man said to Felichs. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been told I had a bad habit of showing up early,¡± Felichs replied while they inspected the odd man. ¡°So, who are you supposed to be? A butler¡± ¡°You could say that. I have many jobs here. Butler. Tutor. Security. I do whatever is asked of me by our De..I-I-I-I mean our heads of the house.¡± The man said as he stumbled over his words. Felichs wanted to ask what the man was going to say but knew he would dodge the question. ¡°So, what¡¯s your name? Or do you have many names too?¡± ¡°My name is Servus. Servus #11835. But please just call me Servus. And you must be Felichs of Pauper. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡± ¡°Yeah, but just call me Felichs. So, you said I was early? Maybe I can use this time to have a conversation with Tournament, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask them something.¡± Felichs said as they clenched their fist The man suddenly stopped and turned back to Felichs with a look of fear on their face, then mouthed the words, ¡°You¡¯re not safe here.¡± Felichs¡¯ eyes grew wide as they were guided inside. ¡°I will endure whatever hell is in store for me if it means you can go to heaven happily¡± Turn 2: A Restless Mind Is An Easy Target For Deception The soft melody of a piano filled The Council¡¯s House. Flowers filled the room, some wrapping the staircases, while others seemed to be pinned to the wall. With the amount of flowers in the house Felichs could feel their lungs jump for joy as the air touched them. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt¡­so relaxed before,¡± Felichs thought themself. ¡°I wanna stay focused, but shit it¡¯s hard when these flowers feel so calming. It¡¯s as if my body only wants me to be relaxed!¡± They continued to follow the giant man known as Servus until they reached a long hallway. It, like the rest of the house, was all white and filled with flowers that lined with ginormous windows. As they walked through the hallway they began to feel the air get colder. Felichs noticed a group of seven individuals sitting at a table in the middle of a garden. Each of them was covered from head to toe in white garments. The one thing that stood out though were the mask consisting of different colors: lilac, pink, orange, navy blue, yellow, red, but the one that stuck out the most was a mask that was all white. Each of them wore only lifting it to drink their beverages. Suddenly, Felichs stopped dead in their tracks as chills ran down their spine. They could feel all fourteen eyes staring at them. ¡°Ooouu, is that them? Are they the one? They¡¯re so beautiful¡± A young boy said as his eyes glistened at the sight of Felichs. ¡°BWAHAHA Pauper, eh? You sure know how to pick ''em?¡± Chuckled a rather tall, older man patting Tournament on their back before continuing. ¡°They¡¯re too fragile lookin¡¯ for me though. I¡¯ll leave ¡®em to you.¡± ¡°So¡­Tournament, I¡¯m still not so sure of them¡­¡± A young woman said before being cut off. ¡°Pahaha, don¡¯t fret Alba, I¡¯m more than sure. Matter of fact I¡¯d bet it on the flowers of Eirini.¡± Chuckled Tournament before continuing. ¡°Also Please refrain from saying too much, that one is very, very special.¡± Tournament looked Felichs¡¯ way and said, ¡°I hope you enjoy your room, my dear.¡± Although Felichs wasn¡¯t able to see their faces they knew which one was Tournament. The two stared each other down. Neither moving an inch. The intensity of these two made the hairs on everyone¡¯s body stand straight up. As the situation grew more intense small cracks started to form in the windows and on the ground. Felichs began to reach for their knife and Tournament started to remove their gloves. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you get this intense, I like it!¡± Giggled the young boy as the flowers began to wrap around him. ¡°BWAHAHA! Maybe they aren¡¯t just some brat from the slums after all.¡± Marveled the tall man as he reached for his axe. ¡°You two calm yourselves. This clash might be too much for you two, heck I don¡¯t even think I stand a chance either. And you¡­,you stupid mongrel. Remove them at once or else!¡± Alba chastised as her eyes pierced Servus''s soul. Servus could feel his heart pound even harder, as if it were being forcefully pumped. ¡°P-p-please, y-y-you mustn¡¯t interrupt them,¡± Servus said to Felichs as the words struggled to leave his mouth. ¡°What is this I¡¯m feeling, it feels¡­hot¡­the intensity alone could burn this house down¡­ Dear Eirini, I could only imagine what would happen if these two clashed.¡± Servus grabbed them and took Felichs to their room with haste. It was a beautiful large, white room with brilliant chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Everything in the room was white, from the blankets on the bed to the carpet on the floor. There was also a table against the wall with different types of food and drinks. Felichs rubbed their body as if they were checking to see if they had died and gone to heaven. ¡°Sooo¡­uh, the food. Who¡¯s it for?¡± Felichs asked drooling on the inside hoping they could have some. Servus chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s for you, my boy. Well, you and your roommates, so make sure to save them some.¡± ¡°Baked! Mashed! Chopped! Even these weird sticks look so good! Who knew you could use potatoes in so many fantastic ways¡± Felichs thought ignoring the ¡®boy¡¯ comment made by Servus, as drool burst out of their mouth like a broken dam. ¡°Ibe neber hab foo dih goob,¡± Felichs said as they continued stuffing their cheeks. Servus broke out into a burst of loud laughter. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen someone so happy to for food. Although, I guess to someone who¡¯s been in your shoes their whole life this must be the best meal you¡¯ve ever had huh?¡± ¡°No,¡± Felichs responded as they put the food down. ¡°The best meals were the ones I ate with my mom.¡± ¡°Ah don¡¯t fret my dear. I¡¯ve already had a year¡¯s supply of food sent her way. So eat to your heart¡¯s content.¡± Assured Tournament. ¡°As for you Servus, your duties are needed elsewhere. Please leave us alone.¡± Felichs stared Tournament dead in their eyes, the rage fuming in them once again. ¡°Well if it isn¡¯t my good friend Felichs, how are you?¡± Chuckled Tournament. ¡°Good friend eh? And here I thought friends gave each other their names, or at least give each other nicknames.¡± Felichs snarked. ¡°As witty as ever now aren¡¯t you my dear? Well, don¡¯t worry yourself with that. Soon you will know everything you¡¯ve ever wanted to know. For now, I promise you¡¯re in safe hands and if there¡¯s anything you need, all you have to do is ring that bell over there on the table.¡± Stated Tournament pointing at the rose-shaped bell. ¡°Oh and another thing, you will be having 4 other roommates, so please do get along. I wouldn¡¯t want anything happening to any of you.¡± ¡°Actually, before you go I gotta ask a question. Why are you doing this?¡± Questioned Felichs. ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± responded Tournament. ¡°I mean, why are you holding Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos? You said you don¡¯t like violence and war, yet it¡¯s pretty obvious what¡¯ll happen if someone wins that drug. A lot of people are going to die and even more will die after that, because no matter who wins, one person being happy isn¡¯t enough. Every other miserable person will come together and do whatever they can to take that person¡¯s happiness. Matter of fact how could someone be happy in this in forsaken world even with the help of a drug? That happiness would soon fadeaway. So what the hell are you ACTUALLY planning?! Tell me right now! Stormed Felichs. A smirk grew on Tournament¡¯s face ¡°You¡¯re even more special than I could have ever imagined my dear. You¡¯re perfect.¡± They thought to themself. ¡°I was just thinkin¡¯ the same thang.¡± A deep voice said from behind Tournament. ¡°This like creatin¡¯ one of them contest to win billion of dollas. There ain¡¯t no way on Eirini¡¯s green earth that winner walks out alive. Hell, you¡¯d be insane to wanna win this crap. But yuh already know why I¡¯m here so let¡¯s cut to the chase. I wanna to kick your ass and then kick his ass too!¡± ¡°Oh is that so? What did I-¡± said Tournament before being cut off. ¡°Now don¡¯t play dumb yuh sonna bitch! You know exactly what yuh did!¡± Interrupted the tall dark-skinned man. ¡°Wait, wait, wait, who the heck are you and what are you doing here?¡± Questioned Felichs. ¡°I think I¡¯ll just excuse myself while you two get aquatinted then, yeah? Oh, and Solis. I¡¯ll have Servus bring Nox to you immediately.¡± Said Tournament before exiting the room. ¡°I would also like to offer my apologies. I only wanted to make sure you came as well.¡± ¡°Shit, this guy¡¯s tall; he had to duck just to enter the room! Kinda reminds me of a caveman though with that beard touching his chest and all. Speaking of which why does he have so many scars? Military maybe? He does wear a uniform of sorts, although it¡¯s all ripped up, so ima guess he probably just stole it off a body or something. His eyes are beautiful though, I¡¯ve never seen anything so golden before! And he has dreads too?! Everybody¡¯s so lucky!¡± Felichs thought as they marveled over the mysterious man. ¡°Dang nab it¡­ARGH! I hate that crazy bastard.¡± Said a frustrated Solis. ¡°You and me both, guess that makes us friends. So, if you want we can take turns kicking that wack job¡¯s ass.¡± Felichs responded while smirking. ¡°Only if yuh lemme get the first punch¡± Solis chuckled as he rubbed his hands. ¡°Deal.¡± responded Felichs as they walked towards the table. ¡°By the way there¡¯s food here and it¡¯s not poisoned, at least I don¡¯t think it is.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think? Now why ina hell wouldn¡¯t yuh know if it was poisoned or not?¡± Questioned Solis as he scratched his beard. ¡°Well, I mean never ate poison so I wouldn¡¯t REALLY know how it tasted.¡± Joked Felichs. ¡°A wise fella eh? Wait¡­are yuh a fella or a lady or a-¡± said Solis before stopping himself. ¡°How about we worry about that later? We can talk about that another day.¡± giggled Felichs. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m more interested in knowing how some youngin¡¯ got mixed up in this mess.¡± Said Solis before thinking to himself, ¡°Funny nuff they kinda ¡®mind me of that Tournament fella, couldn¡¯t tell if either one pissed standin¡¯ up or sittin¡¯ down. Strange world we¡¯re livin¡¯ in.¡± ¡°Well, I can guarantee you it¡¯s not as interestin¡¯ as whatever your story is.¡± Responded Felichs as they hopped onto one of the beds. The two of them sat down and ate. Afterward, they through their trash away then sat down and talked amongst each other. ¡°Damn, so that¡¯s how you ended up here? I¡¯m sorry that happened.¡± Felichs said in a low tone. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why I can¡¯t wait to get my hands on that bastard!¡± Swore Solis clenching his teeth. ***************************** Three Days Ago ¡°WAHAHA! Yuh should¡¯ve seen ¡¯em Nox, they nostrils was flarin¡¯.¡± Solis howled as he took a big bite of the turkey leg. ¡°Serves ¡¯em right, kickin'' little ol me out of Spes just cuz I got an unusual friend.¡± ¡°Well when you¡¯re a friend of a wolf that¡¯s larger than most people, can you really be surprised?¡± Responded Nox. ¡°Eh, it don¡¯t matter what yuh looked like, them fellas woulda never accepted yuh. Them Spesians got no care for any outsiders, hell they barely care for their own.¡± Solis remarked as he looked towards the sky before continuing. ¡°But ain¡¯t no point in cryin¡¯ over the past now is there? When NOW is the time that we feast my four-legged friend! As Nox sat beside him, the two ate every last bite of the stolen food. While he was against Solis¡¯ actions, he never questioned his motives. ¡°I can tell something pains you brother. I hope one day you will forgive yourself.¡± Nox thought to himself. As the two ate, Nox''s ears pointed towards the sky sensing danger. He let out a deafening howl, ¡°Solis! We must move now! There¡¯s a disturbance in the forest!¡± Solis responded in a just as deafening yell, ¡°WAHAHA! First dinner and now dessert! What a perfect night, wouldn¡¯t you say Nox!¡± The two leapt up and charged toward the disturbance. Nox and Solis were like brothers. Ever since Solis had saved Nox from a group of Spesian hunters, the two formed an unbreakable bond. Solis used to live in Heros, the capital of Spes, until he severed all ties with them. Heros was the last remaining city in Spes as the others had been destroyed during the peak of the wars. Because of this Heros had become a brutal city that forced its citizens to join in on the fight for Emovere. Solis¡¯ separation had more to do with his own experiences and less to do with their rejection of Nox, but his companion never tried touching the subject. With nowhere to go, he made a home in the forest with Nox. The wolf was hailed as the king of this forest, Sanctus Silva, so every other animal welcomed Solis. For their kindness, he vowed to help Nox protect the wildlife from harm. Eventually, the two learned how to work as a powerful duo mimicking each other¡¯s movements and making up for what the other lacked. Both had grown so close in fact, that they were able to understand each other¡¯s speech They made their way through the forest as fast as they could. Nox would take the ground and Solis would jump from tree to tree as if he were an animal himself. The duo would switch positions, as it became a tactic to confuse enemies and cover their tracks. When they arrived to spot where Nox smelled the scent the strongest a difficult situation presented itself to the two. ¡°Now why the-¡± Nox said as he slowly crept forward. ¡°Now hold on patna.¡± Solis said as he grabbed Nox. ¡°Calm yuh self. We needa figure out why the heck yuh siblin¡¯ are fightin¡¯ each other¡± As the two looked on, both grew more worried. The animals of Sanctus Silva haven¡¯t fought each other in years as a sign of respect for the fallen warriors of Spes. With the situation as unfamiliar as it was, both watched on from the bushes. As the wolves fought amongst each other, one stood out amongst the pack. A wolf as black as night, took down the others one by one until there were two left. The wolf was barely able to stand as it had multiple bite and scratch marks, this is when Solis and Nox made their way out to approach the wolf. ¡°There, there boy calm yuh self,¡± Solis said as he reached his hand to rub the wolf¡¯s head. ¡°What¡¯s angerin¡¯ yuh?¡± As Nox tended to the others he approached the wolf snarling at it. ¡°Solis! That wolf¡¯s NOT native, get back!¡± Nox howled as he lunged towards his partner¡¯s side. ¡°Eh? Whadda mean?¡± Solis responded with a confused look on his face. ¡°I think yuh nose finally betrayed yuh patna.¡± ¡°Oh, but quite the contrary my wild friend.¡± A voice said aloud from behind a tree. ¡°Your little friend there is spot on.¡± ¡°Eh? Who¡¯s there? Come out nice and slow now and maybe I¡¯ll let yuh live.¡± Solis said in a loud, angered voice. ¡°Oh? Well, I promise you when I say this, I mean no harm. I merely came to visit you. I have something very important for you.¡± The person responded as they walked out from behind the tree with their arms raised. ¡°Yuh dress rather odd feller¡­or lady¡­?¡± Solis said while scratching his head. ¡°What¡¯s your name there?¡± ¡°Pahaha, I have many names depending on who you ask, some more untrue than others, but you can call me Tournament, creator of Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos. Tournament said as they bowed. ¡°As for my gender, is that really important? Sure you¡¯re a handsome man, but I don¡¯t think either of us will be having intercourse with each other at any point. So, why care what it is? ¡°Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos, eh? Yeah, I¡¯ve hearda that. A buncha weirdos keep runnin¡¯ ¡®round through my home at the ass crack of dawn hollerin¡¯ bout it.¡± Solis remarked as he rolled his eyes. ¡°My apologies, I could¡¯ve sworn I told them that I¡¯d come here myself. After all, you¡¯re someone I felt was such a special person ¡ª someone I had to meet in person!¡± Gushed Tournament as they marveled over Solis, until slowly revealing a small box to them. ¡°I do hope this¡¯ll make it up to you, my dear. And again I would love to extend my sincerest of apologies for my colleagues. This is sacred ground and as such, it should be respected by all of those who are its visitors. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Solis accepted the gift, but kept their attention on the person in front of them as they slowly opened the gift. Inside of the laid two things: a letter with Solis¡¯ name on it and long, thin box. As he read over the note, Nox focused his large, blue eyes on Tournament who stood in front of them and the mysterious wolf who lay behind them. ¡°Brother¡­please keep your focus, I feel as though our current position is not an advantageous one.¡± Nox thought as he scratched his paws against the dirt. As he neared the end of the note, Solis let out a soft chuckle before opening the other box. His chuckle turned to slow huffs as he threw the box at Tournament¡¯s foot. ¡°How many of ¡®em did yuh kill?¡± Questioned an angered Solis in a low, slow tone. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Chuckled Tournament. ¡°I said, HOW MANY OF ¡®EM DID YUH KILL, YUH SONNA BITCH!¡± Demanded Solis as he stomped on the box. ¡°So, this is how you choose to react? Honestly, I expected more from you. Then again, any man who would let someone scar his body, but not kill them isn¡¯t really a man to begin with. Oh well, I¡¯ll just take my offer and leave you to him then.¡± Tournament said as they pointed behind the duo. To Solis and Nox¡¯s surprise, there was a rather large man in a suit walking towards them. He was a bald man with a white mustache and goatee that had yellow streaks in it. While he was roughly the same height as Solis, the aura surrounding the man, made him feel much bigger than he actually was. Nox eyes began to glow a bright blue as he snarled at the new stranger. He charged towards him at blinding speeds, speeds that would make one think the wolf could teleport. Before Solis could stop him the man pulled out an axe and readied himself for the wolf¡¯s onslaught. Nox was no slouch when it came to a fight, nor was he an idiot. As charged forward he swiped quickly at the man, scratching both his face and legs. The man swung his axe wildly, but Nox dodged the first strike, planted then scratched the man¡¯s arm. He grimaced in pain for a split second, then smirked as he lunged at Nox again. This time though he faked his first strike which caused Nox to dodge, then went in for a crucial strike that almost severed Nox¡¯s leg. The wolf howled in pain as the man walked closer and stepped on the wolf¡¯s head. ¡°I cannot let this man win¡­for Solis¡¯ sake¡­¡± Nox whimpered as he tried to get back to his feet He got up and charged at the man again, but thanks to his injury he couldn¡¯t reach top speed. Even so, Nox wasn¡¯t out of ideas. ¡°I hate to use this now, but I can¡¯t die. Not here, not now!¡± Nox howled as he dug his four legs into the ground. ¡°Oh ho, just when I thought I¡¯d seen it all, who knew YOU were here¡± Tournament whispered to themself. ¡°Eh? Just what the heck are you planning?¡± The man said as he prepared for the potential attack. Tournament took a few steps back before removing their mask and mouthing the words, ¡°Solid my dear, don¡¯t die.¡± ¡°I desired to see you just one more my time brother¡­but this is not an enemy I can be conservative against. I HAVE to do this.¡± Nox as his fur began to glow a bright blue like his eyes. ¡°MOOOOOOOOONSTRUUUUUUUUM!¡± ¡°Damn it¡­I¡¯ll save you once again¡­Solid.¡± Tournament said before removing their gloves. They pointed Nox¡¯s way then mumbled to themself. The wolf¡¯s fur began to change back to white as his slowly fell to the ground. Solid¡¯s entire body came out of shock as he charged towards the wolf. He began to cock his arm back ready to deliver the fatal blow, but stopped and turned around as he heard Solis yelling in anger. ¡°DON¡¯T YOU FUCKING DARE! DON¡¯T! DON¡¯T! DON¡¯T! DON¡¯T! DON¡¯T! DON¡¯T! DON¡¯T!¡± Solis yelled as he grew with anger. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop me then? I mean, you haven¡¯t even taken one step!¡± Solid said, laughing as he started to kick Nox multiple times. ¡°You¡¯re a coward. Letting your friend fight battles for you. Hell, even now with your little buddy bleeding out you still stand there. You¡¯re worthless. You¡¯re weak. You don¡¯t deserve friends if you can¡¯t even fight to protect them. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t want my brother to die¡­¡± Solis said softly as he fell to the ground crying. He thought to himself about what to do. ¡°Damn it¡­If I charge forward I might not even make it in time, but if I wait too long Nox is for sure dead. I can''t lettem suffer ¡®cause of me¡± This was the one true weakness of Solis. The reason why Nox fought so hard. His indecisiveness was an issue for him ever since he was a young boy. Whether it was small things like what food to eat that day or major things like this, he¡¯d always had trouble making quick decisions. This same indecisiveness was what ultimately caused his father to be killed when Solis was a teenager. His father, Luna, was a member of the Spesian army, but never got any rank higher than a lowly foot-soldier. Solis on the other hand, because of his abnormal strength, became a general at the age of sixteen. In a skirmish against some bandits, his father had been captured and held ransom for twenty-four hours. The bandits wanted refuge in Spes, but the citizens didn¡¯t want them to be allowed in. This troubled Solis all day and night and when decision time came he was nowhere to be found. The then-acting-leader of Spes would decide for him and deny the bandits entry, resulting in his father¡¯s death. Solis went into a severe depressive state leaving scars on his body. Scars that cut deeper than a sword. He cursed the goddess and eventually left Spes and Heros behind. ¡°If only Dad was here, he¡¯d know what to do.¡± Solis thought to himself. ¡°Pick your head up my child, you¡¯re not alone. I too was like you at one point, always afraid of what would happen if I messed up. I don¡¯t like anger because it can cause one to do horrible things to those we love. But I learned anger is not the true enemy, it¡¯s yourself. Let your anger show my dear, let it rip away that which holds you back and save my beautiful child.¡± A voice whispered to Solis. ¡°Dad? Is that you?¡± Solis said aloud as he looked around. ¡°BWAHAHA, now the idiot¡¯s hearing things. BWAHAHA! Daddy¡¯s not coming to save you or your friend!¡± Solid chuckled as he repeatedly stomped on Nox. Solis started to pull at his hair as he huffed and puffed, his anger growing even more intense as tears continued to roll down his face. He thought about running again until he looked at Nox. His friend had blood gushing out of his mouth as his eyes began to roll back. ¡°nuff¡¯s a nuff.¡± Said Solis as he slammed his fist into the ground. He made up his mind that if he waited any longer he would regret what would happen, so he stepped forward ready to charge, but then Solid did something unexpected. He threw the axe to the side, picked up Nox, and then bit into his neck, taking a chunk of the wolf¡¯s flesh out and swallowing it. Nox went limp and was thrown to the ground. ¡°BWAHAHA! You waited too long. Did you really think I was gonna give you the chance to save that puppy and fight me two versus one!¡± Laughed Solid as he spit out some of Nox¡¯s hair. Solis stood frozen and the man continued laughing at Solis. ¡°What¡¯ll your next move be, Solis? Are you ready?¡± Tournament thought as their eyes pierced Solis¡¯ soul. Solid started walking towards him when suddenly Solis¡¯ body began to shake. ¡°What the hell is going on? My body¡¯s killing me!¡± Solis screamed as he fell back to the ground. His fingernails started to grow longer and became sharp as ever. The hair on his body grew everywhere and became jet-black. The structure of his head morphed into that of a mixture between a man and a wolf. There Solis stood, no longer a man but a werewolf, as he let out a great, ferocious howl! His vision momentarily went blurry as he heard the words whispered to him: Wheel of Breath: Anger- ¡°Moon Meets the Mountain¡± ¡°For the next thirty minutes become that of a werewolf. A savage creature that has run rampant through Europe for ages.¡± Solis, in a fit of unhinged anger charged at Solid. He tried dodging him, but Solis was too fast, faster than even Nox! His claws dug deep into him. He scratched and clawed away at him, then bit into his neck ripping a large chunk out akin to the actions just taken. Solid, barely alive, tried begging for mercy, but Solis cocked his arm back, then struck his hand into his stomach and crushed it. He repeatedly punched the man in his body destroying every organ in his torso. It was a bloody mess as the man lay in two pieces. His eyes were completely white with pools of blood seeping out as he reached toward Solis. ¡°You¡¯re still alive? Fine.¡± Solis said he cocked his arm back once again. Before he could deliver the finishing blow, a hand grabbed his arm. It was Tournament¡¯s hand They shook their head no, then stabbed the bald man with a blade. Solis was shocked as tears rolled down his fur. He got up and ran towards Nox, who was lying on the ground, gasping for air. He picked him up and held his best friend in his arms as he cursed the heavens for their cruelty. Tournament approached them both casually and offered their condolences. ¡°Why?¡± Solis asked in a soft tone. ¡°Hm? Why didn¡¯t I stop him?¡± Responded Tournament. ¡°No. Why do you think you¡¯re getting out of here alive? Solis said as he panted heavily. ¡°Pahaha, well that¡¯s simple. I can save your furry friend¡¯s life.¡± Smiled Tournament through their mask. Solis'' eyes grew wide, ¡°What do you mean you can save him? Why would you?¡± ¡°Well, it was my client who tried to kill your friend and he didn¡¯t even finish the job. Your friend, what was his name? Nox? He seems like a prideful beast. Being forced to bleed out instead of instant death in combat is so dishonorable. Alas, I do have one request if you would, please look away. I¡¯m shy.¡± Said Tournament, giggling as they removed their gloves. ¡°You¡¯re right ¡®bout one thang. Nox is prideful, but he¡¯s ain¡¯t no beast. He¡¯s my brother, so if you even think you¡¯ll kill him without dying yourself, you¡¯re wrong.¡± Solis said as he glared at Tournament. ¡°As the Goddess Eirini is my witness, I will not harm your frie- I mean brother.¡± Tournament said as they bowed. ¡°So, please if you could.¡± Solis hesitated for a minute before agreeing and turning around. ¡°Oh, by the way, when you change back, you may want to cover yourself. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll happen, but I¡¯ve heard in stories that when someone becomes a beast, especially a werewolf, they¡¯re usually naked when they turn back. Again, you¡¯re a handsome man but this probably isn¡¯t the best time for those for kind of actions.¡± Tournament chuckled as they knelt down beside Nox. After a few minutes, Solis transformed back into a human, and like they had said he was indeed naked. He grabbed the shirt off of Solid and used it to cover up his genitalia. He turned around and to his surprise Tournament was no longer around, but neither was Nox. ¡°That bastard! I knew I shouldn¡¯t trust him.¡± Solis said as he clenched his teeth. Solis¡¯ anger once again grew until he heard a familiar sound. A howl from his brother. Nox sat upon a huge rock staring intently at Solis, then charged over to him. He stretched his arms out wide, as his enormous brother jumped into them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­was my fault yuh got hurt. I promised to protect yuh. To have yuh back and I failed. You¡¯ve been there for me so many times and I-¡± Solis said as he wept before being cut off. ¡°Raise your head you fool. It was I who also promised to protect you and failed. I was too careless. I thought I could take care of him on my own and I let my anger get the best of me. It was not only your fault. We both must better ourselves for the coming fights.¡± Nox said as he scratched at his neck. ¡°Our visitor left me a surprise. One that I reckon can only be removed by that mysterious fellow.¡± Nox raised his head to show the collar around his neck. The same collar that was in the box from Tournament. He attempted to rip it off, but as he did it shocked them both. Nox fell to the ground as he howled in pain. Solis began searching around for any sign of Tournament, but only found the letter. He read through it again and knew what he needed to do. ***************************** The next morning Solis and Nox woke up and began to head out, both sensing each other¡¯s rage. They took the long route to Perdita, which meant going around Spes. Had they gone through, Solis knew it would be a fuss to do so without conflict. Spes was roughly a three-day walk to Fortuna, for the normal individual, but for these two, they made it in two days. ¡°Just yuh wait, yuh piece of shit, you¡¯ll pay for what you¡¯ve done.¡± Solis thought as the two ran to Perdita. Upon arrival, they made their way straight to Fortuna. Seeing Nox, nobody said a word to the two, but the tension could be felt miles away. ¡°A Spesian in Perdita? Oh, this should be interesting right Solid?¡± Said a young boy as he jumped for joy. ¡°BWAHAHA it¡¯ll be grand Aster! I can¡¯t wait to get my hands on those puppies again.¡± Solid shouted. ¡°Pahaha, remember to play nice with the ¡®puppies¡¯ my dear, we can¡¯t have them dying just yet now can we?¡± Said Tournament before thinking to themself. ¡°Especially you, Nox¡± The three of them laughed as a thunderous bang rang through the walls of The Council¡¯s House. Solis and Nox knocked down the door and yelled out to Tournament. At first, nobody answered until a large man in a suit walked down the stairs. He said nothing. Solis was about to say something, but before he could both were knocked unconscious. ¡°Lowly mutt. Don¡¯t ever raise your voice to that which is higher than you.¡± Said Alba before knocking both of them unconscious. ¡°Get them out of my sight this instant.¡± Back To The Present ¡°So that¡¯s how you ended up here. I¡¯m sorry about you and your brother. Where is he anyways?¡± Asked Felichs. ¡°Parently not an easy process to remove that dang collar. That worker said they¡¯d have it removed though and I made sure to ¡®mind em what would happen if he did anythang extra.¡± Said Solis as he grinned. ¡°Sides I¡¯m wonderin¡¯ who that lil lady was. I didn¡¯t even hear her.¡± ¡°You would think since you can turn into a wolf that you would¡¯ve gained some better senses even when not being in that form.¡± Wondered Felichs. ¡°Funny nuff I kinda did. That or I was just really hungry. Either way, I swear I smelled honey.¡± Solis said as he scratched his beard. ¡°That¡¯s interesting because those seven were in a flower garden. Maybe it was one of them. Or maybe the chef knocked him out and he¡¯s not really as strong as he would appear to be.¡± Felichs thought to themself before responding. ¡°Whatever it is just keep watching your back.¡± ¡°Well, I won¡¯t have to worry for long ¡®cause once that collar¡¯s off we¡¯re out of here.¡± Said Solis as he sat up in his bed. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should do that.¡± Said Felichs with a concerned look on their face. ¡°Eh? Why so?¡± Questioned Solis. ¡°You¡¯re the only person I have to talk to.¡± Chuckled Felichs. ¡°Very funny, but what¡¯s your real reason? You don¡¯t seem like the try-to-make-friends type, so what are you really getting at?¡± Solis replied in a stern voice. ¡°Alright, alright you got me, I just got a bad feeling is all. I mean think about don¡¯t the whole situation seem weird? A random wolf appears in a forest it¡¯s not native to. Then Tournament and a random dude pull up. It just feels like if that psychopath went through all that to bring you here, then there¡¯s no way they¡¯re letting you just walk out. So, unless you¡¯re prepared to fight a whole house of who knows how many people, I¡¯d suggest thinking things through a bit more. ¡°Ugh, hate that you¡¯re right. Nox¡¯d say the same thang. Maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯ve taken a¡¯likin¡¯ to yuh.¡± Solis said, reaching out his hand. Felichs reached out to dap him up but Solis stopped them. ¡°My friend had a sayin¡¯ once, ¡®hands that are shook together never stood together¡¯ so that¡¯s why we interlocked fingers, then snapped them,¡± Solis said as he stared Felichs in the eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t mind bein¡¯ betrayed ¡®cause it¡¯s happened many times ¡®fore. Just give me the respect to stab in the chest ¡®n not the back.¡± The two dapped each other up, interlocked fingers, then snapped them. After, Felichs told Solis about their encounter with Tournament. ¡°WAHAHA, well at least yuh ain¡¯t have to no axe-wielding manic. Guess I got yuh beat there, eh?¡± Said Solis letting out a thunderous laugh. ¡°Yeah, I just had to fight a psychotic doctor without some cool power activating mid-fight to help me. So, I guess I got you beat there, eh? Snickered Felichs. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re hidin¡¯ more than just gender of yours.¡± Solis thought to himself before responding. ¡°So, your mom¡¯s military too? Sorry to hear that.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­uh about that. Sorry for what happened to your home.¡± Felichs said as they rubbed their legs. ¡°If it means anything I could care less about war.¡± ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t hold anything against yuh or yuh mama. Heck, y¡¯all ain¡¯t the reason these wars started.¡± Solis responded as he appeared to look through Felichs and not at them. ¡°Also, Spes ain¡¯t this peaceful state that many Spesians make it out to be¡­there¡¯s a lot of dirt in their history.¡± Felichs looked at Solis who had walked over to the window. They could sense something was eating away at him but decided not to pry. Instead, they grabbed a towel and made their way to the bathroom. ¡°What the heck are all these knobs? Maybe if I turn this one right here?¡± Thought Felichs. The water came out real fast and hot, burning their hand. They turned it the other way and the ice cold water made their entire body shiver. A short spell of turning the knob back and forth went on until Solis walked in. ¡°WAHAHA!¡± He fell over laughing uncontrollably. ¡°You¡¯re a quirky lil thang aren¡¯t yuh Felichs was soaked and their face could no longer be seen as their hair covered it like a mask. ¡°You know¡­you¡¯re not the only dog here dude,¡± Felichs said before shaking rapidly. ¡°Aye, aye, aye ¡®lright I get it, lemme help yuh, yuh stray dog,¡± Solis said as he threw Felichs their towel. Solis helped them dry the floor before showing them how to use the knobs and shower heads. ¡°Thanks. Ugh, maybe this pampered life isn¡¯t all it¡¯s cut out to be.¡± Felichs said before entering the shower. Solis chuckled before exiting the room. Felichs sat on one of the seats in the shower as many thoughts raced through their mind. ¡°He¡¯s just a random stranger who could become a potential enemy, so what about this man draws me to him? Sure he¡¯s hot, like really hot, but he looks old enough to be my dad. Though that¡¯s not a bad thing, older dudes usually come with less to worry about. Argh shut up idiot , that''s not important right now. I wonder if Mom¡¯s ever met him though? She was on the battlefield, so it¡¯s likely they crossed paths at least once. Probably not the best guy to bring home to her then.¡± Felichs chuckled to themself before sitting down. ¡°What the hell are you planning Tournament? You pick out a poor kid, a wack doctor, and two dogs? How are we special?¡± ¡°Hello again my dear Felichs. How are you feeling?¡± A voice called out. ¡°Huh? Who¡¯s there? Wait. I know that voice. I¡¯ve heard you before, so just who are you?¡± Whispered Felichs. ¡°Who I am doesn¡¯t matter anymore, because my purpose in life has long since passed. But yours has just begun. You need to save her.¡± The strange voice said to Felichs. ¡°Her? You mean my mom?¡± Again whispered Felichs. ¡°Yes. Your mother may be sick, but not all hope is lost. First though, you need to conquer the challenges that have been placed in front of you.¡± The voice paused before continuing. ¡°Be strong, Felichs. Do what is necessary, but please do not taint yourself like so many have before.¡± Felichs¡¯ mind was made up. They knew they had to do whatever it took to win Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos. As they were exiting the shower, they heard what appeared to be a woman¡¯s voice, followed by a gunshot. Turn 3: Goals That Consumes You, Will Only Lead To Your Demise Four days before ¡°Ni madres, How THE HELL do we keep gettin¡¯ into these STUPID situations!?¡± A young, red-haired, almond-brown skinned woman named Baya screamed sarcastically. ¡°Blame yuh idiotic girlfriend. If she wouldn¡¯t have pissed off the damn guards we''d be fine.¡± A short, young man with a bright, blonde ponytail and cream colored skin by the name of Vastago screeched. ¡°GRAHAHA! ?A huevo chica! This is why I fucks with you jefa, you really know how to have fun, unlike these ?o?os.¡± Laughed Viento, a tall man with spiky hair, whose skin was as dark as the night. ¡°Mi vieja, don¡¯t worry everything¡¯ll be fine mi amor just keep running! Another woman named Malu, with lime green hair and eyes, whose skin was brown as caramel, yelled out to her Baya as she smacked her butt.¡°?Chale! Watch out for those damn bullets!¡± ¡°You know when I was told t¡¯night would be fun, I didn¡¯t think y¡¯all meant this fun. A lady named Suelo, with beautiful dark skin that matched her curly afro, yelled before turning around. ¡°Arghhhh I¡¯m tired of running from these pussies though. I say we turn around and kick their ass!¡± ¡°?Te voy a partir tu madre!¡± Malu screamed at her. Suelo turned around, pulled a rifle out, and began firing at the Pecunia Police Force that was chasing after them. ¡°Son of a¡­I WANT THOSE PIECE OF SHITS IN HANDCUFFS, TONIGHT!¡± Yelled out PPF¡¯s Captain. ¡°Yes sir Captain Nighson!¡± Yelled out the officers of the PPF. ¡°Esto est¨¢ la chingada¡±¡­Malu thought to her before yelling out to her group, ¡°GET YOUR ASSES BACK TO THE FUCKING HIDEOUT AND IF YOU ANY OF YOU EVEN THINK OF DYING I¡¯LL KILL YOU MYSELF!¡± Malu ran down an alleyway. She turned back momentarily but couldn¡¯t see anyone. ¡°¡°It seems you¡¯re all alone again, are you my dear? It¡¯s been what? Five years since its creation and you¡¯ve already turned this state upside down. Maybe you¡¯re not the same little girl, but Excitatur definitely isn¡¯t the same either¡­it¡¯s nothing like the way your books tell of it grandmother.¡± The masked onlooker muttered to themself. ¡°What say you R? How do you feel about our little friend? ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want that filthy creature cleaning my toilets, let alone entering Tourno¨¢ Tou Menos. You can¡¯t let her enter, V. She, like this country, is a stain on Emovere. A stain that needs to be removed one way or another.¡± R responding scoffing at their partners question. ¡°Pahaha, there¡¯s so much hate in your heart for a place you once called home. Your rightful home might I add. But that can be managed at a later point in time, for now I believe we both have business to attend too, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°You mean that one? Yeah, I guess I could pay her a visit, she is my daughter after all.¡± Tournament let out a slight chuckle before leaping off the rooftop and disappearing into the night. ¡°Can¡¯t believe I let them goad me into seeing her yet they never spent a second with theirs¡­ahhh whatever, this should be fun.¡± As R followed suit, the sound of jewelry clinging against each other could be heard appearing from behind the chimney. ¡°Mulahaha, so the Orange Rose is back in ol Excitatur, and it seems she has some new friends too. This should be interstin¡¯, real mighty fine interestin¡¯. I¡¯m so glad I bought this damn state! Could turn it into whatever I want!¡± ¡°AYE shut up you idiot I¡¯m trying to sleep! And get the heck off my roof before I call the police!¡± ¡°Eh? And who do you think pays the police?¡± ¡°M-M-M-MR. K-¡± ¡°Shutcho yo trap. You see this here?¡± The man questioned as he continued jingling the diamonds in his hand. ¡°This is true power right here! This is also the line between me and all you penniless folks. Don¡¯t ever speak to me ever again.¡± Clears her throat ¡°Ahem, Sir. Since the Orange Rose is back in Excitatur, maybe we can get her to rid us of Vindicta?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a mighty fine idea now isn¡¯t it Sherly?¡± ¡°M-My name¡¯s not-¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah whatever Carly. Now I just wonder what¡¯s your asking price gonna be this time? You darn near ran me dry before.¡± The state of Excitatur was a beautiful one. Its all-white building reminded visitors of an ancient city in far off lands. Excitatur is considered to be the wealthiest state in all of Emovere. Before the wars started it was the number one tourist attraction because of its rich culture and since it was next to the ocean fishers would visit often. After the wars it still held its title as wealthiest, no thanks in part to its leader, but its border had since been closed off. ¡°Mama¡­papa¡­por favor, vela por ellos¡­please watch over them. They shouldn¡¯t have to endure because of my choices¡± Malu thought to herself as tears flooded down her cheeks. ¡°Chale¡­I should¡¯ve gone with them.¡± Eventually, Malu made her way back to their hideout, but nobody was around. The hideout of Vindicta was an old run-down building just outside of Excitatur. To the public it was a regular casino, but underneath was the real attraction. Vindicta was an enormously large gang, so large in fact that it had been split up into four divisions by Malu, with each division having a total of fifty members. Baya was the commander of the Coraz¨®n, a division she ran from the hideout with most of her members disguising themselves as casino workers and security guards. Viento was the commander of Diamant¨¦, and his division was the muscle. He ran a boxing gym in Pecunia where his division trained new potential members. Suelo was the commander of Pala, and she trained her members in the art of being a marksman. Lately was Vastagos who was the commander of Tr¨¦bol, and he ran his division from Respicias, out of a brothel where his members worked as accountants and temptresses. To gain new members, the four of them and Malu would host fight clubs to scout. But there were two other reasons for the fight clubs: names and information. Fight clubs brought big names which brought money and big crowds that, with a little influence, would talk like a parrot. ¡°Where the heck is every-¡± Malu started to say before she was grabbed from behind. ¡°No mames, Baya, you damn idiot.¡± Chuckled Viento as he watched Baya get hit in the stomach. ¡°?Chale! Why do you always do this mi amor? You know not to pop up behind me like that.¡± Said Malu as she helped up her girlfriend. ¡°Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch! Lo siento, amor, I was just so worried.¡± Exclaimed Baya Malu, like she usually did, kissed her once on the forehead and then on the lips. ¡°Baya¡­Viento¡­but no Suelo or Vastago? Where the hell are they!¡± Malu thought as her angst grew. Viento, knowing Malu well, spoke up before she could erupt, ¡°C¨¢lmate jefa, they¡¯re good. The vieja said she had some shit to do.¡± ¡°And Vastago?¡± Questioned Malu. Baya and Viento stayed quiet as they looked at each other and then at Malu. She took a deep breath before asking again, ¡°And¡­Vastago?¡± ¡°He should be fine, love,¡± Baya said as she gripped Malu¡¯s arm nervously. ¡°Should be¡­h¨ªjole, what the fuck happened to him?¡± Malu questioned angrily. ¡°The guards lost us, but Suelo said overheard them cochinos saying go after the little one. We haven¡¯t heard from since,¡± Viento replied in a low tone. Malu shoved Baya off of her before walking away. Baya tried reaching out but Viento grabbed her wrist. ¡°Let her go, she just needs to cool off.¡± Viento said as he hugged a tearful Baya. Malu¡¯s anger over the years had gotten worse. Most of the time she would calm herself by boxing. This time seemed different though as she grabbed her sweater and gun, then headed out. ¡°You two, there¡¯s a fight tonight so get this place up and running. And watch out for that weird motherfucker who came through. No conf¨ªo en ellos, huele a serpiente. I hate snakes. I¡¯ll be back later on.¡± Malu shouted as she exited. After a few minutes of walking, she made it over the mountains near Excitatur. Malu let out a fake laugh before thinking out loud to herself, ¡°I lost Papa and Mama on the same night¡­I can¡¯t lose anymore. This shits killing me. Every damn time, why can¡¯t I just have a moment of peace? Whoever the hell¡¯s pulling the strings around here needs to stop.¡± As Malu punched the dirt many thoughts continued rumbling through her mind Roughly twenty-five years ago In the city of Potestas, there was a powerful family; the Raddix Family. They were a powerful family with her mother having the third highest position in Excitatur¡¯s council, while her Ramus was the commander of its military. Aborica and Ramus had tried for months but couldn¡¯t have a child. One night their doorbell rang and much to their surprise a child was on the doorstep in a basket. There was also a note that said: ¡°Please take care of my child, I can¡¯t let her be taken by those monsters.¡± The then-young-couple was confused by the note, but also delighted at the thought of having a child. Five years later (still in the flashback) With Aborica being in such an important position, Ramus decided to take some time away from his position, leaving his vice commander in charge. ¡°Hahaha, I never thought this whole parenting thing would be so difficult.¡± Said Ramus as Malu ran around the house with her shorts on her head. ¡°?No puedes atr¨¢parme pap¨¢!¡± Malu screamed as her dad tried to catch her. ¡°Teehee, you would think a commander would be able to get a three-year-old.¡± Giggled the housemaid. ¡°By the way, I''m going to town for a while to grab a few things. I¡¯ll be back later on, so try not to burn the house down.¡± ¡°Que tenga un bien d¨ªa,¡± both Ramus and Malu said waving to their maid. ¡°Ah, gotcha manzana peque?a! Who¡¯s Papa¡¯s little princess?¡± Ramus said as he threw Malu up in the air. ¡°Look at the loves of my life, calienta mi coraz¨®n, I¡¯m so happy to be home. Said Aborica as she gave her husband and daughter kisses. Ramus handed Malu off to Aborica as he went to prepare dinner. ¡°Mi bomb¨®n oh how I¡¯ve missed you so much,¡± Aborica said as she pressed her cheeks against Malu¡¯s. ¡°Oh my, your hair is getting even greener. Have you been sneaking more apples? Mijita, they already turned your hair from red to green, soon your skin will as well!¡± Eventually, the three sat down and enjoyed their meal together. As Ramus was about to start talking he got a phone call. His happy expression turned into shock as he delivered the news to his wife that Aidia had attacked Excitatur. ¡°Aidia??? I thought things had calmed between us¡­¡± Aborica responded. ¡°I told them we couldn¡¯t trust The Snake King, he¡¯s always been this way! One minute he¡¯s working with someone and the next they get stabbed in the back!¡± Ramus exclaimed as he slammed his fist on the counter. ¡°I know how much this hurts you. What¡¯ll happen to your friend over there? Isn¡¯t he still captured?¡± Aborica questioned. ¡°Si¡­mi compa¡­I¡¯m leaving. I will burn that devilish state down myself if I have too! And I¡¯ll save him as well!¡± Ramus said grabbing his coat. ¡°Do you really have to leave, mi amor? Maybe it¡¯s better if we let the rest of the military handle it.¡± Aborica said nervously as she gripped her pearls. ¡°I am a man of Excitatur and the commander of its military, ser¨ªa deshonroso por mi parte no estar con mis hombres,¡± Ramus said as he gave his wife a hug and kiss, then his daughter the same. ¡°Diosas por favor prot¨¦janlo.¡± Aborica prayed to herself as tears wept down her face. Malu looked on as her father left and her mother continued to cry. She tried hugging her mom but for the first time, she nudged her away and went off to her room. This day was forever scarred in Malu¡¯s mind. Her father would go on to be betrayed by his country, as his men captured and fed him to Aidia. There, they broadcasted him being slowly and brutally slaughtered for the entirety of Excitatur to see. ¡°Break the fingers!¡± ¡°Cut the fingers!¡± ¡°Break the hands!¡± ¡°Cut the hands!¡± ¡°Break the feet!¡± ¡°Cut the feet!¡± A man ordered with a devilish smirk on his face. ¡°Yes sir Chief Brute!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget oil! We¡¯ll set his body ablaze!¡± Yelled a lady licking her lips. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am Chief Marina!¡± As the men poured oil on Ramus, they lit their matches. Ramus cursed Excitatur, ¡°You will regret the day you turned your back on the goddess and betrayed your own people! You¡¯re all monsters! Every last one of you! I promise you will suffer for this one hundred thousand deaths!¡± Soon hundreds of matches covered his body and it blew up in flames. Ramus screams echoed through the streets of Aidia and Excitatur. ¡°How¡­how could you let this happen¡­dear Eirini please rid of us this evil¡­please¡­¡± a man cried from his cell. As Aborica sat there the horrific scene replayed through her mind over and over again. She continuously cursed Eirini¡¯s name and cried for her husband. Malu began to cry as well as she sat outside of her mother¡¯s room, hearing her father but not knowing what was happening. ¡°Mommy! Por favor mommy!¡± Malu cried out. A loud thud followed and she could no longer hear her mother or father. A few days later she was sent to an orphanage where she would eventually learn the truths of not only that horrifying night, but the day after. At her young age she didn¡¯t know, but as she grew older Malu would find out her mother¡¯s head was placed atop her father¡¯s grave with the words guilty written across. As she learned more and more about how disgusting Excitatur was, her soul grew more and more black. She had but one thing on her mind and that was to find out who betrayed her father and who desecrated her mother¡¯s grave. Back to the present ¡°I wish I could¡¯ve left you in a better situation. All the pain you had to endure at such a young age...¡± a voice wept. ¡°Eh? Mama? Responded Malu as she looked around. ¡°Is that you?¡± ¡°HAhaa, you¡¯re such a crybaby. Grow up, we all had it hard. Heck I had my entire country ripped away from me, but you don¡¯t see me going around crying.¡± Snickered a lady ¡°Who the-¡± Malu yelled out before ducking. ¡°Una flecha? Who the hell still uses arrows to shoot at someone???¡± ¡°Ah, ah, ah, I¡¯d watch my head if I was you.¡± The lady snickered as she flicked her finger causing the arrow to fly towards Malu. ¡°Brujer¨ªa? I didn¡¯t know witches were still around.¡± Thought Malu as she continuously ducked the arrow. The mysterious lady yawned before thinking to herself, ¡°ugh I grow bored of this¡­it¡¯s only been five minutes and she¡¯s already tired. If only he were here this would be more fun. Oh well, guess I¡¯ll make my exit for now.¡± A cloud of pink smoke appeared the her and with that she vanished into the night. ¡°Was that¡­one of those cochinos from the PPF??? No, It couldn¡¯t have been¡­those idiots they don¡¯t have arrows. And why did it¡­smell like Almendra?¡± Said a befuddled Malu trying to catch her breath. ¡°Whatever I need to go check on Vastago and make sure he¡¯s alright.¡± Malu made her way to Respicias. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the same little shit who used to always on me is now a core member to my family. Hehe, you never did stop being un cachondo, but that did help you create a very successful brothel. I just hope you prepared those putas y putos to do more than just fuck around.¡± Malu thought as she walked through the tunnels Vindicta had built. ¡°Looks like Excitatur¡¯s baby is still thriving. I¡¯m not surprised there¡¯s enough gambling, tobacco and hookers here to make even the holiest man lose himself. I don¡¯t know what I was thinking of letting Vastago set up shop here. That damn sex addict can¡¯t keep his polla to himself ¡ª surprised he¡¯s not burning to be honest. Note to self Malum, continue not sharing drinks with him.¡± Malum said aloud as she pulled her hoodie down a bit more. ¡°Chala! I see they still got my face everywhere. Thankfully these idiots only know one color though. I just look like a regular chica blanca here. But wait a¡­my breast aren¡¯t that big¡­men¡­Whatever I needa find Vastago and quick!¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. As she approached his hideout the worst case scenario she had tried pushing out of her mine was close at hand. ¡°?Chale! Are you fucking serious? Not like this¡­ ¡± Malu said as she dropped to her knees. Malu looked on as members of Respicias, Pecunia, and the Potestas Police Force surrounded Vastagos¡¯ hideout. ¡°You piece of trash, come out with your hands up!¡± Yelled a sergeant from the combined police forces. ¡°If you obey, maybe one day you¡¯ll be able to see the light of a day. If not, we''re gonna come in there and kill every last one of you criminals.¡± ¡°Mierda! Mierda! MIERDA!¡± Malu whispered to herself ¡°Worried much my dear? You know, there¡¯s still time to help your friend before he¡¯s captured.¡± Said a voice from around the corner. The mysterious voice caused Malu to jump back and pull out her pistol. Upon recognizing who it was, she calmed herself slightly but still kept a firm grip on her gun. ¡°You¡¯ve drawn your pistol so I guess that means you¡¯re ready to give up that life of yours eh? So young too. But I admire your courageous mindset nonetheless.¡± Chuckled Tournament. ¡°When it comes to mi familia, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes,¡± Malu stated as she slowly lowered her weapon, looking back at the horrific scene in front of her. ¡°¡®Sides that, I know you from somewhere don¡¯t I? Yeah, you¡¯re that bicho raro that put all that money on a fight a few weeks ago, aren¡¯t you? Why are you here? Were you following me or something?¡± Tournament stared on blankly. ¡°Aye dios mio I swear you fuckers come our homes and think ¡®learn their language? Nah they can adapt to us¡¯ you know there¡¯s a word for people like you. It¡¯s called colonizador. Colonizador de bicho raro!¡± Malu pondered a moment, then rolled her eyes before continuing. ¡°Look, weirdo, try learning picking up another language, it¡¯ll help you communicate with more people.¡± ¡°Weirdo? Me? Pahaha, I guess with this mask on I am kind of weird, aren¡¯t I.¡± Replied Tournament as they walked towards Malu¡¯s side. ¡°As for your other questions, if you must know, I just so happened to be passing by when I saw someone who appeared to be Robin Hood hiding behind a wall. I hope I don¡¯t come off as more of a weirdo. I just felt like you¡¯d be comfortable if you had someone beside you.¡± ¡°Whatever works for you ''cause all I care about right now is trying to save my brother and I don¡¯t know if that big ass hat of yours is blocking your view, but there¡¯s over thirty guards surrounding him.¡± Malu stated as she pointed at the hideout. ¡°So I don¡¯t THINK there¡¯s really time to mess around chatting.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, my dear, thirty angry guards. Anger pointed at your little gang. You know I bet they would much rather paint the streets of Respicias red with his blood, rather than take him to a cell. Don¡¯t you think? Questioned Tournament. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to think of that¡­¡± said Malu as her angst began to grow. ¡°That seems to be your problem. You only look at the path in front of you and think continuing to walk forward is your only option. But what if the road had an obstacle in front of it? Would you charge through like an angered bull or will you calm yourself like a dove and think about your options? People nowadays seem to be so intent on proving themselves and one-upping each other that nobody stops and thinks.¡± Stated Tournament as they began to sit down. ¡°Sit down with me for a second, my child. Even in this dire situation, it¡¯s still a nice day out. Why don¡¯t we use this beautiful day Eirini¡¯s given us to calm our nerves?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time for some hippie nonsense, so if you¡¯re not gonna help, then just shut up and leave me alone.¡± Said Malu Tournament sighed before responding. ¡°You may be older than them but you¡¯re still just as immature.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak to me as if I¡¯m a child,¡± Malu said angrily ¡°Then maybe you should stop acting like one.¡± Snickered Tournament. ¡°You want me to sit down with you while mi compa, my fucking brother, is inside with ALL THOSE FUCKING GUARDS ready to kill him!¡± Screamed Malu as she began to sob. ¡°And it¡¯ll all be because of you! Weren¡¯t you the one who created this little rag-tag group? Aren¡¯t you the one who calls herself the leader? If that¡¯s the case then you¡¯re responsible for everything that happens to them. So, if anyone is to blame for his death it¡¯ll be YOU. Of course, nobody will say it out loud, but you know deep down they¡¯ll all be pointing fingers at you. And it¡¯s because you¡¯re an incompetent leader. Heck, you even have divisions led by your little family, and it¡¯s all because you can¡¯t bear to manage all of that responsibility. I¡¯ve done some digging into you, you¡¯ve had a few of your members arrested and killed over this past year right? But they weren¡¯t brought in by you I bet, so they don¡¯t really matter huh? Pathetic. You¡¯re not special. You¡¯re just trying to get revenge for your parents. Revenge that you¡¯ll never get if you don¡¯t change.¡± Tournament responded as their words struck Malu¡¯s body like a guillotine. Malu dropped to her knees as her tears watered the weeds cracking through the cement. Tournament put their hand on her shoulder. ¡°I desire to help you, but only if you¡¯re willing to help yourself.¡± Malu said nothing. She sat down with them and tried her best to calm herself. She sat back against the wall as she could hear the guards yelling out to Vastago. She tried thinking back to easier times, occasionally peeking at Tournament. She could see what appeared to be a slight smile on their face. For some reason, it helped calm her more. ¡°You are strong, my child. You have persevered through so much hardship.¡± A strange voice said. After the previous encounter, Malu¡¯s eyes opened quickly and darted around. Except her entire surroundings were no longer the same as before. Everything was dark. She couldn¡¯t even see her hands in front of her. ¡°Where am I?¡± Questioned Malu. ¡°Where you are doesn¡¯t matter, as much as this. Do not trust that one no matter what. They will only help you to gain something out of you.¡± The voice said echoing through the strange place. ¡°You mean the weirdo in front of me, yeah I figured that-¡± Malu started to say before being cut off. ¡°No, but one very similar to them. One who also reeks of the same filth. Beware my child. The voice continued before putting her to sleep. Malu began to look around. She was back in Respicias, though something seemed different. As she stood up her body did not follow, but words did. Wheel of Breath: Calm- ¡°Cerebral Connection¡± Followed by: as your soul exits your body you may enter another, try to overpower them, and, if successful, take complete control of their body. This process may be repeated, but beware as your physical body will be defenseless. Should it be killed you will become a lost soul, forced to wander for eternity. ¡°Un esp¨ªritu¡­this is why I don¡¯t mess with witchcraft¡± Questioned Malu. She tried moving her body, but as expected she wasn¡¯t able to touch anything. The more she started to worry the more she started to fade. As she did, Malu was able to gain a little control over her body. ¡°Somebody throw me an ax, I¡¯m taking down this damn door!¡± Captain Nighson yelled out. Malu ran towards him and grabbed his neck. ¡°Get yer ass over metiche!¡± Malu yelled out. As she grabbed his neck, Malu could feel her soul slowly enter the man¡¯s body. She started to squeeze his neck more viciously, digging her nails into him causing blood to slowly spill out. The more she did the more she could feel herself entering his body. ¡°So how the hell do I take over his body? Puta madre, you could¡¯ve given me a better instruction manual¡­¡±Malu muttered in frustration. ¡°Wait was it that?¡± Malu noticed what appeared to be the captain curled up like a fetus. ¡°Is that what I¡¯m supposed to defeat? But how? It feels¡­slimy¡­esto es asqueroso.¡± Malu continued. ¡°Who¡­who are you? Why are you here? This is a sacred place!¡± Questioned Captain Nighson¡¯s soul. ¡°Sacred place eh? So, you must be his soul. Tell your god, lo siento.¡± Malu exclaimed as she shoved her pistol into the soul¡¯s mouth and pulled the trigger. Upon killing him, Malu had taken full control of Nighson. She grabbed his gun and began firing at the other guards. Two of them dropped dead while the others ducked for cover. ¡°What the HELL are you doing Nighson!? Those are your men!¡± Yelled out Captain Wan of Pecunia¡¯s Police Force. ¡°ARGHHHH! Whatever his reason¡¯s may be, it seems he sided with the enemy. Kill him! I¡¯ll take the blame for this call.¡± Yelled out Captain Juu-san of Respicias Police Force. ¡°N-N-NO! PLEASE! DON¡¯T KILL ME! I CAN¡¯T-¡± ¡°FIRE!¡± Wan and Jun-San yelled simultaneously. Before the captain could get his final words out he was shot multiple times, his body instantly dropping to the ground. ¡°Chale, why the heck am I feeling this? I need to get out of his body before I die!¡± Exclaimed Malu as she started coughing up blood. ¡°So, if they get hurt, then I do too? ?Chinga tu madre! I should¡¯ve figured this witchcraft would come with more drawbacks. lo que, if I''m going down them I¡¯m taking all you pieces of shits with me.¡± Malu ran over to the next officer and took control of him. As the fight went on the task became harder and harder. She was only to take down a few more officers with this method, but still twenty remained with backup in pursuit. ¡°No more firing you idiots! I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but our men aren¡¯t traitors! This has to be some sort of witchcraft and knowing those scum I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they sold their souls to Synkrousi.¡± Yelled Out Captain Wan. ¡°I¡¯ll take my men and we¡¯ll deal with this supernatural bullshit, you take yours and get that pimp out of there! I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s dead, I just want him taken down!¡± Commanded Captain Juu-san. ¡°Calm yourself, eh? Now what? I got half these idiots coming for me and I can¡¯t take over any bodies because they won¡¯t shoot each other anymore. What the heck do I do?¡± Malu said as she grew more and more worried about the situation. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re not helping the needy like you usually do¡­Tournament.¡± Snickered a young woman. ¡°Pahaha if it isn¡¯t my best friend Rose. What brings you here? Get lost too?¡± Tournament joked. ¡°Tch, can it you irritant. Wasn¡¯t she your other candidate?¡± Questioned Rose as she flared her nostrils at Tournament. ¡°Ooouu, so feisty. Alas though I could easily help her, but it doesn¡¯t seem worth it. I don¡¯t see the same thing I saw in Felichs. When they took their first breath it was magical! They knew exactly what to do. However, Malum on the other hand used hers and arrogance clouded her judgment.¡± Said Tournament shaking their head at the pitiful sight. ¡°I will say, I do find it amusing how similar you two are.¡± ¡°HAhaa, don¡¯t compare me to her. I¡¯m nothing like that trash over there.¡± Snarled Rose. Tournament pondered to themself a moment before responding. ¡°I will admit you are a master with that bow of yours, Rose. But I think you overlook the skills these officers have. I mean, even though they are burning with the fire to slaughter a gang that has hurt so many of their own, they still have their minds clear and focused. They actually impress me.¡± ¡°ARGHHH¡­shut it! I¡¯ll handle this myself.¡± Rose said as she nudged Tournament aside and readied her bow. ¡°By the way, if the girl dies is it ok?¡± ¡°I have no need for her, so do as you please. Although, if you try keeping her alive then at least we won¡¯t have to clean up the mess.¡± Chuckled Tournament. Rose hopped on top of the wall and with her bow in hand readied four arrows. Her eyes set ablaze, the air slowed to a stand still as she slowly breathed in. The sun began to shine its light on her as if she were center stage. Then, with lightning quick speeds, she let off twenty arrows killing every single guard in an instant. As she breathed out the air moved once again but the lights still remained centered on the Orange Rose of Excitatur. ¡°My oh my! Now I see why they speak of you like a legend.¡± Said a mysterious voice as they slowly approached while clapping. ¡°Pahaha, well isn¡¯t this interesting? If it the man who refers to himself as the CEO of Excitatur-¡± Tournament started to say before being cut off. ¡°Mulahaha! You¡¯re right my mysterious friend! It is I. The one! The only! CEO of Excitatur Inc. Key Valentine! It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you both¡± Key said as he reached his hand out. ¡°I¡¯ll be making my exit. I don¡¯t have time to waste on either of these wanna-be leaders.¡± Rose said, as smoke appeared like before, before once again vanishing. ¡°So, what do I owe the pleasure of Excitatur¡¯s ruler coming to me in person?¡± Tournament responded as they looked at the man¡¯s hand. ¡°Ahhhh you mean to tell me you¡¯re plotting against my country and can¡¯t even be man enough to shake my hand? Well, I guess you¡¯re wiser than you look.¡± Key said before removing his glove. ¡°I dipped it in poison, but after seeing your glove I was just hoping little ol¡¯ Rose other there would¡¯ve shaken it.¡± ¡°Funny, you say I¡¯m plotting against your country, but in reality I¡¯m just standing up to the neighborhood and taking back my friend¡¯s belongings.¡± Tournament chuckled. ¡°Belongings, eh? Well, I reckon something belongs to the one with the most money and while you do have a fancy suit there, I would bet mine¡¯s just a lil more expensive.¡± Key said as he rubbed his fist full of rings across his suit lined with emeralds. ¡°Mulahaha, money can make the world go round and round, HELL she¡¯ll even do cartwheels if you throw enough her way.¡± As Key walked away, he continuously dropped wads of cash like a man dropping a rope to guide him out a cave. Tournament centered their attention back to Malu who had gotten back into her body. ¡°?Flechas? Where¡¯s the witch at?! I¡¯ll kill her!¡± Questioned an angered Malu. ¡°Pahaha, I think she¡¯s the least of your worries insolent fool. You failed Malu.¡± Tournament said as a frown grew on their face. ¡°Failed? You say it like this was a test.¡± Malu started to say until seeing the grin form behind Tournament¡¯s mask. ¡°Son of a¡­te matar¨¦!¡± ¡°Silence!¡± Yelled Tournament as their voice froze Malu in their tracks. ¡°Honestly, you disgust me. I expected so much more from you. I set this all up because I wanted you in my tournament, but now whether you join or not doesn¡¯t concern me anymore.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯ll actually let you walk out here alive? Sure, against thirty others I struggled, but right now it¡¯s just me and you. Mano e mano puta or whatever the hell you are. I¡¯ll never, let someone hurt my family and get away with it.¡± Snarled Malu as she held Tournament by their coat. ¡°Ima ¡­¡± Malu dropped to her knees. It was as if all of her energy left her body. ¡°Like I said, you disgust me.¡± Responded Tournament as they pushed Malu over with their foot. ¡°And a lowly dog like yourself will never so much as harm me.¡± ¡°AYE! Get the hell away from her you bastard!¡± Vastago shouted out as he ran over to Malu. ¡°Yo, what the heck happened to you?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­just glad¡­you''re ok¡­¡± Malu struggled to say as she coughed up blood. ¡°Y-you came¡­to save me¡­?¡± Vastago sobbed as he hugged Malu. Exhausted, Malu was not able to speak anymore as she slowly started to pass out. ¡°Now that she¡¯s good.¡± Vastago started to say as he quickly attacked Tournament. ¡°You¡¯re so dead!¡± ¡°Oh ho? Another feisty one . ¡°Tournament responded as they effortlessly dodged the punches from Vastago. ¡°All you do¡­all you do is dodge! Fight me you coward!¡± An exhausted Vastago said as he wildly threw punches . ¡°What for? You¡¯re a child compared to me. Besides, I¡¯d rather not touch filthy whore.¡± Tournament chuckled. ¡°A child? Would a child know to do this!¡± Vastago yelled out as he fell to the ground. ¡°Giving up-?¡± Tournament questioned before falling to the ground. ¡°Hehehe BADDABA-BING, BADDABA-BANG! That¡¯s another direct hit for Sweet Shot Suelo!¡± Suelo yelled out as she grinned from ear to ear slamming her rifle into the roof. ¡°Yaahooo! Good shot Suelo!¡± Vastago cheered. Their cheers would rapidly change to angst as the clouds formed overhead, with the sky changing from its bright blue to a dull gray. Rain started to slowly pour in. The winds began to howl. Faint sounds of drums and pianos could be heard as if an orchestra were marching their way. A bed of flowers sprouted all over Tournament¡¯s lifeless body. As the last flower bloomed a loud BANG rang across the skies of Excitatur! ¡°WH-WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!¡± Cried Suelo. ¡°WHATEVER IT IS WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE, NOW!¡± Vastago yelled out as he struggled to pick up Malu¡¯s body. ¡°ARGH MALU THIS IS NO TIME FOR SLEEPING!¡± ¡°FLOWER TECHNIQUE: BLOSSOM REJUVENATION!¡± The flowers covering Tournament were slowly absorbed into their body. ¡°You dogs¡­you really think you¡¯re special, don¡¯t you? Your little gang can¡¯t even control a city, whereas mine¡­we can control this entire country.¡± Tournament growled as they wiped their suit off. ¡°Your fight is no longer against Excitatur¡¯s military¡­you¡¯re now in the presence of beings who¡¯ve transcended humanity! ¡°I-I-I thought they were dead?¡± Stuttered Vastago as he fell on his butt. ¡°Wh-wh-what the¡­WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU?¡± Suelo screamed as she struggled to get the words out. Tournament¡¯s laugh grew louder and more wicked as they slowly removed their gloves and walked towards Vastago and Suelo. While her vision was blurry, Malu could make out the situation and tried her hardest to pick herself up. ¡°If you even think about touching them¡­¡± Malu said as her legs shook viciously. ¡°Pahaha, maybe you¡¯re not a dog? No, no you¡¯re more like a fawn fresh out of the womb. The way your body shakes I can tell you now know what true fear is. I am the face of that fear.¡± Tournament protested as they walked towards Malu. ¡°The only thing I fear is not being able to avenge my parents. Other than that I¡¯m not scared of a damn thing!¡± Malu responded as she spit in Tournament¡¯s direction. ¡°Hmph, I will not waste my time with you. Enter my tournament if you want, but don¡¯t expect a warm welcome, dog.¡± Tournament stated as they put their gloves back on and walked away. Tried as she might, Malu was not able to follow him as she was barely able to stand herself. Vastago and Suelo were both left frozen in their tracks. ¡°You two¡­get it together¡­they¡¯re gone,¡± Malu said, as she continued to struggle to get the words out. ¡°Y-y-y-you didn¡¯t see their face.¡± Said a staggered Suelo. ¡°I-I-I¡¯ve never seen¡­anything like that¡­ I don¡¯t think it was even human?¡± Questioned Vastagos as he rubbed his hands against his face. ¡°Let¡¯s just get back to hideout guys,¡± Malu said as she threw her arms onto their shoulders. The three struggled, but eventually they made it back safely. After relaying the events to Baya and Viento the five knew what to do. Malu would make her way to Fortuna to enter the tournament along with Viento. The others would continue working Excitatur, while also finding out any information they could on Tournament and the mysterious archer. ¡°?Las alcantarillas? I can¡¯t believe we have to go through sewers.¡± Griped Malu. ¡°It¡¯s the safest way there according to the chiquito. ¡®posed to be snowing the next day or two.¡± Viento replied as the two walked through the sewage system. ¡°Aye Viento, tell me the truth. Who do think it was?¡± Malu questioned. ¡°?La puta rata? Hard to say. We¡¯ve all grown up together for years. I¡¯d hate to find out someone¡¯s snitching.¡± Viento asked as he started to slow down. ¡°Why do you trust me so much though?¡± Malu looked up and sighed before responding, ¡°You and I¡­our relationship isn¡¯t like the rest. Matter of fact, you didn¡¯t join until after you damn near killed me.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Viento responded as he hurried his pace again. The two continued to walk through the sewers. Because of the current state of Emovere, all of the sewers in the country were connected, meaning it was fairly easy to get from one state to the next while avoiding the harsh conditions. There were guards who patrolled their respective areas, but in these times nobody was truly loyal. A few bucks could pay off anyone. Meanwhile somewhere in Excitatur ¡°Now that¡¯s a mighty fine gesture.¡± Cackled Key as he put the note in his pocket and reached for his phone. ¡°I think I might¡¯ve found me a pretty interesting ally in this crooked world¡­Mulahaha!¡± Back in Fortuna Eventually Viento and Malu made their way to Fortuna and marched straight to Their Council¡¯s House. ¡°You let her live¡­you¡¯ve gone soft.¡± Muttered Rose. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. Seize them at once. I want her with Felichs and Solis and the man in the room with THAT one. I believe he¡¯s grown bored all alone.¡± Chuckled Tournament as they called out to Servus #11836. ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Servus said as she made her way to the phone. As Malu and Viento approached the estate a plethora of guards surrounded them. The two had no choice but to drop to their knees. As she looked around, she noticed Tournament in the window waving at her. Her anger grew as she knew exactly what had happened. In mere seconds the two were arrested, beaten, then dragged inside the house. ¡°Company¡­eh? Will you¡­hear my story?¡± The man said as his eyes fixated on Viento¡¯s lifeless body. Turn 4: When Confronting A Deity, Even The Wisest Can Make The Most Foolish Choices The mood in the room had grown tense. Felichs. Solis. Malu. One who desired to save their ailing mother. One whose guilt ran so deep, now wanting to write the wrongs of his past. And one who wanted to avenge her parents¡¯ deaths. Three different roads, that before this week. would¡¯ve never crossed each other. But now, as these competitors stand face to face with each other, they could feel that only one of them would be standing at the end. Especially after a letter was dropped in their room. It read: ¡°Pahaha! What is Tourno?? Tou Menos? Is Menos even real? Who is this Tournament and why do they have such a beautiful aura? Questions¡­yes, yes so many questions, but still no answers. Well, fret not, because they¡¯ll all be shared with each one of you real soon. Although I¡¯m pretty sure most of you have already come to some well-thought-out conclusions. For the few who haven¡¯t yet put the pieces together, or maybe just one who hasn¡¯t, in a few weeks you¡¯ll have all your answers. By the way, I hope you¡¯re all enjoying your stay in Fortuna, and do remember no violence. It¡¯s not tolerated here and you will be facing punishment via your state. Speaking of states, that does bring me to my other point for this letter. You will NOT be traveling the five states. Tried as I could, but sadly some plans just don¡¯t fall through. But worry not because we¡¯ll still be heading out of Perdita and making our way to the state of emptiness, Inanis. If you¡¯re unfamiliar with the state don¡¯t worry it¡¯s honestly not much of a state anymore since these wretched wars. Actually, my poor, poor friend here, lost his home and family due to these wars. Anywho, Tourno¨¢ Tou Menos begins in three weeks'' time, but we¡¯ll be leaving in two weeks to make sure you all get twenty-four before the start time to prepare. Haven¡¯t a nice day and remember you¡¯re all here because of how special you are or could be¡­besides you, you wretched dog.¡± Malu dry-fired three more shots at the letter before walking past Felichs. ¡°Something about her¡­I don¡¯t like it. Her aura feels as bad as she smells¡­¡± Felichs muttered. ¡°Ughh this gonna be a pain¡­Eirini take the wheel.¡± Solis thought as he smacked his face. Felichs¡¯ eyes stayed pointed at Malu. ¡°Another person from that list¡­a target? Or maybe she has that same weird power that me and Solis have. Either way, she¡¯s definitely not a friend. Not a friend of mine nor Tournament¡¯s either¡­I wonder what happened when they met. ¡°Aye, puta, you stare long enough pervert?¡± Malu said as she covered herself up with her sweater. ¡°I wasn¡¯t-" Felichs started to say before going back to their thoughts. ¡°Ughhh, never mind no point in tryna say something. Not like she¡¯ll listen anyways.¡± ¡°WAHAHA! Yuh two ¡®mind me of me and my ol lady.¡± Solis remarked. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re married?¡± Felichs gasped. ¡°Yeah, thanks to this damn war though, she passed away a few years ago. And ¡®fore y¡¯all get all sappy on me, she passed away happily in my arms.¡± Solis remarked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Malu sobbed. ¡°I hope you¡¯re ok mi amor¡­¡± ¡°Me too...¡± Sniffled Felichs. ¡°Maybe I made a mistake coming here...¡± ¡°Now I thought I said no getting all teary-eyed on me? Whatta ¡®bout y¡¯all two? Anyone special in y¡¯all lives?¡± Questioned Solis. ¡°Mi vieja. She wanted to come with me, but it¡¯s too many people to look out for.¡± Said Malu. ¡°Oh ho, gotcha yuhself a lil lady too eh? Well, I feel yuh pain. Always ¡®member keep yuh wife happy, so yuh¡¯ll live a lil longer and yuh belly¡¯ll get a lil bigger.¡± Solis chuckled as he got to lay beside Nox. ¡°Thank you-¡± Malu started to say before being cut off. A deafening scream shook through the entire house. ¡°What the fuck was that?!¡± Said Malu as she reached for her gun. Felichs already started running out of the room. Solis and Malu followed after. What came next was a sight nobody could have expected. ¡°Yo that is sick¡­¡± said Participant A as he threw up a little. ¡°What the hell is she doing??¡± Chimed Participant B as she stumbled backward. ¡°Should..should somebody step in to stop her?¡± Participant C said as his legs shook uncontrollably. It was a sickening sight that sat before the participants. A lady, if you could even call her that, hunched over a man¡¯s lifeless body while strangling him. Multiple stab wounds decorated the man¡¯s body, topped off with a pool of blood. Blood that the creature was licking up while she continued to grip his neck harder and harder, her nails digging into his neck. Many of the bystanders struggled to watch on, while others were holding each other screaming at the top of their lungs. Only a few seemed unfazed by this gruesome sight. Felichs. Solis. Malu. And five others scattered amongst the crowd. ¡°You! I know you! I could never forget that brightly-colored outfit. And that look on your face¡­I¡¯ve known it all too well. It screams "Take my life before I take it myself!¡± Felichs thought to themself as they stared down the pink-haired individual. ¡°Where is she¡­I¡¯ll start with her and then the rest!¡± The pink-haired individual muttered. Felichs began to walk towards him when suddenly Tournament¡¯s voice appeared. ¡°Servus my dear¡­what in the Goddess¡¯s name are you doing?!¡± Tournament scolded as they grabbed her by the neck. The lady wiped the blood from her mouth, stood up, and took a bow before answering. ¡°I-I-I-I¡¯m sorry m-m-my lord¡­this f-f-filthy creature attacked me. I was sh-sh-showing him to his room when he sm-sm-GRABBED me by my neck and covered my mouth. H-h-he held a knife up and said that gets a th-th-thrill out of killing weak people. After that, my m-m-mind went blank. I di-di-didn¡¯t mean to soil the house¡¯s peace, b-b-but I had no other choice, my lord.¡± Tournament pulled the lady in and rubbed her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry my dear.¡± They said to her before turning around. ¡°I¡¯ve mentioned this before, there¡¯ll be no violence in this sanctuary. This is a place of peace. With that said.¡± Tournament turned back and struck the lady before continuing. ¡°While I¡¯m glad you¡¯re ok, these kinds of actions are unnecessary and definitely unacceptable. Violence solved with violence will never lead to anything.¡± ¡°CHINGA TU MADRE! ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?! SHE WAS ATTACKED BY THAT FILTHY COCHINO AND YOU THINK SHE SHOULDN¡¯T DEFEND HERSELF?!¡± Malu yelled as she quickly made her way towards Tournament, gun in hand. ¡°I TOLD YOU I WAS COMING FOR YOUR HEAD! MAYBE I SHOULD JUST TAKE IT NOW!¡± ¡°Pahaha, once again you can¡¯t control yourself, eh? If you had me finish instead of speaking, you wretched dog, you would¡¯ve heard how to deal with this.¡± Tournament responded as they pulled a flower off the wall. Suddenly the house began to shake violently and a large cloud of smoke covered the room. Six individuals appeared before the participants. Each was covered from head to toe in the same white cloaks and different colored masks that Felichs had seen before. This time was different though as a menacing aura could be felt from all of them. ¡°Ooouu, is it time to play? I wanna play! I wanna have fun with every one of them!¡± Cheered a young boy holding a stuffed animal. ¡°And to think¡­I was just eating too¡­now I have no appetite¡­¡± a lady gagged. ¡°Poor fool¡­¡± Solid remarked kneeling over the lifeless body. ¡°Should I?¡± ¡°Why would you? There¡¯s no need to save him. Just let me fill him with a few explosives and watch the bastard explode into pieces!¡± Cackled a clearly twisted individual. ¡°Must you always be such an irritant?¡± Groaned Rose. ¡°I¡¯m surrounded by idiots and a gluttona€|¡± The last individual said not a word as they glared at Felichs. ¡°They¡¯re strong. Real strong. But who are they? The council that sits below the chancellor? Or maybe one of them is him. I¡¯ve never actually seen him before since he never leaves that palace of his. Maybe he¡¯s the one staring at me. Or maybe¡­¡± Felichs pondered. ¡°As you can all see before you stand the best way to handle any situation. We are not only the council of Perdita but also the council of Emovere!¡± Tournament announced. ¡°C-council of Emovere? Since when did the ENTIRE country of Emovere have a council?!¡± The pink-haired boy cried out loud. ¡°Yes,¡± Rose responded. ¡°And as the council, our word¡­is absolute.¡± Tournament added. ¡°Hmm¡­while this sounds¡­like the better option¡­I agree with the grasshopper¡­a victim should be allowed¡­to defend themselves¡­no matter the rules¡­set in place¡­¡± said a man in a low, slow tone. ¡°Oh? So, what would be the point of rules if we¡¯re always going to move the goalpost? Do you not come from a state that tried this and is now on the brink of destruction? Could I not easily say this man was a victim himself? A victim of his own mind. A mind that the goddess created. Why would she make him this way? Why would any higher power make their creations with this kind of sick mindset? And then you say she¡¯s a victim yet she¡¯s barely human. I mean what human would drink their victim''s blood? So, if we judge her as a monster would she have the same right of being able to attack someone who attacked her? Do we not label animals who attack humans as evil? When they were simply protecting themselves? If we¡¯re going to play this game of moving the goal post then I guess we¡¯ll also remove innocent until proven guilty. But then that means you should be back in that cell¡­does it not?¡± Tournament challenged. ¡°You make..a good point¡­but I¡¯d like to challenge it¡­if I may. We¡¯ve never had..innocent until proven guilty¡­it¡¯s always been¡­guilty even after¡­proof of innocence¡­we live in a world¡­where many harbor¡­evil thoughts of those¡­even if the person¡­hasn¡¯t given them¡­a reason to do so. So, why¡­why can¡¯t we¡­the guilty ones¡­move things from time to time¡­to help our cause.¡± Mori said as he looked down at his hands before letting out a terrifying laugh. ¡°They say I killed them¡­but I know the truth¡­will you¡­listen to my story¡­¡± ¡°You make a fine point, but the rules will stand regardless of opinion. Anybody who breaks the rules from here on out will be removed from Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos AND sent back home as a wanted criminal. Do I make myself clear?¡± Tournament stated before directing Servus #11836 to pick up the body. Felichs, paying little mind to their conversation, analyzed the room. ¡°It feels like ever since I got here everybody¡¯s aura has felt so cold¡­especially this white-haired dude. He feels the coldest. But that pink-haired dude can¡¯t be looked over. Something about him tells me he¡¯s just as dangerous.¡± ¡°Why do you fear me? I felt as if we were so alike. I can tell you to have faced wrongful judgment.¡± the white-haired man muttered. A blizzard engulfed Felichs as the man walked closer and closer toward them. His hair was as white as his snow. Red eyes that, if opened, would show nothing but a hollow body. One that had long lost its soul. Skin as pale as a night-walker that yearns for the blood of its victims. All of this was covered in darkness as his attire consisted of only black clothing. One might notice him in passing, but if you did, his slow, almost methodical way of conversing with others would stick out. As he approached Felichs he softly gripped their shoulder and whispered in their ear: ¡°Don¡¯t let them¡­lead you astray¡­I can tell you also¡­have someone you care for¡­¡± Mori whispered as he slowly walked away. Before he could, Felichs called out to him. "It''s odd, you know, you don¡¯t seem like the type to want to draw attention. So, why speak up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡­don¡¯t want to be seen¡­more so¡­I choose when and where¡­to be seen¡­only IF...I find it necessary¡­¡± The white-haired man responded. ¡°So, what? You tryna be a hero or somethin¡¯?¡± Challenged Felichs. ¡°A hero? No, no¡­to be a hero¡­you have to be¡­pure-hearted¡­¡± The white-haired man answered. ¡°I could challenge that, but I honestly don¡¯t care enough either. Nor do I feel it makes much of a difference. That¡¯s actually where you and I could see eye to eye. I also don¡¯t do it unless I feel it¡¯s necessary, or I guess, I should say positively benefits me.¡± Said Felichs as they smirked. ¡°You¡¯re interesting¡­you remind me so much¡­of the one¡­you all call¡­Tournament¡­¡± The white-haired man acknowledged as he slowly walked away. ¡°We¡¯re alike? Tch, you could put us in the same outfit, mask and all, and we¡¯d still be completely different. I¡¯m nothing like that creep.¡± Felichs whispered as they noticed Tournament and Servus carrying the body up the stairs. ¡°Speaking of, just where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± They decided to follow in pursuit, making sure to keep their distance. They continued up the stairs and down a long, dark hallway lined with pictures too dark to see. ¡°Such a curious child you are. I would like to help you, but not everything can be so easy, my dear.¡± Tournament thought to themself as they turned around instantly. Felichs immediately jumped behind a bookshelf. ¡°Holy¡­that was way too close. A second later and I would¡¯ve been¡­no don¡¯t think like that. I can¡¯t die. Not until I give Mom what she deserves.¡± ¡°I figured you would follow me.¡± Tournament said aloud. ¡°Shit, shit, shit! How did they see me?!¡± Felichs panicked as they reached for their knife. ¡°Yuh said yuh¡¯d brang me Nox¡­now where¡¯s he at!?¡± Exclaimed a frustrated Solis. ¡°Yes, yes, well you see, there¡¯s been a bit of a complication.¡± Tournament chuckled. ¡°And thatta be what exactly?¡± Solis responded as they walked closer and closer to them. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not fully in charge of the decision. I wanted to return him to you, but sadly I was out-voted by my colleagues from earlier.¡± Tournament said sarcastically. ¡°These the same putas who are keeping Viento from me?¡± Malu chimed in. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Actually, no. It seems he¡¯s simply found an actual friend. You know, one more loyal than the wretched dog who constantly abandons and only looks out for herself.¡± Tournament joked. Malu screamed out. ¡°I¡¯m sick and tired of your damn games, give me my brother back, then give me your head afterward!¡± ¡°Now I could¡¯ve sworn I said no violence in this house did I not?¡± Responded a more frustrated Tournament. ¡°No matter, I¡¯ve also grown tired of your childish ways, and honestly your presence is making me sick.¡± ¡°Now, now¡­I believe this is¡­what one refers to¡­as the pot which calls the kettle black¡­¡± the white-haired man chimed as he too now made his appearance. ¡°You continue to¡­peak my interest¡­such an odd one¡­you don¡¯t like violence¡­yet this girl¡­she makes you so¡­angry. Your eyes¡­they have that same look¡­that I had¡­those many years ago¡­¡± ¡°Pahaha, I guess you¡¯re right. I don¡¯t need to dirty my hands with a dog.¡± Tournament stated while pointing in Malu¡¯s direction. ¡°Felichs my dear, you want your answers? Take care of that filth!¡± ¡°There are many other ways to get the answers I seek. Besides, even though she¡¯s an irritant, you have an issue with her, not me, so I¡¯m not dirtying my hands for someone else¡¯s cause¡± Felichs responded in a low tone. ¡°Hmm, well, no matter, I said no violence anyways. I¡¯m glad to see at least one person respects the rules set in place.¡± Tournament remarked as they snatched a flower off the wall. ¡°With that said, I know someone who doesn¡¯t particularly care for rules.¡± ¡°It seems that even the goddess¡­can be cruel¡­¡± grumbled the white-haired man The smoke appeared but only one individual this time. He had bright, blonde hair with orange at its ends. A white mask with a yellow mark on it that, like his hair, resembled an explosion. He too adorned a white cloak capped off with fingerless gloves. His skin was just as pale as the white-haired individual. Maybe they were relatives. He seemed to be infatuated with explosives as even his orange nails had a similar marking that his mask had. ¡°BOOM!¡± The yellow-haired man yelled out. ¡°I told them you¡¯d come around to it V! I¡¯m so glad you¡¯ve finally seen the light! Screw these damn rules! You have your chosen one, so let¡¯s just kill the rest of these idiots and get this show started already!¡± ¡°V¡­why does that sound so familiar?¡± Felichs remarked. ¡°Welllll, it''s the twenty-second letter in the alphabet, duuuh yuh idiot!¡± Mocked the yellow-haired man. Felichs was about to respond before the white-haired man intervened. ¡°The Tristis incident¡­they were responsible¡­for the deaths¡­of one hundred citizens¡­of Sollicitus. I didn¡¯t think¡­for a second¡­the host of this tournament¡­would be so¡­famous¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered you know me so well, but don¡¯t underhand yourself, my dear. I hear you¡¯re pretty famous too¡­Mori of the Vermillion Eyes. That¡¯s a name that rang through Sollicitus.¡± Tournament chuckled. ¡°Mori?! No freaking way, Mori Chaimburs, son of that useless s.o.b. Judge Chaimburs.¡± Cackled the yellow-haired man. ¡°Watson Bell¡­seems you¡¯ve gone¡­from a head¡­to a follower,¡± Mori responded. ¡°And I see you¡¯re as idiotic as ever. You could¡¯ve walked this path with me, instead you stand on the side of a bunch of losers! DEAD LOSERS!¡± Watson yelled as he pulled out flower buds. ¡°FLOW-¡± Before Watson could continue Tournament grabbed their hand, which caused them to drop the buds. ¡°You won¡¯t need that. Look at them, they¡¯re completely lost.¡± Tournament acknowledged. The temperature in the hallway got much colder. Malu, Solis, and Mori were all lying down sleeping, as if they were in beds. Felichs looked on, scratching their head. Another figure appeared beside Tournament and Watson. ¡°I¡¯m still not sold on this one¡­allow me to challenge them¡­V.¡± The man questioned as he pointed his sword at Felichs. ¡°H-His aura is beaming off of him¡­th-there¡¯s no way I can take this guy. I¡¯m pretty sure he did something to those three. And that sword is huge!¡± Felichs thought as their eyes darted between the three individuals. ¡°Maybe I can use that power to get outta here again, but I don¡¯t even know how to use it¡­NO calm down Felichs, CALM DOWN! Just think back to that situation and what stood out¡­fear¡­I was scared that I would die¡­like I am right now ¡° ¡°GRAHAHA! I¡¯m just messin¡¯ with you, don''t worry we ain¡¯t here to harm you.¡± The man said to Felichs. ¡°I¡¯m actually here to shut this one up and talk to you.¡± ¡°#11835 take these three back to their room and make sure to tell #118357 and #118358 to prepare the carriage for Fox and Felichs.¡± Ordered Tournament. Felichs looked concerned but stayed back anyways as they watched everybody else walk away. ¡°So, Fox. Is that your actual name or was it given to you after joining the council?¡± ¡°Odd question, but it''s been my name since birth. My mom was a fan of foxes and not the most creative woman, nor was she a good chef, so yeah.¡± Fox responded. ¡°My bad if that was intrusive, I¡¯m not the best at first meetings, especially when someone points a sword at me while hiding their face.¡± Joked Felichs. ¡°Ah, my apologies as well,¡± Fox said before removing his mask. Behind the mask was a man whose face told many stories. A long scar ran down the right side of his face. His one good eye was as red as his beautifully braided hair. His braids appeared to be in an x pattern similar to the aban. At its ends were cowrie shells. ¡°So, where do you stand?¡± Questioned Fox standing before Felichs. ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Felichs. ¡°Your friends were outmatched, so had we come to blows you know what the result would¡¯ve been. So, what would you have done?¡± Fox questioned. ¡°They¡¯re not my friends¡­I don¡¯t have any. I¡¯m here for one thing and that¡¯s it. I could care less about sides. So, if you¡¯re asking whose side I would¡¯ve joined, then the answer is neither. You guys take ¡®em out and that¡¯s less competition for me to worry about. Had they taken y¡¯all out, then I would¡¯ve stolen Menos and gone home. It¡¯s that simple really. Why would I waste my time with a fight that doesn¡¯t do anything positive for me? Felichs responded as they glared at Fox. ¡°This kid¡¯s dangerous¡­they¡¯re not like the others. They have no ill will towards you or any of us like the rest here do. This kid¡¯s solely focused on one thing and one thing only¡­I wonder what would happen if they lost it?¡± The man thought to himself. ¡°Master Fox, Felichs, your carriage awaits you outside.¡± Servus #11837 said as he bowed to the two. ¡°Where we going anyways, Master Fox.¡± Mocked Felichs. ¡°A trip around Perdita. I figure someone like you doesn¡¯t even know their own state.¡± Jabbed Fox. The two made their way out of The Council¡¯s House and to the front where their carriage awaited them. It was a typical carriage, pulled by two horses and the cargo section could fit up to four people. The two got inside and the carriage pulled off. ¡°You guys really like don¡¯t you?¡± Felichs commented acknowledging the flowers that lined the inside of the carriage. ¡°So, if I pull one of these will somebody appear?¡± ¡°Plants provide oxygen which is critical for survival. And no, nobody will appear, this is my personal carriage.¡± Fox responded. ¡°I hear you¡¯re a fan of chess, by the way, care to play a few games?¡± ¡°Yeah, I call dibs on the black pieces,¡± Felichs said as they quickly reached out and grabbed them. ¡°And what makes you think I¡¯ll let you have them?¡± Fox questioned as he grabbed the last remaining black piece. ¡°Seems I took your king already; guess I win.¡± ¡°Or maybe I let you take it,¡± Felichs smirked. ¡°Oh, ho. And why would you do that?¡± Fox challenged. ¡°Well, nobody can deny the king¡¯s importance, but who¡¯s to say the queen can¡¯t take over? Is she not also a figure of high stature? Can she not replicate every other piece? And when people reach the other side of the board do they not change their pawns to queens? And who¡¯s truly the most protected piece? Is it the king because without him you lose, or is it the queen because without her you lose your greatest offensive and defensive weapon? So, with all this evidence presented to you, do you still truly think you won?¡± Felichs answered as they grabbed the piece from Fox. Fox chuckled before responding, ¡°May I ask you a question? It¡¯s a bit personal, so feel free to decline.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Felichs nodded. ¡°V calls you they and them, but you¡¯re¡­I mean why is that?¡± Fox questioned. ¡°Growing up where I did, you don¡¯t get to make many choices for yourself. I mean, my name is supposed to mean happiness or something, yet my life¡¯s been anything but that. The things I¡¯ve seen¡­that I¡¯ve done¡­none of them have ever been MY choice. And now¡­I¡¯m gonna make a bunch of choices in Tournou¨¢¡­won¡¯t be mine either¡­so why can¡¯t I make one choice for myself that I ACTUALLY want to make?¡± Felichs answered while setting up the board. ¡°Men, women, when this shit¡¯s all said and done with and our world is burned to a crisp by our own evilness and stupidity, nobody¡¯s gonna be able to tell what you were; we¡¯re just humans.¡± Fox pondered a moment before responding, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve been alone all your life. Why not end that here today?¡± ¡°H-huh? Wh-what? You like me or something?¡± Questioned a flustered Felichs. ¡°GRAHAHA! No, no, nothing like that. I mean why not have someone at your side to rely on?¡± Fox chuckled while extending his hand out. He made the first move, moving his white piece one spot ahead. ¡°A friend in a powerful position does have its perks¡­but what does he gain from helping me? Nobody just helps someone without wanting something in return¡­¡± Felichs questioned as they moved a pawn two spaces forward. ¡°Interesting move, think I¡¯ll move mine two spaces ahead,¡± Fox remarked as their hand remained extended. ¡°Fool.¡± Felichs acknowledged as they moved their queen. ¡°EHHHH?¡± Fox yelped. ¡°Fool¡¯s Mate¡­HOW THE HELL DID YOU LEARN THAT???¡± ¡°You learn a lot of things in the hood, like not to trust people; especially those who gain nothing from a partnership. Offer declined.¡± Felichs responded as they exited the carriage. Fox sighed before reaching into a box and handing Felichs an item. ¡°At least take this. It¡¯ll help in the future.¡± Felichs accepted the gift before walking off into the night. ¡°I probably shouldn¡¯t wander around Fortuna too much¡­I don¡¯t fit in.¡± Felichs said to themself. ¡°Although, where are you going?¡± They had noticed the pink-haired boy walking towards the house of House Mors, one of the two great families of Emovere. Felichs got as close as they could before hiding behind a tree. ¡°NOW DIDN¡¯T I TELL YOU NOT TO RETURN HERE? YOU BRING US MENOS OR THE NEXT TIME YOU APPROACH YOU¡¯LL HAVE ANOTHER VISIT FROM MARGRED DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?¡± A woman shouted. ¡°B-but I did find s-something.¡± The pink-haired boy responded. ¡°That guy¡¯s working with the council it seems! I saw him enter a carriage with one of their members!¡± ¡°You son of¡­¡± Felichs said before their mouth was covered. ¡°Oh, ho¡­not only are you a peeper, but you¡¯re also a bargaining chip.¡± The woman snickered. ¡°Good boy Ira, you¡¯ve earned yourself some more time.¡± ¡°Th-thank you, m-mother¡­¡± Ira responded.¡± ¡°Guards!¡± The woman called out. ¡°Takes this filth to Margred¡¯s room, tell her to do whatever with him, so long as she keeps him alive.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± The guards answered. Tried as they might, the numbers caught up to them quickly, and within an instant, Felichs was unconscious and being carried off. House Mors had a rumor, about a monster named Margred. She was only seen once but many said she was not human. As if she was created by Synkrousi herself. When Felichs came too, they could feel something slowly rubbing their face. ¡°A-AHHH WH-WHAT THE F-FUCK ARE YOU?!¡± Felichs screamed. ¡°I play with pretty boy, pretty boy mine now,¡± Margred said as she continued rubbing them. ¡°Soft skin, pretty hair.¡± ¡°TH-TH-TH THING¡­ITS NOT H-H-HUMAN¡­I-I-ITS FACE L-L-LOOKS AS THOUGH IT WAS SMASHED INTO A W-W-WINDOW¡­HER T-T-TEETH¡­ARE TH-TH-THOSE HIPPO TEETH?! IT SM-SM-SMELLS HORRIBLE IN HERE¡­THIS DIGUSTING CREATURE LIVES LIKE A FUCKING PIG!¡± Felichs yelled before grimacing in pain. ¡°Rope¡­are you serious? I need to get out of here!¡± ¡°Pretty boy wanna play? I know I give pretty boy kisses!¡± Margred said as she slowly licked and kissed Felichs face . ¡°N-n-no¡­pl-pl-please stop¡­I-I-I said stop¡­STOP YOU DISGUSTING BITCH!¡± Felichs demanded as they bit down on Margred''s hand, biting a finger off. Margred screamed in pain before attacking Felichs viciously. The cracking of their bones could be heard with each hit, as she hammered down on them. ¡°MEANIE! MEANIE! MEANIE! YOU HURT ME!¡± Margred screamed as she started biting Felichs¡¯ leg Their attempts to kick her in the face only backfired as bumps covering her face turned to spikes. They screamed in agony as the spikes dug into their skin. The blood from their feet worked to their advantage though as it temporarily blinded Margred. ¡°I need to get out here! Fast!¡± Felichs said aloud as they tried as hard as they could to pull their head towards the rope. After a few moments they were able to free themselves, but a new problem arose. Their ribs were completely destroyed by, preventing them from standing. ¡°So you freed yourself? No matter, you won¡¯t be escaping any time soon.¡± The woman laughed as she entered the room. ¡°You see Margred is something of a rare case. I wanted kids for so long but alas my husband was unable to get it up anymore. So, what was I to do? I mean I had to keep the balance of power in Perdita between myself, House Vita, and the Chancellor, so I called upon my brother. We tried over and over and eventually, it worked. But sadly she didn¡¯t come out the most¡­healthy¡­she was, at least she¡¯s extremely useful! Her strength was incomparable enough to keep our position of importance, even if we have to threaten them both every now and then. With that said, you¡¯re going to tell me everything about the council, or I¡¯ll show you how loving Margred can truly be¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know a DAMN thing about them¡­your son¡¯s an idiot, but you''re an even bigger one. I don¡¯t have a single tie to them. I only want one thing and that¡¯s Menos.¡± Felichs responded. ¡°Oh, ho, so it seems we have a similar goal in mind. Well, how about I make the same deal with you that I made with Ira.¡± The woman responded. ¡°I, leader of House Mors, Lily Mors, will grant you stay in Fortuna or wherever you may choose to live, with all the food you can eat, wine you can drink, and people you can lust over, in exchange I want, what you desire; Menos!¡± Offered Lily. ¡°No,¡± Felichs answered. ¡°What do you mean no¡­¡± scowled Lily as she grabbed Felichs¡¯ throat. ¡°You can do¡­whatever you want to me¡­but I¡¯m getting Menos¡­I have to!¡± ¡°You disgusting animal! Do you think you¡¯re actually going to win? Do you?!¡± Lily yelled as she slapped them repeatedly. ¡°Margred, my beautiful daughter, have fun with your new toy¡­remember don¡¯t kill him.¡± ¡°Shit¡­I still can¡¯t move¡­¡± Felichs cursed. ¡°I can¡¯t fight her like this!¡± Every monster has their own tale and Margred was no different. She was known as ¡°The Rattler¡± a nickname that was given to her after shook a man¡¯s head off his body. She continued to play with his body like a baby rattle, while hosting a great, big smile. She started to shake them up and down violently. With every shake Felichs¡¯ head would slam into the iron ceiling or their legs the iron floor. She began to viciously throw them around the room into the iron walls. When she finally grew tired, Margred picked them up and held Felichs tightly in her arms, like a child holding a blanket. Lily Mors made her way back into the room, this time with guards. She sat down beside her daughter and watched as the two removed Felichs from Margred and began to beat them. Lily would take a swig of her wine, then spit in Felichs¡¯ face and laughed as their screams filled the house. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t die¡­not yet anyways.¡± Lily laughed on as she sat on top of Felichs. ¡°You should consider yourself lucky that I¡¯m loyal to the man I love, or else I¡¯d have my way with you¡­¡± ¡±Do¡­whatever¡­you¡­like. I¡¯m¡­not¡­¡± Felichs struggled to say. ¡°Guards, throw the disgusting creature back over there with my daughter immediately!¡± Lily ordered before exiting the room. For the rest of the night Felichs was clinging to life by the thinnest of strings. Every bone in their body had been completely destroyed. The only thing that kept them going was the promise they made to their mother. ¡°Mom¡­somebody¡­please¡­help¡­¡± At some point in the night, the pain was so deep it caused Felichs to pass out. Around that time Lily and her husband would make their way into the room and leave a scar on Felichs that would burn deep into their soul.
As the sun peered through the cracks in the boarded up window, Felichs lay on the ground in a pool of blood. ¡°Where is that bitch¡­I¡¯m gonna¡­I¡¯m gonna kill her¡­and this whole fucking family¡­¡± Felichs trembled as every bone in their body had been crushed. ¡°Mother¡­I¡¯m sorry for what I¡¯ll do¡­I know I promised you I would behave¡­that I wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble¡­but I¡¯m killing every last one of them¡­Ira¡­you¡¯re first, you son of a bitch¡­¡± They looked around the room, it was a horrid sight. With the room being made of iron, it¡¯s clear Margred was a beast that even House Mors feared. Mountains of food piled on top of each. Next to it appeared to be a a waste section that hadn¡¯t been cleaned in months. With the windows boarded up it was a blessing to be quickly killed by Margred rather than slowly killer from the foul odor. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that creature was the it is, nobody cared for it¡­maybe if it was shown some care and compassion it could¡¯ve lived a better life¡­speaking of, where is it at?¡± Felichs wondered. It was a struggle but they slow ly dragged themselves over to the door. They mustered up rest of the strength to try opening the door. As they got closer, much to their surprise it opened on its own. However, the only thing on the other was completely silence. Felichs rubbed their hands against the floor and walls. ¡°You hold a prisoner, but leave them alone? This entire house is empty¡­What the hell¡¯s going on? I hope someone didn¡¯t get to them before I could¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get your chance, just not yet...¡± Fox responded appearing before them. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Felichs questioned. ¡°Lower your fist, clearly you¡¯re in no shape to fight and honestly I¡¯m in no mood to either¡­¡± Fox huffed. ¡°Something¡¯s off¡­he seems angry¡­¡± Felichs thought to themself before responding. ¡°Again, I¡¯ll ask. What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Well, you weren¡¯t at the manor and after walking out on me, I figured something happened. Sadly I couldn¡¯t come in last night¡­I¡¯m sorry. Thankfully, there¡¯s a ceremony going on today to officially crown the acting-chancellor as the official one. Figured this would be the best time to get you out of here.¡± ¡°What about the guards?¡± Asked Felichs. ¡°Already taken care of¡­¡± Fox responded as he swung his sword to clean the blood off. ¡°They¡¯re no friends of ours anyways.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t the council align with this family and the chancellor?¡± Asked Felichs. ¡°No¡­but I¡¯ll let them talk to you about that,¡± Fox said as he picked up Felichs. The two made their way outside and into his carriage. There, Tournament and Solid sat in the carriage. ¡°Would you like me to-¡± Solid started to ask before being abruptly interrupted. ¡°Tend to their wounds back at the manor¡­after a detailed report is given to me¡­¡± Tournament angrily responded. ¡°Felichs¡­I want to apologize¡­this is all my fault¡­¡± ¡°No, my lord¡­it¡¯s mine. I shouldn¡¯t have let them leave my sight¡­I promise it¡¯ll never happen again¡­¡± Fox wept as they laid Felichs against Tournament. ¡°I do not blame anybody, but that sick family¡­it¡¯s about time we do something about them¡­¡± Tournament responded as they removed their gloves. ¡°And I¡¯m the one that needs to right the wrongs of my ancestors¡­¡± Turn 5: Through The Eyes We See What One Will Not Show ¡°V! HOLD ON A MINUTE!¡± Solid called out as he tried to calm down Tournament ¡°Do not try to stand in my way! I will NOT allow these MISCREANTS to defile my home any longer! They are just a part of the filth that continues to pile up in this wretched world! I¡¯ll send the entire family to Synkrousi if I have to as long as I know that disgusting, putrid family is no longer walking this earth!¡± Cursed Tournament as they pulled their hair. ¡°Also, why haven¡¯t I got a report on Felichs yet? What could be taking so long?!¡± ¡°Well¡­we¡¯ve run into a bit of an issue.¡± Answered Solid as he handed Tournament a clipboard. ¡°And what would that be?¡± Grumbled Tournament as they read over the report. ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­|¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid so. They have no connection with any of our flowers. I haven¡¯t seen this in quite some time.¡± Solid remarked as he scratched his head. ¡°This doesn''t bode well for them, V. I mean, even someone like Watson was able to have a connection; albeit a piss poor one, but still¡­DAMN IT¡± griped Fox as he slammed his fist into a wall. ¡°BOOM! I heard my name! Which one of you idiots said it!¡± Watson exclaimed as he burst through the door. ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t have said ita€|¡± Grumbled Fox. ¡°Watson, leave our presence at once! This is a crisis and we won¡¯t have you of all people in here!¡± Ordered Solid. ¡°Oh? Is that so? Well, you old piece of shit how about I just leave and go blow up what remains of your kingdom! BLAHAHA!¡± Challenged Watson. ¡°YOU DARE SPEAK THAT WAY! THEY SHOULD¡¯VE KILLED YOU A LONG TIME AGO!¡± Yelled an angered Solid as he readied his ax. ¡°Ohhh, so you even an old idiot like you can still move those bones? Well, don¡¯t worry because when I¡¯m done with you, you¡¯ll be nothing but ashes, old man!¡± Watson cackled as he reached into his pockets. ¡°Would you shut up¡­ALL OF YOU!¡± Commanded Tournament as they removed their gloves. ¡°Clearly I¡¯m not in the mood today and CLEARLY there¡¯s no fighting allowed here. Especially in this room!¡± ¡°I only came here to see what¡¯s going on with the kid and how quickly we¡¯d retaliate. I¡¯ve been itching for a fight and a bunch of family-loving freaks is a good start.¡± Said Watson as looked over at Felichs and noticed all the bandages. ¡°Ahhh, I see the kid¡¯s got ZERO potential, eh? BLAHAHA! He¡¯s worse than me!¡± Tournament grabbed Watson by the neck and slammed him into the wall. ¡°Say one more word and we¡¯ll be looking for a new member. Do you understand?¡± Chastised Tournament as their grip on his neck got tighter and tighter. ¡°Kill me¡­and you¡­won¡¯t save¡­them¡­¡± Watson coughed prompting Tournament to slightly loosen their grip. ¡°Thank you...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, speak now!¡± Commanded Tournament. ¡°In Tristis, you know that town you made a name in, there¡¯s a shop there that might be able to help us.¡± Commented Watson. ¡°You mean the same one we had a few Rose and Aster sent there a few years ago?¡± Questioned Tournament as they completely loosened their grip. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the one. The only issue is the dude who runs it isn¡¯t really on speaking terms with me, but I know someone he¡¯ll never turn down.¡± Snickered Watson. ¡°And why should I send Felichs along with you and I¡¯m assuming your old friend? I barely trust you as is¡­¡± Responded Tournament. ¡°Ouch, that hurts to know that the one who brought me in doesn¡¯t trust¡­SIKE, I COULDN¡¯T CARE LESS! BLAHAHA!¡± Cackled Watson before continuing, ¡°You see, I¡¯m bored. I¡¯ve been held up in this house for too long and needa stretch my legs, plus, my old friend seems to have taken a liking to Felichs. So, they won¡¯t let me harm ¡®em anyways and with those eyes and my brains we¡¯ll be in and out within no time.¡± ¡°You know I¡­¡± Tournament started to say. ¡°I know, I know. Honestly, I wish you would think better of me.¡± Chuckled Watson. ¡°V, I don¡¯t think this is a good idea. Allow me to go instead.¡± Offered Fox. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but didn¡¯t the kid already turn you down? Don¡¯t worry it¡¯s totally not because of how boring you are or anything like that. BLAHAHA! Nah, I¡¯m lying, it definitely is! So, just go swing your idiotic sword around and wait here til we get back, ok?¡± Snickered Watson as he kicked a chair over to Fox. ¡°Fox! Watson¡¯s not completely wrong, it would look rather unusual if you were to take them after being rejected.¡± Tournament added. ¡°Yeah Foxxy boy, don¡¯t be the weirdo who can¡¯t handle rejection¡­we already have Aster for that¡­WHO¡¯S A KID! YOU¡¯RE A GROWN MAN, SO GROW A BACKBONE AND USE IT TO SIT DOWN!¡± Watson continued to snicker as he looked over at Tournament. ¡°So, you mind if I bring Mori with me? You said it yourself, sometimes you run into a situation where you can¡¯t just explode yourself out of. That¡¯s what Mori¡¯s for.¡± Watson chuckled as he exited the room. ¡°Felichs¡­when you return, you¡¯ll learn your truth. You¡¯ll have to, if you¡¯re to make any sense of this.¡± Said Tournament as they slowly walked away. Watson walked down the hall and made his way towards Mori¡¯s room. ¡°BOOM! BOOM!! BOOM!!! OPEN UP YOUR ROOM!¡± Watson yelled as he banged on Mori¡¯s door. ¡°What do you want¡­Watson.¡± Questioned Mori. ¡°Feeling homesick?¡± Giggled Watson. ¡°No¡­¡± answered Mori. ¡°Ahhh come on, buddy ol pal of mine! Let¡¯s go back home and tear it up like the old days!¡± Sang Watson. ¡°I¡¯m not going back¡­never again¡­will I step foot¡­in that state¡­or see that man¡­or work with you¡­¡± reassured Mori. ¡°Fine, I didn¡¯t wanna have to resort to this, either come with me or when I get there I visit their grave¡­maybe just maybe I had a bit too much water on the way there¡­and maybe just maybe I PISS ALL OVER THE BOTH OF THEM!¡± Provoked Watson as he started to push Mori¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare¡­¡± threatened Mori as he began to lower his head ¡°Then get your ass up, demon.¡± Answered Watson. ¡°Wait¡­why do you¡­wanna go back¡­I thought¡­you were done¡­with Sollicitus¡­¡± Interrupted Mori. ¡°You know, your little friend still owes me, so I figured why not cash in on that payment.¡± Answered Watson as they two walked back to the room holding Felichs. ¡°By the way, what happened to your roommate? What¡¯s his name¡­Viento? Some little green-haired idiot¡¯s been snooping around looking for him.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him...if that¡¯s what you think. We talked¡­and I haven¡¯t seen him¡­since then. He seemed distracted¡­the entire time, like he was¡­looking for something.¡± Mori responded. ¡°BLAHAHAH! I don¡¯t know man, you have a past of it, is all I¡¯m saying. If you did though¡­well you might¡¯ve made a new enemy. One that I heard was able to put a bullet through V. Sadly though, I wasn¡¯t given the green light, no that was Rose ¡ª something about it being her problem. Pisses me off if you ask me. I mean, really? Her? I was right there! Then I could¡¯ve had you by my side again, just like the old days! And, and, we coulda got that idiot too and BOOM KINGS OF CALAMITY WOULD BE BACK IN ACTION!¡± Yelled Watson as he put an imaginary crown on his head. ¡°By the way, I hope you weren¡¯t hungry.¡± The two walked back into the room holding Felichs, as Tournament pulled back the curtain revealing the two of them. ¡°A mummy?¡± Questioned Mori. ¡°Nope, this my friend, is your buddy Felichs.¡± Responded Watson as he pulled back the bandages. Seeing their face caused Mori to feel nauseous; burping a few times, a bad taste sat in his mouth. ¡°Did you¡­do this¡­to them? Questioned Mori. ¡°WHAT?! C¡¯mon, I¡¯m an asshole, but at least I have class. If I had done this, I would¡¯ve had the decency to blow them to shreds! BLAHAHA.¡± Corrected Watson as Tournament squeezed his neck again. ¡°Aye, aye, aye, I was just being honest!¡± ¡°I feel you¡¯re the more reasonable person to chat with¡­So, can I trust that you¡¯ll not only protect Felichs but also yourself? Since I was the one who invited you all here, I¡¯d feel bad if anything to any of you under my watch.¡± Acknowledge Tournament. ¡°Protect him¡­ahem, them? You mean¡­they¡¯re alive?¡± Questioned Mori. ¡°Well, technically speaking they¡¯re hanging on by the thinnest of threads, but yes they¡¯re alive and we know of a flower shop owner who can help them.¡± Answered Tournament. ¡°Mori, my dear, you remember our conversation right? Well, I have found out how to get rid of them. Do this for me and when you get back we¡¯ll undergo the procedure.¡± Offered Tournament as they extended their hand. Mori pondered a moment before shaking Tournament¡¯s hand. ¡°With that, I bid you two farewell. Watson your ride has been prepared. Felichs will be taken there by Solid and Fox, so when you¡¯re ready, head on out.¡± Said Tournament, before handing Watson a slip. ¡°Also, I¡¯d like for you to take this pass, should keep you out of trouble.¡± Tournament handed Watson a slip with a flower-shaped stamp on it. ¡°Sorry, but this won¡¯t do us any good in Sollicitus; you should that by now,¡± Watson responded as he crumbled up the pass and the two left the room. ¡°Eirini¡­why do you do this to usa€|why do you allow all of this suffering? This world could¡¯ve been so beautiful¡­instead¡­no, no, I mustn¡¯t think like that. This is not your fault, but theirs¡­and I swear, I¡¯ll fix this even if it costs me my life!¡± Tournament declared as they too, left the room. Unbeknownst to all, Malu had been watching the entire thing go down from inside the vents. ¡°Shit¡­I wish I coulda heard ¡®em better, but I couldn¡¯t risk getting closer. Seems that white-haired puto¡¯s working with them though. I needa find Viento and decide what¡¯s our next move because there¡¯s no way we¡¯re sticking around without everybody else!¡± Malu thought as her mind continued to race. ¡°Or maybe I should go get the backup on my own? I mean, Viento¡¯s a big boy after all. He should be able to handle himself. Chale¡­think Malu think!¡± As Malu continued to struggle with her next move, Mori and Watson made their way to the roof where a rather peculiar ride awaited them. ¡°BOOM! Whatta think man? Aint this awesome or what?¡± Watson yelled as he jumped in the ride. ¡°A hot air balloon¡­I didn¡¯t know¡­they still made these¡­¡± Mori remarked. ¡°Uhhh yeah¡­no. It¡¯s like a hot air balloon but a bit different you idiot! You see this one has wings! FREAKING DRAGON WINGS TO BE SPECIFIC!¡± Watson yelled even louder than before as he pulled on a lever. ¡°How cool is that?! ¡°It looks¡­stupid,¡± said Mori. ¡°You wanna know what¡¯s more stupid? The way you talk all slow and calculated! Now get in!¡± Ordered Watson as he jumped inside. ¡°Aside from yours truly, Mori my guy, you¡¯re the second person, well I guess third because of this idiot, to be able to ride the: ¡®Watson¡¯s Gonna Rain Down Bombs Because He¡¯s Bored, So You Better Watch Out You Damn Idiots!¡¯ you should be honored.¡± ¡°This is gonna be¡­a long ride¡­¡± Muttered Mori as he followed Watson. Due to the tension between the six states, many citizens of Emovere didn¡¯t leave their states, but if they did, they would go by foot or horse. This way, they wouldn¡¯t draw unnecessary attention to themselves or be mistaken for military personnel. Watson on the other hand was different. He loved the skies. He admired the aerial type of animals created by Eirini ¡ª specifically dragons ¡ª ever since he was a young boy. They were believed to have long been extinct some thousands of years ago, so for Watson to have their wings not only confused Mori but caused him to be deeply concerned as well. Watson¡¯s ride was a gift from Tournament, after joining the council. He had a thing, or one could call it an issue, of naming things based on the first words that came to mind. The ¡®Watson¡¯s Gonna Rain Down Bombs Because He¡¯s Bored, So You Better Watch Out You Damn Idiots'' or W.G.R.D.B.B.H.B.S.Y.B.W.O.Y.D.I. for short, had a large enough wicker basket to carry at least seven people. The armrest was lined with yellow Watsonia flowers and attached to the basket were the large, orange dragon wings. The envelope had a similar marking on top of it that Watson had on his mask. ¡°So¡­why do you¡­wear that mask? Tryna from someone are we?¡± Jabbed Mori. ¡°No, I actually forgot I was wearing it. Now turn around you idiot! I¡¯m not gonna get naked in front of you!¡± Yelled a flustered Watson. ¡°Fine¡­wait why are you¡­getting naked?¡± Questioned Mori as he slowly turned back around. ¡°Oh¡­you look a bit¡­different¡­¡± Watson was covered in piercing: his ears had hoop earrings lined from the earlobe to the helix, a septum in his nose, a right eyebrow piercing, and one connecting from his lip to his left earlobe. He also wore orange eyeliner, with yellow eyeshadow. His hair, like Mori¡¯s hair, was long ¡ª around neck length ¡ª but a bit more taken care of. ¡°By the way, I got naked because I needed to take a piss,¡± Watson responded. ¡°That mark¡­what is it?¡± Questioned Mori. ¡°Huh? Oh, this. It¡¯s none of your business that¡¯s what! What you should be worried about is the fact that we¡¯re getting close, so get ready!¡± Ordered Watson. ¡°That mark looks troubling, Watson. I would never call you a friend by any means, but you have saved me a few times before. So if I can, I¡¯d like to return the favor. If not for myself then at least for them, seeing as they cared about you so much.¡± Mori thought as he stared over at Watson. Sollicitus was the farthest state from Perdita. It was also the hardest to get into. Not because it was surrounded by mountains. No, of all the ones in Emovere, this was the only one that lay underground. Meaning, that if anybody wanted passage they would have to enter through the front gate or know of a secret entrance ¡ª much like Watson and Mori. ¡°BOOM! Sollicitus, what a beautiful state¡± cheered Watson. ¡°You know, maybe we should¡¯ve taken my carriage; for old time¡¯s sake! BLAHAHAH!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­let¡¯s never¡­do any of that¡­ever again¡­¡± Protested Mori. ¡°And please¡­stop saying boom¡­it¡¯s annoying¡­¡± ¡°BOOM! BLAHAHAH! Oh, man, will I ever get the REAL Mori back? The blood-thirsty Mori that bashed skulls into the ground first and kissed babies second? Like, seriously dude, lighten up.¡± Groaned Watson. ¡°By the way, it¡¯s your job to carry the idiot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not looking forward to being back here. This state disgusts me. You son of a bitch, I can¡¯t believe you let Sollicitus become this way. Mother would¡¯ve never wanted this. Murder, rape, arson, robbery¡­you¡¯ve made everything legal, and for what? To prove a point? Do you really think this is the right way? And you do all this while you¡­you disgusting pig, sit in your courthouse and watch as this state goes mad destroying itself before others even get a chance.¡± Mori grumbled to himself. ¡°Remember to stay focused idiot. You can think about your old man another time. Right now, I need you watching out for us.¡± Ordered Watson as he landed his ride. ¡°I trust those eyes more than I do my own skills.¡± ¡°I¡¯m focused¡­I just can¡¯t believe¡­¡± Mori started to say. ¡°Well, this is life. Most people are pieces of shit and some are even worse than the average. To expect great things out of humans is like expecting the sun to not fall every night. Why do you think I made Kings of Calamity? It wasn¡¯t because I wanted to be in a gang, I had it all when I was a kid. But after certain events took place I realized how ugly this world is and knew there were others like me in it. So, BOOM KINGS OF CALAMITY! BOOM WRECK HAVOC ON SOLLICITUS! AND BOOM HURT PEOPLE BEFORE THEY COULD HURT OTHERS!¡± Said Watson as he stood proud of himself. ¡°By the way, if you ever tell anybody that¡­I¡¯ll kill you! Got it?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­by the way¡­thanks for umm¡­you know.¡± Responded a grateful Mori before Watson punched him in the stomach. After Mori picked himself up, the two made their way down the mountainside through a secret passage into Sollicitus. From the afar, the state looked beautiful. The mountain was surrounded by fields of beautiful, green and yellow grass while many wildflowers sprouted throughout. However, the closer you got the more disgusting it looked. Sollicitus was known as the State of Sorrow and it showed. As the two crept in, a massive brawl was underway that included all genders and ages. A man was stabbed repeatedly by a little girl and then kicked into a dark abyss. Before he fell off he grabbed the kid and old man dragging them to hell with him. A lady sat atop a stone building throwing Molotovs at another building while cursing at its owners. Outside of a bar to the far right of Watson and Mori, was what appeared to be multiple men having sex with each other. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Kill those heathens! Nobody wants you here, you disgusting children of Synkrousi!¡± A man in a large group yelled out as they began throwing rocks. ¡°Oh, like you guys are any better!¡± One of the men yelled as he tackled and began violently attacking him. ¡°Ooouu you¡¯re so cute! You¡¯re definitely gonna become my new boy toy!¡± ¡°I hate this place¡­and I especially hate Dolor¡­¡± acknowledged Mori. ¡°And these idiots say Dolor¡¯s safer, BLAHAHA!¡± Cackled Watson. ¡°Maybe we should bust a few skulls! I haven¡¯t fought in so long and seeing all this madness is making me feel so good!¡± ¡°Normally, I¡¯d rather not¡­but we may have¡­no choice¡­¡± Mori pointed out as he nudged Watson. ¡°Ahhh The Vermillion Eyes! Gotta love ¡®em! You¡¯re a lucky s.o.b. you know that?¡± Mori responded as he began licking his lips. ¡°You think¡­this is a gift¡­no they¡¯re a curse¡­a curse laid upon¡­the Chaimburs family¡­I wish I could¡­cut these eyes out!¡± Mori wept as he clawed away his eyes. ¡°Idiot. You know they can¡¯t be broken, so why keep trying? So, how about you stop crying and embrace ¡®em already? You having the ability to know a person¡¯s intentions, is the reason you¡¯re still alive today.¡± Stated Watson as he knelt beside Mori. ¡°It¡¯s also the reason I told V about you. While they may have their eyes on this idiot, I believe you¡¯re the easy choice to win Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos. I also believe you¡¯ll be extremely useful once you realize my side is where you belong forever.¡± ¡°No¡­we parted ways¡­a long time ago¡­I have no intentions¡­of ever working¡­alongside you¡­this is the last time¡­we¡¯ll work together¡­¡± Corrected Mori. ¡°Hmph, whatever, you¡¯ll learn soon enough that my way is always the right way!¡± Scoffed Watson. ¡°Anyways¡­how are we going¡­to handle the guys¡­at that bar?¡± Questioned Mori as he ignored Watson¡¯s previous statement. ¡°BLAHAHAH! You¡¯re not the only one with a trick up his sleeve! You better cover your ears, those eyes might not break but your eardrums still can!¡± Cackled Watson as he reached into his pocket. ¡°FLOWER TECHNIQUE: GUESS WHO? BOOM! THAT¡¯S WHO!¡± Watson pulled out a bunch of small buds and threw them into the air, then with a snap of his finger they all dug into the ground surrounding the bar. One of the guys, unknowingly, stepped forward and triggered one causing it to explode. Panic set in as the people inside began running out and one by one the buds exploded. After a few moments passed the only thing that remained was the countless body parts decorating the bar. ¡°I guess¡­some things¡­never change¡­¡± acknowledged Mori before muttering to himself. ¡°Although this is new. I¡¯ve never seen this before. Just what have you been doing with these guys, Watson?¡± The two of them made their way through Dolor, traveling across its many bridges. One of the more unique things about Sollicitus was that Dolor didn¡¯t share a single piece of land for its entire city. Instead, it looked more like a bunch of islands in the middle of the ocean that were all connected by a bunch of bridges. Judge, the leader of Sollicitus, made it this way because he believed it would keep civilians from fighting each other, but in reality, it was to further the division of Dolor. That way they wouldn¡¯t revolt as they would be too focused on fighting each other. As the two continued forward, something troubled Mori, and Watson was very aware. The two had known each other since they were little kids, so they were always able to tell when the other had something on their mind. ¡°Why are you so quiet for you idiot? I brought you along because I figured you¡¯d make conversation ¡ª SO MAKE IT!¡± Ordered Watson. ¡°Have you¡­heard anything from them¡­you know¡­the rest of the Calamity?¡± Mori asked. ¡°BLAHAHA! Do you think I¡¯d really wanna talk to those idiots? Hell nah, after you and Flos left, I had no reason to keep it going. So, once I joined the council I came back and told those idiots to go kick rocks for all I care. They were mad at first, but I told them they were free to do whatever they wanted so long as they didn¡¯t use our name or say we were still associated with them. I mean, I couldn¡¯t have those idiots dirtying our record or our names. I figured they¡¯d make a new gang anyway, so why not encourage the youth a little, eh? Oh yeah, and I made sure to tell them not to bug us either ¡ª well more so me ¡ª but you get the point.¡± Concluded Watson. ¡°By the way, I never got to ask-¡± Before Watson could finish asking his question a rock had nailed them in the face. ¡°ARGHHH WHICH ONE OF YOU PIECES OF SHIT DID THAT!¡± Screamed Watson. ¡°COME OUT HERE YOU PUSSY, SO I CAN KILL YOU!¡± ¡°I did.¡± A lady responded. ¡°And I¡¯ll gladly do it again if you don¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°This is why¡­I didn¡¯t wanna come here¡­¡± Acknowledged Mori. ¡°NOW I COULD¡¯VE SWORN I SAID DON¡¯T BUG ME!¡± Huffed Watson. ¡°What part of DON¡¯T and BUG and ME did your IDIOTIC SELF not understand? Eh, Moronic Mira?¡± ¡°And I thought I said if I ever saw your face in Sollicitus again, I would kill you.¡± Mira scolded as she threw another rock. ¡°This is your last chance, ¡®boss¡¯, leave Sollicitus NOW or else!¡± A large group now surrounded Felichs, Mori, and Watson. They all wore similar outfits: ripped, black sweaters with the initials H.O.T.T. written on them, black jeans, combat boots, and a mask to cover their mouth. ¡°You see, the Kings of Calamity are no more! Now the House of True Terror shall reign down-¡± Mira started to say. ¡°House Of True Terror¡­REALLY??? BLAHAHAH! You idiots actually went with that name?! BLAHAHA! Oh, man you idiots really fell off without me didn¡¯t you?¡± Cackled Watson as he rolled on the floor. ¡°Mori, look at ¡®em! It¡¯s embarrassing! I feel bad for these idiotic losers. Oh, man, you guys should¡¯ve never let her be the leader of all people. And it¡¯s not because she¡¯s a girl, it¡¯s because she¡¯s an idiotic girl! The worst type too! BLAHAHA!¡± ¡°Please¡­don¡¯t antagonize them..and don¡¯t try¡­to include me in this¡­they truly intend¡­to kill us¡­¡± Stated Mori as he cleared his throat. ¡°Ahhh, come on I¡¯m just saying look at these idiots! They¡¯re idiots! They actually think they look cool too, that''s the even sadder part! BLAHAHAH!¡± Watson continued as he rolled on the ground laughing even harder. ¡°Let¡¯s just go¡­I¡¯d rather not see¡­any more dead bodies.¡± Mori groaned as he glared at each individual. ¡°You¡¯ve been gone for too long if you think we¡¯re still the same group of kids you two left behind,¡± Mira said as they lowered their masks and swallowed a few pills. ¡°Thanks to Mori¡¯s replacement we¡¯ve created a little pick me up.¡± ¡°Oh great, now they¡¯re pill-popping idiots.¡± Watson groaned. After each of the members swallowed the small, green pills their bodies began to violently shake. Their eyes turned blood red and their veins bulged as if they were about to pop out of their skin. White foam started to form around their mouths as well. It was as though the House of True Terror had turned into truly terrifying beasts. As they were transforming, a rather short man in a lab coat, with a tiny piece of hair that stood on top of his head walked up beside Mira. ¡°Gross¡­and I don¡¯t just mean you shorty. You¡¯re friends better not give me rabies or else you¡¯re giving me free service.¡± Said Watson as he barfed a little. ¡°Oh? Do you think you¡¯ll lose? And here I thought you were one of the strongest in this state.¡± The doctor chuckled. ¡°WHAT?! I never said I would lose! I just don¡¯t wanna catch anything is all!¡± Grunted Watson. ¡°Now, get out of my way, or else!¡± ¡°Have either of you heard of the Wheel of Breath? I¡¯m sure you have, Watson. It¡¯s supposed to be some type of power connected to emotions, I hear. Some say they started appearing after Elpis¡¯ passing, while others claim they were always here. I first discovered them while I was working in the military alongside a beautiful young woman. While I haven¡¯t figured out every nook and cranny of how it works, I got the general idea and therefore have been able to replicate it for those who don¡¯t care for unlocking the power, but still want to use it! If I can perfect this, I¡¯ll be regarded as the greatest mind of this generation! Everybody will praise me! They¡¯ll kiss the ground that I walk on! Me, Dr. Namke, the true leader of the House of True Terror and the most intelligent mind of this generation!¡± Dr. Namke screamed. ¡°Another idiot¡­¡± Watson responded before being cut off. ¡°You think we fear a member of the council? I don¡¯t know if you remember where you¡¯re at, boy, but this is Sollicitus! We don¡¯t care about your stupid laws here!¡± Laughed Dr. Namke. ¡°My beautiful beast¡­slaughter these three scum! And make sure to bring me that one¡¯s eyes, by the way, I¡¯ll find out what¡¯s so special about them later!¡± ¡°The council¡­BLAHAHAH! Oh, you¡¯re truly a fucking idiot! The biggest idiot of all these damn idiots! Dr. Idiot if you will! Do you think I care about my damn title? Nah, I just love blowing shit up, YOU DAMN IDIOT! I told you to leave or else, welp I guess I finally get to shake off the cobwebs! BLAHAHA!¡± Cackled Watson as he reached into his pockets. ¡°Mori take the kid and get outta here. I¡¯ll meet with you real soon.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯ll let either of you pass?! I guess we see who¡¯s the real idiot! Yelled Dr. Namke. ¡°FLOWER TECHNIQUE: GUESS WHO? BOOM! THAT¡¯S WHO!¡± After Watson cleared a path, Mori ran off with Felichs and made his way across the last bridge before Tristis. ¡°I swear if you cross me, Mori. I¡¯ll lay you next to them!¡± Threatened Watson While Dolor and Tristis weren¡¯t far from each other, there was one issue that caused many of Tristis to never go to Dolor, and vice versa. They were separated by an ominous path, known as Echo Path, which was controlled by a gang of bandits. ¡°Dan¡­Shawki¡­I said I would never walk this path again ever since the day you two died. I said I would never enter Tristis ever again since the trial. I also said I would never fight again, but here I am once again going back on all my words. I bet you¡¯ve done similar to me as well, isn¡¯t that right Felichs? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve gone back on your words many, many times. This is life¡­maybe we¡¯re never meant to do what we want, but instead do what fate has forced us to do¡­|¡± said Mori as his will to carry on rapidly began to falter with each passing second. Echo Path was created by a group of bandits known as the Echo Bandits. It rested upon an old isthmus and was made up of thousands of rocks to have the appearance of a cave. Along with the Kings of Calamit the Echo Bandits made up the two most dangerous groups in Sollicitus¡¯ history. What made their group so infamous was that they mastered killing people with sound-based techniques. First, a long, slow ping fills Echo Path as a metal marble collides with the walls, Then marble gets added until all you hear is the ominous sounds of thousands of marbles pinging off the walls and each other over and over again. Enough to cause even the strongest of men to go insane. Next, the whispers. First one voice, then a second voice, then a third voice, and then countless more until the entirety of Echo Path is a mix of voices and pinging. While the pinging goes on their words give their victims guidance and protection, but it¡¯s really a manipulation tactic to throw people off. ¡°Go left, no right, behind you, in front of you, beside you, inside you, where are they, you must protect yourself, no, free yourself of this torture!¡± These phrases would continue until the members of the Echo Bandits finished off their targets or the victims killed themselves. Mori stood at the entrance. His body was too frozen to enter. ¡°I¡¯m so cold. I¡¯m sorry you two it should¡¯ve been me. I should be dead, not you two¡­¡± Wept Mori as he fell to the ground. His tears rained down on the earth¡¯s soil. However, unlike a pure-hearted person whose tears would sprout life, Mori¡¯s only caused the ground beneath him to crack. ¡°ARGHHHH! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU CRYING FOR YOU IDIOT? GETCHA ASS UP, NOW!¡± yelled Watson. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­I can¡¯t go¡­in that wretched place¡­¡± Begged Mori as he started punching the ground. ¡°HOW ABOUT INSTEAD OF SITTING HERE FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF, YOU ACTUALLY BE THE VERMILLION EYES YOU SHOULD¡¯VE BEEN THAT DAY?¡± Commanded Watson. ¡°MAYBE IF YOU WOULDN¡¯T HAVE BEEN SUCH A PUSSY, DAN AND SHAWKI WOULD STILL BE HERE! IT¡¯S YOUR FAULT THEY¡¯RE DEAD, NOW MAKE UP FOR YOUR MISTAKE AND GETCHA ASS IN THERE!¡± ¡°That title¡­these eyes¡­they¡¯re the reason¡­they¡¯re both dead¡­¡± Muttered Mori. ¡°No, they¡¯re dead because you idiots were idiots! I told you that stupid little trick wasn¡¯t going to be enough, but you let them give you a big head! You three honestly thought that taking down these guys, on THEIR turf, was going to be as easy as it was others!¡± Condemned Watson. ¡°That¡¯s why I left after you did. I mean, sure you were an idiot too, but at least I always had an advantage with you around.¡± ¡°Is this your way¡­of cheering me up¡­if so please stop.¡± Begged Mori. ¡°What?! Ew, NO! What the hell do I look like? Someone¡¯s therapist?¡± gagged Watson. ¡°Look, I could care less if you¡¯re depressed and ready to hang yourself, as long as I can use you up until the big thud, then I will!¡± ¡°Right¡­like before¡­¡± Responded Mori as he slowly got up. ¡°Take the kid¡­I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s important¡­to something bigger than me¡­¡± ¡°Look how thoughtful you are. Now, get in there and kill those idiots¡­¡± The right way!¡± Ordered Watson as he threw Felichs over his shoulder. ¡°Wait¡­just one minute¡­we¡¯re not done yet!¡± Mira called out. ¡°You¡¯re still alive??? I gotta say, I¡¯m impressed. I mean not really, seeing as I didn¡¯t even try, but I just wanted you to feel good about yourself, BLAHAHAH!¡± Cackled Watson. Mira, the lady that stood before the two of them, was the leader of the House of True Terror, and a former subordinate of the Kings of Calamity. She had long, straight hair that reached down to the middle of her back and was as dark as Sollicitus. Her skin was a bit darker than Mori and Watson¡¯s, but still light enough to brighten a room. Her attire was slightly different than the rest of her gang¡¯s attire, as she was the only one whose sweater had small nails hanging at its seams and was cropped at her breast. The thing that stood out the most though was a scar on her stomach to cover her former gang¡¯s name. ¡°ARGHHHH! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!! SHUT UP!!! YOU NEVER GIVE ANYBODY CREDIT! YOU BELIEVE EVERYONE¡¯S BENEATH YOU LIKE YOU¡¯RE A GOD OR SOMETHING! JUST SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY!¡± Mira screamed in frustration. ¡°BLAHAHAH! Or what? You¡¯re gonna take that little drug of yours again? BLAHAHAH! Like mother, like daughter, maybe you¡¯ll overdose like her too, then I won¡¯t have to see your stupid face!¡± Mocked Watson as he stomped his way over to Mira. ¡°Listen here you damn idiota€|get outta my face now or this time I won¡¯t hold back!¡± ¡°You know, you woulda made a bad businessman because you have no clue when¡¯s the proper time to strike up a deal. Well here¡¯s a tip, a visual one, you get free passage through Echo Path and I, not only get a spot in Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos, but you also leave Sollicitus forever, for real this time!¡± Mira smirked. ¡°Ehhh? You think you¡¯re in any-¡± Watson started to say before being interrupted. ¡°And how can we¡­trust you¡­¡± Questioned Mori. ¡°I have no issue with you, Mori. My issues with this one. I could care less if he lives or dies, but I know he¡¯s a free ticket into that tournament and I would love to win the whole thing. The chance to take something of his, after he¡¯s taken so much of mine¡­it would be an amazing start at least.¡± Mira answered. Watson pondered a moment before responding, ¡°ARGHH! Fine! You know what? If you want in, then get us across! But¡­if you try anything funny¡­I¡¯ll send you and everybody who lives on this stupid path straight to hell! You hear me?!¡± Mira walked to the entrance, said something in what appeared to be a made-up language, then walked inside. Some time passed and she still hadn¡¯t returned. Watson began to pull a few buds out. Mori stopped him when Mira and a man walked out together. ¡°I hear you want passage through Echo Path, eh? Well, fine. As long as you hold Mira¡¯s end of the deal.¡± The man ordered. ¡°WHY THE FUCK DOES EVERYBODY THINK THEY¡¯RE IN POSITIONS TO BOSS ME AROUND? I KNOW YOU IDIOTS ARE SURROUNDING US!¡± Watson said as he snapped his fingers. ¡°SEE?!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve grown wiser Watson¡­finally planning¡­instead of relying¡­on me¡­you didn¡¯t kill them¡­did you?¡± Questioned Mori. ¡°Nah. But next time I will!¡± Threatened Watson. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, I only sent them out here to protect me, not to harm you. I know exactly who you are, Watson. You¡¯re a sadistic bastard, who would kill a person just because you were bored.¡± Acknowledged the man as he sat down. ¡°That¡¯s why you three are free to pass through. I¡¯d rather not pick a fight with demons like you two. Especially when it can be avoided so easily. All I ask is that you honor our request. Once you¡¯re done with whatever it is you¡¯re here to do, never come back, ever again.¡± ¡°ARGHHHH! WHATEVER! LET¡¯S GO MORI! I¡¯LL KILL THESE IDIOTS MYSELF IF THEY TRY ANYTHING.¡± Ordered Watson. ¡°As for your request, shove it up your ass! I¡¯ll go wherever I feel like going and there ain¡¯t a person alive who¡¯ll stop me! BLAHAHAH! And to the weak little shit by your side, join the damn tournament if you want, and feel free to bring your idiotic friends here as well! I¡¯d love to see all of you die! BLAHAHAH!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I didn¡¯t ask him for permission.¡± The man whispered to Mira. As the two made their march through Echo Path, Mori¡¯s uneasiness grew more and more with each passing second. ¡°Watson¡­I¡¯m sure even you¡­could sense their bloodlust¡­maybe it wasn¡¯t smart¡­to upset them¡­¡± Challenged Mori. ¡°EH? You worry too much Mori! This is why I call you Worry Mori! BLAHAHA!¡± Cackled Watson as he continued to poke jabs at him. ¡°That man, he wasn¡¯t the same guy as before. So, who is he and why does he have so much power here? What happened to their other leader?¡± Thought Mori. The two continue their long trek together through Echo Path. It was a fairly dark cave so neither could see much, but a faint light that looked to be over a hundred yards away. ¡°These idiots really live here? No wonder they act like they¡¯ve never met people before.¡± Acknowledged Watson. ¡°Something¡¯s coming!¡± Warned Mori. ¡°How many?¡± Questioned Watson. ¡°One.¡± Answered Mori. ¡°One? That¡¯s it? C¡¯mon Worry Mori even you can handle-¡± Watson started to say before rumbling quelled him. The ground began to violently shake beneath the two. Cracks formed in the walls and ceiling as pieces of the Echo Path came raining down on them. A loud groaning could be heard approaching closer and closer. The one who appeared before them towered far above the three. It had the appearance of a man, but because of its dark aura neither could tell what it actually was, but it did cause them both to step back. Its aura reeked of pure hatred. Hatred so strong that even if either of them had tried, neither would be able to get close enough. The man¡¯s entire body was covered in hair making his face hard to make out. Had someone said he wasn¡¯t human, everybody would believe it. It wasn¡¯t only his appearance but also his height that made him appear not of this world. The man had to be nine to ten feet tall, and on his massive shoulders lay twin axes. ¡°Tch, guess I¡¯ll have to try a little harder with this one! This should be fun!¡± Grinned Watson as he reached in his pockets. ¡°Watson! You can¡¯t! The path¡¯ll come crashing down on us!¡± Warned Mori. ¡°EH? THOSE BASTARDS! THEY TRICKED ME!¡± Cursed Watson as he looked around. ¡°WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE IMA KILL THE BOTH OF THEM!¡± ¡°SO IT WAS THOSE TWO, EH? NOW I COULD¡¯VE SWORN I SAID NOT TO LET ANYBODY IN¡± The man yelled as he slammed his fist into the wall. ¡°I¡¯M GONNA KILL THAT USELESS BASTARD AND HIS LITTLE LEECH GIRLFRIEND!¡± ¡°AYE C¡¯MON YOU IDIOT, I HAVE PRECIOUS CARGO WITH ME AND IF IT GETS SO MUCH AS A SCRATCH WE¡¯RE ALL DEAD!¡± Shouted Watson. ¡°Can these two be any more alike?¡± Grumbled Mori. ¡°WE? AHAHAHA! YOU THINK THERE¡¯S A SOUL ALIVE WHO COULD KILL ME? THE GREAT KING OF THE ECHO BANDITS, THE MIGHTY SONUS?!¡± The man laughed as he approached Watson. ¡°THERE¡¯S NOT A DAMN THING IN THIS WORLD THAT STEP UP AND GO TOE TO TOE WITH ME!¡± ¡°BLAHAHA! I guess all the leaders in this damn state are nothing but a bunch of idiots! Judge might as well change the name Sollidiots!¡± Mocked Watson as he challenged Sonus. ¡°If you were so strong then why¡¯d you always send your men to fight me instead of just doing the job yourself, eh?¡± ¡°Watson¡­I fear we¡¯re¡­running out of time!¡± Mori called out as he pointed at Felichs. Blood began to seep through Felichs¡¯ bandages as their eyes rolled back. ¡°Damn it V¡­Can¡¯t rely on you or the idiot with me. ARGHHHH! Think Watson, THINK! I need this kid alive if I¡¯m to be paid back handsomely and I need this idiot because he¡¯ll also come in handy later. How the hell can I get out of this while making sure we all live?!¡± Thought Watson before taking a deep sigh. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve had to watch other people¡¯s backs. It feels¡­disgusting. This is why I joined The Council. I got tired of having to be surrounded by idiots. But then again maybe you¡¯re the biggest idiot, V.¡± 5 Years Ago ¡°Before you are reborn, my dear, you must promise to never use this power to its fullest extent unless I say otherwise. Do I make myself clear, Watson?¡± V commanded. ¡°EH?! Whadda you mean? You tellin¡¯ me you want me to be weak? To let a bunch of idiots believe they can stand on the same ground as me?¡± Watson complained as he stomped around the room. ¡°Oh? So, you believe nobody is on your level, do you? Well then. You will be reborn then go away and train for one month. During that period, I¡¯ll allow you to use your full power. After the month has passed, you¡¯ll challenge me to a friendly duel, and yes, we¡¯ll both go all out. If you win, you can do as you please.¡± Stated Tournament as they viciously grabbed Watson¡¯s neck. ¡°But if you lose, you will NEVER challenge my words ever again!¡± Present ¡°So even you can struggle? Dan, Shawki, I¡¯m sorry but I must help him again, one last time.¡± Mori thought to himself before pulling out a small blade. ¡°AHAHAHAH! YOU THINK A BLADE THAT SMALL COULD HARM ME?¡± Mocked Sonus. ¡° DID YOU NOT HEAR ME SAY I AM THE GREAT KING OF THE ECHO GANG?! STRONGEST IN ALL OF SOLLICITUS!¡± To Watson, the Vermillion Eyes were a gift from Eirini herself, but to Mori, they were a curse inflicted upon the Chaimburs by Synkrousi. Whenever his bloodlust grew, the demon inside of him slowly awakened. Hence his second name, The Demon of Sollicitus. Mori slouched over and dropped his head so that only the red from his eyes could be seen. Then, with a blindingly quick flick of his wrist, his blade went through Sonus¡¯ mouth and out the back of his neck. The great king slowly fell face forward causing the blade to pop out of him. ¡°BOOM! NOW THERE¡¯S THE KILLER I WAS LOOKING FOR! THIS IS WHY I BROUGHT YOU WITH ME!¡± Cheered Watson as he knelt and spat on Sonus. ¡°BLAHAHAH! IDIOT! IDIOT!! IDIOT!!!¡± ¡°Next time¡­listen to me¡­I¡¯d prefer not¡­to do this anymore¡­¡± Condemned Mori. ¡°Yeah, yeah let¡¯s just hurry up and get to Tristis!¡± Watson shouted as he started running towards the exit. ¡°Eirini, please tell Dan and Shawki that I¡¯m sorry. I know they weren¡¯t the most pure of hearts, but I miss them. I hope they made it to you and are living out their everlasting days together¡± Mori sobbed as he slowly followed Watson. The two eventually made it to the end of Echo Path and at the border of Tristis. The town was an unholy sight. Even worse than Dolor. ¡°BOOM! HELLO TRISTIS, YOU SICK S.O.B.! YOU TRULY ARE SYNKROUSI¡¯S PLAYGROUND!¡± Watson yelled out. ¡°So¡­we¡¯re actually back¡­¡± said Mori as sat down. ¡°Yeah, feels good doesn¡¯t it? So, I thought about it, and since I kinda owe you, how about we go visit your old man? Hell, if you want I¡¯ll even throw in a second favor and do what you should¡¯ve done all those years ago!¡± Offered Watson. ¡°No¡­he¡¯s mine¡­all mine¡­the last KEHKEHKEH¡± Declared Mori. ¡°There¡¯s that sick laugh! Let¡¯s get to the shop first, then you can have his head! Deal?¡± Ordered Watson. ¡°Deal¡­¡± Agreed Mori. Turn 6: Only The Finest Of Soil Can Grow Such A Beautiful Flower One Year Ago ¡°Only one who sits so high could see the beauty of this world. I apologize if this offends you, but I envy you, Eirini. I too wish to be able to see the beautiful world you¡¯ve created. To see through your eyes that which can only be seen by the goddess herself. I recall the stories my great-grandmother would tell me. The emerald green grass that blanketed the lands. A majestic royal-blue sky that would be accompanied by the fluffy, white clouds. Oceans that allowed us to walk amongst a race of people, who many believed had made their home above us. Oh, how I would have loved to have seen what she saw. My favorite thing though was the book she gave me. Supposedly there¡¯s a blank period after our Queen ¡ª Queen Elpis ¡ª left this land. I would love to learn more about it someday. The book also told of how she was the kindest person who always cared for her people and fought alongside them. Some say she even looked like you and that¡¯s why so many were so quick to champion her as Queen. It makes me wonder¡­is she you? Perhaps your daughter? Or maybe it¡¯s all just coincidence and she just happened to be born pure-hearted like you.¡± Tournament sighed before continuing. ¡°I have tried time and time again to trick myself into seeing the world like you, Eirini, but alas I am but a victim of my own curiosity. Now, I only see the ugliness created by its people. That¡®s why I fear I can not walk the same path as you. Where you have given everybody an equal opportunity, I have made up my mind. Only one can save Inanis, Aidia, Sollicitus, Excitatur, Spes, and Perdita. Only one can unite this land. Sadly, that one is not me. No, I feel I am just like the people I judge. But! I have found someone who can. Someone who¡¯ll lead us all to a more beautiful life. I truly can not wait for your return, my dear.¡± Tournament thought as they looked out over the horizon. ¡°V, are you ok? You¡¯re crying. Why is that?¡± A lady asked. ¡°Pahaha, it appears I am. Well, I promise you it¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m just happy is all. Happy that very, very soon this country will know peace once again.¡± Tournament responded. ¡°I get it, we¡¯re all ready. By the way, why bring me along when I¡¯m not from Sollicitus? Surely Watson would¡¯ve been a much better choice, would he not?¡± Questioned Alba. ¡°Funny enough he told me to bring you. Said you¡¯d come in handy.¡± Tournament answered nonchalantly. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna have me seduce someone, are you? I¡¯ve never been the ¡®sexy type¡¯ according to most men.¡± Alba disputed. ¡°Pahaha! No, no my dear nothing like that. But you must learn to love yourself more and care about others'' opinions less.¡± Stated Tournament. ¡°Eh? I never said I didn¡¯t look good, I think I look amazing!¡± Grumbled Alba. ¡°By the way, why¡¯d you bring Menos with us? Do you think that¡¯s smart?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s the other reason I brought you, my dear. You¡¯re strong enough to handle a few brutes if necessary.¡± Chuckled Tournament. Alba sighed before responding, ¡°One last question. Why go through all of this if you already made a selection? Just seems pointless and surely I¡¯m not the only one of us who said this to you.¡± ¡°Have you ever played chess, my dear?¡± Tournament asked. ¡°Nah, never was a fan of board games.¡± Responded Alba. ¡°Well, when it comes to chess, you have many pieces at your disposal to try and take your opponent''s king. But every piece has its limitations. For instance, the pawn can only move forward ¡ª one step at a time ¡ª because that¡¯s all they know. A rook on the other hand can go forward and backward, left and right, causing one to constantly second guess their every move. Every piece has its limitations, but all are very important in their own way, just like people are. Every person has limitations too, but each is important for a country¡¯s growth and success.¡± Explained Tournament. ¡°Now, If you don¡¯t have any more questions, I¡¯d like to make way for Tristis. Thanks to our friend I know a secret way in.¡± The two made their way down the mountainside into the Town of Tristis. It and the people who made the town their home were even more brutal than Dolor, the worst being Judge Chaimburs. A vile man who believed rights were only for those who knew how to talk their way into them. Some twenty years ago he became the leader of Sollicitus after leading the people in an attempt to overthrow the previous leader for his abuse of power. He was known as a man who would work with many of the bandits and gangs, getting them off their charge. What the people didn¡¯t know was that the man who led their revolt was even worse than their target. After becoming the leader of Tristis, Judge did away with all laws thereby creating a barbaric society. Within a year the crime in Sollicitus skyrocketed to an astronomical level. ¡°This town makes me sick¡­¡± Commented Alba as the chills ran all throughout her body. ¡°Please, may I help her?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point¡­you¡¯d be fighting a never-ending battle.¡± Responded Tournament. ¡°Let¡¯s make our way to the-¡± Alba, going against Tournament¡¯s words, attacked the group of men that were assaulting the women. ¡°FLOWER TECHNIQUE: STEM STRETCH!¡± ¡°Every woman who walks this planet is my sister and I¡¯ll never turn my back on them. Besides with every war, there¡¯s bound to be a few extra battles along the way.¡± Alba softly giggled as she looked upward. ¡°You know, I wish we would¡¯ve got here a few minutes earlier. Maybe then, she wouldn¡¯t have to be scarred for life¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we need to hurry. Let¡¯s go.¡± Said a frustrated Tournament. The two of them continued their march towards the center of Tristis. When suddenly Alba punched a hole in a building. ¡°Watson¡­Alba¡­maybe you two are more alike than you are opposite. ¡± Grumbled Tournament as they removed their hat. ¡°Ah, another grey hair¡­I¡¯ll have a full head if I have to be around either of these two any longer. ¡°Fifty¡­two¡­dollars¡­ONLY FIFTY-TWO DOLLARS! HOW THE HELL DID TEN IDIOTS ONLY HAVE THAT MUCH MONEY ON THEM?! LIKE SERIOUSLY? MAYBE BEATING THEM UP WAS TOO HARSH BECAUSE NOW THEY¡¯RE BROKE AND BROKEN! ¡± Complained Alba as she shoved the money in her pocket. ¡°Please quiet yourself, my dear, we¡¯ve arrived at our destination and I¡¯d rather not terrify them, thinking that I brought a deranged lunatic with me¡­¡± Said Tournament as they lifted their mask and rubbed their face. Ahead of the two was a large fountain in the shape of a gavel guarded by over a hundred soldiers and the leader of Sollicitus. Before they approached, Tournament turned to Alba. ¡°Alba my dear, do you mind waiting atop that building.¡± They asked. ¡°Eh? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to have me by your side? The people in this town don¡¯t seem like they have all their screws tightened.¡± Challenged Alba. ¡°No, right up there¡¯s actually perfect. Think about it, you¡¯ll see an attack coming before it happens. And feel free to remove your mask by the way. I can tell that he¡¯s here.¡± Responded Tournament as they looked around. She did as they asked and concealed her mask under her cloak before sitting upon the nearest building. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re the one they call Tournament? You¡¯re a part of that so-called ¡®Council of Emovere¡¯ I¡¯ve heard of from other leaders?¡± Questioned Judge. ¡°And I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re the man they call Judge? Quite an¡­interesting state you have here. Although I wonder why is it that you walk around with so many guards. Are you perhaps scared of the people revolting or scared of finding out your dirty secret?¡± Chuckled Tournament. ¡°M-my s-secret?¡± Stuttered Judge before clearing his throat. ¡°What do you mean by my secret? I don¡¯t have any secrets to hide, unlike you! Hiding your face in my presence. So disrespectful of you!¡± ¡°Yes¡­just like you''re disrespectful to children I hear. Honestly, you make me sick, if I had control of this state, I¡¯d have you imprisoned for life. I only have one reason I¡¯m here though and I¡¯ll be gone, so leave MY presence at once or else¡­¡± Ordered Tournament as they slowly approached Judge. ¡°Hmph, fine and, just for you, I¡¯ll leave with only a few of my guards. To show you I¡¯m not scared of anybody or anything!¡± Judge Snarked. ¡°Good riddance¡± Muttered Tournament before taking center stage at the podium. ¡°People of Sollicitus, if I may, I would love for you all to give me a few minutes of your time. I have a very important announcement!¡± ¡°Eh? What¡¯s up with that mask? Shut it you damn creep!¡± A man with a raspy voice responded. ¡°Yeah! Nobody cares what you gotta say unless you¡¯re offering up some money, sonny!¡± Cackled a woman who¡¯s voice signified she smoked too much. ¡°Matter of fact, you look rich! Enough to spread around to all of us!¡± Another man with a sickly voice pointed out. ¡°Oh, ho. Well, rich is subjective, but one could argue I have a bit more money than I really know what to do with.¡± Chuckled Tournament. ¡°Eh? You mockin¡¯ us? You think we¡¯re poor? I¡¯ll have you know I am, but not for long.¡± Questioned the raspy man. ¡°Screw it, let''s kill this bastard!¡± The lady added. ¡°Aye! What the hell¡¯re you doing? You know we¡¯re not here to protect you ¡ª matter of fact we¡¯ll let them kill you!¡± One of the guards yelled out. ¡°Oh? Is that so? Well then, I guess I have no need for you.¡± Glared Tournament. They removed their gloves, then reached into their pocket and pulled out a three-colored flower. The guards began to laugh as the entire town now stormed at Tournament before being stopped in their tracks. ¡°EH? WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? SOME KINDA FORCE FIELD?¡± The sickly man shouted in frustration. ¡°I-I CAN¡¯T LOVE! IT¡¯S LIKE I DON¡¯T HAVE CONTROL OVER MY BODY¡± The lady cried out loud. ¡°ARGHHHH! Bullets! Fire at ¡®em all at once!¡± A man who appeared to be the leader of the guards ordered. ¡°Oh? You think that¡¯ll help?¡± Chuckled Tournament as they motioned their hands like a conductor. ¡°WH-WH-WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?! WHY AM I MOVING WITHOUT ME DOING IT?¡± A female guard questioned as she fell to her knees. ¡°I-I knew you were a creep¡­b-but what the¡­WHAT ARE YOU SOME KIND OF GOD OR SOMETHING?!¡± Questioned another man. ¡°A God? No, nothing like that. I¡¯m merely a human¡­something creatures like you aren¡¯t familiar with.¡± Corrected Tournament. ¡°However, unlike the gods, I won¡¯t show mercy to those who oppose me. Now become food for Mother Earth!¡± Within a few seconds, the entire crowd of over a hundred people were slowly dried up until their bodies were turned to dust ¡ª each of them screaming for forgiveness ¡ª besides one. ¡°You will tell everybody exactly what you saw today. And when they ask who did it, tell them this.¡± Ordered Tournament as they whispered in the woman¡¯s ear. Too afraid to make a sound, the lady hobbled off as she continuously fell down. Alba soon joined Tournament by their side. ¡°Do you think that was wise?¡± She questioned. ¡°Wise? Probably not. But it was good to dust off the cobwebs. Besides, no one will remember these creatures anyway.¡± Tournament responded. ¡°But enough of that, we have a visitor.¡± ¡°Sh-shawki¡­i-is that y-you¡­?¡± Questioned Mori as tears began to fill his eyes. ¡°EHHHH??? Shock you??? No, I won¡¯t shock you, you creep!¡± Alba spluttered as she looked back and forth at the two. ¡°I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WOULDN¡¯T USE ME FOR THINGS LIKE THIS??? OH I KNEW I SHOULDN¡¯T TRUST YOU!¡± ¡°Pahaha, now I see why he recommended you. Oh, Watson, you''re a sick, sick man.¡± Cackled Tournament. ¡°Watson¡­how do you¡­know of that name¡­¡± Questioned Mori. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s a colleague of mine. And I¡¯m assuming your name is Mori, isn¡¯t it? Yes, yes I¡¯m well aware of the demon that Sollicitus harbors. A very special demon indeed.¡± Responded Tournament as they began circling around Mori. ¡°Demon¡­yes¡­special¡­no, I¡¯m afraid not. But Shawki¡­she was special¡­so very, very special.¡± Wept Mori. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m assuming this Shawki person passed away, did she? My condolences.¡± Consoled Tournament. ¡°Yes¡­it¡¯s been¡­a little over a year..since her passing¡­but that¡¯s beside the point¡­why are you really here?¡± Questioned Mori. Tournament said nothing, instead handing Mori a box. He opened it up and inside it contained a letter and another box. Mori looked over the letter before opening the other box. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Mori asked. ¡°Whatever you want it to be, my dear. Just write down what it is you desire and it¡¯ll come true.¡± Answered Tournament. ¡°And all I have to do¡­is join Tournou¨¢ Tou Menoszzzthere must be more¡­¡± Mori continued to question. Back To The Present ¡°You said nothing, you just smirked. I knew from that day you were the one, the one who could set me free.¡± Mori thought as he nudged Watson. ¡°Are you ready¡­It wouldn¡¯t be wise¡­to sit here much longer¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah I heard you the first ten times, sheesh, give me five more minutes.¡± Watson groaned. ¡°OWW! WHAT THE HECK STABBED ME!¡± As Watson rolled over the stem of a rose clanged onto his neck. ¡°Guess that¡¯s my sign to get up then¡­alright, let¡¯s go already, you idiot.¡± Ordered Watson. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s up with the kid? They still alive?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­somehow.¡± Answered Mori. ¡°Just what are you, and how can you still be alive after sustaining such injuries? It¡¯s also odd that I can¡¯t sense anything from you either. It¡¯s like you¡¯re alive but not conscious¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be running your mind in circles tryna question it, you idiot.¡± Watson thought as he peered over at Mori. ¡°Aye! Like you said, let¡¯s go already. Sooner we¡¯re done with this, the sooner we get outta here.¡± At the end of Echo Path, there was a small hill where the two rested. As they walked down, the Town of Tristis became more clear. Unlike Dolor, this town was all but connected with the one exception being the home of the Chaimburs Family. As his name would suggest, Judge Chaimburs, head of the Chaimburs Family, was also the Judge of Sollicitus. After becoming the leader, he ordered the removal of the former leader¡¯s estate and had his courthouse redesigned and separated from the rest of Tristis by a singular, long, stone bridge that was guarded by the state¡¯s military. After the incident from a year ago, Judge decreased the protection around the state and ordered a majority of the military to defend his home. ¡°BLAHAHA! Seems your old man¡¯s still scared for his life, eh? Well, he should be, the sick bastard, you know he only removed that law so he could sleep with a bunch of young ass boys and girls.¡± Watson grunted. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Let¡¯s just¡­forget about him¡­for now anyways¡­the shop¡¯s not too far¡­besides it¡¯s almost dark¡­I¡¯d rather not¡­walk through at night.¡± Mori interjected as he grabbed Watson. ¡°Alright, alright. Worry Mori, back to overthinking everything. You keep your eyes focused on our surroundings and I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll smoke me one of these.¡± Watson said as he snatched a joint out of a lady¡¯s hand. ¡°Hey, what hell ¡ª WATSON?! Oh my goodness What¡¯re you doing here?¡± The flustered lady shrieked. ¡°Not here for you, now get outta my face idiotic whore!¡± Watson cackled as he and Mori headed down an alleyway. ¡°You know her?¡± Asked Mori. ¡°Know her? Nah, probably one of the old pieces I would bring through to the hideout.¡± Watson continued to laugh as he took a few puffs. ¡°You know¡­for a member of the council¡­you sure don¡¯t¡­act the part¡­¡± Mocked Mori. ¡°Yeah? You¡¯d be surprised to know I¡¯m the most professional one of us all.¡± Snickered Watson. ¡°Speaking of¡­who¡¯re you guys?¡± Questioned Mori. ¡°Eh? Whatta you mean? You know who we are.¡± Answered Watson. ¡°You know¡­what I mean¡­that one¡­who put me under¡­he said the same thing as you¡­flower technique¡­¡± Mori started before being cut off. ¡°Can it, you idiot, we¡¯re here,¡± Watson interjected as they two arrived at the shop. ¡°I wonder if the little idiot¡¯s still mad at me?¡± ¡°GET DOWN!¡± Mori yelled. ¡°YOU PIECE OF SHIT, WATSON! DIDN¡¯T I TELL YOU I NEVER WANTED SEE YOUR ASS BACK IN TRISTIS!¡± A man with a squeaky voice yelled as he fired off multiple shots. ¡°BLAHAHA! If it isn¡¯t my old friend Flos! How¡¯ve you been buddy? I see you still love playing with guns, except you still ain¡¯t learned how to aim for shit, idiot!¡± ¡°ARGHHHH I¡¯M NOT AN IDIOT! YOU¡¯RE THE IDIOT, IDIOT!¡± Flos continued to yell. ¡°NO YOU¡¯RE THE IDIOT, YOU FLOWER LOVING IDIOT!¡± Watson yelled back. ¡°ESPECIALLY BECAUSE YOU SHOT AT ME AND MISSED! BLAHAHAH!¡± ¡°FLOWER TECHNIQUE: GUESS WHO? BOOM, THAT¡¯S WHO!¡± ¡°EHHH??? HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT???¡± AND WATCH WHERE YOU THROW THOSE BEFORE YOU BLOW MY SHOP UP YOU IDIOT!¡± Flos yelled even louder. ¡°I TOLD YOU YOU¡¯RE THE IDIOT! WHO DOESN''T BOMB PROOF THEIR SHOP?¡± Watson yelled back equally as loud. ¡°BOMB PROOF?! NO, WHAT I NEED IS TO IDIOT PROOF MY LIFE!¡± Flos continued as he threw a vase. ¡°OHHH SO NOW WE¡¯RE JUST THROWING ANYTHING, EH?¡± Watson responded as he threw his shoe. ¡°I¡¯m just gonna sit over here¡­until both of you tire out¡­¡± Mori said as he sat up against a wall. The two continued to throw many objects at one another for the next few hours. ¡°Finally you two are done¡­this is exactly¡­why I didn¡¯t¡­want to come here¡­and yet another reason¡­I left that annoying group¡­¡± exasperated Mori, sighing, as he stood over the two. ¡°You know¡­this is¡­this is why¡­I brought you¡­you were¡­supposed to¡­warn me¡± Huffed an exhausted Watson. ¡°Thank you¡­for not¡­speaking up¡­now get¡­YOUR friend¡­out of my sight!¡± Flos complained. ¡°Ah come on, we¡¯re just here to talk. I need a favor and if I remember correctly a certain red-haired idiot owes me.¡± Chuckled Watson as he slowly stood up. Flos sighed before responding, ¡°Ok¡­I guess I AM the bigger idiot. I knew I should¡¯ve killed you a long time ago when I had¡­multiple chances. Oh and go find your shoes, no shoes no service. That simple.¡± ¡°BLAHAHAH! You and everyone else have said the same thing. Maybe I am the problem, or maybe you¡¯re all just a bunch of idiots.¡± Watson continued to chuckle as he took a puff from his joint. ¡°So, about this favor¡­ready to pay it back?¡± The three walked into Flos¡¯ shop Floralis Copia. The entire shop was lined with every type of flower possible along its walls and a few on a wooden stand in the center. A hanging fire pit hung in the back. To the front was a small statue of Eirini with water riding down her, That sat upon the wooden stand. On the left side of the shop was a small bonsai tree and on the right side was a metal gourd. ¡°So what¡¯s in these things?¡± Watson asked as he shook a wooden gourd. ¡°I know you¡¯re a grown child, but don¡¯t touch stuff that isn¡¯t yours, and DON¡¯T shake those,¡± Flos interjected as he snatched the gourd from Watson. ¡°So¡­what are we¡­doing here, Watson?¡± Questioned Mori. ¡°Right, well, flower-loving-freak here, I figured would be able to help me with something,¡± Watson said as he threw his arm around Flos. ¡°If I do this, we¡¯re even. Got it.¡± Flos demanded as he nudged Watson off of him. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I got it. You know I hate when idiots think they can order me around. But I¡¯ll let you off this time.¡± Retorted Watson. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get down to business. You see, I got this kid here who¡¯s on the brink of death. Your job is to find out which of these flowers in here would be the most connected to them.¡± ¡°Them? You mean Mori too?¡± Asked Flos. ¡°No, just them. Don¡¯t ask. I don¡¯t get it either, nor did I care to have it explained. You wanna find out about it, do it on your own time. Right now, I need you to work your magic and get this shit solved while I go have another smoke.¡± Ordered Watson. ¡°By the way, you still got your stash in the back?¡± ¡°I see¡­hmm, can''t believe even in these depressing times people still wanna make their lives worse by living that way.¡± Flos sighed, ¡°I gave up on it a long time ago.¡± ¡°Oh brother, here we go again¡­Mori, have fun dealing with this one and his sad, gay stories, while I wait outside.¡± Motioned Watson after rummaging through Flos¡¯ desk. ¡°Remember idiot, get this done and we¡¯re even.¡± Watson exited the shop leaving the two of them alone. ¡°Hey, Mori, why are you even here, and with him of all people. I thought you said you had cut all ties to him and Sollicitus or? Questioned Flos. ¡°There¡¯s no point in having this conversation just focus on them¡± Mori deflected as he laid Felichs down on the floor. ¡°That¡¯s just like you, always secretive. Well, I¡¯m glad you still trust me at least. That¡¯s reassuring.¡± Flos smiled. ¡°You¡¯re still the one person I know won¡¯t do me wrong.¡± Mori smiled back as he hugged Flos. ¡°I see you¡¯re still shedding.¡± ¡°Well, ever since I left The Kings of Calamity, I also left that whole criminal life behind.¡± Commented Flos. ¡°But at least I still know how to dress.¡± Aside from Dan and Shawki, Flos was the closest friend Mori had. Flos was a few inches shorter than him, shorter than the average man in fact, but thanks to his mud-brown heels they were eye to chest with each other. Due to his love of flowers, his outfits were inspired by them, particularly roses. He wore a green skirt that reached a little past his mid-thigh, topped with an oversized striped green shirt. The thing that stood out about him most was the scar on his chest that could only be seen because his shirt was unbuttoned. ¡°Yeah¡­you still look like a walking flower.¡± Chuckled Mori. ¡°By the way, that scar? It wasn¡¯t there before. What happened?¡± ¡°We both have secrets, now just grab me that book over there.¡± Flos directed as he slowly saged Felichs. ¡°Eirini, please guide this lost soul, ductu, fidem, pax (guidance, faith, peace)¡± ¡°What is this book?¡± Asked Mori. ¡°My cookbook¡­WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS? IT¡¯S MY GUIDE! MY SOLE LIGHT IN THIS LIFE! MY ONE TRUE LOVE! THE THING THAT KEEPS ME SANE IN THIS INSANE WORLD!¡± Shouted Flos before clearing his throat. ¡°Ahem, anyways, I need you to do another thing for me. Bring me three to four different flowers every couple of minutes ¡ª I¡¯d rather we get this done as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°How is this supposed to help?¡± Questioned Mori as he handed Flos flowers. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but he sent someone to bug me about this a few other times as well. So, I figured it must be something like your eyes.¡± Flos answered as he removed Felichs¡¯ shirt. ¡°The trick to this, by the way, is to lay it on their forehead, then slowly drag it down to their heart, wave it around in a circular motion over their stomach, then back to the forehead. If a petal falls on their forehead at the beginning, they have a weak connection, if it falls on their heart they have some connection, on their stomach a really strong connection, but if it falls on their forehead at the end then that¡¯s one. That is the strongest possible connection to the flower. Sadly none of these are falling which means they have no connection.¡± ¡°What do you mean by connection?¡± Mori asked. ¡°We humans can have connections with any living organism on this planet. We gain a deeper connection with humans with skin-to-skin contact. The same can be said with anything else that breathes. As far as what the connection is, it''s like anything else in this world. I love roses, they¡¯re my favorite flowers, but what separates them from any other flowers? Nothing really, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the most beautiful, or the best smelling, but ever since I was young and first came in contact with roses I¡¯ve always loved them. Sometimes, that connection can¡¯t be deeply explained and is just simply a thing of ¡®I love it¡¯ and that¡¯s what the connection is.¡± Flos stated as he continued trying to find the flower for Felichs. ¡°Now how did I figure this trick out? Well, the mind and heart allow us to love so it was that easy for those two, but for the stomach it was tricky. Until I read a book that said the quickest way to someone¡¯s heart is through their stomach and I realized that was the third and final part.¡± Mori continued to hand over flower after flower until all but one remained. A sunflower. ¡°Well if that one doesn¡¯t work your friend¡¯s outta luck.¡± Acknowledge Flos. ¡°You know, it¡¯s been nice to hang out like this again. Just the two of us. I- never mind.¡± ¡°What were you gonna say?¡± Mori asked. ¡°I know how your eyes work, I¡¯ve been around long enough after all. When they light up really bright like, you¡¯re able to see someone¡¯s intentions. The same way you used to light every room¡­before Dan and Shawki passed away¡­¡± Flos responded as a single tear rolled down his cheek. Mori cleared his throat before responding, ¡°What¡¯s taking Watson so long? I should go check on him.¡± ¡°Knowing him, he probably fell asleep after getting high, especially after smoking my stash.¡± Grumbled Flos. ¡°Real quick, before you go. You seem really concerned for this guy. Why is that? I haven¡¯t seen that look on your face since¡­well me.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something about this one. I guess you could say it¡¯s a connection of sorts. Not that I want to help them by any means, but more so, I would like to see where they end up. They¡¯re someone who''s been given two routes in life and they¡¯re somehow going down both routes.¡± Responded Mori. Watson headed to the door, but almost immediately froze in his tracks. ¡°Flos! Take Felichs to the back!|¡± Ordered Mori. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s going on?¡± Wh-what¡¯s happening?¡± Questioned Flos. ¡°Just do it! NOW!¡± Ordered Watson. Flos picked them up and carried them to the back of his store and up a set of stairs. ¡°I couldn¡¯t protect Dan and Shawki, but I will protect you, Flos.¡± muttered Mori. As he readied his knife, the door to Floralis Copia came flying at him. Mori dodged the door, rolled over and immediately charged out the entrance. ¡°Tch¡­Mira¡­and I never¡­got your name¡­¡± Said Mori as he gripped his blade. ¡°Magna, Captain of¡­or I guess, now, the leader of the Echo Bandits. And our first order of business is killing the punk who killed Sonus, i.e. you!¡± Magna chuckled as he snapped his fingers. Within seconds the Echo Bandits filled the rooftops surrounding the shop. Along with the House of True Terror on the ground now surrounded Mori, the total number rose from twenty to forty. ¡°Mira, you know¡­I¡¯m not like Watson¡­I can actually listen¡­so let¡¯s talk¡­¡± Offered Mori. ¡°We have nothing to talk about, Mori. You killed my partner¡¯s boss and Watson has caused enough trouble. The way I see it, you two asked for this.¡± She smirked. ¡°Speaking of that scumbag, where is he at? Hopefully somewhere dead!¡± ¡°Yeah, where the hell are you at?¡± Mori muttered. ¡°You know¡­one versus this many¡­just doesn¡¯t seem fair¡­¡± ¡°Oh? Aren¡¯t you the Demon of Sollicitus? The man who killed hundreds of people? Or was it responsible for their deaths while Watson killed them all? Either way, this shouldn¡¯t be that hard for you, right?¡± Magna chuckled, ¡°But sure, maybe we can go one on one.¡± Magna charged at Mori before his men¡¯s words quelled his attack. ¡°H-huh? Wh-what¡¯s going on?¡± An Echo Bandit Grunt shouted. ¡°A-And do you guys s-see that! It looks my hand¡¯s gone!¡± ¡°Aye, so is mine!¡± ¡±Mine Too!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s my leg?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t feel my heart beating!¡± The grunts all started screaming. ¡°Wh-why¡¯s it so h-hot all of a sudden?¡± Mira complained. ¡°I swear V¡­I told you, you couldn¡¯t trust him.¡± Grumbled Fox as he sheathed his sword and tossed Watson on the floor. ¡°Mmm, you take care of it, buddy ima get some more sleep. Oh and don¡¯t go too crazy though, the idiot who runs that store will start throwing stuff. Can you believe he threw a cat at me earlier? That¡¯s gotta be animal abuse or something.¡± Said a clearly way-too-stoned Watson as he rolled over. ¡°Then again you¡¯re about to do the same thing to these idiots! BLAHAHA! Oh yeah, and be more appreciative! If it wasn¡¯t for me it wouldn¡¯t so be so hot right now, and you wouldn¡¯t be able to do any cool tricks with that sword of yours other than swing it like an idiot!¡± ¡°AYE! Who the hell¡¯re you?¡± Magna shouted. ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with my men?!¡± ¡°Oh, me? I¡¯m just a simple passerby who happened to be colleague of this worthless one. He told me his friends were over here, so I brought ¡®em back.¡± Responded Fox. ¡°As far as your men, they seem to be seeing things, or I guess in this case, not seeing things.¡± ¡°Eh? Friends? Yeah right, that idiot doesn¡¯t have friends nor should he be able to! He deserves to rot in hell for the rest of his life!¡± Answered an upset Mira. ¡°AYE! I¡¯ll have you know I have plenty of friends, I have¡­and umm¡­WELL AT LEAST I DON¡¯T LOOK AT STUPID AS YOU IDIOTS!¡± Watson shouted as he flipped her off. ¡°Well he is a member of the council, but sadly for him we¡¯re not his friends either.¡± Added Fox ¡°Speaking of, I was hoping my status would work here. Maybe we can come to some kind of agreement, no?¡± ¡°What? We don¡¯t care about the law here! This is Sollicitus after all! Even if you were the Goddess herself we wouldn¡¯t care to listen to you.¡± Snickered Magna. ¡°Men attack him! Mira and I will handle the pretend demon.¡± ¡°Mori? Oh, there is another one here. Good thing you guys said something or else I would¡¯ve killed an invitee. Thank you, honestly, I would¡¯ve never heard the end of it. Seeing as y¡¯all saved my ass, I¡¯ll offer you a deal: get out of here in a quick and orderly fashion, or else I¡¯ll be forced to spill some blood tonight.¡± Offered Fox as he flashed his sword. ¡°Th-th-that s-s-sword is huge¡­¡± Mira shouted. ¡°Th-there¡¯s no way h-h- could swing it effectively.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Fox said before launching his sword through an Echo Bandit Grunt. ¡°Was that effective enough? I could try again if you like. Now, I¡¯ll offer one more time¡­leave now or every last one of you dies where you stand.¡± ¡°W-w-we g-gotta get out of here! NOW!¡± The House of True Terror Grunts shouted. ¡°A-agreed!¡± The Echo Bandits repeated. The only two who stayed behind were Mira and Magna as they refused to back down. ¡°Y-your not gonna kill me! I¡¯m entering Tournou?? and nobody¡¯s stopping me!¡± Protested Mira. ¡°Is that so? Well then, if you wanna make it to Tournou¨¢, get out of my face¡­NOW!¡± Ordered Fox as his aura began to leak out of his body. ¡°I-it¡¯s just like it w-was that day with b-boss!¡± Stuttered Magna. ¡°M-mira let¡¯s f-fall back for n-now. We¡¯ll get ''em all at Tournou¨¢. I promise.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Mira grumbled as the two ran away. ¡°BLAHAHA! Puuuuuuusssyyyyyyyy! Running from little ol Foxy here. He wouldn¡¯t harm a fly. OW!¡± Cackled Watson as he was kicked by Fox. ¡°Shut up. Let¡¯s just get inside and¡­get¡­them.¡± Fox started to say. The clouds above them began to blanket the sky, as it grew a dark grey. Heavy rain began to follow suit. ¡°So, it worked?¡± Acknowledged Fox. ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready to pay me back, V, and you better pay me handsomely!¡± Watson smirked. Before the three of them was Felichs, bandages hanging off their body, as they slowly dragged themself over to the others. ¡°So that¡¯s what you wanted, eh Watson? I figured there was more to you than just idiocracy.¡± Chuckled Flos. ¡°What¡¯d you say!¡± Yelled Watson. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, you idiot!¡± ¡°Can y¡¯all please quiet down, my head¡¯s killing me.¡± Said Felichs as they slowly sat down still aching from their injuries. ¡°What¡¯re guys all doing here anyways? And why¡¯s that guy got a sword sticking out of him?¡± ¡°You tell ¡®em Worry Mori since apparently I¡¯m too loud!¡± Answered Mori extra loud when a rock hit them. ¡°Aye, you little dying piece of shit! Do that again and you¡¯re gonna be carried back to V in a body bag!¡± Mori lifted Felichs up, helping them inside, before retelling the past day and a half to them. ¡°I see, thanks m. I appreciate it. Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t even be here if it wasn¡¯t for you three.¡± Acknowledged Felichs. ¡°I would like¡­to talk with you¡­so come on¡­Fox and Watson¡­already headed back¡­¡± Ordered Mori. ¡°Ok. It seems your friend over there wants a word with you as well. I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± Acknowledged Felichs. As Felichs left the shop, Flos approached Mori with a bouquet of flowers. ¡°I¡¯m gonna head over to Dan and Shawki¡¯s old place to give ¡®em some flowers like we used to. It seems like you have something important to handle or else I¡¯d ask you to come with me.¡± Said Flos as Mori pulled him in and kissed his forehead. ¡°Thank you for keeping their memory alive. Once this is over I¡¯ll be back.¡± Responded Mori as he exited Floralis Copia. ¡°Stay safe¡­please¡­¡± Wept Flos as he locked up his shop and headed to the graveyard. ¡°So, what did you wanna talk about?¡± Asked Felichs as the two walked down the alleyway. ¡°What happened¡­to you¡­?¡± Questioned Mori. ¡°The broken bones or the fact that I¡¯m still alive?¡± Well, the bones are a story I¡¯d rather not talk about and as for me still being alivea€|well, your guess is as good as mine.¡± Answered Felichs. ¡°So who¡¯s Fox¡­to you¡­?¡± Mori questioned again. ¡°I happened¡­to see you two¡­riding together¡­a few days ago¡­¡± ¡°To me? Your guess is as good as mine as well. Sorry, I don¡¯t have many answers, but truth be told he helped me out once before and now he shows up here. I¡¯m just as confused as you. Ima get my answers though ¡ª all of them.¡± Grumbled an annoyed Felichs, as they clenched their teeth. ¡°You know, I actually have a question for you as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wondering¡­why I came¡­Is that it¡­?¡± Mori asked as he stopped walking. ¡°Nah not that. You said before that me and V or Tournament or whatever that psychopath¡¯s name is, that we were so alike. What¡¯d you mean by that?¡± Questioned Felichs. ¡°That your aura¡­of yours¡­it¡¯s similar to theirs¡­or maybe I should say¡­it seems to me¡­that the colors are similar¡­both of you have¡­a dark, black aura¡­but where there¡¯s¡­feels evil¡­yours does not¡­it feels lost¡­as if it¡¯s not your own¡­like someone gave you¡­their aura¡­¡± Answered Mori. ¡°Not my own? Whatta you mean? Come to think of it, I don¡¯t even know a thing about this whole aura, but I keep hearing about it. I can feel it, I¡¯ve felt it many times before. But I¡¯ve never seen it.¡± Felichs responded. ¡°They say¡­|only those whose true aura¡­has awakened can see¡­the aura of others¡­or at least¡­that¡¯s what Flos says¡­¡± Mori answered as he began walking again. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­Watson¡¯s irritable enough¡­don¡¯t wanna give him¡­a reason to yell¡­¡± Felichs slowed their pace down until they were far enough away from Mori, but close enough to be able to react if he needed. ¡°Maybe he was right, maybe you¡¯re all idiots. I wasn¡¯t dead, and yet you decided to be so open, not even realizing I could hear everything.¡± Felichs chuckled to themself. ¡°Those eyes of yours seem pretty damn useful, and since you don¡¯t want ¡®em there¡¯s gotta be a way I can make them mine. Add that on top of the fact that ima figure out this damn power and none of them will be able to defeat me. Not you, Solis, Malum, and damn sure not that pink-haired son of bitch! I have to win! I got a second chance at life and I won¡¯t screw it up! Not this time. Not when she needs me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I didn¡¯t run my mouth too much it seems. I told you don¡¯t let fall victim to the darkness and yet it seems you have. Well, if you can free me of this hell, then you can have my eyes¡­¡± Mori thought to himself as his eyes glowed brightly. Meanwhile At The House of the Councils Tournament held a wild pansy above them and crushed it, causing the seeds to fall in their mouth. ¡°I was only able to heal them momentarily. So they¡¯ll probably pass out by the time they get back here. With that said, we now know what flower they have the strongest connection with. So after the ritual, I¡¯ll be able to properly heal them completely. I just worry if their body can handle it in this shape.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that one¡¯s a fighter, they¡¯d never let something as juvenile as pain deter them from their goals. Tournament acknowledged. ¡°You know, I told you before that I¡¯d restore your kingdom and now I have no other choice, because to you my friend, I¡¯m in your debt.¡± Said Tournament as they took a bow. ¡°BWAHAHA! No need to thank me. I was already in your debt when you showed me the way. I¡¯d say this makes us even.¡± Solid responded as he patted Tournament on their back. ¡°Either way, the Kingdom of Inanis, along with the rest of Emovere, shall be rebuilt. It was our people who built this country, but because of foolishness, it was stolen from us. Your bloodline, my bloodline¡­we will take back what we¡¯re owed. AND THEN, WE¡¯LL WIPE AWAY THESE FALSE LEADERS AND NOBLES AND REWRITE THE COUNTRY! RESTORING TO FORMER AND PROPER SELF! BECAUSE WE ARE THE TRUE RIGHTFUL OWNERS OF THIS COUNTRY!¡± Tournament announced. Turn 7: A House Made With Inferior Wood Will Inevitably Collapse Under The Weight Of A Severe Storm ¡°Because of the condition you''re in, you may feel some pain, child. Don''t worry though, it won''t be too much. A bit of a slight pinch and that''s about it." Solid assured Felichs as they crushed up the sunflower. Felichs eyes grew wide causing Tournament to speak up. "I think it would be a better idea if I were to put them to sleep first, then perform the ritual. It appears as though they have a fear of needles that could affect the ritual." Tournament pointed out as they ran their hand across Felichs body, thrusting their palm into the child''s stomach. As they slowly fell into a deep slumber a boy with short, lavender-colored dreads resting on the right side of his face entered the room. "WOOOOOW! THEY''RE SO BEAUTIFUL!!" The boy yelled as the ends of his lips touched his cheeks. "We''ll make such a beautiful couple one day." "Aster, my dear, get a hold of yourself." Scolded Tournament. "Ahem, do pardon me. I let my excitement get the best of me." Softly responded Aster as he cleared his throat and dropped his cloak. "FLOWER TECHNIQUE: CELL CONTROL!" The veins on Aster''s arms and hands began to beat rapidly before bursting out of his body. Their greenish-red color resembled vines. Aster showed prolific control over them as he hovered over Felichs'' body. The thorns'' width shrunk, but their length grew as they dug into their body causing Felichs to grimace in pain. "BWAHAHAH! I can only imagine how much pain the little runt would be in had you not done anything." Solid laughed as he handed Tournament the crushed sunflowers. "You know, ever since meeting Fox, I feel as though I''ve become even more in love with plants. This plant is known as Aloe Ferox and is supposed to be a type of healing remedy. Mix it with some water after extracting the juices from the plant and voil¨¤. Apparently, It can heal wounds at a much quicker rate. Which is perfect, because while I admire your skill, their body still isn''t ready for the ritual. However, with this, we''ll be able to speed up the healing process so their body can rapidly transfer the sunflowers throughout them." Tournament said as they poured the mixture over Felichs'' body. A few minutes had passed by and Felichs began to twitch. It was clear they had regained some control over their body ¡ª even if it was only for a slight moment. "Even though the darkness cast over us the goddess continues blessing us to this day. As she breathed life into this world, the first ones to walk, the Cloves, were made. Our ancestors have left, but we who have their blood run through us still follow their way. We are the Flowers and our people will no longer be strayed. You, my child, are yet another victim forced to enter this sick play. So rise. Rise once more and become the Flowers'' spade!" Tournament chanted as they slowly poured the crushed sunflowers into one of the holes in Felichs'' stomach. "FLOWER TECHNIQUE: BLOSSOM REJUVENATION!" "I hope they''re worth it¡­V," Solid commented as he exited the room leaving Felichs and Tournament to themselves. "Ughh my head is killing me. Where am I?" Felichs questioned as they slowly got up before falling over. "Ouch! What the?" "Be patient my dear, it''s going to take you some time to get used to things. I mean, every bone in your body was broken." Tournament chuckled as they helped Felichs up off the floor. "Thank you¡­although I don''t get it. Why are you doing this? You have zero reason to help me. I''m nothing to you. Not family. Not friends. Nothing." Felichs pointed out. Tournament looked on as a single tear formed in their eye. Before Felichs could notice, they caught it with their lashes. "Well, how about we transition from this into your questions? I''m sure there are many things you''d like to know and I also have something you need to hear. But first, how are you feeling?" Tournament questioned "You mean after having every bone in my body get destroyed or having a hundred holes poked into me? Or, or, maybe you mean after you dumped a bunch of random herbs into me?" Grumbled Felichs as they chugged down a glass of water. "I see, it appears as though you''re still suffering from your injuries. Normally, Solid''s ability would work instantly. Sadly though, for someone in your position, it may take more time. I''d say in about three to four weeks and you should be fine." Commented Tournament. "Three to four weeks?! Tch, so that means I''ll still be in bad shape going into Tournou¨¢¡­That''s just fantastic." Felichs thought to themself as they grimaced in pain. "I''ll be fine. I might end up taking these bandages off though. I don''t want anyone thinking I''m an easy target." "I wouldn''t take those off if I was you. Since holes in your body haven''t fully healed up, you''ll bleed out if you remove the bandages." "So I''m supposed to just let everybody know ''Hey, come after me. I''m badly broken and can be an easy win. Yeah, that''s the last thing I''m doing. I''ll give it until Tournou¨¢, but these need to come off." "Hm, I was off the belief you''ve always been a target. I mean, sure you''re not in a gang or a bandit, but your town''s filled with. And from the reports I''ve gotten they seem to prey after you civilians the most. So, why would it matter if anybody saw you wrapped up? I believe if they thought you''re the easiest opponent, they''d actually save you for last to get an easy win." "Well, that''s true too I guess. Fine, I''ll keep ''em on, but I swear if-" "I mean, if you''re that worried you could always take Fox up on his offer. I''m sure it''s still on the table. You know, he''s taken quite a liking to you after all." "Yeah¡­a bit too much if you ask me. Anyways, what was that ritual?" "It''s called Flower Passage. Something that''s been a bit taboo in today''s society." Tournament snickered as they handed Felichs more water. "By the way, do you watch your water intake ¡ª or should I say lack thereof." "What? Am I a plant or something?" "No, no, nothing like that. It''s just, well, you haven''t drank any water the past two days and the human body can only go so long without it." "I''ve gone weeks without it before. I think I''ll be fine." "WEEKS?!" Tournament gasped as they spit water all over their mask. "Goodness me, my apologies. I just never heard of someone going weeks without drinking anything." "Yeah, well our water comes from a river and isn''t filtered like yours is. But anyways what''s this Flower Passage?" "Hm, the child''s more interesting than I thought. I reckon this is Sana''s work. That lady''s healing might be even greater than Solid''s. But if that''s the case then why never heal yourself¡­" Tournament muttered as their thoughts continued to frustrate them. "Like I said, it''s a ritual that''s not allowed to be talked about in Emovere. That was a rule set in place by the last Queen." "You know, speaking of her, or I guess leaders in general, who''s really in charge? Because you guys claim to be the council of Emovere, yet you don''t make any rules ¡ª that''s each state''s leader. However, I heard some rules were set in place during some Queen''s period we still follow today. Which is even weirder because some people have said she''s fake, but others have said she''s real. So, what the heck is actually going on here?" "Well, I believe we have a few other pressing matters to attend to first before talking about that. But don''t worry because I have a pretty interesting take in regards to it." "So¡­you''re dodging the questions¡­got it." "PAHAHA! No, my dear, nothing of the sort. I just feel after you hear about it you may forget your other questions and I promised to tell you everything that I possibly can." "Fine, but I do have three things I need answered aside from my previous questions." "It''s a good thing I cleared up my schedule today, or else I''d be barked at for not doing my work." Chuckled Tournament as they sat back in their chair. "Felichs, my dear, may I ask a question before you?" "Sure. Go ahead." "Do you have anyone you feel comfortable around? Like you can just be yourself and not have to worry about judgment?" "Eh? Odd question, but I mean." Felichs pondered a moment before giving their response. "Weirdly enough, you." "Me? Well, now that wasn''t an answer I was expecting." "Don''t get me wrong, the whole not showing your face thing is strange. Plus your level of care for me is also concerning. Now, add in the fact that you swear up and down that I''m special and you got yourself one walking ''Do Not Trust'' sign. Aside from those things you don''t seem like the judgmental type, nor do you seem like you care for people hiding their real selves. Which, again, is crazy coming from the weirdo hiding their face¡­Also, don''t flatter yourself. It''s not that I like being around you or anything. I''d just rather be around you than the others in this house. If they get on my nerves I can''t fight them, but you, the seemingly head of this place and the person who was ready to fight me right as soon as they saw me, oh yeah I definitely can. Hell, I''ll go as far as to say you''ve probably been waiting for me to throw the first punch." "Is that so? Well, I won''t say you''re wrong. In fact, I would love to see just how strong you actually are. But that''s something we can do at a later date, don''t you think?" "Yeah, I guess so. Well then, I guess my first question would have to do with this thing called the Wheel of Breath. What is it? I¡­I uhhh¡­I heard about it from someone." "Now I could''ve sworn you said you were comfortable around me. You don''t have to lie to me, Felichs." Tournament chuckled before continuing, "That was one of the few reasons why I said you were special. You see, many believe the Wheel of Breath to have been created by some higher power, but that can''t be further from the truth. It was created by mankind. We that walk this planet, are the cause for this ability''s creation by letting our emotions become so powerful that now take form." "That''s it? I thought it would''ve been much deeper than that." "Such an impatient one you are. Of course, that''s not the only reason for its creation. I mean, if it was then everybody would have access to it, would they not? No, no my dear, you see Eirini''s hand was also in the pot. Though I can not tell you exactly how seeing as the writer of this book didn''t know themselves. But I believe whatever she did was for Elpis. When she was the ruler Elpis was said to have a powerful ally by her side, an ally who could use strange powers unbeknownst to man. Sadly his name is not known either it seems, but there''s a list of instructions on how to awaken and activate said ability." Tournament continued as they flipped through the book. "Ah, here it is! For one to awaken the wheel of breath you must reach an emotion''s maximum state. For instance, if you are in a state of fear, you have to truly believe something catastrophic is going to happen. Once unlocked it appears as though the other abilities unlock as well." "So, it''s an emotion-based power?" "Well, I did say it was created by us and our emotions. Now, as far as each handle it seems to the author of this book that they''re six known emotions, but also says there could be more, those being: Pride Gratitude Anger Fear Calm Envy ¡°So how do these exactly work?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Well what?¡± ¡°Ahem, like many things in this book, it¡¯s not as straightforward as most would appreciate.¡± Tournament clears their throat before reading, ¡°Some say pride is the devil, but is it truly? Is a devil on our shoulder a bad thing? Pride can allow us to overcome our envious hearts because we value our self-worth and appreciate our own achievements. The problem with pride though is it can hinder us by creating a since of entitlement or superiority which affects our ability to have gratitude. To lose gratitude would be to lose our ability to overcome our prideful nature and become envious of those around us. Now, sure one could argue to be envious could in a way make one more motivated, more determined, but is anger-led determination that helpful? An angered heart keeps us from the one true desire of humans; the desire to be at peace with ourselves. To attain peace we need the ability to remain calm which someone driven by anger can¡¯t. With that said, I can understand those that believe anger can help us overcome fear but I just don¡¯t know if it¡¯s worth it. Fear can be a detriment to us as it can overpower our calmness that we worked hard to attain.¡± "What about Hate and Happiness?" "Surprisingly there''s a separate wheel for those, although it''s not really a wheel but more of a bar. It says these two are the strongest, Happiness, and weakest, Hate, of the studied emotions. The only information here is that someone who knows hate could never bear this power and someone who knows happiness would see no use for the Wheel of Breath." "So that''s why you believe Eirini had something to do with this power?" "Precisely my dear! Those who follow hate allow Synkrous¨ª to creep into their lives. Whereas those who know happiness would see little reason to engage in the destruction of others or this world. Truthfully speaking, I despise the Wheel. While very few have unlocked this disturbing power, it''s one too many in my opinion. It''s done nothing but help lead to the downfall of this once great nation." "But what about the man by Elpis'' side? He had this power and she''s supposed to be this great queen, is she not? If that''s the case then I couldn''t see her employing someone who''s potentially helped tear down this country." "You''re not entirely wrong, Felichs. I don''t believe he''s a bad man, but that power is. When man continuously lost fights against animals they created bows and arrows. When those didn''t work knives and swords came along. Then shields to defend themselves. Soon we had guns but at first, they were too slow, so they got upgraded. I think you see where I''m going with this. When we can''t defeat someone with our current weapons, we create new ones. The Wheel of Breath is a dangerous ability because it''s too strong. Soon they will create weapons to overpower it and I fear those will cause destruction on a level we''ve never seen before." "I get it, I get it. Wheel of Breath bad. You don''t needa keep beating a dead horse. So, why doesn''t everyone have this stupid power? Is it because they don''t know how to unlock it?" "It''s hard to say. While the means for unlocking it doesn''t seem that hard, it does take an extreme toll on one''s body. It could be several things, but I''ve narrowed it down to two. One, it''s a power passed down via DNA, or two our Goddess handpicked special individuals." "Makes sense. So, what about activating it?" "Ah, yes, excuse me. I forgot all about that." Tournament chuckled as they turned the page. "As far as controlling well it''s pretty simple¡­unless you''re you." "Whatta mean unless you''re me? You think this is funny?! Spill it now or I''ll kill you where you sit!" Felichs demanded as they jumped across the table and held their knife to Tournament''s throat. "Calm yourself, my dear, I didn''t mean for it to come off offensive, that''s why I paused. To use this ability on your own you must have a strong connection with your soul. If you did then like I said it''d be as easy as just saying the name or straining your eyes." "A strong connection¡­what the hell does that even mean? Aren''t we all connected to our souls?" "Technically speaking, yes. Although, it seems to be a bit deeper than that. In your case, it seems to me your soul is not completely your own." "Not completely¡­my own¡­?" "You do know Sana is an amazing healer right? One of the best in all of Emovere." "Yeah, I know that. What does that have to do with anything?" "I''m going to assume your mother poured hers into you at the time of your birth to keep you alive. There''s a phenomenon that once every hundred years or so, a child is born without half of their soul. Strange, yes, but it''s true. What''s even odder is that all of these children lived. How is that possible you ask? Well, for most, I''ve heard they used some kind of ancient ritual. But your mother is a masterful healer. I''ve heard that she brought someone back from death. So, as crazy as it may be, it''s possible she found a way to pour half of her soul into you. If this is the case, and she didn''t use some ancient ritual, it''s going to be much harder for you to use the wheel of breath since you don''t own half of your soul." "I¡­I was told by my mom¡­that something happened to me at birth¡­that I almost died¡­I guess I''ve been given a third chance at life. Speaking of my mom¡­is it true what you said that day? Can Menos truly save her?" Questioned Felichs as they rubbed away their tears. "Yes, I do believe so. You see each wheel of breath is pretty powerful, but they''re all fairly equal in strength ¡ª all except one, Happiness. Happiness is said to be the strongest of all the emotions because not many people have ever attained it and even less can keep it. But you see, happiness can also heal us. When we finally find the right person and fall in love all of those past relationships seem to not hurt as bad. A warm hug from a loved one after a long day can make us feel much better. Sadly, nowadays that feeling is hard to attain, but that''s what Menos is for. While I''m not the creator of it, nor are any of my colleagues, I scoured the continent for something that could end this madness and Menos is what I found buried deep in Emovere''s history. This plant is believed that once consumed, it will grant you everlasting happiness. The winner of Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos can do whatever they want with it. If you desire to save your mother, have her ingest it and she''ll gain eternal happiness that''ll save her life." Stated Tournament as they revealed Menos to Felichs. "You know, if I could I would give it to you right now." "Whatta mean¡­" "I''ve had my eye on you for a while. I believe you will play a very important role in my plans, thus I''d love to have you on our side when we take back this country." Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon."You mean you and the rest of the council." "The council is our cover name. Our true name is The Flowers of the Goddess." Tournament corrected as they stared deeply into Felichs'' eyes. "We are seven individuals who plan to take back what was stolen from us hundreds of years ago. Oops, I think I might''ve just given you a new question. If you''d like, we can chat a bit longer, but do be aware I''m a busy individual and don''t have much more time." Tournament giggled as they sat back in their chair and studied Felichs. "Son of a bitch¡­I still have so much more I need to know! Should I ask for their real name? About this whole Flowers of the Goddess ordeal? Their plan? Fox''s request? Or this stupid note?" Felichs thought as they began grinding their teeth against each other to try and ease their troubled mind. "Well, the note''s not that important anymore. It''s likely a Wheel of Breath list and even if it''s not, I guarantee whatever it is can''t be that useful. The only thing their real name does for me is help peel back more of their mysterious identity. Then again, they''ve respected me up until this point, so maybe I should respect their privacy. So it''s down to this flowers of the goddess thing and their plan, or that request. Before this big reveal, I may have thought they wouldn''t know, but now I can''t be so sure." "I see I''ve left you stumped on your next course of action. Tell you what. How about instead of answering any more questions I tell you that tale I mentioned earlier? I feel any remaining questions you may have will be found within it." Offered Tournament. "Why do I feel like you''re bored of answering questions and just wanna talk about this story? Fine, whatever, but if I fall asleep just keep talking, ok?" "Pahaha. Now I know I wasn''t the only one who was bored. Let''s test that mind of yours, shall we? Sit back and relax because this is a rather long one as this is the story of how Emovere was founded." "Oh, brother¡­maybe these questions weren''t with it," Felichs grumbled to themself. The Tale of Emovere "Many say Emovere was discovered around 1000 years ago, but the truth is, it wasn''t discovered ¡ª it was always here. Before Emovere there was a group of people native to this land who were known as The Cloves of Eirini ¡ª hence the land''s true name, Clovis. Sadly, not much is known about these people except for an event that transpired around the early 1400s. One day a young boy was walking down the stream with his sister when they found a baby wrapped in cloth. They took the baby back to their village where the people decided to raise it as their own. The boy''s birth name is unknown, but the people called him T¨® as he was found by the water. For the first twenty years of his life, he lived alongside The Cloves and helped them build up their society. He had even met a young woman named Nizhoni and had planned to marry her until one night when an awful rainstorm struck the entire land accompanied by lightning. This is where things get foggy but some say it struck him while others around him three times. Either way, this day caused a sudden change in T¨®. People began to say that they would find him talking to himself a lot more than the common person would. Then on one fateful night, he brutally attacked and murdered his wife, her parents, and their grandchildren, claiming them all to be evil. When they apprehended him he said that they tried attacking him because her parents didn''t want him to marry their daughter as they believed she was only fit for a true man of Clovis. What really caught their eye was that he said he could see into the past and future and that if they let him go he''d give them a layout of natural disasters that were to come. Because of this, instead of sentencing him to death, the chief decided to cast the man ashore and banish him from ever returning to their home. However, ten years later he would return with weapons they had never seen before and a powerful army of over 5000. They slaughtered over ninety percent of the people and claimed Clovis as their own. The ones who survived fled up north, but of them, only eight were able to make it. Four women and four men all determined to reclaim their home. They soon created their own civilization, but as time passed, T¨® would find out. He sent an army up north to capture them all ¡ª forcing them into slavery. By this point, he did away with his given name and claimed a new name, Bartolomeo the Seer. With the land now under his rule he changed its name to Emovere. By the early 1500s, the country started to blossom into one of the mightiest in the world. Due to the slaves'' hard work, but mainly because their presence disgusted him, Bartolomeo offered them a small town cut off from the rest of the country which would come to be known as Inanis. The Cloves had no support from the rest of Emovere, so they had to protect themselves from invaders and learn things like agriculture, construction, medicine, and more on their own. By the mid-1600s, Inanis itself became one of the most advanced states in all of Emovere, while the rest of the state''s progression slowed, causing them to become enemy number one. Bartolomeo''s beliefs were passed down from generation to generation and soon one of his descendants would wage war against Inanis. This marked the first of many wars between the two. However, Inanis would hold their own as they were far more advanced and their military''s might grew thanks to their king. A powerful and kind man known as King Quinn, the fifth king of Inanis, was said to have literally separated Inanis from Emovere with just one swing of his sword. With the state no longer attached it slowly moved further and further away from the country. After a few more skirmishes, that did nothing but waste ammunition for both sides, Quinn struck a deal with the then leaders of Emovere that he and his people would support the country, if in turn, nobody ever tried setting foot on or waging a war against Inanis. The leaders, possibly out of fear of the man''s strength, would agree to the terms and Inanis was no longer considered a state of Emovere, instead an ally. However, a hundred years later, mid-1700s, the seventh ruler of Inanis, Eima, would join hand in hand with the newest leader of Emovere, Diego, and Inanis would be reinstated as one of its many states. She believed that her people''s hate for the country and its people, caused them to not try as hard when offering support during wars. Eima would go on to claim that if Emovere were to fall, Inanis would follow and so her people should be giving their all when supporting them. She also believed this went against what her grandfather Quinn would have hoped for. In turn, Diego and his council recognized the mistakes of their ancestors and issued a public apology to the natives who originally made the land their home. They also made a special resting home for their ancestors, marked it as sacred ground, and created a law that those who would disrespect it in any way would be punished with life in prison. For the next hundred years the country of Emovere would grow into the most powerful country in the world, but with power comes arrogance and Emovere would once again soon crumble. Around the time of the eighth leader of Inanis and Diego''s predecessor, both names lost in history, the country had begun to rapidly slow down in its advancements. Their weapons were getting to be outdated, their ships could only hold a few dozen men, and the tools for farming were too labor-inducing. Everybody blamed the leaders as they were both too young and too madly in love with each other. As was the norm with Emovere, chaos would, once again, show its ugly face. The people of Inanis were appreciative of the sacred land but they believed they deserved more. Seeing as their ancestors were the first to call the land home, they believed they should be its leaders. However, the current leaders of Emovere disagreed, saying that their people may have at one point in time claimed Emovere, but deserted it for new land. This back and forth caused Inanis and the rest of the Emovere to clash ¡ª with it being much uglier this time. So their love wouldn''t be affected, the descendants decided to stay out of the war. This proved to be a costly mistake as this war was so deadly over a million total citizens would lose their lives. As the war went on, many claim the people began to drop to their knees and cry out to Eirini to save them. Around that time a mysterious woman appeared. She stood with neither party, instead between them, and issued a challenge. If she were to defeat them she would become the new ruler of Emovere, but if she lost they could have a map she had drawn on her own body, that''s treasure chest was full of diamonds. Both sides agreed and within mere seconds she would decimate both armies of over 100,000 men. From that day forward, the descendants stepped down and she ruled Emovere. She eventually revealed her name to them, that name being Elpis, and soon the people sang her name all throughout the country. Not much was known about this period but it was said to be the only time that truly knew peace. Then one day, sometime between the 1800s and 1900s, she would mysteriously vanish. Some said she was killed while others believed she died of old age. The adopted child of the former rulers would soon stake her claim to the empty throne, but at this point, anybody who led would be leading people whose emotions slowly started to leak out into the world. From the mid-1900s to early 2000s over a hundred civil wars would break out. At some point a council was created, no connections to ours, that saw the final nail be hammered into the coffin for Emovere. Eventually, parties came about and people would vote for their leader, but the final two candidates would have a fight to the death to be the ruler. The people didn''t like this because they felt their vote didn''t matter. One lady proved their thoughts right as rumors spurred about her communications with others degrading the people of Emovere. Another man, some say looked like a chunky weasel with a toupee, let it be known he didn''t care for the country''s people and wanted to get Emovere back to its good old days when Bartolomeo ran things, and another one, a rather old, fella clearly way passed his days of leading anybody, had apparently been convicted for eating children. By the time the fight was going to start the people had begun their revolt, launching Emovere into its worst war. One that would see most states be decimated. This was the war that shrunk Emovere from its fifty states, to now only six remaining ¡ª not counting Inanis which has become a ghost town. I don''t think I need to read the rest as you already know it. The fights continued on for the next 400 hundred years and sadly we''re not done with them. Sometime during these wars is when Perdita really blossomed as one of the most powerful states and this was thanks to House Vita and House Mors. Two of the most powerful families to ever walk this earth. You already know about House Mors, but what you don''t know is they''re very family first, and when I say that I mean it. The Mors, alongside Vita, are the founders of Perdita and follow the main branch of the T¨® family tree. You see after T¨® married his wife a few of his kids went on to marry outside of the family ¡ª all except two. Both of them never amounted to much in life until fifty years ago when Lily''s father single-handedly pushed back the Spes military. He would later reveal had it not been for Azrael''s father''s strategy he would''ve died on the battlefield. Well, thanks to this event those two families now run Perdita alongside the chancellor and us in the council. Sadly their children aren''t so cooperative with each other and it''s clear why. House Mors marries the brothers and sisters because they believe the closer the blood the more powerful the child will become. They''ve been scolded by House Mors for these beliefs, but they''re not perfect either as they''ve married distant relatives up until Azrael''s leadership where he banned all marriage. He believes the line has long been corrupted and needs to die out to pay for their sins ¡ª something we both can agree on. While he may seem like a saint though, his actions along with Lily''s, and Cedric''s have caused irreparable damage throughout Perdita and Emovere. Their continued hatred for Spes and the need to deliver the killing blow to their long-time rivals has led to others to follow suit. Even after hundreds of wars, every state is still at odds with each other and it''s only a matter of time until this country enters its final war. Truly a sad sight if you ask me." Lamented Tournament as they slowly closed their book and walked it back over to a shelf behind them. "Retrieval¡­" "Hm?" "The reason for you creating this Flowers of the Goddess and y''all plan. It''s to retrieve land stolen from your ancestors. Seems stupid if you ask me. And why did I need to know this anyway?" "Stupid¡­" Tournament grumbled as they slowly paced over to Felichs before leaning close to their face. "What about this to you is stupid? Do you not realize this land doesn''t belong to the people who keep waging all these wars?! Do you not realize this is information that you deserve to know? Everyone deserves to know. This is information that is being kept from the people of this country, that''s always been kept! It''s the reason why we keep repeating the same cycle. Think about it like chess, if someone''s seen a move done a few times they''re less likely to fall for it. Same with our history. Since the downfall of this country came the destruction of things like schools. Without them, people can''t learn about the past, and since the past repeats itself, people will never see what''s coming." Stated Tournament as they calmed themselves and sat back down. "That''s something we would love to prevent from happening ever again. This country has seen too much darkness, it''s time to usher in an era of peace that''ll last forever." "Like I said, it''s stupid. Y''all are playing Captain Save Emovere, when, in reality, this county''ll never be saved. Why not let the wars happen and then claim the land afterward? All y''all are gonna do is interfere with a war before it even starts and then lead by what? Lead by strength? Doesn''t matter how strong you guys are, because leading people by flexing your muscles will just create a subconscious fear in people that''ll, in turn, morph into feared peace. The kinda peace that''ll only last until you guys are dead or cause the people to revolt¡­again! As far as that silver tongue you got, it''s basically just manipulation, so once you die they''ll lose all hope like they did with Elpis and we''ll be back to where we are currently. Hell, people believe in Eirini and that when we die we''ll be living in some beautiful and peaceful land in the afterlife if we''re all righteous, yet even that''s not enough to create peace on this stupid planet. There''s nothing any of you can do. The best thing is for us to just live out our lives in this hellish world and die." "Well, my dear, that is exactly why we''re not trying to save Emovere." "You''re not?" Questioned a confused Felichs as they sat up in their seat. "No. We''re trying to restore Clovis. You see, myself included, there are a few people in today''s society who are one hundred percent pure Clove of Eirini. Those are the only people that I''ll save. The rest will have the choice of either leaving this country peacefully with nothing on their backs or becoming the labor force for Clovis'' reconstruction. However, the leaders of each state will not be granted this opportunity as they have shown their true faces. No, they''ll all be killed for the error of their ways. I recently found out they also all fall from the same family tree as that man¡­that disgusting pig who soiled my land¡­who raped and murdered my ancestors¡­don''t you get it Felichs? WE ARE OWED THIS LAND! WE MUST TAKE IT BACK AND REMOVE THOSE WHO HAVE EVEN AN OUNCE OF THAT MAN''S BLOOD! FOR IF WE WERE TO PROTECT THEM THE CYCLE WOULD NEVER END!" Declared Tournament. "I don''t care about recovering stolen land! Hell, I don''t even care that it was stolen! All I want is for my mother to be happy BECAUSE SHE DESERVES THAT!" Answered an enraged Felichs. "You''re telling me all this information like I''m supposed to be helping you or something. This isn''t my fight, it''s yours. So how about you just give that damn plant and tell the victor it''s been stolen." "You fool¡­EVEN WITH MENOS CAN YOUR MOTHER TRULY BE HAPPY IF SHE KNOWS HER CHILD LIVES IN SUCH A DISGUSTING WORLD THAT IS CONSTANTLY PUTTING THEM IN DANGER?!" Felichs fell back into their chair as their head dropped into their hands. Tears began to roll down the sides of their face. "What am I fighting for¡­" "I''m sorry my dear¡­but it''s the truth. I never lied when I said Menos could save your mother. Indeed, she''ll no longer die from her illness, but Sana will continue to suffer from her depression caused by this world. Even a truly happy person will cry every once in a while." Consoled Tournament as they placed their hand upon Felichs'' shoulder. "I get that our goals do not align but I believe we both desire the same thing. Peace. Whether it be for everyone or one person, we''re both striving for peace. I heard you turned down Fox''s offer, so I''ll extend my hand. Work alongside us, Felichs and I promise you your mother will know true happiness. Her illness will be gone and so will the constant worry for her child''s wellbeing and that you''ll be able to wear nice clothes, eat good food, drink rich beverages¡­and smile. I bet your mother hasn''t seen you truly smile in a long time." "I¡­I don''t know what to do anymore¡­this can''t be the only way to save you Mom¡­there has to be another way, there just has to!" "I''m the rightful heir to the throne." Tournament announced. "Huh?" "My great-grandmother told me she was the daughter of Queen Elpis. That means I''m the rightful heir to the vacant throne, not any of these false leaders, but because I have Royal blood I can never use the powers of the wheel of breath. I have read that Elpis created a tournament where the winner became her right hand, her sword. There are many amongst The Flowers who still don''t believe in you. However, I would love for you to prove to everyone that you can become my sword. Stand by my side and fight with me Felichs ¡ª it''s the only way to save this land. And no, you don''t have to answer right now, your actions in Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos will tell me everything. I only wish to help you get up from the floor, my dear." They smiled as they lifted their mask. Felichs reached up and grabbed their hand when suddenly time stopped for a moment then restarted. "What the hell was that? And why can''t I remember what their face looked like? I know I just saw it but I only have a vivid memory. What''s worse is I didn''t get a new ability even though it felt just like that time when I first awoke the Wheel of Breath against that other psychopath. What should I do though? Do I work with them? Maybe I could use them too¡­no they may be a psychopath, but they''re not stupid. I''ll have to figure this out sooner or later, but next time I can''t let them get me off my edge¡­" A confused and frustrated Felichs muttered as they exited the room. "Oh? Leaving already are we? I figured you would''ve had more questions, my dear." Questioned a playful Tournament as they returned to their chair and swirled their cup around. "One day¡­you WILL understand your destiny. This is not something that can be escaped, my dear." Meanwhile In Another of the Council''s House "Viento! Viento! VIENTO WAKE THE HELL UP! Que voy a hacer¡­que voy a hacer! What happened to you¡­who did this¡­I''m going to fucking kill them!" Malu exclaimed as she lifted a bloodied and beaten-up Viento over her shoulders and made her way out of the manor. Turn 8: Those Who Run From Truth Fall Into A Bed Of Despair ¡°No violence, eh? Then how the hell do you explain this?¡± Malu grumbled as she paced back and forth in the alley. ¡°Where the heck are you guys at? Hurry up!¡± ¡°OH SHIT! VIENTO!¡± ¡°?QU¨¦ LE PAS¨®?¡± ¡°C¨¢lmes a ustedas dos he¡¯s still breathing. I need you guys to get ¡®em back home though.¡± ¡°What about you jefa? How about I stay here with you and let the lil whore magnet take ¡®em?¡± ¡°Oh, because I could really carry him on my own. Plus, how would I defend him and myself? If anything I should stay with Malu.¡± ¡°C¨¢llate, por favor. Both of you guys will go back together and I¡¯ll handle this shit here. I¡¯m getting revenge for both you and Viento as well, so let me handle this. Besides, I need you guys to get him up and ready to move again, so all four of you can meet me in Inanis.¡± The two stared blankly at Malu as if she spoke a foreign language. ¡°Helloooo? You guys suddenly lost your ears?¡± ¡°Where the heck¡¯s Inanis?¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know! Ugh. Look I¡¯ll make sure to pay attention on the way there and find out to relay it to you guys. In the meantime, see if you can¡¯t find it before me. There¡¯s only a few weeks left until this damn thing goes down and I¡¯d rather have a team.¡± ¡°Wow. That¡¯s the first time you ever asked for help, dude. What¡¯s got you so concerned?¡± ¡°N-Nothing. Look, something just doesn¡¯t feel right is all. The sudden change of plans, weird rituals, and this weird power-¡± ¡°Power? Whadda mean power?¡± ¡°Is that what made you so exhausted after saving me? I mean, sure, fighting that many people would make anyone tired, but something seemed different when I held you. Also, your hair looks just a tad bit darker too.¡± ¡°Huh? Really? I hadn¡¯t noticed. De todos modos, just take him back and get ready ok?¡± ¡°A-Alright. Whatever you say. What should we tell Baya though? She¡¯s gonna be worried about you when she sees him like this.¡± ¡°Tell her the truth. I¡¯d rather not lie to her. Plus she¡¯d see right through it. Vastago can only lie if there¡¯s a chance to get in their pants.¡± As Suelo and Vastago took Viento and made their way back to Mediocris, Malu sat in the alleyway. ¡°Something does feel¡­different. I don¡¯t know why, but I feel a lot more tired as of late. On top of that, Vastago was right, my hair did get a bit darker. And here I thought I ate enough to have my hair green for life. I haven¡¯t heard from whoever the heck that was in a while, but I can still feel her presence. It¡¯s like she¡¯s watching me from afar, but why? Just who are you?¡± As the thoughts raced through Malu¡¯s mind she began to doze off before remembering where she was. ¡°Probably not the safest place to rest. I should get back to the manor. I was already arrested once before, don¡¯t need that happening¡­now what wait just a minute. What do we have here? Solis? And¡­who¡¯s the pink-haired boy? I should try and get closer¡± ¡°Yuh sure I¡¯m allowed to be out here?¡± ¡°Y-Y-Yeah, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± The boy answered as he struggled to get the words out. ¡°Eh? Yuh don¡¯t sound so sure lil feller.¡± ¡°D-D-Don¡¯t worry. I-I-I just have a sp-sp-speech imped-d-diment. I-I-It¡¯s hard to talk sometimes around n-n-new people.¡± ¡°Oh? Well, don¡¯t feel embarrassed now! I ain¡¯t gonna hurt yuh!¡± Solis chuckled as he smacked the boy on the back. ¡°Tell yuh what, anytime yuh need a lil just ask Ol¡¯ Uncle Solis here to help yuh out. Deal?¡± ¡°Th-Th-Thank you, but I¡¯ll p-p-pass. He¡¯s really kind. I hope you receive the blessings you deserve in life. W-W-Well this is my h-h-house.¡± ¡°YUH HOUSE??? Whatta the Prince of Fortuna?¡± ¡°N-N-No, nothing like th-th-that. I-I-I¡¯m just a-¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to stutter in my presence? If you¡¯re going to continue being a part of this family you need to make us look good at all times you good-for-nothing loser!¡± ¡°Aye now ma¡¯am-¡± ¡°That is madam to you.¡± ¡°Ok, ma¡¯am. Now look here, I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but nobody should be makin¡¯ fun of someone for somethin¡¯ they can¡¯t control.¡± ¡°Ira¡­why have you brought this filth to my house? It better be good.¡± ¡°W-Well you see. A-After he didn¡¯t work out, I f-figured he¡¯d help out!¡± ¡°Help out with what?¡± ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re participating in that stupid tournament as well? Very well, I¡¯ll cut to the chase. Since you¡¯re in I¡¯m assuming you want Menos too. Well, it just happens that I want it as well and will strike a deal with you. I get Menos and you can have a house here in Fortuna, as well as citizenship, and you¡¯ll be given the last name Mors. It¡¯s a name you¡¯ll want to have as we are one of the very first families to help create Emovere.¡± ¡°Now as nice as that sounds I¡¯m sorry to tell yuh, but I don¡¯t care about winnin¡¯ that damn thing.¡± ¡°W-Wait what???¡± ¡°Then what are you actually here for, eh? Are you trying to spark a war?¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just here to get my brother back. You see, I don¡¯t believe in leavin¡¯ anybody behind, ¡®specially if they had yuh back so many times. ¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know¡­I-I¡¯m sorry mother.¡± ¡°You little piece of!¡± Yelled Lily Mors as she readied to strike him before being stopped by Solis. ¡°Now that¡¯s the second time I¡¯ve had to say somethin¡¯ to yuh. Ima startin¡¯ to get just a lil angry with yuh, so ima need yuh to leave ¡®em alone.¡± ¡°Ira! Get inside this instant!¡± ¡°No. He¡¯s not goin¡¯ with yuh. Come on lil fella yuh stickin¡¯ with me from now on.¡± ¡°I-¡± ¡°Fine. Take the brat with you. He knows where his allegiance lies and soon enough so will you.¡± Lily promised as she slammed the door on the two. ¡°W-W-Why did you d-d-do that? ¡°No kid deserves to be treated like that. Kids are precious things in this world who should be protected and cared for. She ain¡¯t your mother is she?¡± ¡°H-H-How did you know?¡± ¡°Aint no way a real mother would treat her child like that. I had a real mama. The most beautiful woman ever. She had a smile so wide it¡¯d light up the whole room and a heart so big Eirini herself would be jealous. That¡¯s a real mama.¡± ¡°I-I-I would¡¯ve loved to have m-m-met your mom.¡± ¡°As would she. Now let¡¯s get back to the manor. There¡¯s actually someone I¡¯d like for you to meet. They¡¯re kinda close to your age. You¡¯d like ¡®em.¡± ¡°I-I-I hope so!¡± As the two made their way back, Malu followed from a distance hoping Solis¡¯ wolf-like senses wouldn¡¯t notice her. Meanwhile At The Manor As Felichs walked down the hall a strange individual sat against the wall bobbing back and forth, humming a tune. It was as though they¡¯d grown bored waiting for them. ¡°Ahaaa, you look rather confused, my good friend, but also very upset. I wonder why that is?¡± The strange boy acknowledged as he walked around Felichs observing them. ¡°His voice is sweet like honey. It¡¯s as though he wants people to feel comfortable, but something¡¯s off about him. Usually, I can feel someone¡¯s aura, but with this dude, I can¡¯t feel a thing. He¡¯s empty. Like a puppet or something. And those two lines going down from his forehead all the way down to his chin almost look man-made ¡ª definitely not stretch marks either. Then there¡¯s his skin¡­I¡¯ve seen a lot of black folks, but none with skin this oily. It¡¯s almost as if he produces too many natural body oils. I think I can see my reflection in him. Just who the heck are you and why were you waiting for me?¡± ¡°Hmm? Cat got your tongue? Ahaaa! I know what it is. It¡¯s my suit, right? Yes, my master got it from this nice little shop in Brutus. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of Brutus, right? It¡¯s in Aidia if you haven¡¯t. Such a nice store with some of the finest people. ¡± Felichs continued to not say a word as they kept studying the person in front of them. ¡°Hmm, or maybe it¡¯s not my suit? Ahaaa! It must be my hair! You see, these are called free-form dreads! I know they¡¯re more on the shorter side, but trust me, one day they¡¯ll be long and beautiful! Matter of fact now that I look at your hair you appear to have the same hair type as me! OH, I KNOW! You should get them too! We can be twins and have ourselves a grand time as a duo in this Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos! Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°You know¡­mom always told me to avoid creepy people, maybe this is a good time to fake a heart attack or something.¡± Felichs continued to think to themself as they started walking away. ¡°HEY! Walt just a moment ¡ª you can¡¯t walk away when I¡¯m talking to you! You¡¯re a rather rude one now, aren¡¯t you? Well, my master always told me that not everyone in this world would be nice, especially those from Perdita¡­¡± The boy frowned as his sweet voice turned sour. ¡°Normally, this would be solved with a duel, but seeing as there¡¯s no fighting here, how about we play a game instead? I guarantee you¡¯ll love it and after the disrespect you showed me one could say you owe me this.¡± Felichs frustration with the person began to become noticeable as they took a long, deep sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll take your silence as a sign you¡¯re ecstatic and can¡¯t wait to hear the rules. Well, first let me introduce myself. My name¡¯s¡­uhhh, AHAAA! Heaven¡¯s me, I forgot you can¡¯t know my name for the game we¡¯re about to play. Silly me almost gave you the victory that easily.¡± The boy chuckled as he pulled out a deck of cards. ¡°Ok, so here¡¯s how the game works. Every card in this deck of fifty-two has twenty-six letter cards and twenty-six number cards as well. We¡¯ll draw until we¡¯ve both taken every card from the deck. Then both of us get a turn to try to guess each other¡¯s name and age using the cards at our disposal. Remember not to show me your cards, but you can ask me up to three times if my name has a particular letter in it or if my age has a particular number in it. Now whoever is the loser must answer one question the winner has and it must be answered honestly. The winner then gives the loser three facts about them, but one of those three will be false. Are you following so far? If so, do we have a deal?¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Felichs answered, finally breaking their silence. ¡°Ahaaa! So, you can talk! Isn¡¯t that just fantastic? I was honestly worried for a while because if you couldn¡¯t speak then it¡¯d be a bit harder to play. Although I have played this game with a mute fellow before. A rather odd guy, but his heart was in the right place and that¡¯s all that matters.¡± ¡°Can we get started already? I have other matters I need to attend to.¡± ¡°Ok, ok, sit down and let us begin. Don¡¯t worry. I promise this won¡¯t take too long.¡± The two sat down and the strange boy shuffled the cards in a rather flashy manner shooting a few of the cards in the air catching them with one hand. He then placed the deck between the two and both of them took cards one after another until they both had twenty-six cards. ¡°I almost forgot to mention this, but the only way you win is if you get both the age and name right. Don¡¯t worry though you only need to get my first name. Oh and by the way you only are allowed to have nine of the twenty-six cards you have drawn, so make sure to choose wisely.¡± The boy pointed out as a very sinister smirk began to grow upon his face. ¡°Three guesses? I¡¯m sure I could guess his age rather easily seeing as he looks close enough to me¡­wait, wait, wait¡­why do I care about this again? First of all, it''s not chess and sounds really boring. Second, I don''t care who this weirdo is, nor do I care about any facts he could tell me. There¡¯s no way someone that¡¯s actually important in this world is participating in this tournament. I just want him to stop bothering me so I can head back to my room and sleep a little. Although if I win, I guess I could get information on him and that¡¯ll be one less person I¡¯d have to worry so much about. Ok then. Well, I¡¯m eighteen, and judging by his high-pitched voice and the way he acts so childish he can¡¯t be any older than me. Heck, he might not even be sixteen! He¡¯s definitely not younger than thirteen though, there¡¯s no way that psycho path added kids that young to Tournou¨¢. Alright, I have an age but what about his name? That¡¯d be damn near impossible to guess with all these letters. Let¡¯s see, he did say his master, so he must be a noble of sorts¡­those damn bastards¡­I¡¯m gonna kill them¡­every last one of them¡­¡± Felichs muttered as they began to grow enraged. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe that sick bitch and the disgusting creature she calls a daughter. Gotta calm down¡­I might not detect his aura nor can mine leak out like Fox, but my bloodlust will be noticeable.¡± ¡°Everything ok there? You seem angry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just a little stumped is all. Not easy to guess someone¡¯s name but ima go with you¡¯re fourteen because of the voice and your name¡¯s Terra.¡± ¡°Ahaaa! Like the earth element! Good guess indeed, but sadly no to both. Please, try again?¡± ¡°Ok¡­then my next guess is fifteen and Ventus?¡± Guessed Felichs. ¡°Ahaa! I seem to recall a story of a legendary green phoenix that once made the skies of Emovere as its home before flying off to another world. Sadly, no to both although I would¡¯ve loved to have been given that can¡¯t. One more chance.¡± ¡°Fine lay guess it is. Seventeen and shit, I don¡¯t know, Angelo?¡± Questioned Felichs. ¡°Ahaaa! That reminds me of the angel who befriended a devil in this fairy tale I read as a kid! Oh, and before I forget, no to both, once again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re laughing like you could do any better.¡± Challenged a frustrated Felichs. ¡°Oh? Well, then tell me if I did any better, eighteen-year-old Felichs from Pauper!¡± ¡°What the hell kinda game are you playing?¡± Snarled an angered Felichs as they grabbed the boy by his collar. ¡°I don¡¯t care if I lost, you¡¯ll answer who you are and why you know me right now!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of the cards. They see everything and with them, I¡¯m able to know whatever I desire about a person. Not only that, but they also allow me to channel my aura into them, so people can¡¯t detect it.¡± ¡°W-What the¡­no way¡­¡± ¡°Ahaaa! I¡¯m only kidding Feely! I know your name because I heard it said a few times around the manor. As far as your age I merely just guessed. To be honest, you could¡¯ve just lied and said I was wrong. Although, this game is based on the honor system and that wouldn¡¯t be very honorable now would it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­well then why play if you were just gonna cheat?¡± ¡°Gasp! Cheat? Me? Never that.¡± The boy answered sarcastically as he began twirling around before noticing Felichs¡¯ glare. ¡°Ok. You got me. I get soooo bored here, and to be fair I am a kid surrounded by a bunch of grumpy, depressed adults. I just wanted to play with someone around my age and figured you¡¯d be fun to play with. You seem different from others here. I don¡¯t know what it is, but you¡¯re the only one I ever sensed an inkling of hope from. By the way, my name¡¯s Tempst, Tempst Latrare from Brutus and I¡¯m sixteen-years-old!¡± He answered cheerfully. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.¡°Well, sorry, but I¡¯m probably more like the other adults here. I don¡¯t really have much time to play unless it¡¯s chess. So, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± ¡°Well, that sucks. But if you ever want to hang out my room¡¯s this one right here. Just come knock on the door three times, not fast, and come on in. You¡¯re always welcome.¡± ¡°Thanks. I appreciate it.¡± Felichs smiled as they patted him on the head and walked away. ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re an interesting one, Felichs. Although, I¡¯m surprised you weren¡¯t able to pick up on anything about me or my cards. Speaking of, I should go do some more maintenance.¡± Tempst muttered to himself as his body began to creak. As Felichs approached their room their body began to grow hot as they smirked devilishly. ¡°I know¡­that aura!¡± They said ever so slowly as they kicked in the door. ¡°YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST SHOW YOUR FACE AROUND HERE?!¡± ¡°Wh-Wh-Who are y-y-you?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb! You sent me to that hellhole knowing damn well what would happen to me! If you think I¡¯d really just forget and forgive that shit you¡¯re crazy. That¡¯s for the weak and I¡¯m not weak. I¡¯m gonna bash your fucking skull in and make you regret ever living!¡± ¡°B-B-But we can¡¯t f-f-fight here!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about the rules and trust me I¡¯ll be just fine.¡± ¡°Hold on now patna. Just take it easy.¡± ¡°And while you¡¯re at it, why don¡¯t you explain why you¡¯ll have it so easy? Maybe it¡¯s because someone¡¯s gotten cozy with the cabezas?¡± ¡°Listen here you lime-headed clown, I don¡¯t like you, so if you keep getting in my face I¡¯ll deal with you afterwards. As for you Solis, I still like you, so let¡¯s keep it that way and stand aside. My business is with this scum of the earth and after what his sister and mom did he needs to pay for their actions. Somebody has to.¡± ¡°And you listen here I don¡¯t care what happened to you¡­you ever threaten me ever again and I¡¯ll have you taking out the back of your head. Felichs turned their attention to Malu, while still keeping Ira in their sights. ¡°Now this is just¡­oh lawd what do I do.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll deal with you later. Right now I want him then I¡¯ll deal with the rest of that sick family afterwards.¡± ¡°I-I-I promise it w-w-wasn¡¯t me! I-I-I did take someo-o-one to Mother, but not you!¡± Felichs eyes darted between the three as their head cooled a bit. ¡°I¡¯m not wasting my time with this. You¡¯re gonna continue to lie, then I¡¯ll just settle this during Tournou¨¢. You better listen because I¡¯ll only say this once. I¡¯m coming for you and when I get my hands on you it¡¯ll be a slow, painful death. Then, I¡¯ll deliver your head to your mother and take hers too.¡± ¡°I-I-I really thought we could b-b-be friends¡­¡± ¡°Friends? After what you did? You¡¯ll be lucky if someone gets to you before I do.¡± Felichs threatened as they spat on Ira and marched out of the room. ¡°Wait! Before you leave, those people you¡¯re working with¡­tell them they¡¯ll pay for what they¡­every last one of them. As for you¡­what is he yapping about Ira? I don¡¯t want any serpientes in my presence.¡± ¡°I-I-I don¡¯t know¡­I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m g-g-going to go t-t-take a bath.¡± ¡°Aye Malu-¡± ¡°Malum. I don¡¯t despise you like that la basura, but I still don¡¯t trust you either, Solis.¡± ¡°Much apologies lil lady. Malum, take it easy on the kid will yuh? Somethin¡¯ ain¡¯t seem right ¡®bout all this.¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a bad liar. Now, it¡¯s just a matter of what he was lying about exactly.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­by the way I wanted to ask yuh somethin¡¯.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well, me and Ira were talking and-¡± THUD! ¡°MI DIOSA! WHAT THE FUCK?!¡± ¡°OH NO, OH NO! IRA! WAKE UP!¡± ¡°He slit his fucking wrist! Mierda¡­why the heck would he do that!¡± ¡°Stay here with ¡®em ima go get-¡± ¡°Help? Allow me to take the boy. Don¡¯t worry he¡¯ll be fine.¡± Tournament smiled as they reached down and scooped up Ira. ¡°No way! Ain¡¯t no way you¡¯re taking him!¡± Solis yelled out as he grabbed Tournament by the shoulder and whipped them around. ¡°Well, if I don¡¯t he¡¯ll continue to lose blood and die. So, if you¡¯d do so kindly as to let go of me, I might just be able to save him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m goin¡¯ with yuh then. I ain¡¯t leavin¡¯ that boy alone with yuh.¡± ¡°Fine, fine come along. As for the dog, be a dear and clean up the blood will you?¡± ¡°Ch¨²pame la verga tu asqueroso¡­¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right no hablas espa?ol. I said suck my nonexistent dick you creep!¡± Tournament let out a slight chuckle before hastily rushing Ira over to the makeshift infirmary setup for participants as Solis closely followed. As the two walked down the hallway something, momentarily, caught the attention of Solis. ¡°Hmm, now what in Eirini¡¯s name was that? I swear I done heard somethin¡¯ like a girl gigglin¡¯. Eh, maybe I¡¯m just hearin¡¯ things.¡± ¡°Do you mind pulling on those flowers over there, my dear?¡± Tournament directed as they laid Ira on the bed As Solis pulled a flower another figure made their appearance, but not any member of the council. ¡°Ah, Servus my dear, you must¡¯ve been with Solid. Well, now I need you to go grab someone for me. And take Felichs with you.¡± ¡°As you wish, master.¡± The man made his way out of the room and began searching for Felichs, eventually finding them in the front of the manor. ¡°Good day Felichs, might I trouble you to tag along with me?¡± ¡°Just ignore him Felichs¡­maybe he¡¯ll disappear.¡± ¡°Ah, you do seem rather busy yourself and I heard that you and your roommates had a bit of trouble. Well, if there¡¯s anything I can help with please let me know.¡± ¡°Anything? Now that sounds interesting. So what can you actually do for me? Like, if I were to ask for my own room could that be arranged?¡± ¡°Hm? Is that all?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Well then, once we get back I¡¯ll put in the word and you should have your own room before nightfall.¡± ¡°Perfect. So, where are we going?¡± ¡°Pauper.¡± ¡°Pauper? But why? What could you possibly need to do there?¡± ¡°Well, more specifically, your house. Your mother¡¯s aid has been requested by the one you call Tournament.¡± ¡°If this is going where I think it is¡­I¡¯ll wait until we get home before I make any decisions¡­¡± The two made their way outside and into a regular carriage that many in Fortuna would ride in. As they rode down the street Servus began fidgeting with the flowers until they came loose and fell off. ¡°What are you-¡± ¡°Felichs, might I ask a question?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What would you do if your mother didn¡¯t make it?¡± ¡°What do you mean?!¡± ¡°I mean, sure Menos can save her, but that''s still a few weeks away and by the time Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos is over it would be about a month until she gets it. What happens if that¡¯s too long?¡± ¡°Why would you even ask that?¡± ¡°My apologies. I just wanted you to understand that the worst possible outcome is indeed possible.¡± ¡°Let me guess you think I should join them too, huh?¡± ¡°No. The exact opposite actually. Have you ever had a dream that felt a bit too real? Well, I have and I¡¯ve had the same dream a few nights now of a mysterious figure taking the place of one of the members of the council. I don¡¯t know why or how, but one of their members will die soon and I believe you¡¯re the one to take their place.¡± ¡°Me? There¡¯s no way I¡¯d join. I already told your boss this.¡± ¡°But what if you had no choice?¡± ¡°What do you mean no choice?¡± ¡°The flowers are slowly starting to grow back, so we must cut our conversation short. I¡¯ll leave you with this; emotions are a dangerous thing ¡ª you need to learn to control yours before they lead you astray.¡± ¡°What is he talking about? There¡¯s no way I¡¯d ever join them nor do I see a reason to do so. And what¡¯s this about Mom? No¡­she¡¯s going to be fine. I¡¯ll make sure of that.¡± About an hour later they arrived in the neighborhood Felichs had grown up in. They warned Servus not to leave the carriage alone as many of their neighbors had sticky hands, but he assured them it would be ok. ¡°Well¡­it¡¯s got a lot of personality¡­at least.¡± ¡°Now look, I may hate this place, but with that said I don¡¯t go shitting on your house, so clench those cheeks nice and tight and go plop ¡®em on one of those houses over there ¡ª specifically that one beside ours.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I offended you. I hear kids your age like to crack jokes on each other and I always wanted to participate.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah whatever, now whatta want with my mom?¡± ¡°There¡¯s been a fatal injury and your mother¡¯s ability is needed-¡± ¡°My mother¡­who¡¯s dying from her illness¡­will not be used as a guinea pig anymore! So leave my house at once and tell that psychopath that just because they saved my life doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll get whatever they want.¡± As Felichs was about to continue they immediately stopped upon hearing their mother¡¯s voice. ¡°Felichs? Is that you sweetie?¡± ¡°M-Mom??? How did you? How are you?¡± ¡°How am I able to walk again? Well, the food and cookbook our visitor left has actually helped a lot. It¡¯s as though my strength has been restored. Matter of fact, just the other day I even made it to Mediocris.¡± ¡°Why did you go there? Did you need more medicine? I knew I should¡¯ve taken¡­I-I-I- mean gotten more.¡± ¡°Actually, a rather tall man with beautiful red hair dropped a bunch of boxes off the other day. He¡¯s stopped by a few times to check in on me. He said you seemed worried sick about your mama.¡± Sana giggled as she gave Felichs a big hug and kissed them on their cheek. ¡°Oh, and as far as me visiting Mediocris, I just wanted to meet your friend over there. Bellus right? He¡¯s such a sweet young man. A bit too wild for an older woman like myself to be around too much, but gosh he made me feel young again. He even tried getting me on one of those poles. You better not be on those by the way!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not. Although, if I ever needed the money¡­OW! Not too rough Mom!¡± ¡°Oh¡­oh my¡­sweetie I just realized, but what happened to you?!¡± ¡°Oh¡­the bandages¡­shit how do I explain this¡­I can¡¯t tell her exactly what happened.¡± ¡°They¡¯re a curious child, madam. You see they happened to take a carriage for a joy ride and one thing led to another. Long story short, they suffered a few cuts and bruises, but they should be fine soon.¡± ¡°Felichs¡­now why would you¡­didn¡¯t I tell you not to touch people¡¯s belongings?¡± Sana scolded as she grabbed their ear and made them apologize. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Mom¡­and you too, Servus.¡± Felichs said as they rubbed their now-bright-red ear.¡± ¡°So, what is it you¡¯re doing here? I hope that little stunt didn¡¯t get you kicked out.¡± ¡°No¡­actually¡­umm¡­¡± ¡°Your services are needed, madam. Another participant seems to have suffered a fatal injury. We don¡¯t know all the details, but it appears he slit his wrist. He¡¯s just a little boy.¡± ¡°Oh no! Please take me to them immediately! Felichs cover the doors and windows immediately!¡± ¡°Mom¡­mom¡­MOM! Stop! You don¡¯t have to do this. Why put yourself through more pain for someone you don¡¯t even know?¡± ¡°Simple. I¡¯m a doctor. We save people¡¯s lives and as long as I¡¯m able to breathe if there''s someone in need I¡¯ll do whatever I can to save them. Especially if they¡¯re a child.¡± ¡°Even if that means you have to harm yourself in the process?¡± ¡°Now Felichs, I know I raised you better than this. You should always help someone in need instead of thinking selfishly and worrying about what¡¯ll happen to you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just battlefield talk Mom. Who in their right mind would rush to save someone no matter what.¡± ¡°Someone who has a heart. If anyone could hear or see a person begging for them to help and they chose to walk away, they deserve to rot in the deepest part of hell. You would never leave your family if they were in that situation, would you? Well, we who walk this earth may not be related by blood, but we are one in the same race. We were all brought here to work together and help each other. Now cover the door and windows, so we can get to that manor before the boy dies!¡± As the three traveled back, Felichs continued to question their mother¡¯s motives and she equally scolded them every time. Servus led the two of them to the infirmary where Tournament and the others awaited them. ¡°Oh hell no!¡± ¡°Felichs! Language please.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but no. There¡¯s no way in¡­there¡¯s no way she¡¯s saving him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s some tension between you two, sweetie, but we just talked about this.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Felichs yelled as tears ran down their face. ¡°Baby, what happened.¡± ¡°N-Nothing. Nothing at all.¡± ¡°I hate to be a bother, I really do, but the situation is not getting any better for the boy. Sana, I¡¯ve brought you here because I heard you were an excellent healer from a colleague of mine. I¡¯ve also been told you have a serious illness, so if you can¡¯t I won¡¯t push you, but if you¡¯re able to I¡¯d love for you to please save this boy¡¯s life.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± As she lifted the tarp covering Ira she began to weep. ¡°He¡¯s only a boy¡­I realize my child is barely eighteen, but I figured only adults were allowed in this tournament.¡± ¡°I only sought out adults. This boy was left on my doorstep beaten and bruised. After tending to his wounds he pleaded with me to allow him entrance into Tournou¨¢ and so I did.¡± ¡°I see. Can you bring me a chair? My body¡¯s feeling a bit weak.¡± As Tournament brought Sana a chair she whispered something in their ear that made their eyes grow wide. ¡°Wheel of Breath: Gratitude- ¡°Tears To Turn Turn Back Time¡± She muttered as her hands rested upon Ira¡¯s hands. As the tears rolled down her face and onto the boy¡¯s wrist, his wounds slowly began to heal. His eyes began to twitch before slowly opening. ¡°I-I¡¯m alive¡­b-b-but how¡­¡± ¡°Well, you have this woman to thank. She saved your life.¡± ¡°Th-Th-Thank? Why would I thank h-h-her? I-I-I¡¯m going to be k-k-killed by that woman.¡± ¡°You should be more worried about the person in front of you.¡± Felichs protested as a pitch-black aura began to leak out of their body. Turn 9: If No One Is Created Equal, Does That Not Make Us All Special In Our Own Way? As Felichs awoke they peered around their room. Sweat began to rapidly drip down their face as they started panting heavily. "I''m b-b-back in that room¡­b-b-but why? M-M-My hands¡­ST-ST-STOP SHAKING DAMN IT! Y-Y-You''re not weak. Y-Y-You''ll survive¡­this ti¡­ti¡­time¡­" Tried as they might to get out of bed, but their breathing grew too heavy causing them to pass out. Their eyes stared blankly at the ceiling as though they were an empty corpse. The scars Felichs suffered began to repeatedly flash through their mind over and over again. "Wh-where am I¡­M-My body¡­I can''t move a muscle¡­oh¡­that''s right¡­that damn monster attacked me and I lost¡­again¡­how will I ever save Mom if I keep on losing¡­I think she broke every bone in my body too¡­so why am I still alive? I need to get out of here¡­" Though a mighty struggle it was, they were able to slowly open their eyes. "Oh my love, you look so ravishing. It''s always such a wondrous sight to see my beautiful sister-wife act in such an erotic manner." "I''m pleased to see you''re enjoying this, my dear. But how about my hands and yours trade places? Surely this disgusting boy won''t mind." "Sadly, I''ll have to decline your offer, my love. After touching that filthy thing your hands won''t go anywhere near any part of my body until they''ve been thoroughly cleaned." "But brotherrrr? There''s no need to be a tease. You know, with how much this is turning you on, one would believe you''d want this more often." "I-" "Shhh, you don''t have to say another word, fair brother. Instead of killing him, we can simply keep him. That way whenever one of these new urges hits we won''t have to go out and capture another." "Wh-what are you doing¡­G-Get off of me. Pl-Please stop¡­I-I-I don''t want this¡­why is this happening to me? I know I haven''t been the greatest person, but please, I''ll do anything. I''ll give the old man his chess pieces back¡­I''ll work off the stuff I stole¡­hell you can slit my throat for the crimes I''ve committed, but please¡­please stop¡­" "Oh? Look at him, my love, he''s enjoying this." "Well, of course, he is, who wouldn''t be aroused to have sex with a beautiful woman like myself? Matter of fact, honey you should join in. I bet this disgusting animal would love to feel you taking their manhood." Splat "I''d never touch something so foul. The filthy vermin looks like it hasn''t ever bathed before. Honestly, my love, you should''ve washed that thing, before fornicating with it." "I would''ve but you know how Margred is. Besides he''s from Pauper, there''s not enough water in the world to be able to clean him. "M-Mom¡­pl-pl-please¡­help me¡­" "Did it just speak? I''m shocked. Margred must''ve taken it easy on you. You should feel honored, boy. You''re one of the few who''ve actually endured Margred''s Rattle." "Ahhhh! I love hearing you beg for mercy. Nobody''s coming to save you, you stupid animal, so keep begging. Actually, scream, SCREAM FOR HELP ¡ª FOR MERCY¡ª I want to hear you crying for your mother! Imagine the look on her face when she finds out she couldn''t answer your pleas. It''ll be absolutely marvelous!" After many, many replays, Felichs slowly awoke once again ¡ª this time with a clearer head. "I-I-It was just a¡­I-I-I''m not in there¡­you sick, sick BASTARDS! I''ll make y''all regret ever living. I''ll make y''all beg for mercy. Just like your sick son was twelve days ago." "P-P-PLEASE STOP HIM!" "Twelve days¡­it''s been twelve days since I got a sample size of my revenge." "FELICHS! YOU MUSTN''T! THIS ISN''T LIKE YOU!" "My mother''s words still ring through my head." "V! You have to do it! I-I can''t stop them ¡ª they''re too powerful!" "Stop me? Nobody will ever stop me. I scarred him. I DID IT! I got my hands on him and left a scar that he''ll never forget. But it''s not over yet ¡ª not by a long shot. What he did to me can not be forgiven with a simple punch to the abdomen. No¡­I want more. I want his life in exchange for trying to offer up mine and once Tournou¨¢ starts I''ll have it. Then I''ll make my way to Mori. You poor bastard. I truly have no issue with you, but I need those eyes. I can''t continue to live like this. Always wondering who''s going to bring harm to me. I wish you would just give them to me and I bet if you had it your way you would. As for you, you psychotic bitch, if it wasn''t for priorities you''d be at the top of this list. Where the hell are you anyway? I was sure you''d show your ugly face. Well, whatever you caused me a great deal of suffering, so if I don''t get to you first I hope whoever does, does the job right. But if I do get my hands on you¡­for everything you did to me, I''ll make sure I take my time and enjoy every second of it. Malum¡­I simply can''t stand you and it seems we both need Menos. If it wasn''t for that I''d just ignore you. I have to tear apart anybody who stands in my way. I can''t allow a single soul, whether important or not, to stand between me and saving Mom ¡ª that also goes for you Solis. I honestly don''t know what you''re after. I can''t tell if you want Menos or something else. Once I get those eyes I''ll be able to see whether you''re friend or foe, then I''ll make my decision. You seem to have a good heart, but I''ve met your type before. The type to smile in your face, but smirk behind your back. I really would love to hear more of your stories so I hope it''s not the latter, not again. Then that leaves The Flowers of the Goddess." "We are seven individuals who plan to take back what was stolen from us hundreds of years ago." "Honestly I can''t tell how dangerous y''all truly are. To stand against y''all seems reckless, but it also looks like y''all are ready to wage war on the entirety of Emovere and if these guys are as powerful as they present themselves then there''s no way the leaders of each state don''t form some kind of alliance against them. Seven people against potentially thousands? Yeah, that''s just as reckless as joining them." As Felichs stared up at the ceiling a jolt ran across their body causing them to jump out of their bed. "Oh I hope this message reaches you¡­my power has only come back in spurts, but I''ll use whatever little strength I have left to make sure this reaches them." "That voice¡­why are you here again? I vividly remember hearing you say we wouldn''t be able to communicate again." "If you''re hearing this, it means it went through. I said before that I can''t help with much, but as the days go on I fear the worst is to come, so I''m here once to try and lead you down the right path. The other night I had a Blood Vision. It was unbearable to see and will be even worse for you to experience. Your heart became empty. You became a weapon for them. That is not your purpose. You are worth so much more than that and I believe you can be the one to right the wrongs of this land, but first, you must leave Emovere before you''re used for its destruction. There''s a land I once hailed from known as Opibus. You must journey here and there and you''ll find a man named Dux. Don''t worry about the description, he does a good job of standing out from the rest of the natives. Tell him the Voice of Guidance sent you. He''ll know what it means and will aid you to the best of his abilities." "I guess it can''t hear me, but what the heck is it talking about? I''m gonna be the cause of Emovere''s destruction? Opibus? And why would I need protection? Could you be any more specific or are you gonna continue beating around the bush?" "I have prepared a way for you to get there as well. Between Inanis and Emovere, thanks to King Quinn, there''s a body of water that stretches out to the ocean. It''s likely covered with trees and mountains so you''ll be able to escape unseen. You must acquire a boat, leave this land immediately, and never return. It''ll be a long journey, but you must go when you get the opportunity, Felichs!" Hearing the voice say their name caused Felichs'' eyes to grow wide. "H-How do you know my name? Just who the heck are you? Please answer me!" "One last th-th-thing¡­if you want to a-a-access the Wheel of Br-Br-Breath¡­you m-m-must¡­" "N-No¡­what''s going on? Why did it stop talking? Did it run out of power or something¡­but why¡­WHY NOW! WHY COULDN''T YOU TELL ME THE MORE IMPORTANT THING FIRST! I DON''T CARE ABOUT SOME STUPID FAR-OFF LAND NOR DO I NEED PROTECTION! I NEED TO KNOW HOW TO USE THIS POWER TO WIN THIS DAMN TOURNAMENT AND SAVE MY MOM! WHY IS EVERYBODY AGAINST ME EVERY SINGLE TIME?! WHY?!" Felichs continued to punch the ground until their fists were as red as a cherry. Noticing the blood they ripped part of the sheet off and wrapped it around their knuckles. "I have to find out how this power works. No. I will find out. That creep said something that might help." "To use this ability on your own you must have a strong connection with your soul. If you did then like I said it''d be as easy as just saying the name or straining your eyes." "Straining your eyes? So maybe if I focus hard enough on this ability then I''ll be able to use it? But what would I even focus on, to begin with? I slowed down time it''s not like I could¡­HOLY SHIT I SLOWED DOWN TIME! THAT''S SO FUCKING COOL. I ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT POWERS AS A KID AND TIME MANIPULATION WAS NUMBER ONE¡­damn it Felichs, focus now, and jump for joy later. Maybe I could focus on time. Like I could imagine that clock in Fortuna. The little hand and the big hand work in tandem. The big hand counts the minutes, while the little hand counts the hours. Each time the big hand passes the twelve, the little hand moves one number. Each time the little hand gets closer and closer to the next number another hour has passed. Don''t forget the red hand because it''s important too. It handles the seconds and when you focus on it, it seems to make the big hand appear to move even slower. Sixty seconds. Sixty seconds is how long it takes for a minute to pass, and sixty minutes is how long it takes for an hour to pass. That voice said I get five seconds. For the next five seconds, everything will move at its slowest possible output. It''s not much time, but it''s something I''ll just have to work with. And the more I focus on the time the slower it''ll pass. I can make that five seconds feel like hours. I have to get this down. I have to be able to use this power before Tournou¨¢." The clock''s hands continued to move slower and slower as Felichs forced their eyes to stay open for as long as it took. Seconds became minutes. Minutes became hours. They used their fingers to hold their eyes open for as long as possible until the vessels popped one after another. "Ughhh. Damn it! My eyes can''t take any more of this and if I go any longer I just might go blind. Why¡­why can''t I use it? Is my connection to my soul really that weak? What the heck am I gonna do against all of them? There''s no way with these injuries and no power I''ll be able to stand up against the field. Maybe I should take up Fox''s offer¡­I''m sure it''s still on the table. If I had him on my side there''s no way I''d lose. I just wish I knew what he wanted. He''s clearly not helping out of the kindness of his heart, so what is it, what the heck do you want? Maybe I should just sleep on it. There''s only a few hours left until it starts. I''ll find out what he wants and then make my decision. If it''s worth it, I''ll let him be my knight, but if it''s not, then I''ll bury him quickly like a pawn." They crawled back into their bed, tossing and turning as reality began to set in. Felichs knew it was going to be next to impossible to win Tournou¨¢ in this state. What would happen if they lose? How much longer would their mother, Sana, be able to live? How many more times could they sing with her? What about laughing and eating breakfast together? Tears ran down their face as reality set in. "I¡­won''t be able to save her¡­I''m sorry mom¡­I tried¡­I really fucking did¡­but I''m useless. I can''t do anything right and now you''re gonna die¡­because of me¡­" As Felichs tossed and turned all night, another individual who was set to have a collision with them also struggled to sleep. Mori laid on his bed as he stared up at the ceiling as though it was a dreary sky whose clouds showered the land with its waters of despair. "You lied to me. You promised the surgery would work, yet here I am still able to see through these evil eyes. I can''t take this anymore. I just want them gone. So why¡­why did you lie? I figured you were a better person than this, but it seems you''re just like him. You''re a sick person who gets off on lying to people and hurting them, just like him. You have a silver tongue, just like him. And Watson¡­I don''t know what to make of you. I sensed deadly intentions when we were in that room, but they weren''t directed towards me. So who? Your friend? Felichs? Or someone else? Well, whoever it is, I will not aid you whatever it is you seek. Ever since you left you''ve changed. You seem lost. A baby without its mother would be the best way to describe you. I can no longer be your eyes or your blade for Echo Path was the last. Speaking of which, I assume Mira and that Magna individual will be joining us too ¡ª likely both of their gang of bandits as well. Magna seemed like a leader at first, but that man who revealed himself to be their true leader clearly was a much stronger foe. So why did he feel so comfortable acting as their leader? Maybe it was a ruse. Maybe he was just feeding us to the beast¡­or maybe he''s the real brains behind the Echo Bandits. Either way, he''ll certainly be someone who should proceed with caution. Mira''s no slouch herself either, but my goodness they say Menos can bring you happiness, but is so much pain worth it? I can''t let myself go down the same path as you, Felichs. Your heart has grown too dark and now you point your blade at me. You yearn for what I despise. I wish I could just give them to you, then maybe we could be allies, possibly even friends. I''d love to help cleanse your soul. You''re an innocent child who has been swallowed up by this disgusting world. I have no intention of fighting you. If you desire to come for my eyes, then at least make the process quick." "Yo! Open up. We needa talk." Mori grumbled as he slowly approached his door and as expected, at the entrance stood Watson. "What is it¡­Watson¡­what do you want?" "Just checking in to see where your head''s at." "What do you mean¡­where my head''s at¡­why would you care?" "I don''t alright. I just¡­look you better not lose tomorrow. I don''t care who it is. Just let the Demon run rampant." "I could''ve sworn¡­that I made it clear¡­crystal clear in fact¡­we''re not partners¡­that was a one-time thing¡­you''re on your own¡­" "Idiot. Don''t win. I don''t care. But seeing as I owe you and don''t feel like being in debt to an idiot like you." Watson nudged Mori back and shut the door. Before saying another he made his way around the room rubbing his hands against the walls and floor. He then leaned in close and whispered in Mori''s ear. "If you''re just gonna lose, then get out there as fast as you can. It''s not gonna be pretty. And whatever you do, DON''T come back here and DON''T go back to Sollicitus either." With that, Watson made his exit. However as he began to close the door, he left Mori with one final message, "I know you hate those eyes of yours, but tomorrow they''ll be your best friend ¡ª trust them." Watson gave the door a little extra force as he closed it and Mori made his way back to bed. "Watson¡­just what exactly is going on? That''s the first time I''ve ever seen you look worried. You had a tremble in your voice and it appeared as though you were shaking. Just what is this Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos? What is the reason I and, I assume, others were sought out? Is this truly a simple tournament for a prize or is it something more? And why has it been moved to an unknown land? I''ve heard of this Inanis before, but only in passing. They say the land is no longer inhabited ever since the wars began. Sadly I have yet to find out any other information. If only these eyes allowed me to see intentions that weren''t just aimed my way I would''ve been able to read you better, Watson. Your strong desire for me to win was perplexing enough, but now you''re saying I should leave immediately? Dan¡­Shaki¡­what should I do? Can I trust these eyes that have forsaken me for so long? Or should I attempt to win? I do not desire to shed any blood whether the person deserves it or not for who am I to judge another? But at the same time, I''ve never felt this sense of unease from him. I have a few hours, maybe I should go for a walk and clear my head." Under the full moon sat Solis, as he gazed at the Perdita''s starless sky wondering if he''d ever see as beautiful as the ones he''d see with deceased lover. "Hopefully it''s the last day of this ol'' full'' moon. Them damn things don''t bring nothin'' but bad luck. Mama¡­Dad¡­Stella¡­all three of y''all passed away on full moons, and now I get stronger ''cause of ''em. That just don''t seem right. Then again nothin'' in this world seems right. Solis dropped his head and began to shed a few tears before what felt like his wife''s hands raised it and wiped the tears away. "You''re right, love, I can''t be thinkin'' negative. I have to stay focused. First ima get my brother back and then we''ll get Menos together. That Tournament fella promised me they''ll talk to their lil buddies and that he should be back by my side before we leave. Afterward, I gotta get back and save Gladius. I didn''t forget about you either ol friend. I''m coming for you and I''ll have Menos with me too. You''re the only person who never turned your back on me and even helped me recover my dad''s body so I could give him a proper burial. I owe you so much that I couldn''t think of a better way to pay you back. I know you wouldn''t care for the whole ''eternal happiness'' thing, but maybe it could cure your blindness. I know you say it''s not a big deal and maybe it isn''t, but you deserve to be able to see this world again. I get it ain''t the prettiest it could but you just make it better. Ever since the day you lost your sight you haven''t talked about yourself as much anymore and say what you want, but I just know you''re hurtin'' inside." "G-G-Good evening Solis. I figured I''d f-f-find you out here." Ira said as he approached the large man. "What''re you doin'' up so late? Couldn''t sleep either?" "S-S-Sadly, no I couldn''t. I don''t know wh-wh-why I''m competing tomorrow, but I am. M-M-Mother expects me to win. She even s-s-sent my s-s-sister to make sure of it." "Woah now, you have a sister? Well, why haven''t yuh let me meet the lil'' lady? Matter of fact, why ain''t yuh hanging around her?" Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation."Sh-Sh-She''s not¡­we''re not¡­it''s c-c-complicated. We don''t have the b-b-best relationship. She''s l-l-less of a sister and m-m-more of mother''s eye to watch me." "Watch you, eh? I wonder why a lady who seems to hate him also values him as much as she does. Well, what do you plan to do? Seems to me you''re just waitin'' for someone to tell you you''re making the right decision by tryna leave." "H-H-How did you kn-kn-know?" "I figured if you got a babysitter then there must be a reason and while I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer even I could''ve guessed it. Problem is did your mama guess it and if she did how do you plan on getting outta here without bein'' noticed?" "I-I-I don''t know what to do. Once we d-d-depart it''s going to be much harder to get a-a-away, but if I tried leaving now mother w-w-would sure find out." "Tell you what, if you find an opportunity during Tournou¨¢, make a break for it. Run, and don''t look back no matter what. It might seem scary to be on your own at first, but trust me you''ll be much happier. And don''t worry I''ll keep anyone who wishes to impede you at bay for as long as I can. However, I don''t plan on dying just yet so keep in mind that you likely won''t have much time, so don''t waste it." "I-I-I couldn''t possibly leave you o-o-on your own, and to fight my battles no less." "Like I said, I don''t plan on dying. If I feel like it could come to that then I''m gettin'' outta there. "B-B-But how could I survive on my own? I d-d-don''t know much about survival other than the few b-b-books I read." "Take the basics and build from there as yuh go. Watch the animals. They''ll teach yuh what food is edible and which isn''t. The best place to lay your head, and when the elements may come into play. Most important thing to remember is you''re not alone. The Goddess gave us plenty of friends, albeit some a bit hairier than others, so trust and rely on them." "O-O-Ok hopefully I can find a chance to leave, and m-m-make amends with Felichs as well¡­" "Yeah¡­about that. Yuh might wanna just keep your distance from that one." "Why?" "Somethin'' doesn''t feel right. I always felt the hate in their heart, but to see it oozin'' outta ''em ¡ª now that was a scary sight to behold. I think it''d be for the better if you did your best to avoid ''em. ''Specially after they left yuh that nasty scratch. Speakin'' of I''m surprised it still ain''t healed up, not even a lil bit." "Yeah¡­I-I-It still aches a lot too, but st-st-still! I want to make th-th-things right with Felichs. I have to!" "The kid''s heart''s too big for his own good. What should I do? He''s gonna get himself killed if I leave ''em alone, but can I protect him long enough? Heck, can I even face someone like Felichs right now? Ugh, Stella would kill me if I didn''t protect a child. She always told me that children are the ones who can change this world, but what if they''re older and wiser? This boy''s almost an adult himself. He must know what goes on in this world. Can a child like this change or are they too much like us adults?" "Y-Y-You know I''d love to h-h-help you Solis. You stood up for me a-a-against Mother and now you''re helping me form m-m-my escape. And you''ve n-n-never made fun of my stutter either. It''s only right that I re-re-return the favor. So please, allow me to h-h-help you. You want M-M-Menos right? And your br-br-brother too? Let me help then." "How could yuh help lil fella?" "I might not s-s-seem it, but I can h-h-hold my own. As far as your brother, I''m a M-M-Mors. Our name carries great p-p-power. I''m sure if I use my n-n-name they''ll have to give him back to you." "It''s fine lil buddy I do appreciate the offer, but I''d rather not use a child. Besides, I''ve already been guaranteed to get Nox back!" "D-D-Don''t think of it as using. W-W-We''re friends, right? It''s what f-f-friends do for each other." "Alright, you can help, but only under one condition." "What is it?" "If it gets too much you do as I said and run. Run and don''t look back. No matter what. And take this too." "A-A-A piece of your shirt?" "Nox has the best nose in all of Emovere. Keep that on yuh and we''ll find yuh in no time." "Ok. I promise i-i-if it starts to get out of hand I''ll g-g-go. Not far though. I can''t continue letting people fight my battles. Brother used to and¡­I can''t let it happen again¡­not this time." Meanwhile, back in Mediocris, we find the ravishing Dr. Benignus scrummaging through her once office. "Hey Doc, how much longer are you gonna be?" Called out a man who had just finished smoking his cigarette. "Everybody''s getting antsy." "Tell them I said we''ll leave when I say we can. I must find it, it''s very important." "What are you trying to find anyway? You leave some medications behind?" "First of all, they''re not ''some'' medications." Prescriptions are very important and can help prolong a life or take away pain." Screamed Dr. Benignus as she continued digging through her old drawers. "Second of all I''m not looking for any medications, I''m looking for¡­AH FOUND IT!" "What the¡­what the heck is that thing? Some kind of needle?" "Not just any needle deary, but a very special one. You see, not all patients can handle needles, matter of fact more than seventy percent of the population has a deadly fear. With that in mind, I decided to make a needle that could harness that fear and produce a serum to instantly calm someone once injected. The look on your face tells me you don''t believe me. How about we go talk to those friends of yours?" "Wait, wait, wait before we go. I was promised something for helping you dispose of those guards, wasn''t I?" The man remarked with a devilish smirk on his face. "I swear you men and your hormones. It''s like even after you become adults you''re still little horny teenage boys. Fine, fine you can grope my breast, BUT only for a few seconds or until I smack your hand away." "This is so amazing, your tits feel so good Doc. I bet your ass feels just as ¡ª OW! You hit me!" "I said a breast for breaking me in and that was it. You continue doing my bidding and maybe you''ll get passed first base." "Your wish is my command." "Imbecile." The two exited the building and made their way back to the man''s group who seemed a lot more nervous than first described. "Wh-what took you two so long? You better not have been being a damn perv again, Mawlis." The man''s big smile spoke for itself which led to him being smacked in the face by the young woman. "Look he may have done this to cop a feel or whatever, but we didn''t. You said you''d pay us handsomely and we expect that payment." "And you will get your money, but first." Dr. Benignus responded before injecting the serum into the lady. "Woah you can''t just do that!" "Nah, nah, it''s ok. I feel amazing. My body feels so soft and with the slight breeze touching my skin, I feel even better. I don''t know what happened, but I need some more Doc. Please just a little more?" "No. This is not to be wasted as I only have what''s left in this barrel. Now then, let''s be off. We don''t have much time and I''d rather not be here when the guards are." "We don''t have to worry about the guards. Look, we took care of them!" The lady responded pointing to five or so guards piled on top of one another. "Maybe you imbeciles did earn your pay after all. Well then, let''s leave this sight-for-sore-eyes of a state and be off to my manor." After Dr. Benignus was fired; she was also banished from Perdita, causing her to take up refuge outside of the state. Eventually, she worked her way up to turning her abandoned building into a manor fit for her ego. The group currently under employment are former nurses of hers who also lost their jobs for their connections to her. She had cut ties with them until their services were needed once again. The group was hesitant at first, but thanks to Mawlis, the group of former nurses were convinced to work under Dr. Benignus once again. "Remember shoes off when you enter my home. Just wait outside and I''ll bring you your payment." Scoffed Dr. Benignus. After a few minutes, she returned and handed the nurses their reward. Much to their surprise it was not a ruse and they took money and made off into the night and Benignus into her home. "Ugh, maybe I should''ve fed them to the hounds. No matter, money is money and after Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos I will have made back more than enough. Well then, no time to lollygag as I have many important things to do. First I must, ah yes I haven''t eaten all day." Dr. Benignus remarked as her stomach growling interrupted herself. "I''m sure my children are hungry too. Vax! Ray! Come boys is dinner time!" Her two dogs came charging at her with excitement as she greeted them both by scratching their heads and behind their ears. "I''m glad I have you two. I honestly don''t know what I''d do. I wish this world would understand the good I''m trying to do for it, but no they''ll praise Sana for her efforts while spitting at mine. The reason the human population fears doctors so much is because of pain. If I found a way to remove that pain factor from humans I could find a way to then make it so that their organs could fail. Then I would find a way to white blood cells work much better at fighting off diseases. I even have a plan to make their bones as tough as diamonds and skin too! Humans would become the most indestructible species alive. Afterward, I''d do the same to all my fur babies as well. Yes I would, yes I would. Nobody should ever have to die¡­except you Sana. You''re a glory hog, but since you want attention so bad I''ll give it to you. Oh, I''ll make you regret ever taking him from me. That''s my dad he''s supposed to love me, but instead, all he ever did was fawn over you. He never even treated Mom like that¡­all he did was beat her and cheat on her. I''m glad she''s in a better place now; sad that won''t be the same place for you Sana. I''m sending your ass straight to hell and your disgusting son too. I can''t believe that thing has a Wheel of Breath. It''s a good thing I''ve mastered mine, so next time I see that creature I''ll make sure to kill him and anybody who threatens to stop me¡­no, no, I need to focus. That boy nor is that bitch worth distracting me from Menos. I will have it and once I do I''m selling it, not to the highest bidder, but to the one who''ll allow me to do as I please. Honestly, I still can''t believe that grumpy old King was so angry that I accidentally killed a member of his precious council. It''s not like they do anything for Perdita to begin with. Besides, it''s not like I tried killing him, he just wouldn''t sit still. He was just screaming the same thing over and over about someone named Vincent? Vivian? Viola? Or maybe it was Viktor? Eh, whatever it was that poor imbecile is dead if the council''s so upset about it they can come find me. Hell, they were so mad, but never brought in a new member. Hey, wait a minute¡­didn''t they have coronations for their members when they joined¡­so why didn''t they have one for their newest member? I know I was banished, but surely I would''ve seen or heard something about it. Well, whatever, like I said, I have more important things to worry about. I have much to plan ahead of this tournament and I will not go in unprepared." "So that''s her, eh Aster?" Alba remarked as the two watched on from his flower. "Yup! Can''t believe we''re letting her in though." "V''s word is final. I just hope that idiot knows what they''re doing. Seriously, what if she wins? Are we gonna hand over Menos to the likes of her? That would be outrageous! Preposterous! Outlandish! And completely-" "Before you say another word I probably couldn''t spell, let''s get out of here. I''m getting tired and I don''t know how much longer I''ll be able to fly us, so unless you feel like walking I''d say let''s go." "Fine, let''s go, but I swear to you, Aster, I''m not letting her win ¡ª no matter what!" As the two made their way back, Malum would find herself face to face with none other than the person she despised almost as much as her parents'' murderers, Tournament. "You sent mi hermano to that damn room and I find him all bloody and all you can say is you don''t have an answer?! Cut the mentiras, I''m tired of your lies! You''re going to tell what the hell happened or I''m going to raise hell!" "I see the dog still has some bark in her. No matter. As I said before I don''t know what happened to him, nor do I really care. With that said, if you continue to shoot these empty threats my way then I''ll make sure to return full promises. First being this, continue to approach me as if we''re equals and you''ll learn just how beneath me you actually are. Do I make myself clear, dog?" "Oh? I do make you mad don''t I? And here I thought you liked me? I remember you calling me especial, maybe I''m just more special than that little boy you seem to have your eyes fixed on. Wait, wait, wait¡­eres una mujer cougar? It''s the stamina huh? Or maybe it''s the fact that if you wave a few dollars at ''em and they''ll do whatever you say. Although that one''s so damn poor that you could just wave a few coins and he''d do a trick. Honestly, you two are just alike, so I see why you like him. You''re both alimentan en el fondo, worthless, bottom feeders that need to be expelled from this world. Now tell me what the fuck happened to my brother and this is the last time I''ll ask. And you will tell me if you don''t want this place to go boom." "What have you done, dog¡­" "You know, men are pretty stupid. No matter how rich they are, a lil titty slip will have them groveling at your feet. So I bet you could imagine what they''d do if you let them cop a feel? Well, long story short I had this whole building lined with gunpowder, and trust me for mi familia, y har¨¦ lo que sea necesar¨ªo." "You¡­clean up the gunpower and I''ll find out what happened. And before you say something, yes I was truly unaware of what happened to him and if he was here I''d apologize to him. To you though, I''ll say nothing else until it''s cleaned up." "No, no, no that''s not how we''re-" "Yes, it is. You forget where you are. Your breasts aren''t as powerful as my word, and my word is bond. You will have your answers." "And why should I trust you? You used my brother as bait." "Listen, little girl, if you had a brain even a quarter the size of your ego you''d see I only things that benefit me. What do I gain from not telling you who did it? I''d have to continue to hear you barking at me for the next few hours and trying to seduce my servants. Clean up the gunpowder and you''ll get your answers. It''s that simple, you irritant. Now go!" As Malum made her way outside to clean up the gunpowder she had lied about, Tournament spoke with the servants to see who attacked Viento. After a few minutes, she returned and their Tournament sat, waiting for her return. "So, who did it?" "First, a question if you will. How does your back feel?" "My back? What kinda question is that?" "Well, I don''t mean to be a pervert, but your breasts are rather large and I hear Rose voicing her frustration about her breast every single day. Eventually, we found an exercise she could do to relieve some of that stress. I figured it might help you." "Are you¡­look I don''t know what you think of me, but I''m not some hooker. I''m a married woman who loves her wife very much, so if you think you''re gonna get in bed with me you got shit twisted." "Pahaha, oh trust me, dog, I''d never want that. I just simply wanted to know if your back was hurting you or not." "Fine, yes it sometimes aches here and there, but I''ll be fine." "Well that''s good to hear, but I think you''ll still want this exercise, because after what I tell you, you''re going to wish you had something to heal the pain in it." Tournament showed Malum a picture and after assuring her it was real, even taking her to the servants to see the footage through the flowers, Malum fell to her knees and sobbed like she had never sobbed before. "It can''t be¡­this can''t be fucking real¡­I killed for you¡­I protected you¡­I gave you a family¡­I gave you food, clothing, and a roof over your damn head¡­and this is how you repay me¡­I loved you¡­you sick bastard¡­you''re dead to me¡­YOU''RE FUCKING DEAD TO ME! And those aren''t just words ¡ª they''re a promise!" As Servus looked on at the two he noticed something he thought he''d never see before. "Is that a tear? For her? Surely my eyes must be playing tricks on me. Or is it that your heart''s opening up to the poor girl, master?" Tournament knelt beside Malum. "You know, I recall meeting this man a few years ago ¡ª the rather peculiar type ¡ª who, for some unbeknownst reason, continuously pursued a conversation. Around this time I had not but a lot, so I was surprised to see someone wanted to have a conversation with me. With that said, I turned the man down each time. Why, you ask? Who knows. Nerves? Fear? Desire to be left alone? Or was it all of the above? Honestly, I couldn''t say. I never once sat and asked myself why. One day I finally decided if I had seen the man, or had he seen me, that I would take up his offer, but alas I was too late. The whole town was alerted of a kidnapping and the man''s description was an exact match down to the dirty laces on his shoes. Sometimes I still wonder what that man wanted to converse about. Was he attempting to pick up on me? Maybe he needed directions somewhere. Or he struggled with the common language and assumed I spoke his native tongue. Whatever it was it still irks me to this day that I never got to hear it. "What was¡­what was the point of this story?" "Eh? Oh, yes yes, well you see, that''s for you to figure out. As I have made clear on numerous occasions, I do not care for you, nor do I desire to help you ¡ª especially in your current state. With that said, I sought out special individuals, and if that something I saw in you still slumbers deep within then that''s a bonus for me. Honestly, had you listened to me before this issue wouldn''t have arisen. Anyways, chop chop, get up and back to your room. It''s not necessarily a rule but I''d rather not have you loitering in any room that isn''t your own for an extended period of time. Oh, and next time you''re going to tell a lie, at least know who you''re lying to. For Eirini''s sake, I stay here twenty-four seven. I think I''d know if my house was tampered with." Malum picked herself up and exited the room ¡ª dragging her lifeless body like that of a zombie. As her pace grew slower and slower, her steps became that much heavier as they echoed through the halls as if her feet were that of a giant. That night, what little light had shone at the end of the tunnel had now been covered by the landslide of betrayal that blocked its exit. She stumbled towards the side door of the manor before finding herself resting upon a bench. Watching on was Tournament and Rose from atop The Council''s Manor. "Hmm. You ever wonder if this is all some kind of nightmare, V? As if upon reincarnation we''re forced to endure this pain for whatever crimes we may have done in our past lives?" "Pahaha. I didn''t expect you to have such a worried heart for the child, my dear Rose. Well, just remember she''s no saint. That girl has committed more crimes than any other person in this country. If it weren''t for the wars, she''d have a bounty on her head that could allow one to buy an entire state. With that said, she''s surrounded herself with fools. To bite the hand that feeds you is a deadly mistake ¡ª especially when that hand has three dozen bodies on it." "She''s not the only one I''m afraid¡­" "Oh? Do tell." Rose leaned in and whispered into Tournament''s ear. "So they''ve made their move then? Well, no matter. This day was bound to come sooner or later." "It''s a shame though. I grew to like them too." Rose responded as she left Tournament to themself. "Oh well, within a few days we''ll have found their replacement." Turn 10: Agnosiophobia FORTUNA CASTLE, 11:00 AM "The military seems to be in a hurry¡­I wonder if that means¡­Honey! Gather the children and head for the bunker immediately." "But what about the-" "NOW!" Upon seeing the drawbridge lower citizens began to scurry back to their houses. Usually, the drawbridge would be lowered every so often as the former king loved to travel around Perdita. Since his death, however, the only time the bridge lowered signaled an upcoming battle. The citizens of Fortuna were deemed by many to be "pampered citizens" as they had never faced the cruelties of war. Surrounded by a wall as far as the eye could see lay the extravagant Fortuna Castle. A total of twelve towers standing at 200 feet tall, the castle itself being 230 feet tall. In front of the drawbridge were always ten guards, two heavy units, and the rest light armor units, accompanied by a man in a cloak who appeared to be their commander, but may very well have had a different title. Atop each of the towers stood the blood-red flag of Perdita. Along with its golden star in the center, were three white stripes in a diagonal pattern. The gold star it adorned became its symbol hundreds of years ago when the state was first founded, as it was the very first state in Emovere. The three stripes were added on over time, one for each of its major victories over the past 1000 years. In the year 1205 Perdita was recognized for its efforts against the North, Acer. In the year 1509 Perdita, who had become a powerhouse by this point, led the charge against the southern country of Mortuus, allowing Perdita to gain five new southern states. By the year 1852 Perdita had officially become known as "Beacon" a title fitting Perdita as it had become the state of fame throughout Emovere, earning it its third stripe. Along with the major wins, most of the famous generals of the Emoverian military hailed from Perdita. The military has now long since disbanded, but Chancellor Cedric would not relinquish its title. Inside the castle were its two grand courtyards, a stable filled with many horses, a storehouse for weapons and supplies, and in the center laid the keep where the current chancellor positioned himself to watch over his self-proclaimed kingdom. "Soon, very, very soon, all of this land will be mine. This land needs a leader with valor ¨C one who would never cower like you have Olivert! Hmm. My first course of action will be ridding us of that disgusting town of Pauper, it''s a stain on this country that needs to be thoroughly cleansed ¨C including each of its citizens." "Ah-hem. Sir" Interrupted a rather persistent woman in an extravagant bright red dress as she paced back and forth across the room. "Just a few more hours and they''ll be making their departure Your Highness. Shall I ready the men?" "With haste, Sharon. Those abhorrent, execrable, swine have besmirched the exceptional name of Perdita for far too long. I demand that the entire manor be inspected from top to bottom forthwith! I lust for the day that Menos is in my hand. A power believed to be able to put a man in the same echelon as the Gods and Goddesses. These imbeciles will learn that I, Cedric Magni, the greatest man to walk this Earth. will have that power ¡ª AND THEN ALL OF EMOVERE!" The chancellor shouted as winced in pain. "Please, your highness, you mustn''t push yourself." "For M¨¦nos, I''ll smile in the face of death if it means I am to never be taken by it." As Cedric spoke, with each word the air grew colder and thicker. It was as though HE was death himself. Across the lands of Emovere, whenever the name Cedric Magni was spoken it was always accompanied by a trembling voice ¡ª one that could shake the heavens. Those who''ve been unlucky enough to be in the presence of, as deemed by the citizens of Fortuna, such a prestigious man have referred to him as Synkrousi''s love child placed on this planet as a punishment for his birth. Cedric was someone who was enamored with death. The thought of a cold, lifeless body aroused him in the same way a fair maiden would entice a young man. The state of Perdita was a perfect place for him to call home as its claim to fame came about because of his actions in the many, many wars. His enemy''s blood didn''t just stain his hands, it made its way into his veins. Rumors would spread around that after every kill he would bestow a kiss on the lips to his fallen enemies. Cedric was also known to garner a long black robe that was thought to hide his aging body, but others believed it was hiding a much more troubling tale. He came into power after King Olivier''s untimely demise and ever since many would agree he has taken Perdita to heights one could only dream of as it''s now believed to be the state with the best chance of controlling Emovere. "I will do whatever I must to get you what you desire ¡ª even if it costs me my life, my lord." "And this is why I appreciate you the most, my invaluable secretary. "Understood sir. Also, your 11:00 has just arrived." "Let her in on your way out." "Will do," Sharon responded as she walked across the room over to the door. "The chancellor will see you now." "Ah, if it isn''t the lovely Lily Mors. Please take a seat. I believe we have much to discuss." As one door closed, another opened up to the extravagant courtyard of The Council''s Manor. Rows of vividly colored flowers lined the many paths. In the middle lay the same gazebo that Felichs had once encountered The Flowers of the Goddess enjoying lunch at. COUNCIL''S MANOR COURTYARD, 12:00 PM "The first time we met you studied me like a textbook. On our second encounter, you acted like you wanted to rip my head off. But after our third interaction now you wanna be best friends. What''s your angle?¡± Felichs thought to themself as they leaned against the wall Seconds turned to minutes as more and more participants of Tournou¨¢ Tou M¨¦nos entered the courtyard. Those from all walks of life, salivated at the thought of receiving such a luxurious prize, despite not knowing how useful it would truly be. The ones who stood out the most were a man in a worn-out cowboy hat with rusted nails hanging from it who looked as though he had seen better days, unlike the sleek, silver guns on his hips. Across from him was a woman whose attire suggested she was from a period long before Eirini''s existence as her amazoness-like figure stood out like her broad shoulders and strong, red hair. The dark red tattoos running up her arms and legs in diamond patterns suggested she may be from a tribe of sorts. In front of Felichs hummed a man who looked to be around their age, as he ever-so-gently strummed the strings on his lute while gazing at the clouds. His long, slicked-back, white, and blonde hair accompanied by the way his fingers danced across each of the lute''s strings had more than a few women, and even some men, gushing over him. "Ohhh my, I would''ve loved to have bunked with him! I haven''t felt a man''s touch since my husband went away to the war." The lady moaned as she bit her lip and firmly squeezed her breast. "I would say to control yourself Beth, but even I''m finding it hard to keep myself in order. Something about the way he plays that lute of his, the soft melody coming from it, UHHNN, I can''t help but be engulfed by the pure ecstasy that''s brewing up in my loins!" "A lot of¡­interesting people. This is definitely way more than I hoped AND expected! To think by the end of this they''ll all be nothing more than corpses left to rot like this earth. I wish I had a way to cover my hair ¡ª I stand out like a sore thumb. I still haven''t fully recovered, nor did I get much sleep last night. If anyone here thinks I''m worth taking out early it could spell trouble." "So let me get this straight, someone who stood their ground against V, trembles at the sight of a few hundred competitors? You''re a strange kid, you know that?" Fox chuckled as he too leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "Funny isn''t it? The guy I just so happened to be looking for randomly appears. What? You put a chip in my brain to read my thoughts?" Felichs jabbed back. "In your brain? Yeah, I think that''s one place I''ll gladly avoid." "Oh? So, let me get this straight, the guy who''s aligned himself with someone like V, is afraid to enter my mind? How amusing." "Witty. You remind me so much of them to be honest. Are you sure you two aren''t the same person?" "Why does everyone say we''re alike?" "No, no not like that. While you two do have some similarities, I more so meant if you were actually them." "HUH?" "Did V not tell you? I''m surprised." "Tell me what?" "Nobody has ever seen V''s face." "NOBODY?" "Nobody. Not a single one of us has ever seen their face. The closest anyone''s ever gotten was when they fought Watson a few years ago. He struck their face, causing part of their mask to chip. It was only the eyes though and from what I was told, when that happened, the fight was over a second later." "Well, that''s telling, very telling. They hide their identity even from the people they''ve aligned themselves with. Just what the hell are you hiding?" "Anyway, relax yourself, Felichs. Your competitors are savage animals and fear is the strongest scent." Fox advised as he made his way to the gazebo "Man where the fu-" "BANG! And just like that, you''re dead. No Menos for you." Rose sadistically announced as she giggled at the sight of the man jumping in terror. "W-What the hell was that for?" "Oh, that? A lesson. Don''t be impatient just because the prize is so lustrous. Lose focus for even a second and you''ll end up dead." Rose said, scolding the man as she made her way up the stage. "I hope the rest of you were listening because that''s the last piece of advice you''ll be getting." "W-Wait. What do you mean by dead?" "An incompetent one aren''t we? Guess we can cross you off the list of potential winners. Dead. D. E. A. D. No longer living. Six feet underground, IF you''re lucky to get buried. Do you get it now or do you need the dictionary definition? This is NOT a simple tournament ¡ª it''s a fight to the death. So any friendships you may have made in your short time here should be cast aside because the only way Tournou¨¢ Tou M¨¦nos ends is one last person standing. Hundreds of beating hearts rang throughout the courtyard. For many the thought of murder hadn''t even crossed their mind. Since the wars, murder has become less frowned upon, especially after five of the six remaining states opened up a bounty system. First started by Perdita in the year 1440, last to follow being Spes, was created as a way to thin out the number of wars. This way citizens would be rewarded for killing any non-citizen of a particular state without facing repercussions. "W-W-We have to k-k-kill each other?" A lady in a brightly-colored green dress questioned as she struggled to get the words out of her mouth. "I''ve never killed anyone before¡­not even a bug¡­" Another man responded as he dropped to his knees in agony. "What? Did you imbeciles think you''d acquire a prize as grand as M¨¦nos just by what ¡ª simple hand-to-hand combat where the victor is decided by knock-out?" Rose now laughed even harder as she mocked the participants. "She''s got a point. I mean I''m in the same boat as most here. I never wanted to kill anyone, nor have I ever. But to think that this was going to be a simple tournament was flat-out stupid. Maybe I don''t have anything to worry about going up against the likes of these idiots. No. I can''t think like that. Sure I''ve been in countless fights, but I''m not in the best shape and still have no control of this Wheel of Breath. Don''t get cocky, Felichs. There''s still a few above-average minds in this crowd of dumbasses." "Rose, my dear¡­this is why I said to allow me to give them the run-around." Tournament called out, rubbing their aching head as they made their way up the stage. "Now then. I understand a lot of your fears, I truly do, but understand this is not what we wanted. We, the council, do not agree with unnecessary bloodshed, but each and every one of you do. In the past when similar competitions had been held the greed that rested deep in a person''s soul would rear its ugly face. Humans can''t lose. The mind won''t allow it. While I despise it I also find it quite humorous. I''ve known many men throughout my time who were quite content with losing as long as they didn''t come in last place. Which leads me to the question: is it losing that disgusts humans, or is it being at the bottom? This is why we can only have but one winner of Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos" "S-S-So this is s-s-some kind of sick j-j-joke to you freaks?!" "A joke? Freaks?" I''m not the one still standing here ready to enter Tournou¨¢ Tou Menos now, am I? Your lust to achieve something sought out by many has overtaken your fear hasn''t it, my dear." Tournament questioned as they leaped off the stage. "I-I-I" "Shhh, I can see past that which the average man can. Your heart is tainted ¡ª black like the midnight sky. You are but another fool amongst the crowd of jesters¡­What gives you the right to question me? Learn your place in this world and maybe you''ll see a few more days." As they walked back onto the stage they continued addressing the participants. "Anyways, as I was saying before being rudely interrupted. Tournou¨¢ Tou M¨¦nos is a necessary bloodshed, anything afterward would be uncalled for, which is why we want only one person to stand victorious. Think about it if we had this be a simple incapacitation, then based on repeated history, the victor would likely be hunted down. Fighting would just lead to more fighting despite the fact that it was already over. No matter what they had done, they would not be victorious ¡ª which is a big problem. The victor, while they can do whatever they please with Menos, has the power to save this country from further doom. We can not allow another tournament to go unfinished. Somebody must win. Now does anybody have questions?" "I do," Felichs announced as they stepped forward. "The way you''ve spoken about murder it seems more so an option and less a requirement, so are you saying the victor doesn''t have to have killed anyone?" "And what would you do if there were only two competitors left?" "Who knows, maybe we can take over tea and potatoes, preferably mashed." "Just what are you planning to show us, my dear." Tournament thought to themself in amusement. "Well to answer your question, no, the winner isn''t required to kill a single person. Before we leave each of you will be given a flower. This flower will be pinned to your body and when you die it''ll wilt. And because we respect the dead, please try and refrain from going overboard ¡ª once someone is dead leave them be. We''ll come to collect the body. By the way, that leads me to my second topic of discussion-" Tournament started to say before being cut off. "Sal de mi camino, shit you guys stink!" "A question I presume?" "Yeah, a few actually. Can we leave at any point in time and if so for how long until we''re disqualified? Speaking of time, is there a time limit? And lastly, I''m sure we''re excused from these murders, but what would happen in the event someone from the outside got involved and they killed someone or were killed themselves? Also where the fuck is my guns at?" "Two for two on great questions. Or should I say four for four-" Tournament started before once again being cut off by Rose as she jumped off the stage and stood face to face with Malum. "It sounds to me like you''re plotting something. Just know I have a vested interest in things outside of Tournou¨¢ Tou M¨¦nos ¡ª things that may require me to get a bit more¡­ hands-on¡­if necessary." "I''ll say this one time and one time only, get in my way and it''ll be the last thing you do." "I''m soooo scared. Please Eirini, I beg of you, don''t let the little ghost pepper burn me-" Before Rose could continue, Malum grabbed her face and bestowed a kiss on her forehead causing her to stumble back. "I told mi amor I''d never cheat on her, but sometimes an unexpected kiss is the best way to make a bitch shut up." "Pahaha, it seems she''s won this round, my dear Rose." Tournament chuckled as Rose stormed back up the stage. " Servus bring the young woman her belongings please." A few moments later he stumbled through the door as he dropped the long, black box. "AYE BE CAREFUL WITH THAT! Ughh. Never mind I got it." Malum protested as she snatched the box from Servus. "As for your other questions, if you decide to leave you will be disqualified and if you killed anyone or were an accomplice you will be put on trial for your crimes. We''re the council after all so we still have to hold the law in some regard. So, if you are caught killing a person outside of Tournou¨¢ Tou M¨¦nos or someone is caught killing a participant, they will be treated like any other murderer would ¡ª except a bit differently than normal. Since we''ll be in Inanis and not a citizen of it you''ll be judged by us." "What do you mean we''re not citizens of Inanis? I thought it was a part of Emovere?" The man with the lute questioned as softly strummed its strings. "And you would be right, BUT you forget, or maybe were never properly educated on the topic, after rejoining Emovere, Inanis kept its independence. It doesn''t share land with this country, a border separates the two." Solid stated, stepping forward as the Sun''s rays beamed off his head. "You will be fighting in my kingdom ¡ª treat it with the utmost respect. If you''re going to destroy her with your clashes or weapons, then it better be beautifully destructive! WAHAHAHA!" "Your kingdom? Ahhh but of course I''m in the presence of royalty. A man who stands so strong, as though he commands the winds itself on how to blow across his body! Ahhh just marvelous. But I must ask, surely you''re not its ruler, correct? If you were, I would be puzzled as to why you would be here with low walks of society." "What''s a king if his kingdom has no people calling it its home? One day Inanis will be restored to its former glory. You though, I''m assuming you''re royalty yourself?" "Royalty? HA! Royalty doesn''t even do me justice. I am the next king of Perdita! My Uncle, Chancellor Cedric, has said once I return with Menos my coronation will be announced, for I am the son of King Oliver himself. I am Prince Patel" Upon hearing this the crowd broke out into commotion. Some were excited that a new king was set to rule Perdita, while others were perturbed that he would even announce such a thing knowing he was to compete in a deadly tournament "What do you think, V? If the claim is true can we actually allow him to participate?" Fox questioned with a look of concern on his face. "The boy chose this path himself. I say let him participate and if he dies, then he dies. It''s not like that chancellor won''t be the one pulling the strings even with this ''Patel'' as king." Alba scoffed as she exited the stage, probably to look for a bite to eat. "I agree with Mama! Besides, we got our own stuff to deal with ¡ª who cares about that soon-to-be dead Prince." An overly zealous Aster squealed as he clapped his hands together. "We''ll, it seems we have our answer. I''m not the boy''s parent nor am I Cedric. If the boy''s uncle wants to see good nephew die an honorable death then so be it. Besides like our dear Aster reminded me; we do have our own concerns to attend to, don''t we?" "Concerns? I wonder if any of them have to do with Watson''s absence. I would say don''t get yourself killed, but you''re surprisingly good at that¡­no. No, I shouldn''t worry about him, especially when I too, have concerns of my own, starting with Miss Green Hair. I can feel your rage pointed at me, although I don''t have the faintest clue as to why. I have done nothing to harm you nor offend you." Mori pondered as he looked away from Malum and resumed his focus on the rest of the wandering eyes. "Actually I have a question. Why was the destination changed and how will we be arriving there? Surely we''re not to walk there, right?" Tempus asked as he plopped himself on the floor, seeming somewhat exhausted from standing. "You can thank Father Time for that. While Tournou¨¢ Tou M¨¦nos isn''t timed per se, we don''t have forever. The first plan was to host it in multiple locations with a rest period in between. However, when we factored in the "Well, the biggest issues were transportation and time. We would have loved to change the scenery every so often and give every one of you a rest, but sadly neither of those could be attained. Then there''s the likelihood that someone decides to push that button and start a war. As I''m sure you all have guessed by now, Emovere is on the cusp of yet another civil war. One of you may want to prevent said war, so by prolonging Tournou¨¢ Tou M¨¦nos, we are denying one of you, of said goal. Now if that''s all, let''s get a move on then. The airship awaits. And please, do clean your feet before boarding ¡ª it''s my personal ship after all." Before another question could be asked a powerful gust of wind swept their thoughts away. As Tournament and their colleagues exited the stage it slowly opened up to what appeared to be a makeshift hangar. The airship was at least ninety-one meters in length. Upon landing four sets of stairs extended out from it and the participants made their way on board. Unlike a typical airship, this one resembled more of an actual ship as the participants made their way onto its deck. Above the deck was a large balloon with two nests atop it. Two swinging ladders swung down from the balloon to the deck and The Council made their way up to the nests. "Let the games begin." Tournament muttered as their eyes dug a hole in Felichs'' soul. "I will get that damn M¨¦nos ¡ª no matter what!" As the competitors walked around, Felichs made their way to the side of the deck, watching as the propellers spun signaling their departure. "In a few hours, we''ll arrive in Inanis! For now, enjoy your stay onboard The Clover!" Tournament called out as their voice rang through what one could assume was flower-like PA speakers. "Who do you thinks gonna die first? My money''s on the negro. He looks a bit squeamish ¡ª probably never been inna fight." The man with the cowboy hat said as he too leaned against the side of the rail. Felichs, per usual, said nothing as they studied the man now standing a bit too close to them. "Eh? Don''t talk a lot do we? Good. Looks like you know your place, boy." "And if I didn''t?" Felichs challenged as they grinded their teeth. "HEEHEEHEE! All of y''all are the same ¡ª so easy to rile y''all up! Look, BOY, I only came over because I figured you had a little of me in you, but even if you did, it''s only half. I spoke to you, but never told you to speak." "Then how about you try getting outta my face before the cowboy learns how to fly?" "So¡­I was wrong about you too. Seems my luck''s all but run out then." The man sighed as he plopped himself on the ground "Eh?" "I been seeing you with that Tournament fellow, heck I even seen you ready to throw down. Saw you make the wise decision to back down on a few occasions too. It made me happy. Thought I found another thinker like myself, but to see something as trivial as a man of ilk calling a black man a negro got you all riled up is ridiculous. We''re about to enter a deadly competition and something like racism can throw you off? Despicable. I never hated a man for the color of his skin, but where I come from they do. I had a friend who stayed in my home until one day when I had some people over and one of em said ''Let''s go hunt us some of them dirty monkeys, shit had me so riled up I got into with em I did. Led to my friend coming to my aid and they held me back and killed him right in front of me. Where I''m from, they don''t like you if your skin ain''t right. Heard they held ''em up in the mines and force ''em to fight each other to the death for the chance at life ¡ª you could even call it that." Felichs, clearly frustrated with themself, bit their lip causing blood to run down it. "What''s your name, boy?" "Is this another one of those tests?" "Nah, just feel it''s better to tell more people your name so there''s a better chance someone''ll remember you when you''re gone. Mine''s, well I have many names depending on who you ask, but you can call me Surculus." "Felichs. The name''s Felichs. Although, I don''t plan on dying." "Nobody does," Surculus said as he picked himself up and walked away. "Who knows, maybe you''ll be lucky enough." "He may be strange, but he''s right. I can''t let little things continue to get to me, especially if Menos can help Mom. Ughhh, there''s so much I still have to work on, but one of the few good things going for me is at least I have a plan. As long as I can find a way to get rid of the doctor and the sewer rat, then I should be able to buy myself enough time. I hate to have to kill someone who helped me, but I need to take down Mori. To do that though I''m gonna need to devise a plan to where he can''t use those eyes. Once I take him out I can go for that pink-haired son of a bitch. He doesn''t seem like much of a threat, but the sooner I get rid of him, the sooner one of my main distractions will be taken care of. After that, it should be smooth sailing with those damn eyes and thanks to that book I read last night on surgeries, It didn''t seem as hard as I thought it would. The hardest part will be the amount of pain, but after everything I''ve been through I can endure a bit more pain if it means mom''ll be healed." Lost in thought, Felichs hadn''t noticed the two men arguing right in front of them. "Whatta think you''re doing? Wa-wait man! Y-Y-You can''t-" And with one quick and effortless swipe of her hook-blade, the man''s head was ripped right off his body. The silence that had befell those on board was so powerful not even the wind could cut through. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll learn in the next life not to disrespect someone, especially when they offered a simple resolution.¡± "Sh-Sh-She''s that strong¡­wh-wh-who is this woman?" Felichs had tried not to say the words aloud, but the shock had overtaken their body causing the words to stumble out. "What? Why''s everyone looking at me as if I''m some monster or something? We''ve left that stupid manor ¡ª is it not fair game now? We were never told we couldn''t thin out the competition before arriving, now were we?" "H-Hey, sh-she''s right!" A man nervously said, trying to sound as brave as possible. "Oh shut up. You''re spineless. Someone stepped on your foot a minute and you blamed yourself. You''re about to be in a fight for your life and this is what you show the enemy? I saw every one of your faces when it was announced there''d be blood spilled. You all looked pitiful. All but one ¡ª you ¡ª with the green hair, what''s your name?" The lady called out as she aimed her hook-blade at Malum. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Malum ignored the woman''s request, instead, she gripped the gun tucked underneath her sweater. "I''ve felt this before. It''s like when me and Tournament almost came to blows. I wanna move but shit it''s like as if the air just became ten times heavier than it was before. And even if i wanted to my legs feel like they''re drowning in cement." The woman, an amazoness-like figure, stood valiantly as her grip never loosened on her blade, not a single ounce of fear could be felt radiating from her either. It was as though the woman wasn''t afraid of death ¡ª as if she almost welcomed it. If her lack of interest in bowing out didn''t prove this, the smile on her face sure did. "To kill someone so effortlessly. You must be used to this." "Used to it? You could say that." The chilling steel of the pistol warmed up with each amount of force being put onto it by her hand''s anaconda-like grip. The two women''s eyes continued to meet one another, never leaving one another''s sight. Then within the blink of an eye, the woman''s hook-blade was launched at Malum! "I''ve never seen someone move that-" DING "Sh-She shot the blade¡­" The man continued in astonishment. "Wh-Who are these women¡­" "They''re not human¡­THERE''S NO WAY THEY CAN BE!" "You''re quick with your hands I see." "My woman says the same, maybe that''s why she put up with me for so long." "Sounds like a lucky woman. For now, I will rest my blade, but we''re far from finished. Before I leave though, state your name." "I prefer not." "Well then," The lady stated before facing the crowd, " My name is Amanmai Duon''a! I could care less for your country or its wars ¡ª in fact, I hope to see it obliterated. You Emoverians have been a stain on this country for far too long and I must win M¨¦nos to keep it out of your hands!" "You dare disrespect my soon-to-be beautiful kingdom?! Such disrespect will not be taken lightly by you, foreign filth!" Patel screamed as he charged at Amanmai. "AHH?! M-M-My sword¡­" "My lord, don''t you think it''s better to save your strength?" "Amare? You touched my sword? NOBODY TOUCHES MY SWORD! YOU STUPID WOMAN YOU WILL LEARN YOUR PLACE!" "I''m sorry my lord¡­I just believed¡­" Amare wept as she rubbed her reddened cheek. "That''s the problem with you Mors. You think too much when you should be doing as your rulers say. Your mother learned her place and you will too ¡ª no matter how many times I have to beat it into your stupid baboon-brain!" "Tch, we may share a struggle but we don''t share blood. Pathetic." Amanmai scoffed as she picked up her sword and walked away. "Please forgive me, my lord." "Ugh, forget about it. Use this handkerchief and bring me my sword this instant. AND IF YOUR FINGERS OR BREATH SO MUCH AS GRAZES IT YOUR PUNISHMENT WILL BE GIVEN TENFOLD!" As the crowd slowly dispersed the fears and anger could be felt radiating off each individual. The heavy breathing had overtaken the once-refreshing oxygen. Eyes darting back and forth. Sweat running down each face. Minutes felt like hours, causing the frustration to grow. "Did you see that V! Did you? Did you?" "Yes, my dear Aster, I saw and I''m quite pleased. What say you Rose? Maybe she could take your title." "My title means nothing to me, BUT someone as pathetic as her couldn''t wipe my bow." "Pahaha! It''s always good to get in a good laugh or two, especially with the troubling times we live in. What''s say you, Fox? How''s your new friend doing? Seems you two were a bit chatty earlier." "Honestly, I''m more impressed with you being able to hide your identity from us. Any reason you still won''t show us who you truly are?" "Brave question to ask, Fox. What''s your play, V?" Solid thought to himself while watching on. "I should find something to do, there''s gotta be food somewhere." Questioned Alba as she tinkered with her ponytail and scurried to the kitchen. "Pahaha! My dear Fox, it''s nothing towards any of you. To be honest I''m just a bit insecure about my nose is all." Tournament chuckled as they sat down one leg over the other. "V! Not everything can always be a joke. How can we trust that the same person who brought us together is still the same person who stands before us? You claim we''re fighting for a just cause and that we''re all family, yet you''ve treated us like strangers." "I''ll say this the most passionate I''ve ever seen you, my dear Fox. It seems our friend has rubbed off on you, haven''t they? Well, if you must know the truth, it''s simple, I choose not to and that''s that. It has nothing to do with lack of trust or insecurities. I will show my face when I feel it''s time. Until then, get ready, we''re almost at our destination. As the airship reached Inanis its landing was more than a bit rough. "Apologies! Our pilot is a less than desirable one." "Tch, apologies my ass. Now then, I should probably wait to get off. I damn sure won''t be the first- BLEH! STUPID DIRT!" "Sandstorm¡­it seems the others¡­won''t be the only thing¡­we have to worry about." "Now then, before anyone exits," Tournament yelled out as they leaped down onto the deck, "There''s one more time you should all know. Tournoua is not a free entry. You may not be able to see it, but the state itself is not physically a part of Emovere. In fact, it was split apart a long time ago. So, if you want entry into Tournou¨¢ Tou M¨¦nos, then your first challenge is finding a way through the forest and across the canyon that follows. Sorry about the sand by the way, Inanis has been having a rough sandstorm the past few days. Once across you will know you have reached Inanis once you find a giant golden gate. And lastly, you will have twenty-four hours to reach this point. Should you fail to do so, you will be disqualified. With that let the race begin ¡ª I do hope to see you all there." "So there was a catch? I should''ve figured as much. So what''s the plan Felichs? There''s no way I''ll be able to go around if the entire state isn''t connected and even if there was a route it''d take too long by foot. But how smart would it be to pass through this damn jungle with this many people? I can''t suspect anyone would waste time fighting, but there''s always the chance. I guess that''s my only choice. Alright, let''s go." Felichs made their way off the side of the ship as opposed to the multitude of others who ran down its stairs. "Ira, hold on." "Wh-Wh-What''s the issue?" "Here''s your friend back and apologies, like I said before I just simply had to have you in Tournou¨¢." "Behind that mask, that smile of yours seems sinister, but many thanks regardless," Solis responded as Tournament walked away. "It seems you''ve made a new friend. He''s worrisome though, how will he fair?" "Not well. I plan to help ''em escape then get back to the task at hand." "Good. Also, I have troubling news. Gladius has been captured." "Eh? Whadda mean captured?" "I overheard it from those who call themselves The Council. The one who claims himself to be was approached by another and told him they''ve begun The Hunt again. Among those captured was a blind man." "Then we ain''t got time. We get M¨¦nos and maybe they''ll call it off in return for it." "Are you sure that''s wise? Giving those people a power like that might not be wise." "We got no other choice. The Hunt needs to stop." "Is e-e-everything ok?" "Yeah. We need to go though." "Ok. We''re not f-f-following the crowd are we?" "Only for a minute. Then we''ll separate. Stick by our side and be quick on your feet." "Got it! It''s time to show your worth Ira. You can do this." As the hundreds of participants made their way deep into the forest, the airship took flight once again heading for Inanis. East Side Inanis Forest. 12:00 pm "It''s a good thing I took a mental picture of the forest, otherwise I''d probably get lost. Problem is this forest is huge and we only have until sunrise tomorrow to make it to the gate. Which sucks because I had planned to preserve my energy during the day, then make my big push at night. I''ll have to just take it slowly and make sure every move is calculated. I don''t needa be the first there, I just can''t be late." Felichs thought to themself as they jogged through the forest, leaping over tree trunks and dodging hanging branches. Inanis Forest was a large one, in fact, it was the largest known forest in all of Emovere. However many would argue if Inanis could even claim the forest as it wasn''t technically a part of the state seeing as a large canyon separated the two. As history would tell it though, a history that is unknown to the common folk, this was Inanis'' forest and Solid was very proud of it. As its last king and citizen, he took part in making sure the forest was protected and cared for daily even after joining The Flowers of the Goddess. "Well, the one good thing is I''m yet to see any dangerous animals, just a bunch of deer and boar. Thankfully the boars aren''t agitated either. The real issue is the silence ¡ª it''s deafening. I haven''t seen a single person. There''s no way everyone is already at the gate so where are they? It''s possible they''re much further ahead and I''ll catch up to them at night, I did take the long way into this damn forest. But something seems odd, SON OF ¡ª" "HAHA! You thought you were the only one who figured night would be the best time to move? You must be a FOOL to think of the rest of us as well¡­FOOLS! I saw you drift away from the pack and decided to give chase, figured you were smart and I''ll give you credit where it''s due, you made the right choice. Except! You didn''t execute your plan properly!" "Tch, would you please shut up¡­You must love to-" "I wasn''t done talking, you FOOL! You will show me the utmost respect as I am the cousin to the cousin of our family''s great uncle''s fiance who, by the way, is soon to be Queen of Aidia! That''s right you FOOL! The King of Aidia, Judas, is my relative! If you still dare to oppose me then so be it!" "Oppose you¡­I didn''t even-" "I WASN''T DONE TALKING YET YOU FOOL! You will speak only when given the chance! Nobody speaks over Stuus! NOBODY!" The man said as he shook and scratched away at his head vigorously. Felichs stared on as they too rubbed away at their now aching head but in a much calmer manner. "WHY ARE YOU SILENT?! YOU THINK YOU''RE BETTER THAN ME?!" "Oh? I can finally speak-" "YES, YOU CAN SPEAK! SO SPEAK YOU FOOL!" "I''m getting real sick of this guy¡­this is like a bad comedic scene or something¡­Look, dude, you confronted me, so I don''t know what your issue is, but I think we both have more important things to focus on so how about we cut the chatter and get on with it." "My issue? HAHA! He thinks I have an issue. Me? Who does this boy think he is?" Stuus seemed to talk to himself, but it was loud enough so Felichs could hear his muttering. "You FOOL! Clearly, you disrespected me by making me out to be a FOOL, so I say we settle this like men. Ready yourself!" "Wh-what the hell is that?" "Haha, and just like that you cower in fear! Afraid your pathetic life will be cut short! Well, you should be! My Scissor Blade was handcrafted by yours truly in the finest furnace known to man. It took me over two years to just learn the smithing techniques and then another two to master them! But once I did it was a few short days before I was able to craft this beauty right here ¡ª isn''t she perfect?! Now then, I will give you but a mere second to grovel at my feet and beg for a merciful death¡­or else¡­" "Do I waste time with this idiot or- SHIT! Guess I don''t have any other choice!" Felichs thought to themself as they barely dodged the swiping of Stuus'' Scissor Blade. They reached for their knife and swiftly parried the slashes. "Ah-ha! So you at least have some essence of manhood even behind those feminine features ¡ª this is amazing! I''ve waited a long time to go all out with my beautiful Scissor Blade. All my life I have loved arts and crafts! Mother was enamored by my work that she made it her mission to make sure my room was always full of the finest paper and scissors money could buy! And now I''m going to turn you into a real-life work of art!" Stuus continued slashing away at Felichs as they barely escaped each snipping. "Not only are they sharp, that damn scratching of metal is irritating! I can''t waste energy on this guy but if I keep playing defense ima expand just as much as I would if I attacked. This guy''s clearly not trained and that''s what makes him dangerous. His movements are harder to predict so finding an opening won''t be easy, but if I can find one then whether it''s one stab to the abdomen or slice to his neck and he''s done for. I don''t have to get the killing blow either, I could just leave him to die." The unorthodox method of Stuus'' swordsmanship, if he was even indeed trained, proved to be challenging for Felichs. It was through sheer resiliency that they were able to counter most of the hits, though a few did almost catch them. It was clear Stuus began to grow frustrated as the fire in his eyes engulfed his eyebrows. "ARGHHHH! I''M NOT A FOOL!" Stuus yelled as he ripped apart his Scissor Blade. "Maybe we should take things up a notch! My scissor blades best feature: Scissor Blades! By separating the once pair of scissors, I now have two weapons to attack with!" Stuus cockily exclaimed as he rushed towards Felichs wildly. The now two blades proved to be an even bigger task for Felichs as Stuus swung them with reckless abandonment. With his windmilling and side-swiping slices, they proved to be too much as they forced Felichs'' back against the wall or to be more exact against a tree. "Damn it! This couldn''t have been his plan all along, could it? There''s no way this idiot outsmarted me¡­SHIT! I got too damn cocky. I let his wild nature fool me into thinking he was just some less-than-average thinker. Shit!" "HAHA! You FOOL! You must''ve thought I was dumb, didn''t you? You thought I couldn''t put together a strategy, huh? I''ll have you know my cousin''s, cousin''s, brother is a part of the military and regularly called upon me to help defeat his foes! I am Aidia''s most powerful asset! And now you''ll be food for Inan-YEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOH! That was¡­dirty of¡­you¡­" "What can I say? I''m from Pauper. The only fighting style we know is dirty." Felichs smirked as they looked down at Stuus grabbed their genitalia. "Now what should I do with you is the real question? Tell you what, leave me alone until we get to the gates and I''ll let you live. But if you choose not to then I''ll have no choice but to kill you!" "O-Ok¡­I''ll honor¡­your request," Stuus said, gasping for air, "But I will¡­have my vengeance¡­" "Yeah, you and I both," Felichs responded before running off deeper into the forest. "Hehe¡­I can''t believe I fell for the oldest trick in the book. You dirty bastard, I''ll remember- ''ACK! A-A card¡­ugh¡­I can still¡­" "HAhaa! Good efforts. Good efforts indeed. But alas you were too foolish. I''ll send notice to your mother, maybe now she''ll find peace knowing her lying son is no more." Tempus said as he pulled his card out of Stuus'' neck, "Now then, what to do about you, Felichs? You definitely did not impress me the way I thought you would, but even so, you''re very agile and it seems morals don''t apply to you. You''re a peculiar one. Well, since I already reached the gate a few minutes ago I guess I can keep following you and see how things play ou-ou-ou-OUCH! Insolent birds, STOP PECKING MY HEAD! Whatever. I don''t have time for this." Creeeek "Oh, ho, guess I need a good stretch after that sprint. Fine, fine. Don''t get too far Felichs, I would love to play some more." West Side Inanis Forest. 13:30 PM "You two¡­are so fast." An exhausted Ira exclaimed as he tried keeping up with Solis and Nox. "Nox! Think you can let ''em ride on top of yuh?" "So now I''m a horse? Ugh, fine." Nox responded as he scooped up Ira on his back. "Woah! H-H-Hey, can you talk to e-e-each other or something? It seems like you can when you l-l-look at each other." "Yeah. Ever since I was a lil fella I was able to communicate with the animals. I told you, trust the friends Eirini gave us ¡ª they''ll help when others won''t. By the way, since you''re touching Nox you''ll be able to hear him too." "R-R-Really? Thanks, Nox." "As long as my brother trusts you then I will too. Speaking of, brother, when do you suppose we ditch these followers?" "Eh? Y-Y-You knew we were being f-f-followed?" Nox stopped immediately and threw Ira off his back. "You mean to tell me you knew we were being followed and didn''t think to mention it?" He howled as he slowly approached the boy. "I-I-I''m sorry. I-I-I figured we were running that f-f-fast because of t-t-them! I sw-sw-swear I wasn''t tr-tr-trying to set you up!" "Nox! Calm yourself. I trust him. He''s a young boy, not some evil mastermind. There''s no way he''s against us." "Even so, I don''t like that he didn''t speak up." "He said why he didn''t, ain''t that enough?" "He''s too indecisive. Too frail. I get he''s a child, but I can''t babysit two-" "Two what?" "Two children." "I can take care of myself." "Can you? We wouldn''t be in this scenario if you could''ve." "I c-c-can''t understand you two, b-b-but I can tell you''re fighting. Pl-Pl-Please stop. You two are brothers. I-I-It''s my fault for not speaking up. If you w-w-want I can stay back and h-h-hold them off." "Nah, we''ll keep runnin'' until we lose ''em. Worst case scenario we give ''em an easy path to Tournoua. Let''s keep goin'' you two. I''d rather not be out here at night, something don''t seem right about this forest." Center of Inanis Forest. 14:00 pm "Mierda! These idiots won''t leave me alone!" "Mira, just hang back we''ll handle this" "No way, we''ll surround her ass, take her out, then get the one she fought earlier. The less people we have to worry about the better. Now then, Domus, Timor, take to the left and right sides and wait for my signal. The others are distracting her so you two won''t even be noticed slipping away. I''ll give the signal, on my go, you two''ll take her down." "Got it!" Domus and Timor nodded in agreement before disappearing into the forest. "Now then, I hear you''re a part of that ''dangerous gang from Excitatur'' Well let''s see how true that is." "There''s too many of them to try using that Wheel of Breath thing, besides there''s nobody to watch my back even if I wanted to. I can''t keep running though. With the number of people gunning for me, I''ll wanna preserve my energy as best as possible if ima make it to those damn gates. I can''t waste bullets either, so I guess if those sparrings were ever gonna come in handy then now would be the time." As two of the members of H.O.T. rushed Malum, she took a deep breath and readied herself, remembering all the times she and Viento had sparred over the past few years. THREE MONTHS AGO VINDICTA HIDEOUT "Come on jefa, those guns are only gonna get you so far, tu necesitas armas de verdad." Malum, on the brink of exhaustion, continued throwing her fist at Veinto''s open palms, "I¡­I don''t know¡­how much more of this¡­I can take¡­You''re animal you know that? BESTIA!" "Manten las manos arriba y golpea rapido! You''re a small thing chica. You can''t rely on your strength alone. You gotta be a quick thinker and hit fast and often. CENTER OF INANIS FOREST "Left side, right side ¡ª quick jabs. One to the face. One to the other guy''s gut." As Malum took her stance she fired off two rapid punches in succession nailing both of her targets almost effortlessly. "DAMN! This bitch is fast, but she ain''t got any power behind those punches. We got this ¡ª ARGH!" Before the man could finish rallying the others, Malum fired off three more jabs at blinding speeds to the man''s torso as he dropped to his knees. "Just who the hell is this girl?" "ARGH! DON''T LET UP! WE''RE TAKING HER DOWN FOR- UGH! DAMN YOU, YOU LITTLE BITCH!" "Las perra m¨¢s mala." The smirk on Malum''s face grew wider with each strike. "Another swift hit should ¡ª SHIT! Can''t forget about the others." As Malum attempted to attack the two men in front of her, another heavier-set man''s fist came flying at her. Had he been faster his fist might''ve connected. "Afortunadamente ¨¦l es un gordo! Keep a cool head Malum, you can take out the other nine¡­wait a¡­one, two, three, four, five, six, and this guy on his knees makes seven. Where the heck did those other three go?!" "DOMUS! TIMOR! NOW!" Mira ordered. The two men sprang from the trees and charged straight at Malum who, had she been one second earlier to notice, wouldn''t be in the predicament she was facing now. "SHIT! I got distracted! I needa make a run for it and ¡ª ACK!" Malum screamed in agony as Domus flew at her with a cocked-back lariat, while Timor took out her knees with a modified chop block that used his shoulder instead of his forearm. Malum fell to her knees as not even screams of pain could follow the blood seeping out of her mouth. "SHIT! How the hell am I gonna get outta this situation? My knee''s shattered, I can barely breathe, and I''m outnumbered ten to one. I need help¡­" "Well. It seems this little ''gang'' of yours isn''t so strong after all. Or maybe you''re all the kind that needed each other so much that you forgot how to fight for yourselves." SPLAT "If you''re gonna kill me¡­just get it over with¡­no point in kicking a stranger¡­when they''re already down¡­now is there," Malum said, mustering up enough strength to spit blood at Mira''s feet. "Nah, I think I''ll savor this moment. You know, ever since last year all I''ve had to hear about is ''Vindicta this'' and ''Vindicta that'' as if you guys ran Emovere or something. But now? Oh ho, now I can see it was all talk. You guys would never last a day in Sollicitus. You''re just a bunch of spoiled brats from a privileged city who''ve been given everything in life." Mira protested as she slapped Malum across the face. "I hate your kind. It''s people like you that try to be people like us. I bet if I dug enough I''d find out you came from some rich background and that your parents were fucking governors of the state or something. Just like you''re about to be, I hope they''re dead too. They deserve to rest in shit their whole life!" Malum''s body grew cold as each of Mira''s words dug deeper and deeper into her. "Kill me." "Eh? Now you''re begging for your death? You think that''ll make-" "Kill me, because if you don''t¡­I''ll make you suffer more than you ever have in your pathetic life." "Make me suffer? Don''t be ridiculous. Matter of fact," Mira cackled as she swung a bat across Malum''s face, "You''re likely to die anyways, so we''re done here. Come on boys, let''s make our way to those gates. Oh, by the way, if you somehow make it to those gates, don''t. Next time I won''t be so generous." Malum lay on the ground as blood slowly ran down the sides of her cheeks. "Mama¡­papa¡­lo siento¡­" "Well, well. And to think we let you lead us, jefa. I''ll get M¨¦nos since you''re so preoccupied with minuscule tasks, then I''ll take Vindicta to where it should be." The mysterious man said as he reached for Malum''s gun and walked off. EAST INANIS FOREST. 16:00 PM "Something''s not right. I know I''ve made progress, but there''s no way with the size of this forest that I''m already near water. Something''s definitely off, but I''ll take it slow. If I feel even the slightest bit of unease I go in a different dir¡­ect¡­tion-tion- WHAT THE?! There''s no way it''s real¡­" As Felichs slowly crept forward, just like the voice had told him last night, there lay a single boat on the river''s edge. Felichs furiously rubbed away at their eyes, "I-It''s real¡­but why? I''m not going to some far-off land without my mom and I''m definitely not leaving when I have a chance to save her life! I just needa leave and focus on¡­wait a minute. If there''s a river then there has to be an ocean nearby and if that''s the case then I might be able to ride around and avoid the rest of this forest. On the other hand, this may not even lead to Inanis, but it''s a risk I''ll have to take. I''m still not fully healed and I can''t afford to get into any more fights. Ugh. Hope this works or else I''ll be fish food." "HAhaa! So, that''s the choice you''ve chosen to make? I didn''t make you out to be the ''easy way out'' kind of person. Hmph. No matter, I''ll just head back to Inanis. Such a beautiful city. I wonder how it''ll look after all is said and done." Tempus thought to himself as he watched Felichs sail away. "OH! I just remembered I need to contact Master Judas. Silly me, I seem to have gotten too carried away with all these side quests, but that just means the big bad guy will be super easy!" "Hey, you! What''re you doin'' out here lil boy? There''s no way a kid like you is entering Tournou¨¢ Tou M¨¦nos." Tempus let out a long sigh before responding, "Seeing as I''m in a giddy mood I''ll give you a chance to rethink your decision to bother me." "Eh? And what''re you gonna do if I don''t? You think a man like me is scared of some ¡ª UGH! kid¡­" "I do say, maybe allowing just anyone to join wasn''t the wisest of decisions, but then again if it allows me to rid this world of incompetent fools then I can''t be so upset, now can I," Tempus grumbled as he pulled his cards out of the man''s body one by one. "I really must find a more efficient way of killing them though. I''m dirtying perfectly good cards with their blood. Ugh, no matter, I''ll have to procure some more from the shop before visiting Master Judas. HAhaa! I bet he''ll even look to play a few games with me upon hearing the good news! Well then, back to work!" As Tempus skipped his way back to Inanis. Felichs made their way down the river. BLEH "You know what¡­maybe this wasn''t the best decision¡­" Felichs gagged as they leaned over the side of the boat and wiped the vomit off their lips. "Maybe fighting my way through would''ve been the better option¡­I wonder how mom''s doing? I know Fox delivered food and medicine but still¡­I wonder if it would''ve been better to just stay by her side until her final moment. Then she could''ve died in my arms, maybe that would''ve been more peaceful for her too¡­I bet she probably wanted that. Did I actually make the right decision? If I die¡­and she''s still alive¡­that''ll ruin her¡­FUCK! What did I do? Why did I enter Tournou¨¢? I-I should leave, yeah that''s right, I should just leave and go back to Pauper! That way I can be by mom''s side and cook for her and sing with her and hold her in my arms until¡­hold her¡­in my arms¡­until¡­I should just rest my eyes, just for a few minutes." Felichs began to doze off as the boat carried them down the river. The sun beat down on their skin, causing it to shine just a bit more than usual. Their head hung off the side of the boat allowing the water to run through their hair, releasing a few of its knots. A few white petals from a nearby tree fell onto their body. A big splash of water awoke Felichs as they yawned softly and stretched. "Huh? That''s strange. I don''t feel as bad as I did before. Maybe all I needed was a few minutes of reeest¡­great¡­It''s dark¡­Which means it''s nighttime¡­Which means that was a lot longer than a few minutes¡­Well, that''s just faaan-tastic. I wonder what time it is. Well it can''t be too late and thankfully I didn''t float out to the ocean, but damn it''s freezing and I''m all wet ¨C maybe this wasn''t the best idea." Felichs rubbed away at their body trying to warm themself up as their night''s chilly wind brushed against their body. "I''m not that far off from the shore and the current''s going in that direction. Looks like ima have to swim for it¡­EH?! STUPID OWL! WHY DO THESE DANG BIRDS KEEP BUGGING ME?! WHAT DO YOU WANT???" "Who, who." "Who? You; that''s who, you damn annoyance." "Who, who" "I''m¡­I''m going crazy¡­I''m arguing with a damn bird. Wait a minute," Upon further inspection Felichs noticed a scar on the owl''s wing, "I know this bird. You''re the same one who kept using my head as a nest, but what are you doing out here? Then again, I made you a dang nest at home and you still decided to use my hair as one, so I guess I shouldn''t be much too surprised that you followed me; but why? Eh, whatever, I needa focus on swimming to shore-" "GGRRRRROOOAAARRR" "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Though the beast''s roar seemed to be some distance away, the sound alone left Felichs frozen mid-jump as every hair on their body stood at attention. CENTER INANIS FOREST. 20:00 PM "Wh-What is that beast??? I ain''t ever seen anything like it before?" The beast rampaging through the forest left Solis dumbfounded as he desperately dodged its onslaught. "Whatever it is, this isn''t something we''ll be able to run from ¨C we must take it down by any means necessary!" "I have to do something! I can''t let these two continue fighting on their own! Brother¡­please give me your strength."