《Adventure to the Stars》


 Prologue

    Gripping my sword tightly in my hand, I ready myself to charge right ahead. I can see the creatures of pure evil move slowly towards me, barely organized. ¡®You¡¯re mocking me, aren¡¯t you¡­?¡¯ I quickly check my surroundings, looking for anything I can use for my advantage. The burning village makes everything look dark and grim, but it does help me see the small alleyway. ¡®Can it work?¡¯ I look at my huge two-handed sword and realize I can¡¯t swing anything as big as this around a small alleyway. I charge into it nevertheless. ¡®Come on, Abyss! Don¡¯t you want me?¡¯


    They screech like beasts, and chase after me. I keep running as hard as I can, until I reach the end of the alleyway. It is then that I realize that another Abysmal creature pops up in front of me.


    ¡®Looks like you¡¯re in trouble, Brandr. You¡¯d probably need some help.¡¯


    ¡®Get out of my head, you damned-!¡¯ Before I can finish my sentence towards the evil inside me, I realize that I am in striking distance of the enemy. I thrust as hard as I can in the weak Abysmal creature, killing it easily in the process.The way ahead is empty. I turn around to face the creatures that were chasing me.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡®Okay¡­concentrate¡­¡¯ I ignore the heat and fire that have engulfed the village, along with the clicking sounds of the teeth, coming from the creatures. The magic that lingers in the air around me reconstructs in my Sword of Thousand Arcs and starts shining brightly. ¡®Magic Edelweiss Art: Impact!¡¯ I thrust forward into the alleyway, and the magic strikes forward from my sword like an arrow, piercing all the other creatures instantly. They crumble by the holy light of the Star Magic implemented in my sword and reduce to nothing.


    ¡®I¡¯m safe¡­for now¡­¡¯ I look towards the darkened sky and feel the guilt fall on my shoulders. Another village I couldn¡¯t save. ¡®Dammit, I¡¯m pathetic¡­and I dare to call myself a Hero.¡¯ I clench my sword, lamenting the fact that I couldn¡¯t save this village and its inhabitants from the evil of Abyss. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ The sky reminds me of home. Of Edelweiss. Of my family that is somewhere out there, missing me for years now.


    ¡®How¡­how did it all come to this¡­?¡¯ The embers of the village accompany the rising smoke, into the dark night, lit up the thousand stars in the sky of this¡­what I think it could truly be¡­a beautiful world¡­


    How did it come to all this¡­?

 Chapter 1 - My Name is Brandr

    ¡®¡¯My name is Brandr¡¯¡¯


    I arise from my bed and put on my silken garment. Shoving the curtains to the side, which views over the kingdom of Edelweiss, I opens the windows, and breathe the fresh, cold air in, as I let my eyelids be filled by the southern part of the kingdom. Since I live very high up, the view is amazing, stretching over, revealing the plains and farms that fill the distance, with great mountains to edge the enormous landscapes. Looking closely, I can even spot some farmers working on their field, sized like ants in the distance. I squint my eyes, and use my fingers to imaginatively pick them put, and slightly squeeze them. ¡®Today feels peaceful¡­¡¯ I look down on the city, where the quantity of breathing beings increases with a hundredfold. Blacksmiths working in their warm workplaces, markets with plenty of people shouting, and other little stores like flowers shops, potteries and clothing stores fill the city. It truly is a buzzing place to live.


    *knock**knock* Something unknown starts knocking on my door, followed by a refined woman¡¯s voice calling out to me. ¡¯Milord, its morning.¡¯


    ''I''m already awake, Sylvestra. You can resume your duties now,'' I respond without opening the door. Without a respond back, I can hear her footsteps fading into the distance, as she walks away from my room.


    The woman with the refined voice is a maid called Sylvestra. She¡¯s been with me and my family since the day I was born, and has always played a major role in helping me grown up to the person I currently am. So, because of that, I treat her like family, even though that isn¡¯t a custom among the families that possess a maid. She¡¯s devoted to her job, and takes her chores very serious, to the point that the people around her get nervous, including myself.


    The only reason I have a maid is because I am the son of one of the dukes that help rule over Edelweiss, which is one of the city-states that dot the lands of Germania. Together with five other city-states, they form the North Star Alliance, a force that has had striven among each other for hundreds of years, until the current king, the pragmatic and peace-loving Agilulf, putted an end to the wars, and instead of fighting, established the North Star Alliance itself, and basically took the other four city-states, the noble Brixia, the technological advanced Berth, the warriors of The Iron Coyote tribe and the traders of Yarrin, under his protection, in order to look intimidating enough to the outside world. Because I am the son of someone so important, I hold a lot of authority, and am well known throughout the court of Edelweiss and the other city-states. That gives me the right as well to give orders to the people below me.


    I don''t like to order people around though. I want everyone to live their lives to the fullest. In that sense, I resemble the current king Agilulf, who takes peace and compromise over war and conquest. Because of that, most of the people in my family call me soft-hearted. A weakling with no feeling of authority or ruling. I think I just rule in a different way than the rest. The previous kings were all warmongers, warriors and fighters. The dukes and other high nobles all think like this as well, and that feeling has settled into the people of Edelweiss, and they can¡¯t accept the fact that not only myself, but the king as well is a soft-spoken man, and acts the exact opposite of his ancestors. The nobles hate him for that. Their hatred towards the current king was so drastic, there even was an attempt for a coup d¡¯¨¦tat once, but that failed in its attempt. Now these lands are filled with peace.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡®Does this look good¡­?¡¯ I say to myself as I fix my hair. ¡¯There!¡¯ I leap backwards, and check myself out in the full-body mirror, as I turns around, checking every nook and cranny of my aristocratic outfit that I am wearing. Confirming to myself that I looks presentable enough, I head downstairs, to the huge dining room of my family, where I meet Sylvestra standing in front of the door with a few other servants, waiting for my arrival. ¡®Your breakfast is ready, Milord. Your family is waiting inside as we speak,¡¯ Sylvestra says while slightly bowing her head to me.


    ¡®Thank you very much, Sylvestra. You can return to your duties now,¡¯ I respond monotone, focused towards the closed doors in front of me. She bows her head once again, and takes her leave. The other maids follow example, and quickly disperse. All the servants eat in a different room than the heads of the family. ¡¯I hope I can get them to eat together one day¡­that would be way more fun,¡¯ I whisper softly to myself before opening the doors that unlock the huge dining room, decorated with a big fireplace, majestic banners and huge windows, hanging on the white stone walls. Paintings of hunters, previous kings and mighty animals finish the beautifully, stacked place.


    ¡®Well, well. It looks like you''re finally awake,¡¯ I hear my father say, who is already sitting at the dining table with my little sister.


    ''Yeah. Sorry for keeping you guys waiting. Although you all woke up quite early yourselves.¡¯ My father smiles at my response, as he puts a piece of bread in his mouth.


    ¡¯Good Morning, brother,¡¯ my sister says happily.


    ''Did you sleep well?'' I tease and ruffle her hair, and she seems to enjoy that. My sister is a true gem, who I love dearly.


    ¡®You can play with your sister later, sit down for now,¡¯ he tells me a little more sternly. I quickly sit down to his right side, apposing my sister.


    Seated, the family resumed breakfast. Trivial chatter fills the room as they converse. Slight laughter from me and my sister, and smiles coming from my father. ¡¯You had a meeting today with some of the other members of the council, right?¡¯ I ask in the middle of the conversations. My father smiles, but frowns a second later.


    ''Yes, I have...''


    ''You don''t look to happy about it. I can help if you want.¡¯ That puts a smile on my father''s face.


    ''It''s nice to know that I have a reliable son,¡¯ he says smiling as he ruffles my hair.


    ''What about me?'' My sister looks hopeful at father.


    ''You are really nice to have around as well. Your presence always lifts my mood. You''ll make a good bride in the future.'' My sister looks happy about that. We calmly eat our breakfast at that order, without anything useful to talk about. We just chat, until my father brings something up. ''Don''t you two have your lessons to follow today?''


    ''Ah, I forgot,'' both my sister and I say in synch, as we start to hurry eating everything. I choke on some bread in the process. ''Gah!'' I quickly start beating my chest, as servants start rushing in to help me. My father starts laughing a bit.


    ''Brother is always clumsy,'' my sister says, trying to hold in her laughter as well. What she says is a bit true. I have my moments sometimes. ''I''m going to my lesson!'' My sister leaves the table dignified, as her personal butler escorts her out of the dining room. She is learning how to play piano. I heard from her teachers that she''s a natural. Whatever she puts her mind to, she can accomplish it. The signs of a true genius.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ''I-I''ll be leaving then...'' I shake myself through the servants, and escape the dining room by myself. As for talent¡­I¡¯m not that fantastic.


    I head to our sparring hall. I''m getting lessons in our royal swordplay. I heard it''s a unique style passed down by our family from generation to generation. It¡¯s called the Royal Edelweiss Sword Style. I personally find the name bland. It has no creativity, but apparently, I have a lot of talent for it, just like how my sister has talent for the piano. ''It''s probably just easy to learn...'' I don''t think highly of myself. I open the door, and see my teacher standing in the middle, warming himself up for the lesson, wielding a one-handed sword.


    ''You¡¯re late Brandr,¡¯ my instructor roars sternly as I enter the sparring hall. I timidly bow my head, trying to avoid eye-contact. It¡¯s not that my teacher is an overly strict one, but it seems that he has served in the military before he came here in order to hone his technique. It¡¯s no secret here that he brought some of his military behavior to the house, and especially to me. It was really hard to get used to, but it got drilled into me over the time. I clearly remember the times he made me to countless of push-ups and sit-ups, and even made me run countless of laps around the castle with heavy stones in a backpack. It was hellish to be honest, and I still get small chills whenever I think about it, but there is no denying it that my physique has gotten bigger by it all, to the point I can say that I am one of the strongest kids of my age. ¡®Go get warmed up,'' he tells me as I have no excuse why I am late. He doesn¡¯t seem to bother as well, as he walks towards the small storage room.


    ''Yes, sir.'' I grab a wooden great-sword, and start swinging myself warm. Even my speech changes around him. He¡¯s scary when he¡¯s angry, so I try to please him as much as possible. I put the sword down and start doing push-ups and sit-ups before I grab a random rope and start doing jump-rope. I use up fifteen minutes before I essentially ¡®¡¯report¡¯¡¯ back to him. He¡¯s been training me for the last five years, so everything feels a bit natural to me now.


    ¡®We¡¯ve already discussed yesterday that I don¡¯t have a specific lesson for you, since we¡¯ve covered a lot these past few years. From basic training to wilderness survival. I have seen you grown from a young brat into a worthy fighter.¡¯


    I don¡¯t know what is overcoming me. I clearly remember the wilderness training. It was one of the most difficult trainings I¡¯ve had. Surviving by myself for a week, while constantly being attacked by people was a great way to harden me and strengthen my senses. But for my teacher to be praising me this much¡­ I am at a loss of words¡­


    ¡®That¡¯s why I will tell you¡­congratulations. You¡¯ve survived most of my training and have perfectly mastered the Royal Edelweiss Sword Style.¡¯ A small smile forms on his usually serious and stone-cold face. ¡®Well then¡­I want to have one more spar with you, before I finish the original lessons. I shall think off other ways to train you, of course, but that will mainly be survival training.


    ¡®Y-Yes sir.¡¯ I sound so nervous for some reason. It feels like I have to show my worth for one last time before I can head into the wild world.


    ¡®Clear the doubt out of your mind, Brandr.¡¯ He calmly tells me. I¡¯m surprised. He usually would shout at me at this point, and force me to do push-ups, but today, he seems kind and calm. ''Come!''


    ¡®Yes, sir!¡¯ I charge at him the moment he gives the call. Our swords clash. We just keep pressing them against each other. He tries to match my strength, probably considering that I''m 15 and he''s 32. Whenever I put in a bit of strength, so does he. Whenever I speed up, so does he. We¡¯re constantly matching strength. ''Doryah!'' I separate from him, and quickly close the gap between us, and thrust my sword towards his jaw. He steps back, and swings horizontally at me. I go through my knees, and duck under the strike. I thrust his open chest, but he changes the path of my sword towards his left with just his hand. Only that shows how much technique and skill he truly has. He reads my movement with precision, and acts according to previous experiences. That just means I have to think more creative and move more fluently. I jump left as well, and swing upwards. He deflects it. I do a low kick with a spin, but he jumps over me, and swings down. I quickly jump right, and spin with my sword. He reacts by parrying me. I leap backwards, and charge in again. I only use my right arm to swing my sword. I swing diagonally left and down. He easily dodges, but that was predictable, even for me. I let go, and grab my sword with my left hand, and swing back the way it came from. I quickly use both hands to give more momentum. He didn''t see it coming and fails to parry normally. His sword flies with his arm high above his head. Techniques like that aren¡¯t usually seen in real battle, so I can understand he had a bit of a stumble because of it. I place my sword by his neck, ending our battle. ''I win...'' I pant confidently, trying to catch my breath. He smiles happily in return.


    ¡®In real battle, I won''t hold back my strength as I did, but I can see you become a great swordsman.'' I can''t help but smile. Today, for the first time, I won a match against my teacher.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡®Ah¡­I¡¯m stuffed.¡¯ I gaze out the window in my room. After my training, I spent some time by myself reading some books about previous kingdoms, and other little things concerning their rises and downfalls. As a future asset for this country, I need to start learning these things. After that, I ate dinner. Today''s dinner was delicious, and my sister helped the maids with it. It was a nice day. ''I should go to bed...'' I take of my jacket, but my body comes to a standstill when I throw it on the chair. Did I just saw something out of my window? There¡¯s no way. In front of my window, there is a garden forest in the middle of the huge backyard. They say it''s magical. We don''t believe it, but I saw a blue light floating just now. I grab my jacket, and sneak outside. Why would you ask¡­? In the past, I used to play with a strange light. It was blue and shined really bright. It was probably five years ago, but one day, the strange light disappeared, and I slowly forgot about it. It was a very weird time. A lot was happening back then, but that light easily slipped out my mind.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Only when I saw that light just now... ''Nostalgia...'' There was that feeling...definitely. So here I stand, in front of the dark forest. I can faintly see a blue light burning in the forest, heading in deeper. ''No choice but to find out...'' I walk into the forest.


    I jump over an overgrown branch, as I head deep in the garden forest. ''It''s really thick here...'' Don¡¯t the gardeners maintain this small forest? It¡¯s in the back of the yard after all. There¡¯s no excuse not to maintain it¡­


    I start to have hard time breathing. I jump and duck over and under a few more branches, until the path is too overgrown to walk through. I need to find another way... This is getting a bit hard for me, but I started this, so I might as well finish it. I circle around, and find a clearer path. I take it.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡®Was this forest always so big?¡¯ I get visibly tired and dehydrated. Maybe this was a fool''s choice. I had no idea that this forest was this big. It looks at least three times smaller from the outside. Maybe this forest really is magical. ¡®Don¡¯t start believing it as well, Brandr¡­¡¯ I fall over a branch. My knee hurts. My legs feel as heavy as lead. ¡®What¡­is¡­this¡­¡¯ I have had way harder experiences than this. My instructor has given me hell. This small little forest shouldn¡¯t be this difficult to conquer. The only reason I can think off is¡­


    ¡®Magic¡­¡¯


    A small light falls upon me. I get engulfed completely. This warmth feels heavenly. I open my eyes, its light make me sleepy.


    ''Wake up and heed my call.'' I look at the light, still so small. ''I will guide, so you won''t fall.¡¯


    My body stands up on its own. I have no control at all. My body starts walking, ignoring the pain.


    I enter a clearing. The moonlight shines brightly through the trees, which makes this place more lit up. Was there a clearing to begin with? My memories suddenly feel jumbled up. The small blue orb circles around the clearing and comes to a halt in the middle of it. I walk towards the middle and find a large puddle.


    ''Look through the water.''


    I hear the voice once more. The voice of unknown origin. Why am I listening to it? I look in the water, but instead of seeing my reflection, I see...what is that...? It looks unreal. ¡®Is that¡­a kingdom¡­?¡¯ I try to touch it, but the moment my finger touches the water I feel a strong force pulling me down. I try to resist, but it''s clearly futile. The force is too strong for me.


    ''Wha-!!!'' The puddle darkens, and as a big black mass starts eating me, I get taken through the puddle. ¡®Whaaaaaaaa!!!!¡¯ Screaming loudly, as I fall down into the abysmal darkness.

 Chapter 2 - ‘\’A New World’\’

    ¡®¡¯A New World¡¯¡¯


    I feel strange. Like I''m floating.


    ¡­Although instead of floating, I¡¯m falling¡­


    ''Aaaaaahhhhh!'' I shout as I fall downwards, to God knows where¡­ This pit feels endless. I can¡¯t see my world any longer. It¡¯s like I¡¯m being thrown into another dimension. Blue and white lights spiral beautifully as I keep on dropping. What are these things? I try to touch them out of curiosity, but I fail to reach them. The moment I try to touch them, they widen, deconstruct and reconstructs again, keeping me out of reach. It¡¯s like they have a will on their own. I look downwards, and see an aurora colored light. I fall straight through the light as I close my eyes. And when I open them again...


    I see a big mass of land, great, giant plains, a ruthless desert-like area, finished with a great waterfall dropping from the high mountains. There are many other things that dot the landscape, like cities, towns, farms, and a huge city in the middle of the lands. If I should describe this view in one word: magical. Only I have far bigger concerns than the stunning view... ''Aaaaahhhhhhh!!! Help meeee!'' I keep on plummeting at high speed. I don¡¯t scream at anything in particular, but my panic is taking over my logic. I''ll hit the ground in no time at this rate. ''Dammit, dammit, noooo!'' I''m about to hit the ground, but when I''m at least a few meters from the ground, I come to an abrupt standstill. I float above a small puddle. ''I-I thought I was going to die...,'' I saw relieved. And then I fall at least a meter from the ground, face first in the small, shallow puddle. My clothes are wet, my mouth full of filthy water, and my lungs are sore from screaming. I don''t stand up. There are a lot of questions I want to ask, but the biggest one is...


    ''Where am I...?'' I put myself seated, and look around a few times. I''m in the middle of a forest. I quickly look inside the large pond again. All I can see is the reflection of the sky. I keep on staring, but nothing comes back, so I stand up and move away. I shouldn¡¯t be wasting my time now. ''I''ve got to find civilization...they might have a way back.'' First thing, I need to leave this forest. After that, I should head to the grand city I saw in the middle of the land. There¡¯s definitely civilization there. ¡®I¡¯ll pee myself if it turns out to be a ghost city¡­¡¯ I¡¯m surprised I¡¯m thinking so collected for the situation that I¡¯m in.


    Even in this place, I''m having struggles getting out. ''Dammit, I should''ve played more in the forest as a kid.'' I might''ve gotten used to this then. No point regretting it now. I force my way through thick branches and leaves. I''m lucky I didn''t see an animal nearby. No human can beat a wild animal...well with a few exceptions, and I''m certainly not one of them. ¡®I¡¯m sidetracking.¡¯ After struggling for a way out, I finally get out of this tiny forest that stood on this cliff. Only then I notice the beautiful landscape I missed in my fall. The plains in the middle, the mountains to the right, and a huge city on the left. ''Ah...there is the city...'' At least I''ve got my goal set. I see a few little villages and farms around the city. The plains are a bit blueish green, like in the fairy tales I was told as a child, and the almost perfect brown-colored mountains, with their summits going through the clouds. Beautiful blue, sparkling rivers and an enormous waterfall falling down those mountains. Somewhere along the lines I see a desert-like area. Gallant schools of birds are flying through the sky, heading to the mountains. ''At least the birds are the same as in my world...'' This place sure is beautiful. Like no evil exists on these lands, and only the purity of God rules over the world. I would never be able to see such a landscape in my world. ''Let''s get going!'' I take a deep breath, and start my journey.


    I take my time as I happily walk through the plains. ¡®It sure is peaceful.¡¯ Too bad I can''t find this in Edelweiss. Most of the plains are populated by farmers, villages or other human things. We already removed almost every forest in our vicinity, and now we have to resort to trading, which isn''t Edelweiss'' specialty. ''That''s because they''re all warmongers...'' I pick a flower...a rose. ''You guys even grow here?'' I begin talking to nature. That doesn''t make me paranoid...right?


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    After walking for a long while, I notice some dark clouds shrouding this land. ''Geh, a storm...'' Even in this beautiful land, you get storms. ''You can''t stop the weather can you...?'' It''s no reason to find this place less pretty. Besides, without a lot of rain, nature wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain its beauty. ''I''d better pick up the pace! I don¡¯t want to get soaked after all!'' I start jogging, trying to stay clear from the weather.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The clouds cover pretty much nearly half of the land, but for some reason, there is no storm. Only a dark and gloomy atmosphere. ¡®I¡¯d better hurry.¡¯ I feel danger coming from those clouds. Something nostalgic, yet something dangerous. Something warm, yet so cold. It feels¡­connected to home for some reason. ¡®What are those clouds¡­?¡¯ No use pondering over it right now, because I have no idea what will happen when I get close to them.


    At some point the clouds stopped moving. Even as I stand still, it like something is pushing it back. ¡®What kind of magic is that¡­?¡¯ That shouldn¡¯t be possible, but this is a strange world, so I shouldn¡¯t be surprised if giant mantises appeared. ¡®That would be creepy¡­stop scaring yourself, Brandr!¡¯ I shiver at the thought. I walked for hours now. I can see a village nearby. ¡®I hope I can get shelter or something¡­or food¡­¡¯ My stomach rumbles at the thought. Dammit, this is frustrating.¡¯ I keep on walking.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this point, I¡®m practically dragging my feet. The village doesn¡¯t feel like it¡¯s gotten any closer. I¡¯m sure I was walking in the right direction. I feel weak, my mind is blank and my stomach is empty. Am I going to die in an unknown world? Will God¡¯s hand take me to heaven from here? I try to move, but my body doesn¡¯t listen. I fall to the ground. My consciousness drifts away quietly.


    ¡®So here you end, with so much to repent¡­¡¯


    ¡®No¡­I can¡¯t give up here¡­¡¯


    ¡®Will you cling to that rope?


    If you do, you will lose all hope.¡¯


    ¡®Who am I even talking to?¡¯


    ''I am you, and you are me,


    We¡¯ve been together for eternity.¡¯


    ¡®No¡­I won¡¯t¡­ Just get out my head¡­¡¯


    I stand up once more and keep on walking. That was genuinely weird. This world is already making me crazy. ¡®What am I talking about? I¡¯m sure this is just a dream. I probably fell asleep, didn¡¯t I?¡¯ I pinch myself, only to feel the pain. My surroundings stay the same. I try pinching harder, hoping for any reaction to wake me from this far too realistic feeling nightmare I am dreaming. To no avail¡­ ¡®Damn, there goes my hope¡­¡¯ I should keep on moving. ¡®I am really resilient, am I not?¡¯ I expected myself to be freaking out more about everything that¡¯s happening to me. ¡®Maybe I am realizing that panicking isn¡¯t going to help me¡­¡¯


    I near the village. I can almost see it, but I forgot about the dark clouds. They have well gone over me. I sit on a rock so I can rest a bit. ¡®What was that about?¡¯ Such near-death moments should be at the end of an adventure, not at the very beginning. I am young, and experiences like that are not good for my healthcare. ¡®At least I made it out¡­¡¯ I pick myself up, and turn around, only to find a person. I could never be luckier. I should call out to him. Maybe he¡¯s has some food on him. ¡®Aah, you over the-! Before I finish my sentence, he turns around, and I can see his hideous face¡­¡­Is that even a face? He looks like a monster, and I just noticed his body is mostly rotten flesh. A walking skeleton. ¡®U-Undead?!¡¯ I scream. I don¡¯t think I have ever been this frightened in my entire life. The creature looks like a skeleton, but most of his flesh looks like a black gooey mass, and it¡¯s just hanging on the black bones like rotten flesh. It is even wearing a chain mail harness and pants. It looks at me, and a screeching voice escapes his ¡®¡¯mouth¡¯¡¯. He holds a sword, which he raises high up in the sky. I have a bad feeling about this. I¡¯m defenseless against it. It looks utterly creepy, and even a little disgusting, but my eyes stay fixated on the undead man. I need to run, but I just don¡¯t have any energy in me. My stomach rumbles at a bad moment, and the monster charges at me. I have no energy at all, but I have to fight it. It swings a bit amateurish at me, so I can dodge it easily, but I still fall to the ground. ¡®I¡¯m hungry¡­¡¯ It turns around, and charges once again. I close my eyes. I don¡¯t want to see it kill me, but before it strikes me, I hear an explosion. I quickly open my eyes and see the monster crumble apart in front of me. It flails around on the ground, convulses, and disappears in the ground like a black goo. It looks disgusting, so I turn away from it. I look around, and see an old man come near me. I instinctively crawl a bit back. Is he planning on killing me as well?


    ¡®------.¡® It speaks to me, but I can¡¯t understand him. A deafening noise, like a scary static. It even leaves a slight whistling noise in my ears.


    ¡®What did you say? Who are you?¡¯ The old man looks shocked at me, like I¡¯m speaking some foreign language.


    ¡®---------. -------, ------.¡¯ His speaking is painful. My head is throbbing at every noise that comes out of his mouth. How could someone¡¯s ¡®¡¯speech¡¯¡¯ be so painful? It is genuinely unbearable, like someone is smashing nails in every part of your brain, while they are stabbing me in the ears with daggers. ¡®-----------. --------------------¡¯ His voice makes me pass out before I even realize it¡­


    What did I do to deserve this¡­?

 Chapter 3 - ‘\’Rotson Village’\’

    ¡®¡¯Rotson Village¡¯¡¯


    I grab another piece of bread as I stuff my mouth with soup. Not a single piece of food is safe in front of me. I unleashed the glutton inside as I eat away all the hospitality.


    ¡®You have quite the appetite. What were you doing all alone in the wilderness?¡¯ Evander asks while looking at me with astonishment. I forget to swallow the bread in my mouth.


    ¡®I fewf fwom we swky.¡¯ I completely forgot about any sort of table manners. This is what happens when you go on a forced fast.


    ¡®Uhm¡­could you please repeat that?¡¯ Evander looks with a raised eyebrow at me. I swallow and repeat myself.


    ¡®I fell from the sky¡­¡¯


    After I passed out, it seems that the old man took me to his village and house, and treated me until I woke up, which was a day later.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.just a while back¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    [I wake up, and feel myself completely drained from energy. I had this weird dream. I fell through a puddle, and fell down into a weird world, where I was attacked by some undead creatures, until an old man used magic to save me.


    ¡®Hahaha, what a weird dream¡­¡¯ I look around, but the surroundings are completely unrecognizable. I¡¯m in an old, wooden room, clearly decorated as a guest room. A pot of flowers, a small cupboard and a candle. A chill runs down my spine. ¡®N-No way¡­ That was supposed to be a dream¡­¡¯ While I say that softly to myself, the door opens slowly. I anxiously wait for someone to come through. I see an old man around his fifties, but still with brown strides through his hair. His beard isn¡¯t that long, but it does go all the way till his Adam¡¯s apple, so to call it short¡­ I look into his light brown eyes, as he carries a cup on a plate towards me. It¡¯s the same old man that saved me before I passed out. So, it¡¯s the same man that made me pass out. He offers me the warm cup. It looks like a cup of tea. I take a small sip from it, and feel the warmth enter my body, while the taste of forest fruits lingers on my tongue.


    ¡®-------,------.¡¯ My head hurts when he talks. I still can¡¯t understand him.


    ¡®Uhm¡­I can¡¯t understand you¡­¡¯ He looks troubled as he examines me. He can¡¯t hear me as well? That¡¯s what I am guessing from his reaction¡­ This is getting troublesome. He suddenly jumps up, and puts his fist in his palm.


    ¡®-----!¡¯ He makes a ¡®¡¯Wait a moment¡¯¡¯ gesture and leaves the room. He comes back a moment later with an old walking stick. I have currently no idea what¡¯s happening over here¡­ While I ponder about it, he already starts speaking again, but he lights up at the same time.


    ¡®Gah, what are you¡­¡¯ I freak out. He starts to speak louder, and puts the end of the stick on my forehead. The tip starts glowing fiercely, and I get knocked back. My vision darkens for a moment, while I fall into the pillow with the back of my head. It hurts, like my brain is beating as a heart.


    ¡®Are you alright?¡¯


    ¡®Not really, my head really hu-¡­¡¯ I suddenly notice. ¡®I can understand you!¡¯ I close in on his face without thinking. He takes a few steps back.


    ¡®Not really, I just used magic to make you speak and understand our language. So we can talk on equal length without any cryptic voice and language.¡¯ I laugh slightly at what he says.


    ¡®True¡­it was killing me.¡¯ It truly was¡­almost literally.


    ¡¯If you can, you can come to my dining room, and I¡¯ll have some food prepared for you. You seem awfully hungry.¡¯ My stomach growls at his proposal.


    ¡®Ah, how embarrassing¡­¡¯ The stomach can¡¯t lie it seems.


    ¡®By the way, my name is Evander. You''re here in my hometown, Rotson Village.¡¯]


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    So here I am, stuffing my mouth with food shamelessly. ''Y-You fell from the sky?'' I nod furiously as I grab a piece of chicken (I''m not actually sure if it is chicken, but it''s delicious), and eat it away in 2 bites. Maybe I should¡¯ve considered that I¡¯m in a house with a stranger who I have never even seen in my life, in a world which I don¡¯t know anything about. Well, the hunger was a bit too strong. ''I think you should calm down, before you choke yourself.'' Evander''s warning goes unnoticed, as I choke myself on some bread.


    ''!!!'' I keep beating on my chest, but it has no effect.


    ''Take some water...'' Evander offers me some water, and I swallow it instantly. *Cough* *Cough* I almost died again... Maybe I really need to calm down. ''Now that I think about it, I haven''t caught your name yet.'' He looks at me pitiful, since I almost choked.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ''Ah, of course.¡¯ I quickly jump off my chair, and stand in front of me. ¡®The name is Brandr of Edelweiss.'' I make a grandiose bow.


    ''Brandr...that''s an unusual name.''


    ''It means "sword" in my language.'' I proudly pronounce. ''Since I''m very good with a sword.''


    ¡®So, your parents knew you were good with a sword since birth?¡¯


    ¡®¡­¡¯ I have nothing to say to that. I always introduced myself like that, and no one ever commented on it. Were they afraid of me? Either way, its embarrassing ¡®A-anyway, the name is Brandr.¡¯


    ¡®Good to see you¡¯re still doing alright, Brandr.¡¯ He grabs all the plates I used and brings them to the kitchen. Only then I notice how much I''ve eaten. How embarrassing. ¡®Come. Let me introduce you to the others in the village.'' He opens the door, and I quickly follow behind him. I just let myself get carried by the flow for the moment.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Evander gives me a tour through the village. Only that ends fast. Probably due the fact that his village is pretty small. I quickly get introduced to everyone. It is then that I notice that Evander is well-respected around here. It makes me think that he¡¯s the chieftain of the village, but that possibility was ruled out when he explained it himself. Apparently he did something for his country, and now he¡¯s pretty well known. ''You said you were from another world, right?'' He suddenly breaks the silence once more.


    ''Ah, yes. I come from a city-state named Edelweiss, but I need to find a way back.¡¯


    ¡®Then you probably are from another world. I have never heard of something called a Redelneiss¡­¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s Edelweiss though¡­and I just said that.¡¯ I look at the sky, which is still engulfed by the dark clouds, but they haven''t moved anywhere since I passed out. If it weren''t for the creepy clouds and the undead, it would''ve been a nice place. Calm and beautiful.


    ''Say, Evander. Do you know what these clouds are?''


    Before he answers me, a few thunderbolts strike down. He frowns, while I panic. To think that I would be able to see lightning struck to the ground. I look around, and notice that everyone is suddenly acting different. Some are even carrying weapons. ¡®What¡¯s going on here? Evander, what¡¯s wrong?¡¯


    ''Abyss... Brandr, come with me now!'' Evander says as he heads out by himself.


    ''Abyss¡­?'' I repeat the word to myself, but before I know it, Evander is out of my sight. ''Hey, Evander? Wait up for me!'' I run in the direction I think I saw him leave. ¡®What is this Abyss supposed to mean?!¡¯ Why is everything happening at the same time? I¡¯m having a bit of trouble keeping up with all these bizarre events.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    I run to the outskirts of the village, and see Evander facing three other undead creatures.


    He starts speaking in a hushed voice, and he shoots a fireball through his walking stick. He burns the monsters to crisps.


    ''Amazing...'' He took them out in an instant. So this is magic. It¡¯s like I landed right into a fairy tale.


    ''Brandr, it''s time to prove your excellence with a sword.'' A villager creeps up to me as he says that.


    ¡®Ghya!¡¯ I wouldn¡¯t even notice him if Evander didn¡¯t point him out. That was scary as hell¡­


    ''Take it, and show me how good you are.'' I see the villager offering me a sword. I grab it, and swing with it a few times. It''s a medium sword, to my frustration, it¡¯s amazingly heavy for the small sword it is. I can''t complain about it though. They probably don¡¯t have anything else. This looks more like a self-defense weapon rather than a soldier¡¯s favorite steel sword.


    Soon after, a few other undead creatures walk up on us. ¡®I don¡¯t know what this is all about, but let me show you all the excellence of the Royal Edelweiss Swordplay. Feel honored to witness its superiority.''


    I charge upon the monsters. ''Let''s go!'' I roar and run to the first one. I give him a low-kick him, making him fall to the ground. I try to stab his head, but the second undead tries to slice my back. I parry by swinging my sword backwards over my head. I jump to the left, turn around, and charge on the third one. I slice him diagonal to the right shoulder, killing it instantly. I turn around again, and swing my sword with it, taking down the second and fourth at once. The first one tries to hit me from above, but I smack his sword away, and slice downwards, killing it.


    That went easier than expected, I can tell myself that. I head to Evander after defeating them.


    ''That was impressive indeed.'' I can only laugh prideful.


    ''The Royal Edelweiss Swordplay is more of a free form style. Let the sword move you, and not the other way around. That¡¯s the rule of my style.¡¯


    ¡®Well, like I said, I¡¯m impressed. Let us return to my shelter. I want to discuss something with you for a moment,¡¯ he tells me with a slightly stern face. I silently walk behind him, as he leaves the ground where the undead spawned. I still have no clue what on earth just happened. Out of nowhere, some creatures appeared, threatening to kill us. I quickly defeated them, but I don¡¯t even know what I defeated. And that was the scary part. I never killed a person before, and I couldn¡¯t identify them in any other way then undead. I hope Evander will explain to me what just happened, because no matter how I ponder about it, I can¡¯t make head and tails off this sudden event.


    Evander opens the unlocked door of his house, and heads to the kitchen. He soon returns with two cups of what seem like tea. He places them on the table, signing me to sit down with him. I nervously sit as he told me to, maybe because I am still a bit shaken. ¡®Uhm, Evander, can you tell me what just happened?


    Without answering my question, Evander starts talking. ''Listen, Brandr, I need to tell you something.'' He starts whispering. ''Join my trip to the capital. I could use your help. You coming from another world, and the appearing of Abyss might have a connection. I will ask for an audience with the Queen and Princess.'' I shake my head furiously.


    ''No, no, no. I need to find a way to return to my own world. I don¡¯t want to sound offensive, but I literally have nothing to do with any of this. Fighting weird undead creatures in another world.''


    ''Brandr, think about it. It might help you find your way back home. I never told you to fight any more beasts from Abyss, and there is probably more information in the capital then in this rural village. Besides, if I can get the royal family on our side to help us, you¡¯ll be back home in your world in no time,¡¯ he concludes, as he takes a sip of his cooled-down tea. I quickly take a sip as well, and smell the aroma of what presumably is mint, freshly placed into the cup. His offer certainly is appealing. His facts are worth considering. It looks like I have no real choice in this one¡­


    ''Alright, you win. I''ll join your trip,'' I tell him, giving in to his proposal. He smiles at my response.


    ''Great, let us pack up and head out.''


    ¡®Wait, today?¡¯ Isn¡¯t that a bit fast. I haven¡¯t even prepared for anything.


    ¡®I certainly don¡¯t plan on going in a few weeks, so yes, today.¡¯ Evander is a bit of a strict person it seems. Things are going a little to fast for me now¡­ ¡®Come on, finish your tea. It should be cooled off by now,¡¯ he tells me as he gets up, and heads into another room. I quickly drink the tea as he tells me, and follow him.

 Chapter 4 - ‘\’Evander and Brandr’\’

    ¡®¡¯Evander and Brandr¡¯¡¯


    ''Dammit! How could this happen?!'' I roar out in the middle of nowhere. Evander is inspecting the carriage we rode on.


    ''This is troublesome...'' he says calmly as he rubs his beard.


    ''Troublesome? That''s your observation? We''re doomed, I tell you! Doomed!'' I jump up and down in panic. I¡¯m not thinking rationally anymore.


    <hr>


    28 days ago, sunrise, Rotson Village...


    <hr>


    ''A carriage? You?'' We were preparing to travel to the capital. Evander already said goodbye to the villagers for the time being. "I''ll come back", is what he said. But when I started helping him to pack up, he suddenly told me we were going by carriage. ''I haven''t seen a horse anywhere around town, let alone a carriage.¡¯


    ''I have it out of sight, of course. It''s for emergencies like this.'' He just called this an emergency...


    ''The emergency is that my family is probably worried sick right now. Did I just say worried? No, they''re heartbroken. Their son and brother suddenly disappeared, without a single trace. What if they think that I¡¯m kidnapped? Or worse?¡¯


    ''Now, now. Calm down. It''ll be a long trip.''


    ''Calm down? How can I ca-!¡¯ He hits me in the stomach with his staff mid-sentence. I sink through my knees while quietly gasping for air.


    ¡®I said calm down, boy. What are you going to accomplish with panic attacks like that?¡¯ he says sternly. I quickly shut my mouth. He is strict after all. I didn¡¯t think he would actually hit me. The only person I can remember that would hit me like that would be my instructor. ¡®Can you at least tell me how long we¡¯ll be traveling?'' He strokes his gray-brown beard once again as he thinks about it. ''Somewhere about 30 days if everything goes well.'' I feel defeated.


    ''30 days!!!¡¯ My heart feels like it just dropped on the ground. The remaining feeling of hope that I previously had disappears completely. It makes me think that I should just leave Evander and wait at the pond where I dropped down into this world. Only that wouldn¡¯t solve anything. I don¡¯t have any food or water with me, and I highly doubt that portal opens by itself every seven days if I were to believe Evander¡¯s reaction on my arrival and previous disbelief that I come from another world. ¡®What the hell! A whole month¡­'' That''s really disheartening nonetheless. I want to cry so badly, but I try to hold it in as much as possible. ''Well, I guess I should be thankful you''re taking me.''


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    We load the carriage he materialized out of nowhere. ''Brandr, you know how to ride a horse?''


    ''Well, of course. But I rarely do it, so I''m not sure if I still can... Ah, I almost forgot!'' I hand him my sword. ''Is it possible I can get a bigger one?'' I really prefer a two-handed one. He shakes his head, and pushes the sword back in my hands.


    ''All the swords in the village are the same size.'' I sigh, and inspect the sword. It''s very plain looking, but it has a weird feeling to it.


    ''So. Can you tell me what material this is?'' It doesn''t look or feel like steel, or anything stronger.


    ''Ah, it''s made from orichalcum.'' He goes further with his business.


    ''O-Ori...what?'' I fail to understand him. ''Uhm...Do you know what steel is?'' I try to ask, but I already know the answer.


    ''Steel, what''s that?'' Figures...the materials here are different from my world. Let''s just hope this "orichalcum" is strong enough for me.


    ''We''ll be camping at night time, so be prepared,¡¯ he suddenly adds to the conversation like it¡¯s the most normal thing in the world.


    ¡®C-Camping?! I completely forget about that. Isn¡¯t there any inn along the way? Because doing something like camping is¡­¡¯


    ¡®Are you royalty or something? Shut your yapping and start packing.¡¯ He cuts me off. Well, I guess it¡¯s kind of exciting. I never camped that much in my life, excluding the harsh training from my instructor. I always wanted to adventure, but I¡¯m probably to attached to my warm bed¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­.


    Orichalcum is the basic material in this world when it comes to making tools. While there are more magical materials lying around, they mostly use it to reinforce the orichalcum, making it stronger, or maybe even an entirely different material. A weapon or tool made without the use of orichalcum is extremely rare and valuable, since without orichalcum as base, it''s very difficult to make. But it''s proven that without an orichalcum base, they grow a lot stronger, equaling a weapon that possesses rewritten orichalcum. Turning orichalcum into a different material makes the strongest tools, but it''s also the most difficult task. Evander explained that to me while we were busy packing. It sounds like this orichalcum is a troublesome material.


    We finish packing and are ready to head out. The sun high up, and with the dark clouds lessening for some reason, it''s a perfect day to depart. ''Take care. Come back safely.¡¯ Multiple people are saying goodbye. I wave them out as well, as we depart. ''Bye!'' We leave the village, and our journey begins.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­..


    ¡äSo¡­you dropped out of the sky from a place called Mederkeiss, right?¡¯ Evander asks out of nowhere as he steers the carriage.


    ¡®Edelweiss. And yes, that is true. Why¡¯d you ask?¡¯The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡®What is it like up there? Don¡¯t you guys have to worry about something like Abyss yourself? Have you beaten it already?¡¯


    I want to slightly chuckle, but I don¡¯t out of respect. I must realize that Evander probably doesn¡¯t know that this country is such a fantasy world in comparison to Edelweiss. I ponder, thinking where to begin with my story. ¡®Well, first, we never had anything to do with something like Abyss. Germania is a world that doesn¡¯t look as beautiful like this one, and it definitely doesn¡¯t have things like magic or Abyss lingering around.¡¯


    Evander strokes his beard slightly, trying to picture the world before him. I try to tell him to just think of something gloomy and it would probably fit right in Germania. It¡¯s a bit dull, with the summer as exception, it usually is just cold and dreary. The only thing that could make it look beautiful are the sunrise and sunset.


    ¡®So, Evander. What is this Abyss actually? Because¡­¡¯ I don¡¯t finish my sentence, because I find the topic to heavy to think about. The act of taking another life is disturbing. You¡¯d basically be terminating someone¡¯s consciousness. Yes, I know that that is the definition of death, but the more I think about it, the scarier it becomes. Imagining myself suddenly being shut off, and my entire existence being rendered obsolete.


    ¡®It takes a while to explain, and I don¡¯t think I am fit to be honest. Sorry about that.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s okay. If you ever think about telling me something, I have time. As you can see.¡¯ I lie down for a moment and close my eyes.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­


    The landscape is truly beautiful. Whenever I look around, it just feels like I¡¯ve been dropped in one of the fantasy books I read in Edelweiss. The sky is beautiful, next to the dark clouds, and the creatures that soar the sky are majestic. Some of them even look like un-earthly birds. Creatures I have never heard about. I squint my eyes and spot a completely red bird with a weird jaw and wings. It looks completely out of the ordinary. I turn around to Evander, but I realize that the bird is far beyond to ask about.


    And it hasn¡¯t been restricted to birds as well. I¡¯ve seen a lot of creatures throughout the time that I¡¯ve been here. Phenomenon I can only dream about. This world is just so intriguing. If I ever got the chance to return here after I get back to Edelweiss, I¡¯d take it. I can only awe at the beauty of this place¡­


    ¡®This world is beautiful, isn¡¯t it¡­?¡¯


    ¡®You think so? Well, I have lived here my entire life, so it doesn¡¯t have such a big effect on me anymore¡­¡­but I do understand what you mean¡­¡¯ Evander responds with a soft smile.


    ¡®Yes¡­it tickles the inner adventurer in me. The feeling I want to explore. The feeling to learn. The feeling to discover. I am just in awe¡­¡¯ Thinking about it like that¡­no matter how bad it is to say something like this¡­


    ¡­It makes the long travel a bit more enjoyable¡­


    <hr>


    28 days later, sunrise, road to Capital.


    <hr>


    ''Brandr, wake up. We''re departing.'' I rub the sleep out of my eyes, and try to lift up my worn out body. Camping outside is definitely different from waking up in your prince-size room. In the end, I got used to the huge bed...and the luxury life. He¡¯s already sitting high and mighty on his brown horse. If I could summarize him in one sentence: Cocky¡­but also fun. He¡¯s wise, and he always takes his time to explain something to me. He also counsels me a lot about my worries. Like the fact that I have been missing for 28 days now, and that my family must be worried sick about me. They probably think I got kidnapped or something. I should probably use that as an excuse if I return in a month. Since that would sound at least a little bit realistic.


    ''Give me a second, will you?'' I roll up the sleeping bag, and throw it in the carriage. All the stuff goes in the carriage, so we have to ride the horses. I was quite amazed how the old man could ride a horse better than I can. He looks 55, but he acts like he''s 21. ''I''ve got to pull my act together...'' I slap my cheeks, trying to wake myself. I get on my horse, and fall off on the other side.


    ''What the heck are you doing?'' Evander looks pitiful from his horse.


    ''At least I''m awake now...'' I get on properly this time, and we precede our journey.


    I almost nod off as I travel on the road. ''If you fall asleep, the carriage will go off-road.'' He hits me with his walking stick, trying to keep me awake.


    ''By the way, that''s a staff right?'' He looks at his own staff.


    ''Nope, it''s a walking staff.'' I put my hand on my head.


    ''What''s that supposed to mean?''


    ¡®Exactly what I said.¡¯ He gives me the vaguest answer I could imagine. I hear thunderstorms behind me as we talk. I get goose bumps. ''Looks like they''re still far from the capital.''


    ''Would that be a problem then?''


    He nods. ''The darkness is spawning grounds for Abyss. That''s why we lit up almost everything. But even that is a hard task.'' Something comes to my attention when he talks.


    ''You know a lot about all this. Did this happen in the past?''


    He smiles. ''Well, you''ll see when we get to the capital, but don''t let your guard down. They might come all t-.''


    Before he finishes his sentence, my horse goes crazy and throws me off. He starts to run out of sight. ''Dammit, what the...?'' Something blocks my vision. A creature. An undead monster like before. He makes some weird sound, like the ticking off the teeth, and the clicking off the tongue, and thrusts his sword unto me. I barely dodge by rolling to the left. I quickly stand up and take my sword out of his sheathe. It takes me a moment to remember that this sword is stupidly heavy. I regain my stance after pouring all my strength into my arms.


    ''Brandr, duck.'' My body reacts on Evander, and the moment I duck, a lightning bolt goes over my head, killing the undead creature. ''There are more heading this way. Prepare yourself.'' Evander shouts as he gets off his horse. ''Brandr, I take this side, take out the others.'' He disappears behind the carriage.


    I focus on the two in front of me. I quickly charge on the first one, jump, and try to overpower him with one strike, but he is a lot stronger than the previous one I fought. ''Crap!'' He throws me in the air, and thrusts his sword up. I block it, and kick him in the face. The momentum shoots me backwards, and I land onto the ground, which I immediately charge at the distorted monster. I quickly slice up, and take him down. Before the second one can react, I run up to him, slide across the ground, and slice his open back.


    I fall to the ground tired of the fight. Evander comes up to me, laughing insecure. ''Uhm...Brandr. We have a little problem.'' I look behind him, and see the carriage, but both horses are gone.


    ''Evander...where are the horses...?'' He looks sullen away from me. I get cold sweat. ''Don''t tell me...''


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    I roll out the sleeping bed near the fireplace, and rest my head on my bags. We decided to go further on foot and take only the necessities with us. So, we let a lot behind, and now we''re hungry and tired. ''Damn horses...why would they even run away...?'' I start sulking by myself.


    ''Don''t fuzz too much. Here, I brought some wild mushrooms.'' Evander shows an entire bag full of them. I shiver at the thought of eating them.


    ''No thanks. You can eat them yourself...'' I miss my luxury food. I''m just a naive rich boy in the end. I try to get some sleep, but my rumbling stomach makes it hard for me to actually fall asleep in this end. ¡®Evander, are you asleep?¡¯ I don¡¯t hear anything but soft breathing from his side. To think he would fall asleep so fast. I see the bag of mushrooms next to him. ¡®He didn¡¯t even eat it himself¡­¡¯ I look up at the sky. It¡¯s filled with so many stars, and they line up beautifully. I stare at them, while memories of my family come back. A single tear rolls from my cheek, as I fall asleep. ¡®Father¡­¡¯


    <hr>


    ¡­...The following morning¡­¡­


    <hr>


    We should be almost there by now, but instead, we''re still walking with our bags. Evander is dragging himself to keep up with me. What a mess. ''If only this damn Abyss would''ve left us alone, we would''ve been there already!'' I shout at no one in particular. Just some anger management for myself.


    ''If we keep on walking and minimize our breaks, we might make it by nighttime.'' That doesn''t cheer me up at all.


    ''Say, can''t you use magic to make us faster or something?''


    ''If I did, I would''ve used it yesterday.'' He hits my head with his stick.


    ''Damnit, you might''ve forgotten!'' I only tried to help!'' I notice my voice getting louder.


    ''Don''t take me for an old fart. You should be happy that I was bringing you!¡¯ We''re pretty much shouting by now. Our hunger and stress are making us act irrational. We keep shouting, until we notice a carriage in the distance. And it''s heading our way... We look at each other. ''We''re saved!'' We both say in choir, and then jump up and down, trying to get its attention.

 Chapter 5 - ‘\’The Capital Lamia’\’

    ¡®¡¯The Capital Lamia¡¯¡¯


    ¡äHngh!¡¯ I stretch my body out long, as I wake up from my semi-comfortable bed (which is basically a sleeping bag). A carriage is so much better than walking though, so I shouldn¡¯t be complaining about semi-comfortable beds. Evander is discussing something with the driver who picked us up from our disastrous peril we were facing a few days ago. It makes me realize how fast time goes by. Either way, I stick my head out of the window, I notice that we stopped in front of a huge wooden gate.


    ''Brandr, we''re here,¡¯ Evander says looking overjoyed, but calm, as we exit the carriage and stand in front of the gate. ¡®Sir, thank you so much for bringing us. We don¡¯t know what would¡¯ve happened if you didn¡¯t pick up us in the wilderness.¡¯


    I quickly turn my head towards the kind, blond driver that carried us here. ¡®Thank you so much, sir. I hope we¡¯ll be able to pay you back one day for this kind gesture.¡¯ He looks a little bit uncomfortable, as he waves the ¡®¡¯thank you¡¯¡¯ away.


    ¡®It¡¯s okay, really. Don¡¯t mind it too much. I¡¯m just glad I was able to help you guys out. Well, I have some business that I have to attend to, so until we meet again I shall say,¡¯ he finishes, as he takes his carriage inside through the gates. I quickly head towards Evander, who is smiling slightly, as he looks at the huge, wooden gate that give entrance to the white walls that rise all the way to the skies. It¡¯s so big, it almost feels intimidating, but beyond that I get the feeling of safety and pride.


    ''Well then...let''s go!'' I shout and run to the open gates.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ''Welcome to the capital of Illuminia, Lamia.'' Evander takes me through the gates as I look astonished throughout the city.


    ''Wow! The city is at least twice the size of Edelweiss!'' The streets extend lengthy towards the distance, with the various amounts of buildings next to the streets, which are filled to the brim with people. You would not even know where all these people live. Inns, stores with food, candy and everything else, with the roofs colored in various bright colors. The sun shines brightly onto the streets and buildings, making you think that no rain ever falls on this city. It feels like a completely different city than the gray Edelweiss, which is tormented with bad weather for some reason, and its dull atmosphere. It¡¯s genuinely the complete opposite.


    ¡®It¡¯s amazing! This place is huge,¡¯ I almost shout out as I walk through the streets. It tingles my adventurous spirit in my heart even more. I can see the hundreds of people roam through the streets, accomplishing their own daily tasks. We slowly walk through the streets that are structurally made, to prevent collision of a tenfold people at the same time.


    ''That''s good to hear. I''m proud of the city myself. With all the renovation and rebuilding, you couldn¡¯t even see that the fact that it¡¯s hundreds of years old,'' Evander says, stroking his brown-gray beard.


    ''Hundreds?!


    ''I think it is almost 900 years old already.'' My mouth falls open.


    ''9-9-900 years?!'' I''m not impressed anymore. I''m astonished.


    ''I wonder if Edelweiss can remain that long...'' I hope so at least. I look up, at the big keep high above the city, with a tower shining a radiant, aurora light.


    ''The name of the city, Lamia, means radiant. Quite fitting for our kingdom. That light can drive away the darkness of Abyss, so it''s very important to all of us.'' Evander gives me a brief explanation about the tower. I wonder how on earth a big torch can drive the darkness away, but I keep the question for myself, since I don¡¯t want to pry too much. My mind is set on returning home to my own world. I have already spent too much time here.


    ''That''s where the royalties rest, right? Our destination?''


    He starts laughing. ''Don''t rush it. We still need a place to rest.''


    ''No, we do not, you do. I need to go back to my home world as soon as possible. I can''t afford to wait any longer.¡¯ I hand him my bags and the sword he gave me. ''These were yours to begin with. So, take them.'' He looks like he wants to struggle, but he accepts my bags and sword.


    ''It was a pleasure, Brandr.''


    ''Likewise, Evander. Live a long life, will you?'' I shake his hand and take off. I wave once last time before I disappear out of his sight. It was fun hanging around with him this last month, and I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t forget him for a long time, but this is a friendship that was destined to be broken. I come to a standstill, looking back one last time. I find myself smiling slightly, before I turn back and head forward.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    I rush as fast as I can to the keep. It takes a few curves, but at one part, it''s straight up. I don''t see a real difference in level or class. Both wealthy and less wealthy walk on the same streets, all near the keep. I say, "less wealthy", because I haven¡¯t seen anyone that looked poor the entire time that I have walked around this city. I hope Edelweiss can change into this. I can clearly remember the streets of Edelweiss when I walked around. People were struggling on the ground, dirty, hungry. Everyone was trying to work hard, but the difference in class was so big. If the king didn¡¯t try so hard to equal things between royals and citizens, I¡¯d be sure they rioted even more than they already do. But that never really interested me. It was all just so dull and gray, like a monochrome world of eventless moments. That¡¯s why I want to change my country. I want to bring the color to my city, and start thinking ahead to a future where Edelweiss will outgrow us all. Even if I¡¯m only just a son of a duke, I must do my best to realize my goals.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡®Jeez, why am I thinking so much about this suddenly. I need to go home. Sooner than later¡­¡¯ I start walking up, since I got tired of running. While I walk towards the keep, I realize something. ''I can''t just walk into the keep like a royal...'' You wouldn''t be able to do that in Edelweiss, so the security here must be tight as well. I need a plan to get in. I look for the nearest guards to ask for direction. ''Uhm, sir. Can you point me to the library?'' He gives me a long, and hard to follow explanation. I decide to ask a local later. The only reason I¡¯m going to a library is because I need to think in silence.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­..


    ¡®Maybe I should''ve stayed with Evander...,¡¯ I say to myself when I finally realize that I''m lost. I already asked ten other people for directions, but I still end up getting lost. ''Don''t tell me...I''m bad with directions?!'' A sudden realization. I was pretty good with directions in Edelweiss. ''Probably because this city is too big, and that there are too many people walking around.¡¯ I walk and walk in random directions, until I suddenly stumble on a certain building. Thanks to Evander''s spell, I can also read their language. A board above the building says with big letters: LIBRARY. ''I''ve made it!'' I shout through the streets, grabbing everyone''s attention. I don''t feel embarrassment, only happiness.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­..


    I''ve been reading at least 15 books about other dimensions, but they''re all but theories, fantasies and other useless things. People are giving me weird looks with the stash of books next to me. ¡®Dah! I can¡¯t take this anymore!¡¯ I shout out in frustration. The woman behind the counter shushes me, and points to a sign above her that says: ¡®¡¯Please keep quiet.¡¯¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¯ I can only apologize. I decide to give up on this place. I haven¡¯t gotten any further since coming here. I grab all the books that I had and place the books back one by one. When I turn around the corner to put away the last book, I accidentally bump into another person. I can hear her yelp as she falls to the ground. I quickly drop the book I was holding and catch her in her fall. I support her light body with one hand, and when her cowl falls off with reveals her face, I feel captivated. She¡¯s beautiful¡­ Her face, her blue, clear eyes, her whitish hair that goes to her shoulders, the slender figure that lies in my arms. I wonder if all women in Illuminia are so beautiful. I doubt it. Since no one really drew my attention. No¡­this girl is special. I can understand that she wanted to hide her face, or she¡¯ll be bothered by pretty much everyone. That¡¯s how beautiful she is. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ I fail to say anything. She looks me in the eyes, and blushes slightly.


    ¡®T-Thank you very much.¡¯ I don¡¯t respond since I¡¯m still entranced by her. It takes me a few seconds to get back to my senses.


    ¡®N-No, it¡¯s nothing really. Are you hurt somewhere?¡¯ She shakes her head. I pick up my book and see that she also dropped one. I pick it up and hand it to her, but she looks hesitant at it. I don¡¯t really understand.


    ¡®Uhm, I can¡¯t reach the top. Could you¡­put it back for me?¡¯ She has such an angelic voice that my body nearly freezes the moment she opens her mouth. I¡¯m quickly getting aware that I¡¯m observing her every movement. I quickly put myself out of trance.


    ¡®Ah, of course. I quickly put it back, together with mine. I take another look at the title of her book: ¡®¡¯The Two Worlds¡¯¡¯. ¡®You¡¯re interested in other worlds as well?¡¯ I try to ask her, even though she doesn¡¯t look like she wants to talk.


    ¡®Uhm¡­yes. I was curious if others actually do exist, but after coming here, I start to think that they do not.¡¯ She quietly turns away from me. ¡®Excuse me.¡¯ She walks past me, but before she gets past, I whisper her one last thing:


    ¡®They do exist. Trust me.¡¯ She turns around for a moment, and then walks away. I doubt I¡¯ll ever see her again, which saddens me. She truly was a pretty girl, but once I get back to my own world, I¡¯ll have to forget her.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­.


    I leave the library and walk towards the keep again. The search in the library was a complete waste. Well no entirely. ¡®Now that I think about it, I never got to ask her name.¡¯ It¡¯s a shame really since I probably won¡¯t forget her for a long time now. I clearly remember her light blue eyes, her light white hair, and a face so beautiful that¡¯ll shame everyone. ¡®Damnit get it together.¡¯ I slap my cheeks and change to a power-walk. I feel myself walking faster and faster. At one point I started running. I run as fast as I can. My body feels tired, but I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t feel in control of my body at all. I just feel like I need to rush as fast as I can to the keep. I bump a few times against some people, and at one point, I almost fall, but I quickly get up and start running again. Everyone is looking in my direction now, wondering why I am in such a hurry. Before I know it, I stand in front of the keep. Two guards are standing at the gate. I need a moment to cool off and catch my breath, since I ran non-stop. I wipe my sweat off with my shirt, and head towards the gate. One of the guards stops me.


    ¡®Halt, where do you think you¡¯re going?¡¯ I completely forgot that they wouldn¡¯t just let me in.


    ¡®Listen, I don¡¯t have time for this, but I¡¯ll tell you. My name is Brandr, and I¡¯m not from this world. I come from Edelweiss, in another dimension. I want to speak to the royal family, since they might now something about this. Evander said that the royals could help me.¡¯ The guard points his spear to my throat.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re drunk or mad, but I won¡¯t allow you to take a step through this door.¡¯ He pressed, and a little bit of blood flows out. He looks at the blood at my neck and petrifies. ¡®A-ah¡­¡¯ He steps back. The other guard approaches as well.


    ¡®Aaron, what are you flapping about?¡¯ The first guard named Aaron points at my neck. The second guard takes a close look, and steps back in fear as well. I quickly clean it up.


    ¡®I hope you¡¯ll stay quiet about this¡­¡¯ I close my eyes as I say that to them. ¡®Can you let me through now?¡¯ Aaron points his spear up to me again.


    ¡®That cannot be true. That surely is witchcraft!¡¯ Aaron almost shouts out, making me worry if people are staring at this occurring scene.


    ¡®Well, well. Looks like you didn¡¯t get that far after all. I guess it¡¯s time for my appearance once again. I thought you wouldn¡¯t be able to get in without my help, so I waited for you to come back to me, but you never came. Where were you all this time?¡¯ I turn around, and see Evander stand tall behind me.


    ¡®Evander! How did you¡­I mean, I was at the library, but I didn¡¯t find anything, so I thought I should come here, but they¡¯re not allowing me in, and¡­¡¯


    ¡®Shhh¡­I get it. Don¡¯t worry. Let me handle this. Guards, I would like to speak with the Queen and Princess with this young man. Tell them¡­that ¡®¡¯the¡¯¡¯ Evander wants to speak with them.¡¯ The guard looks at Evander and bows to him.


    ¡®Excuse me for holding you up, o great Evander the Wise. I will tell her Majesty immediately.¡¯ He rushes through the gate, and talks to someone, who runs up the hill to the keep.


    ¡®Say o¡¯ great Evander the Wise¡­are you by chance a really important person?¡¯ He laughs and nods at me. Crap, I¡¯ve been eating the stock out of his house and acted rude towards him. ¡®P-P-Please forgive me, Evander.¡¯ I quickly beg him.


    ¡®Hahaha, don¡¯t worry about it. Now look up, we¡¯ve got a meeting to attend.¡¯ He throws me a bag. ¡®Put your clothes in there when the guards give you new ones. I¡¯ll have them washed, but we need you to look clean in front of her Majesty and her daughter. The gate opens in front of us, revealing the beauty of the inside keep¡­

 Chapter 6 - ‘\’Painful Meeting’\’

    ¡®¡¯Painful Meeting¡¯¡¯


    Evander and I walk through the beautiful royal garden, filled with hundreds of flowers and shaped pruning of animals and people, between the gate and the keep. We¡¯re following a man, dressed as a messenger. He even wears a thin brown scarf together with his fancy clothing. So he probably is a messenger as well. I remember the event at the gate. Evander the Wise¡­ I look to Evander, who walks with a small smile on his face. I wonder how important he is, in order to be called the Wise by the people around him. ¡®Say Evander, what¡¯s with your title?¡¯ He looks surprised, and then happy again, as if he¡¯s glad that I asked him.


    ¡®It¡¯s a title bestowed unto me by her Majesty. I will tell you later why I got it. Let¡¯s just keep it at that I¡¯m very smart. Hahaha.¡¯ He laughs his lungs out.


    ¡®You sound like an old geezer. Probably because you are one as well,¡¯ I say the last part under my breath. He gives me a wry smile, looking like he¡¯s waiting for an opportunity to hit me with his walking staff. We exit the gardens and enter the keep.


    The moment I enter the keep, I see a long, stone hall, going into different directions, decorated with banners and blue stripes on the ground that follows in the directions of the halls like guidelines. The messenger turns around, facing us. ¡®Sir Evander, please wait at your room. One of the guards will take you to her Majesty. Sir Brandr, please follow me.¡¯ Evander simply nods, and heads off. I don¡¯t say anything as well, and quietly follow the messenger. He leads me to another room, that looks like a meeting room rather than a room one should change and sleep, as it¡¯s filled with a large stone table, and a ton of books and papers, making me wonder if these are papers about diplomacy and governing for some reason. ¡®If you would please wait for a moment. A guard will soon supply you with fitting clothes to represent yourself in the presence of Her Majesty.¡¯ The messenger takes a small bow before he leaves, and almost a second later, a lightly armored guard walks into the room.


    The guard hands me a set of fresh, clean clothing. ¡®Please change here, and wait for me to pick you up. Well then, excuse me.¡¯ He turns around, and walks away.


    I quickly change myself into the very neat looking clothes. Long, baggy clothing for some reason, finished with a scarf. I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re giving me the extra decoration as well, but I¡¯ll ignore it for now, and put my old clothes in Evander¡¯s bag. I sit down on one of the chairs that surround the stone table. ¡®I wonder what type of queen rules here?¡¯ Maybe a warrior-type leader like Tribe Leader Brenda from the Iron Coyote Clan. I remember meeting her one or two times. She looked so sternly at me every time we met, glaring into my soul, as if she was trying to exploit my darkest of secrets. I don¡¯t think she has that good of an impression of me. She looks dreadful with her long, spiky hair, her pale skin and her dead, dark eyes that look like she is looking through your body. I keep pondering over it, that I fail to notice that the guard has already arrived.


    ¡®Sir Brandr, I¡¯m here to take you to the Queen.¡¯ I hastily get off the chair, and head to the guard. ¡®Please follow me¡­¡¯ The guard starts walking, and I quietly follow him again. I feel more at home now. I used to be escorted almost everywhere I went as well. Only at some part, I got sick of it. I wanted to live for my own. I was still a little kid back then, I guess. The halls of the kings castle were more decorated as well, as there were many paintings and trophies in the form of the heads of animals the kings have poached throughout their times.


    I meet Evander in front of a huge gate, with guards filling the entire hallway. ¡®Security sure is tight.¡¯ Evander laughs a little at my comment, but soon returns to a serious attitude. That startles me for a bit. I need to change my attitude as well, and pay some respect. I cannot be making a bad impression right now. The guard opens the door, and we enter the room.


    The room I enter is huge. A beautiful fresco covers the ceiling. On the fresco, I see the sun, the moon, the earth and the sky, and in a more inner ring, I see four stars, and in the middle a symbol I do not recognize the symbol, but the ceiling is filled with far more colors than that. The walls hold long banners of the kingdom, and in the middle, a huge portrait of a family of three. A father, a mother and a baby. Guards surround the room on the floor. In one world, it¡¯s a beautiful place. I¡¯ve been seeing a lot of beautiful things since I have arrived in this world.


    ¡®Your Majesty¡­¡¯ Evander kneels to the woman with white hair. She has an older face like a mother, but she still holds beauty and charisma, wearing her long white dress, and royal-like cloak. She sits in front of us, on a giant throne, with the portrait hanging above her.


    ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ I bow as well, but I do not go to my knee. Such is not the custom in Edelweiss, or in the alliance. We only bend our knee to God. That has been our tradition since ancient times. The guards around me look suspicious at me for no kneeling, and Evander also looks up for a moment, slightly glaring at me, telling me to go through my knees.


    ¡®Go through your knees, you idiot!¡¯ I can read it in his eyes.


    ¡®Shut up, old geezer! Don¡¯t tell me what to do,¡¯ I try to communicate back through my eyes. I don¡¯t even know how I do that, so I ignore the entire matter and put my focus back towards the Queen. ¡®My excuses for not kneeling, but where I come from, we do not kneel, not even to gallant kings and queens.¡¯ I state my reason. Everyone looks at each other, trying to get what I¡¯m saying. They probably lost me in the ¡®¡¯where I come from¡¯¡¯ part.


    ¡®I do not really understand what you¡¯re saying, traveler.¡¯ The Queen speaks in a soft, kind voice. A kind hearted one perhaps? My mind flies back towards Minister Roland from Yarrin, who¡¯s first impression is a very kind man, only to find out later that he was a shrewd and unfair politician who¡¯d make you sign a deal you¡¯d forever regret. Kind of like a demon. What can I say¡­first impressions can be deceiving?


    ¡®I would like to explain, and immediately tell my reasons for coming here, you Majesty. If I may?¡¯


    ¡®¡­very well. Please tell me,¡¯ she says half-interested, as she leans back in her big throne. The moment I want to start my story, someone enters the room. I turn around and see a girl in a beautiful white and blue dress. I look her in the eyes, and recognize her immediately. No man could forget such a pretty face after all, such beautiful white hair, and such clear blue eyes.


    ¡®A-Ah¡­You¡¯re that girl¡­from the...¡¯ It was the very pretty girl from back then. She was too beautiful to forget. Somewhere I knew I would meet her again, but not this soon. I want to ask her a lot of question, but before I even get the chance to¡­


    ¡®Ah, my daughter, you¡¯ve arrived.¡¯ The Queen speaks happily as she looks at the girl that has just entered.


    ¡®D-D-Daughter¡­you mean¡­¡¯ This pretty girl is the princess?! I helped her out, and held the princess of this kingdom?! I¡¯m probably one of the few. So that¡¯s why she wore a cowl. Everyone would recognize the princess at first glance. She enters her seat, next to her mothers, and the moment she looks at me, she looks shocked. She slightly blushes and turns away, and then looks back at me. We stare at each other for a moment, until the Queen interrupts us.


    ¡®I presume you can speak with my daughter¡¯s presence?¡¯ the Queen says sternly, as if she knows I was looking at her daughter. I quickly nod, refocusing on the Queen. I take a glance at Evander, who still remains kneeled. I guess I will have to do all the talking.


    ¡®My name is Brandr of Edelweiss. As my name indicates, I am not from around here. Let me inform you better, Edelweiss does not exist in Illuminia, for I am from another world.¡¯ The moment I announce that, the princess looks at me with wide eyes. She probably remembers what I told her at the library when she left. ¡®¡¯They do exist. Trust me.¡¯¡¯ These were the words I left her with before we separated from each other if I recall them correctly. The guards also break composure and start whispering with each other. I continue nevertheless. ¡®You might think I¡¯m mad, but let me tell you, I¡¯m speaking the truth here. I came to the royal family since I thought you might know something, but now that I found out that she¡¯s your daughter, my hope for that is shattered.¡¯ The queen raises her eyebrow when I mention her daughter. The girl looks away shyly. ¡®If you want to know, I met your daughter earlier this day, but I did not know she was a princess.¡¯ I close my eyes. ¡®But it seems that the royal family also has no information about other worlds.¡¯ I reach my conclusion. The queen closes her eyes.


    ¡®It¡¯s true; we hold no information on this matter.¡¯ Evander shakes a bit, but only for a moment. In the end, I¡¯ve got my hopes up, and had them crushed like a walnut.


    ¡®Then I am sorry I¡¯ve wasted your time.¡¯ I bow one more time, and turn around. I look at the princess for one last time. She looks a bit worried. I give her a reassuring smile, but the moment I try to leave, Evander stands up.


    ¡®Your Majesty, what¡¯s this about? Won¡¯t you help a single young man, who has been separated from his home? I know you know something, so please tell him what you know, your Majesty.¡¯ He goes back on his knees again. I look confused at Evander, unknowing what he is talking about.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡®What¡¯s with the rush and agitation, Evander. This is not like you at all¡­¡¯ The queen thinks. For a long time.


    ¡®Maybe¡­¡¯ I can hear a few words she says to herself. I look in the eyes of the princess again, and once again, seem to forget everything around me. The entire situation that is developing melts away when I look into her eyes. Is this love? I highly doubt it. She is just that beautiful. I guess she is just my type... I get captivated by her face every time. She looks at me as well, and we stare in each other¡¯s eyes again. Maybe she feels a connection as well, just like me? I do hope so. The queen interrupts us again.


    ¡®Alright, shall we have a talk somewhere else?¡¯ The queen stands up, and indicates us to follow them. I am completely bewildered by this. I guess I wasn¡¯t paying attention to the conversation anymore, since I have no idea what made her want to talk to us separately. The Queen walks towards a hall, left from her throne. Her daughter quietly follows, and Evander and I quickly follow suit. I want to walk next to the princess, but a guard who follows puts himself between us, by walking next to her. Apparently, we must keep a respectable distance from at least 3 meters. I want to talk with her, but it seems even that is impossible now.


    We enter a room. One with a huge bed and a balcony. ''Since Evander insisted on telling you, I will share some information, but not much...


    So she wouldn''t tell me even if I asked... My impression dropped of her.


    ''But first thing first, I''ve seen you keep eyeballing my daughter, Astra. I would like you to stop that.'' I get embarrassed by the fact that I was caught. So her name is Astra? Princess Astra?


    ''Mother, please...'' Astra looks away bashfully. ''I-It¡­¡­wasn''t entirely his fault...'' Dammit, her cute reaction is embarrassing me more.


    ¡®Anyway.¡¯ The queen interrupts us again. ¡®You say you come from another world, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ She looks with strong eyes at me. ¡®Y-Yeah, I come from Edelweiss.¡¯ Both the Queen and princess look at each other, and then nod at each other.


    ¡®It seems¡­that our ritual went successful after all¡­I had given up hope. Astra, notify everyone involving the ceremony. We can¡¯t let it go official yet, but we need to research this man if he¡¯s speaking the truth.¡¯ Astra calls in some men, and start whispering to them, then send them away in a hurry. I completely fail to follow the conversation. Ceremony, research? Did I make a mistake by coming to the royal family? Evander places his hand on my shoulder.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry. I know what they¡¯re talking about.¡¯


    ¡®Is this the reason why you brought me to the capital?¡¯ Evander laughs, and strokes his beard. ¡®You¡¯re right on the spot. When you told me you were from another world, I had a feeling it might¡¯ve been a sign. I hope it¡¯s true.¡¯ I don¡¯t understand what Evander is saying. He still doesn¡¯t believe me that I¡¯m not from here?


    ¡®You guys, I¡¯m not from here. You don¡¯t even need to confirm that. If you know about this all along, then send me back to my own world. Wake me up from the dream!¡¯ I start shouting. Nobody is reacting on the way I¡¯d hoped. They act like¡­


    ¡®¡­you people¡­brought me here¡­¡¯ I was summoned. I fell through the puddle myself, but I know¡­that light was meant to draw me, but then why did I see it as a kid as well? It doesn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡®That¡¯s right. We¡¯ve summoned you in these dire times. In the end, the Orb of Judgment has chosen you, o great warrior.¡¯ She bows her head to me, and tells Astra to do the same. She¡¯s puzzled for a second, but she bows as well. As well as Evander, who suddenly bows his head to me. ¡®I hope you are the person we desire.¡¯ The Queen takes a deep breath, and everyone stands up again.


    ¡®D-Don¡¯t bow to me. I have no idea what you people are, but I only want to return home¡­ I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re planni-¡® The Queen interrupts me in my dismay.


    ¡®We have summoned you from another world. We have prayed and performed the ceremony to summon us the hero who can defeat the darkness called Abyss. The choice has befallen on you, Hero Brandr.¡¯ I step back, against the door.


    ¡®H-Hero¡­what are you talking about. I¡¯m not a hero. I¡¯m a 15 year old son of a duke, who is still in training to fight normally. I cannot be a hero. I¡¯m regular. You must¡¯ve mistaken me for someone else. I don¡¯t want to save the world. I just want to go home.¡¯


    ¡®We cannot let that happen. We have summoned you in our direst of times. We cannot do anything but this. You have been chosen, regardless if you¡¯re a seasoned war-veteran, or a young boy. Fate has chosen you and has brought you to our world to fulfill your destiny. This is the reason you have been born. So, take upon the noble honor of being our Hero.¡¯ The Queen rambles onwards. I don¡¯t understand what she is trying to tell me at all.


    ¡®Honor? Destiny? Reason to be born?¡¯ My voice starts to shake slightly, as I try to collect my thought, to build proper sentences to voice out. ¡®Look! I don¡¯t know whatever you¡¯re talking about, but you cannot force me to do something I don¡¯t want to. I refuse. I don¡¯t want to be a Hero. I don¡¯t need to be a Hero. Just send me back to my own world!¡¯ I feel my voice shaking with every word I utter. I feel my rage and tears build up inside me as I try to hold a strong front.


    ¡®You boy! Don¡¯t you dare act so egocentric. You dare defy the duty destiny has given you? There is no choice. You never had a choice. So, stop acting spoiled, you damned brat!¡¯


    ¡®Egocentric? You are the one who pulled me here without asking!¡¯ I shout and dash out of the room.


    ¡®Wait, Brandr!¡¯ I hear Evander shout to me, but I ignore him. He has betrayed me as well. He never helped me out of kindness or sympathy, or out of friendship. Not even as a bodyguard. He just took me for his own selfish reasons. I run down some stairs, and then up again. I run all the way up the tower with the shining light. I don¡¯t know why. I just feel safe up here. So I sit down by a window of the stairways, and look outside. The big city and its beautiful plains at its gates and walls. I see dark clouds hanging overhead. The light above me blocks their advance.


    ¡®Will I ever return home¡­?¡¯ The royals won¡¯t let me return home. They want me to play hero like when I was still 8 years old. But this is reality. They¡¯ve brought me here for no other reason. ¡®Dad¡­¡¯ I¡¯m no hero. I¡¯m a weak, far too young boy, who hasn¡¯t even taken a glimpse at politics, and I¡¯m still an apprentice at swordplay. My teacher always held back when fighting me. I just know. ¡®I just want to go home.¡¯ I put my head in my legs. ¡®Someone, wake me up from this nightmare. This is not fair. There¡¯s no way I can give those monsters a scare¡­¡¯


    ¡®Why are you so sad, Brandr?¡¯ I look up, and see Astra in front of me.


    ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ I quickly wipe the tears from my face. Totally uncool.


    ¡®Do you wish to return home?¡¯ She sits next to me. Such a beautiful person, worried over an ordinary boy. Dammit, I am way out of her league. She is way too beautiful and sweet and charming and AHHH!! I am panicking! I need to calm myself down, and not have her opinion over me darken even more if that is still possible.


    ¡®Say, Princess¡­¡¯


    ¡®Please call me Astra.¡¯


    ¡®Heh?¡¯ I don¡¯t understand her.


    ¡®Please¡­call me Astra¡­¡¯ She looks sad as well now. I don¡¯t really like to see her sad.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡­Astra. Can you tell me¡­have you ever been taken away from your mother?¡¯ She shakes her head.


    ¡®I remember being at her side for as long as I can remember, and I doubt that will ever change.¡¯ She looks a little bit sullen when she says that, so I quickly take her hand I smile for a bit, trying to reassure her. She looks very happy when I do that. It is then that I realize how soft her hands are and¡­ no no no no, I need to focus.


    ¡®I see¡­There was this one time, were I walked through the streets of Edelweiss. I think I was 8 years old back then. I was still young and innocent. A spy from another country kidnapped me when I was taking a stroll through the park. I was taken hostage for around 3 weeks. Of course, there are people in far worse conditions than me, but I can understand the pain they¡¯ve been through. It¡¯s heartbreaking, being separated from everyone you care, and that there might not be a way back to them. I cried a lot during those weeks, but it made me a stronger person. My father rescued me from the kidnappers, and he told me that real men don¡¯t cry over such things. I promised him not to cry again, but here I am¡­sobbing alone once more. I¡¯m pathetic¡­I¡¯m no hero at all¡­¡¯ I look at Astra, who looks sad after my short story. ¡®Don¡¯t be sad over my story. There is nothing to wo-.¡® Before I finish my sentence, Astra buries my face in her chest.


    ¡®There¡¯s no way I cannot feel sad for you. Being alone is a sad feeling. So, I don¡¯t want you to feel left out anymore. I will side with you, even if it¡¯s against my mother. After all, it¡¯s the least I can do.¡¯ She feels warm. It¡¯s a nice feeling. I feel a kind, calm warmth for the first time I got here.


    ¡®Why would you go so far for a stranger?¡¯ I can hear her chuckle.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know. I just feel like I should,¡¯ she tells me happy. Weirdo. I can¡¯t understand her after all. But I don¡¯t dislike her for that. Rather¡­


    I stay up with her for a little longer before I head back downstairs with her again. ¡®Say, what are you going to do now?¡¯ Astra asks me while we walk back.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know anymore. I highly doubt I can do anything by myself right now. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to take no for an answer anyway. Which sounds disheartening, and feels really disheartening, but¡­¡¯ I halt in the middle of my sentence.


    ¡®But?¡¯ She looks curiously at me, waiting for my answer.


    ¡®To be honest¡­I¡¯ve gotten interested.¡¯ I look her in the eyes, saying that.


    ¡®Interested?¡¯ she repeats my words confused.


    ¡®Mhm. Interested in this world that I have fallen in. It¡¯s beautiful yet frightening. It¡¯s intriguing and thought-provoking. I have gotten interested in the concept of matter and life here. Things look different, yet the same. I want¡­I want to explore it,¡¯ I tell Astra with a lot of energy. I must be honest. I have always wanted to be an adventurer. I just wish I could¡¯ve notified my father, sister and Sylvestra about all this happening.


    ¡®I see¡­I know your feelings. I know how you feel right now. The feeling and desire to explore the world around you. I hope I can do it someday as well,¡¯ Astra says to me, slightly excited by my sudden burst of energy. ¡®I wish I could come with you, but I have my own duties to attend, so¡­¡¯ Astra looks dejected again for a moment, but I hold her soft hands once again.


    ¡®Then I¡¯ll do it for you as well,¡¯ I tell her with all my heart. She looks surprised at me when I tell her that. ¡®I¡¯ll explore the world and tell you all about it. I don¡¯t know how much I have to travel to be honest, but you can bet that I¡¯ll try to tell you about all the things I come across in my either long or short journey.¡¯ I hold her hands tighter as I keep rambling. It is then that I realize that I began smiling while I was talking with Astra, and my sadness has been replaced by excitement for the most part.


    I think Astra has noticed that as well, as she starts to smile brightly as well. ¡®It seems like you have cheered up a little bit.¡¯


    I cannot deny it. To be honest, I just want to return home as soon as possible. I don¡¯t need to take an adventure here. I¡¯d rather return first. But I don¡¯t thing I will be able to at any near time. I must make the best of my time, so to speak. I guess I am just easily shakable when I comes to a girl with astonishing looks.


    ¡®It¡¯s thank to you, Astra.¡¯ I smile back to her with as warm of an expression I can make. She smiles back at me warmly. ¡®Well¡­shall we get going then, Astra? I guess I have to start a journey.¡¯

 Chapter 7 - ‘\’The Start of a Grand Adventure’\’

    ¡®¡¯The Start of a Grand Adventure¡¯¡¯


    I return with Astra to the Queen and Evander, who have been searching me for a while now. The Queen hugs Astra the moment she sees her walk in with the same happiness a parent would have if they just had their child released from kidnappers. ¡®I was so worried¡­he didn¡¯t do anything to you, did he?¡¯ She suddenly gives me a glare of distrust. Astra tries to break from her mother¡¯s grip, but she fails to do so. I smile reassuringly, as I turn my vision back to Evander as I walk towards him.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Brandr. I should¡¯ve told you, but I wanted it to happen so badly¡­¡¯ I place my hand on his shoulder.


    ¡®It¡¯s okay now, Evander. I shouldn¡¯t have lashed out as well. I¡¯m at fault as well.¡¯ We both joke laugh a bit, until the Queen interrupts us.


    ¡®Young Hero¡­it seems you have embraced your role you have been bestowed upon since birth,¡¯ the Queen suddenly says, as she releases her daughter from her grip. She walks up to me, still holding onto the same amount of charisma she initially had.


    I glare at her. ¡®Embraced is a big word you¡¯re using. You make it sound like I want to help your country willingly,¡¯ I snare at her, trying to get on her nerves. It might not be the smartest thing to do, but I don¡¯t really care about her at this given moment. She¡¯s arrogant, self-centered, unemphatic¡­just plain unlikeable.


    ¡®Tch. You little¡­it¡¯s fine. As long as you are going to help this country, I don¡¯t care if you are going to act like an egocentric, spoiled little boy,¡¯ she snares back. Her comment raises the attention of both Evander and Astra, who come to my defense.


    ¡®My Queen¡­this young man has been forcefully separated from his family, and suddenly being told that he cannot return to his own world. It¡­its logical that he will resist to help us,¡¯ Evander states, as he quickly sinks down to his knees, like a dog would bow his head to his abusive owner.


    ¡®Mother, sir Evander is right. How would you feel if I was suddenly ripped away from you, without you even knowing what happened?¡¯ Astra¡¯s comment hits her hard, as her stone cold, charismatic expression she was able to maintain shows signs of worry and guilt. She looks me in the eyes, while I return the gaze while I remain behind Evander and Astra. She doesn¡¯t say anything, but I can almost see her agitation in her eyes, as she has had her allies turned against her.


    She signs deeply, as she rubs her temples with her left hand. ¡®I figured Evander would say something like that, but to thing that you would say this as well, Astra. I seem to have overestimated you, my daughter. It looks like you still have a long way to go.¡¯ Her gaze turns into a glare, as she refocuses on her beautiful daughter, who looks intimidated by the Queen, her mother. I quickly walk in between them, trying to cut of their conversation.


    ¡®Thank you, Astra. You really give me the energy and will to do this,¡¯ I tell her with a warm smile, while she returns with a blush of her own. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I will talk it out with the Queen herself¡­alone¡­¡¯ I look at her, almost glaring the Queen down.¡¯


    ¡®You want to speak me alone? the Queen says unsurprised.¡¯


    ¡®Yes, alone... I¡¯m sorry, Evander. I¡­¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s okay, young man. Just do what you need to do.¡¯ The Queen signs me to follow her, and we go to a separate room, without any guards or people around. I look around. It¡¯s a blank room. Just another table with a few chairs, but unlike the previous room where the walls were refined and white, this room clearly has the brickwork showing. At any rate, I open the conversation. ¡®I¡¯ve decided to play hero with you guys, under one condition,¡¯ I tell her calmly.


    She looks angry immediately. ¡®Do you think we¡¯re playing a game or some-!¡¯ I point at her, telling her to shut up.


    ¡®Under one condition¡­I¡¯m sure you can guess it without me telling you.¡¯ She goes silent again, closing her eyes. ¡®After I¡¯ve rescued this country, you will send me back to my own. I will help you, but I would still need some things.¡¯ I lower my arm, and she takes a deep breath.


    She looks pissed to the point she wants to strangle me, but instead of lashing out once more, she puts her feelings aside. ¡®What do you require then?¡¯ she says frustrated.


    ¡®A great sword, and some easy to move clothing. I don¡¯t need an entire armor, and I doubt this place makes mail armor anyway. And as final, directions where I¡¯m supposed to defeat this Abyss.¡¯ She chuckles for a bit, which I don¡¯t understand. Was all this as she had planned?¡¯


    ¡®The story goes a bit deeper, you know. So, take a seat, and listen to the tale of the Great Hero.¡¯ She gestures to the chair and table in the middle of the room. I quietly sit down, opposite from the queen. Personally, I don¡¯t feel like listening to a story, but I feel like she¡¯ll be mad if I told her that, so I just shut myself up and listen to her.


    ¡®The story of the Great Hero, one revered through all of Illuminia and beyond. Long ago, probably many years before my birth, the country of Illuminia was plagued by corrupted invaders named Abyss. While some of them looked completely human, there were those who had no known form at all. The armies of Abyss and Illuminia clashed many times, but Illuminia was on the losing hand. We despaired, but one day, a man, wielding the power of the Four Stars came, and wielding the Sword of Thousand Arcs came and drove out Abyss out.¡¯ I get lost at this point.


    ¡®Wait, wait, wait¡­ Four Stars? Sword of what? I don¡¯t understand¡­¡¯ The queen just realized that I¡¯m not from this world.


    ¡®Ah¡­I forgot for a second that you don¡¯t know about those. You see, even before the existence of Illuminia, God created Four Stars, blessing each of them, and let them fall to the earth. Those stars hold tremendous power, and when men found them, they started fighting over the Stars. God punished men, and made it impossible to use them, until our minds became of people and obedience. Those are the Four Stars, Illuminia¡¯s greatest pride, as you¡¯ve already seen on the city banners.¡¯ I remember the banner very well. It¡¯s very detailed, but you can make a great sword, and four stars out of them.


    ¡®So those were the Four Stars?¡¯ The queen nods slightly, and continues her explanation.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡®The Sword of Thousand Arcs, is a sword made from magical materials unknown to us. It¡¯s a mixture of orichalcum and that material together, and some other things you need to ask an expert about.¡¯ I smile a little, but quickly straighten myself. ¡®The sword was able to draw the maximum power out of the Four Stars, if they were gathered by one person.¡¯


    ¡®Are these facts?¡¯


    ¡®No, they are not. These are merely myths since we hold very few records of the beginning of Illuminia. Maybe because there weren¡¯t many people that could read and write. That too, is just a wild guess, and nothing has been confirmed off that. We need to come up with something to fill the many voids our ancestors left for us.¡¯ I am starting to get the picture. I¡¯d probably need to read a lot of books in order to figure that all out, but for the meantime, I would need to focus on the main goal.


    ¡®So, my goal is to gather the Four Stars, and the Arc, right?¡¯ She nods. I stand up. ¡®Alright, point me the way. I¡¯ll retrieve them as quickly as possible.¡¯ She walks to the door, and calls someone. She whispers in his ear, and he hurries away. Within a minute or so, he comes back with a scroll in his hand, which the Queen takes. The man leaves, and she closes the door. She spreads the scrolls over the table, making a map visible.


    ¡®The map of Illuminia¡­¡¯ she says. I can see major cities doted on the map, along with the sea on both the north and south side. The giant mountains I saw during my drop are located to the west, and, other high hills are in the east. I can clearly see that the country is naturally defended for the most part, and you would need to go too far to create walls, as long as you keep a high level of patrol and security running. Before I know it, I start to run simulations on how they can defend themselves from outcoming invaders. I guess I have a bit of wronging blood in my veins.


    She points somewhere on the map. ¡®You have to go and retrieve Arc first. After that, you will go to the stars in multiple sweeps. The sword is located at the Hero¡¯s Altar. I¡¯ll make sure that you will receive the sword at arrival. After that, you will have to go to these three places.¡¯ She points at three points. ¡®First, you will travel to Fireroot Village, east from here.¡¯ She points to a settlement located south-south-east from the center of the map. ¡®After that, you¡¯ll have to travel north, to the sea, and head for the port city named Leracia Harbor¡¯. She points at the city¡¯s location, located north-north-east from the center. I can see a small pattern. ¡®After that, come back to the capital again. We will point you the way to the third star, near Ashen Mountains.¡¯ I notice something off.


    ¡®Where is the fourth star?¡¯ She shakes her head.


    She smiles for a moment. ¡®You were there with my daughter not too long ago, weren¡¯t you?¡¯ I think about it, until it eventually concludes my mind.


    ¡®The tower?!¡¯


    ¡®Indeed. The tower that stands highest in Lamia is called the Moon Tower, and it hold on of the holy Stars.¡¯ It feels like a complete answer, so I quickly take a look on the map before I get down to business. Looking at the roads that connect the cities, I¡¯d have to go through places like Rakenia and New Asonia, as well as the city of Queusia and Essassia. I am starting to see a pattern in the city names as well. It¡¯s almost childish.


    ¡®Wait, wouldn¡¯t it be easier to send like a platoon of soldiers to each location, and have them retrieve the stars?¡¯ I ask her. She shakes her head yet again.


    ¡®Don¡¯t you remember? A normal human can¡¯t hold a Star. Only the Hero can do that. I am pretty sure that the activity of Abyss¡¯ movement will increase once they realize that we¡¯re making a move. Even if we can handle small squadrons, we cannot predict what other, powerful creatures they can summon that a normal squadron stands no chance to. Abyss will do anything to get their hands on the Stars, since they know from their previous war how dangerous they can be. Abyss outnumbers us greatly, and many died by the hand of the more powerful monsters of Abyss, and only the Great Hero was able to defeat them. Believe me, I have considered it.¡¯ I gulp. If a squadron couldn¡¯t make it, then how am I supposed to do it? I get scared very easily, and I¡¯m not that strong at all.


    ¡®Wait, since I¡¯m leaving right now, am I going to get my old clothes?¡¯ I just remembered that I gave them to a guard, and that I haven¡¯t gotten them back yet.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯ll get them back once you¡¯ve returned to Lamia.¡¯ Well, as long as I get them, I don¡¯t truly mind.


    In truth, I want to know more, but first things first. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I will gather the stars. And save your kingdom. Just watch me.¡¯


    ¡®Then go, I¡¯ve arranged a guide that will take you to your destinations.¡¯  I turn around, and walk to the door.


    ¡®It¡¯ll be over in no time¡­¡¯ I leave the room, while the Queen remains behind, seated, thinking to herself, while her bangs cover her eyes. I guess it is as stressful for her as for me. She has an entire country to rule over. That ought to weigh you down after all. I say a small prayer for her, before I head out.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    As I leave the room, I see a shadow quickly disappear around the corner. I already saw who it was¡­her face is unmistakable. ¡®Astra, why are you hiding?¡¯ I look around the corner, and startle Astra. She falls to the ground, but I react quickly, and catch her. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ A familiar scene. The look on her face says that she remembers as well. ¡®If I remember correctly, it was today, not a few hours ago¡­you¡¯re a clumsy one, Astra.¡¯ I lift her back up.


    ¡®I¡¯m not clumsy. It was your fault for scaring me like that.¡¯


    ¡®I think you were spying on me though¡­¡¯ We look at each other, and laugh at the same time. ¡®You¡¯re going to leave Lamia?¡¯ I nod to her. She looks a bit sullen, like a child.


    ¡®It was short¡­but I loved it.¡¯ I smile at her, and she smiles back at me slightly. ¡®Thank you for standing up for me like that. I needed someone to stay with me when I felt alone¡­and you did that for me.¡¯ She slightly blushes at my speech. I feel my cheeks warm up as well, as I grow conscious on what I just said.


    ¡®Well, I felt like I needed to do something¡­I don¡¯t know to be honest¡­¡¯ I hold her hand and look at her in the eyes. I know that I am blushing, because she certainly is.


    ¡®That¡¯s the will you need to keep clinging on. You weren¡¯t born into a life that would leave you caged. You are supposed to be free, running like the wind, and inspire hundreds of people.¡¯ I smile brightly at her, as she gets embarrassed from my compliments. I¡¯m sure you will find you answer to that question one day.¡¯ I let go off her hand, and try to turn around, but she grabs my sleeve the moment I do so.


    ¡®Wait!¡¯ She even shouts, so I quickly turn back to her. She hands me a necklace. A white colored, half-moon shaped one, attached to a blue lace. ¡®Please take this. It will keep you safe, so hold onto it.¡¯ I inspect the necklace up closely and put it on. ¡®It will be a lucky charm for you.


    ¡®And something to remind you by while I take my journey.¡¯ She blushes, but she is looking more upbeat that before. I clench the necklace in my right hand, as I put it on. ¡®I¡¯ll protect it¡­or more like it¡¯ll protect me, right?¡¯ I smile reassuringly at her. She finally drops her worried look. ¡®I¡¯ll come back, I promise,¡¯ I tell her as I turn around.


    ¡®Keep safe, and don¡¯t forget our promise.¡¯ She tells me, and I leave her. A promise with the princess¡­ ¡®Hehe, that¡¯s kind of nice¡­¡¯


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A guard shows me to the exit. When I go through the gate, I see Evander leaning against a building, with a straw in his mouth. ¡®What¡¯s with that getup?¡¯ I quickly walk to him.


    ¡®The adventurous look of course!¡¯ He smiles confidently.


    ¡®In the end, we¡¯re inseparable.¡¯ He smiles even more brightly.


    ¡®Of course, someone needs to show the way.¡¯ I laugh, and so does he. ¡®I¡¯ve arranged some horses at the gate. Don¡¯t try to lose them this time.¡¯ I didn¡¯t want to remember that. ¡®Well, things are different now, since we have a huge goal in front of us.¡¯ He says before he throws a bag and something else towards me. ¡®It¡¯s your request.¡¯ I unwrap it, and find a great sword in the wrapping.


    ¡®Awesome! Now I can fight full strength.¡¯ I bind in on my back and the backpack over it.


    ¡®You ready?¡¯ Evander asks as he starts to walk away.


    ¡®Damn right! Let¡¯s do this. I¡¯m psyched up!¡¯ I run towards him, as we head out¡­¡¯


    ¡­Head out to our Adventure to collect the Stars¡­

 Chapter 8 - ‘\’The Sword of a Thousand Arcs

    ¡®¡¯The Sword of a Thousand Arcs''''


    No matter how much I look at it, it looks completely unusable, but I¡¯m separated from Evander, and I¡¯m surrounded. ¡®Dammit, this isn¡¯t good.¡¯ I take my stance, wielding something as fragile as glass to defend myself. ¡®It¡¯s all or nothing¡­¡¯ I think that at loud as I charge head-on.


    <hr>


    6 days ago, Lamia Market¡­


    <hr>


    I buy a few apples, put them in my bag, and head to the next stall. Evander asked me to do some shopping he forgot to do before we leave, while he¡¯s arranging the horses or something. He¡¯s trying to get a new carriage, despite the tragedy that happened before we got here. ¡®At least we¡¯re getting somewhere.¡¯ I buy some extra clothes, so I won¡¯t need to wear the same thing day in and out. ¡®Hygiene is important as well¡­,¡¯ I tell myself as I grab a few bars of soap. I continue my stroll through the buzzing market of Lamia. A lot of people walk around, buying and selling. It¡¯s a peaceful scene to look at. It feels like everyone is smiling. ¡®Need to watch my money¡­¡¯ There have been reports of pickpockets lately. I keep my purse as close as possible. ¡®The queen sponsored me well at least¡­¡¯ I hurry back to Evander.


    The currency of Illuminia is simply Coin, unlike Edelweiss, who trade in copper, silver and gold. You can purchase a lot of things with just a single Coin, so I presume that the value of Coin is very high in comparison with silver and gold. The other convenience it has is that Coin is so light, that you probably wouldn¡¯t even notice you purse being stolen. Not that you¡¯d have to worry about that, because I get the feeling you could leave your house unlocked, without having it being robbed empty. I am sketching that image for basically every location at the moment, since Lamia and Rotson Village were the most peaceful things I have ever witnessed, and the landscape really boosts up that thought. This is at least what Evander told me. He sent me to get more of a feel about the world I have landed in, is what his words are. Since I don¡¯t know how like the back of my hand, I will trust his words on it.


    I return to Evander, who¡¯s already prepared a simple carriage. ¡®Ah, Brandr, you¡¯re back. Did you buy the essentials?¡¯ I hand him the bag. ¡®And did you deposit the money on the bank?¡¯ He never told me that.


    ¡®Uhm¡­was I supposed to?¡¯ I ask him, and he finally realized he didn¡¯t tell.


    ¡®Ah, sorry. You didn¡¯t know. Well, you¡¯re carrying a large bag right now, right?¡¯ I nod. It fills my entire backpack, so I had to leave my stuff here with Evander, while I carried the money with me. ¡®Well, since it¡¯s so much, you¡¯d better save it at the bank, since almost every city has one, and they¡¯re all connected.¡¯ Evander explains to me happily, but I don¡¯t really understand the connecting part.


    ¡®Connected? Do you have tunnels running through or something?¡¯ He starts laughing as I ask that.


    ¡®Brandr, you¡¯re in the magical kingdom of Illuminia. We don¡¯t build tunnels, we use magic.¡¯ He seems to be enjoying himself. ¡®Every bank has a good amount of money with them, and they will communicate any new info through long-distance communication magic,¡¯ he tells happily. He seems to know a lot¡­or that is probably just common knowledge from an Illuminian.


    ¡®So, everyone can use magic in Illuminia?¡¯ I ask him. He scratches his head, probably pondering how to explain it to an absolute dimwit like me.


    ¡®Yes and no. I¡¯ll explain it to you on the way to the monument since it might take a while to explain. Just take this with you, and once you show it to the clerk, they will recognize it immediately.¡¯ Evander hands me a bracelet with weird engravings in them. I am completely lost right now, but I don¡¯t question the logic.


    ¡®Well, I¡¯m off to the bank then¡­¡¯ I quickly run back after he gives me some directions. I start picking up speed while running through enormous crowds. Before I know it, I stand in front of the bank. ¡®It¡¯s huge¡­¡¯ Like the library I visited today. ¡®Whatever¡­¡¯ It¡¯s not that I¡¯m staying much longer here. I enter quickly, only to be held back by an enormous line. There are at least 20 people in each line. ¡®Damnit, this is going to take long¡­¡¯ I stand in line, but quickly run out of patience. Back in Edelweiss, not only weren¡¯t lines so big, but I never had to wait in any, since I was top priority. Father was very close to the king after all.


    I look around the bank a bit while waiting in line. The brown, wooden interior, along with the green painted walls, and red curtains feel the same as the court hall back in Edelweiss. The red-brown design looks beautiful, but does make it feel cramped, especially since there are dozens of people walking around in this place.


    After waiting for what feels like an eternity, I finally get my turn. I approach the well-dressed female clerk behind the counter. ¡®Yes, how can I help you?¡¯ Geh, the fixed sentence of every clerk.


    ¡®Uhm, I would like to make a deposit on the name Evander¡­He asked me to deposit this amount for him.¡¯ I show her the bracelet and drop my backpack on the counter.


    She checks the bracelet from behind the counter and gives a nod as confirmation. ¡®Evander was it, right? Give me a moment¡­¡¯ She takes the bag and let¡¯s someone else take it with them. I didn¡¯t think this would work out with the bracelet, but it did in the end. ¡®Thank you very much, the depositing has been succeeded. Until next time.¡¯ I walk away, tired from all the waiting and worrying. I drag myself to Evander.


    I finally get back, and get greeted by Evander. ¡®So, how was the line?¡¯ He asks me the most annoying question of all.


    ¡®Enjoyably annoying for you.¡¯ I can see him smile at my answer. I quickly pack my bag with all the things I have.


    ¡®So, are you ready?¡¯ I nod at him, and get on in the carriage, since he¡¯s going to ride. ¡®Then, let¡¯s depart.¡¯ We leave, and I look back one more time. I take a last glance of the keep of princess Astra. Time flies fast¡­


    The sun beams down on my face as we travel down the road on our simple carriage, which I presume would be used for trading. It¡¯s enormous, able to fit two people, as well as all the cargo we need to survive for months. Because of the baggage we¡¯re taking with us, we had to get three horses attached, but that does help with the speed of the travel. It feels like we¡¯re going twice as fast. I look to the side of the carriage, eying down on the magnificent plains that stretches down as far as I can see. Minimum activity can be spotted from the farmers in the distance, working on their crops and whatnot. It feels incredibly tranquil and peaceful, making me wonder why on earth something like Abyss would want to ruin something like this. My heart and mind just feel at ease wherever I look. This world is so beautiful, I doubt that I could have even the finest of artists in Edelweiss recreate something like this on a canvas. It¡¯s something you have to see with your own eyes in order to appreciate its beauty.


    ¡®Say, Evander. You haven¡¯t forgotten, did you? About the magic and stuff¡­¡¯ I remind Evander, who¡¯s currently handling the steering of the carriage.


    ¡®I haven¡¯t¡­but¡­¡¯ Evander starts rubbing his beard as he ponders. ¡®Well, I need to think were to start.¡¯


    ¡®I see¡­¡¯ Silence. A deafening one at that. I feel a bit claustrophobic for some reason. Like the tension is dropping on both of us. ¡®Aha¡­say, can someone like me use magic?¡¯  I start with the obvious question I want answered. I always wanted to fly on a broomstick and cast spells through my hands and wand.


    ¡®You¡¯re thinking about something stupid.¡¯ I quickly disperse the image of my flying on a broomstick out of my head.


    ¡®N-No¡­why would I do that? Hahaha!¡¯ I laugh uncertain. He is looking at me like I am some sort of madman.


    ¡®How can I best abridge this¡­? It isn¡¯t something as simple as chanting a few abstract words and having godlike powers fly out of your fingers¡­although that can be achieved with a LOT of training.¡¯


    ¡®Everyone can use it?¡¯


    ¡®Yes. Everyone is born with the ability to learn magic.¡¯ He lets go of the handles, and lets the horses go on autopilot. No, I don¡¯t know how he does that. He truly is a magician. ¡®One cannot just use magic though, because of the off chance of killing the user.¡¯ I gulp loudly as I hear that. ¡®Let¡¯s see¡­let us take my staff as an example for a moment.¡¯ He grabs his walking staff and start pointing from it from the tips of the stick to his palms. ¡®Magic is all around us. It is an energy that is comparable to air, but not quite like air. We don¡¯t breathe it in like air, and it¡¯s dangerous to use it directly from the air because of its purity. That¡¯s why we must create items like this staff, that acts like filters for the magic. Our bodies don¡¯t have magic in them, so we aren¡¯t used to the density of pure magic. These filters make it possible for our bodies to take the magic in and use them.¡¯ He starts circling with his finger around his chest, and then points from his chest towards to palm of his hand that holds the staff and directs it to the tip of that same staff. ¡®Like I said, we don¡¯t have magic in us, and thus we cannot use through our bodies, unless you go through immense training by basically altering your body into a complete magic tool. But if you haven¡¯t done that, one¡¯s body can only function as a storage for the filtered magic. Because its only a storage, you must use that same magic tool in order to cast the magic out again. Of course, with everything, the more you train, the more magic you body can hold, the more magic you can release at the same time if your magic tools capable of that of course. Practice makes perfect, after all.¡¯


    Evander looks at me, while my brain is malfunctioning. An overload of information on a complete alien concept. ¡®Uuuhh¡­¡¯


    ¡®Well, you¡¯ll learn about it sooner or later. So, don¡¯t try to think to much about it, since that was just the absolute base level of knowledge on magic,¡¯ Evander says as he starts laughing out loud like the old man that he is.


    ¡®T-That was the base level¡­¡¯ I feel discouraged only thinking about it. I decide to close my eyes, so I can let it all sink in. I feel tired from that explanation anyway.


    <hr>


    6 days later, road to Rakenia


    <hr>


    I grab the map out of my back and check our route again. ¡®So, after we get the sword, we head to Rakenia, right?¡¯ I crawl towards Evander, who¡¯s still riding.


    Evander doesn¡¯t even turn around to answer my question. ¡®That¡¯s right. After that, we head to Perinia Village, and then to the capital of North Asonia.¡¯ I look at the map again. Illuminia is divided into 13 provinces. I would like to hear the story about that, but I decide to ask that later. That¡¯s what I thought, but he suddenly starts explaining it anyway. ¡®We¡¯re currently in the Province of Lamia, where the capital of Illuminia lies. After that, we head to the bordering province: Plains of Lamia, with Rakenia as province capital. Every province has its own capital. All the capitals have their own banner and own leaders.¡¯ It¡¯s like 13 city-states became one country, rather than make an alliance.


    ¡®The capitals are: Lamia, Rakenia, Essasia, Lecaria Plains, Lecaria Harbor, Deepmonth, New Asonia, Umesia, Thornroot City, Silanki, Oasia, Aracia and Queusia. We won¡¯t travel to every single one of them, but we have to make a lot of stops in capitals and villages to replenish our stock. It''s going to be a long journey.¡¯


    ''Say Evander, why aren''t the Four Stars together in the first place? I don''t see a point in scattering them...'' Logically, it''s a stupid thing to do.


    ''Well, you''ve got to ask the Great Hero what went through is mind back then, since it was his decision.'' He starts to give an explanation again. It seems that he likes explaining things. ''When the Great Hero saved Illuminia from Abyss, he wanted to scatter the Four Stars, since he told the Queen back then that it would be very dangerous, and evil-doers might try to steal the stars. So, the Great Hero scattered the Four Stars, their location only known by a few, like me and the royal family. Well, that¡¯s what I would think at least if I were in his shoes. Maybe he just wanted to make it more challenging for the next Hero or something, hahaha!'' He starts laughing like an old man again, which okay and all, but something bothers me when he tells me all these stories.


    ''Evander...how do you know all this?'' Now that I think about it, he always knows the things that happened far in the past, with a bit more detail.


    ''I studied history, and I have good ties with the royal family due specific reasons.'' That sounds like a complete answer, so I just leave it at that.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    As the sun starts to set down on us, we start to arrive at a very small village that lies off the road that leads towards Rakenia. Next to the very few houses that dot the village, it¡¯s only attraction that stands tall are the church, as well as the statue that stand in the middle of the village, presumably of the Great Hero himself, which are lit up with countless of lights for some reason. It looks really cute, but the moment I want to ask Evander about this village, since I¡¯m sure he knows something about it, I notice how stern his face looks.


    ''Brandr, we''re picking up speed.'' He gallops the horses, which throws me to the back of the carriage.


    ''Gah- wait!'' I try to find a strong hold before I get blown away. He''s entirely concentrated on the village. ¡®Evander, what¡¯s happening?!¡¯


    ¡®Abyss! They¡¯re at the village!¡¯ My heart starts pounding the moment I hear the word ¡®¡¯Abyss¡¯¡¯. I look up the sky, and see dark clouds again, which serve as the spawning ground of Abyss if I remember correctly.


    ''Wait, wasn''t that light supposed to hold them back?'' They''ve started to break up, and closing in on Lamia. ''I have a bad feeling about this...'' I really don''t like where this is going¡­


    We ride into the village, which is completely engulfed by a thick mist, and halt in front of the giant statue in the middle of the square. I want to jump out, but the moment I see the ground, I stop my jump mid-air, by quickly holding onto the ledge of the carriage, and climbing back inside. ''Evander, what''s with the ground?'' I''m too scared of the ground to hop off the carriage again. The entire ground is black. They give off a strange feeling. It feels terrifying to look at, like it¡¯ll swallow me whole the moment I jump down.


    ''Let''s go, Brandr. The sword won''t bring itself.'' Even though he sounds the same, his face is worried and stressed out. I decide to get off after all, but I don''t feel anything from the ground. I''d expected it to pull me into another dimension. Evander runs towards the church, and flings the doors open, and start walking a bit faster. I quickly rush after him. We enter the church, but nothing seems out of the ordinary, next to a giant altar that stands on the podium. It¡¯s an altar with a display case for a weapon, but the case has been opened, and there is nothing in the display. I start to get nervous.


    ''Say, Evander. Weren''t there supposed to be some guards around here. Or at least a keeper or something?'' That''s what the Queen told me. Someone should grant me the sword without any problems.


    ''Brandr, pull out your sword.'' I get confused.


    ¡®My sword? W-What are you-''


    ''Now!'' Evander suddenly starts shouting, so I quickly grab my sword. Since it''s a great-sword, I should be able to fight a lot easier. Or so I thought...


    ''What the hell?! It''s too heavy!'' I can barely lift it up. If I put it above my head, my arms start shaking like crazy, which is weird, since I can wield a steel great-sword just fine.


    ''What''s wrong, Brandr?'' Evander finally pays attention to my struggling.


    ''Can you cast some lightweight spell or something? This thing is heavy as heck?!'' He looks pale all of the sudden.


    ''Y-You can''t wield it? You said you were better with two-handed weapons!''


    ''Yes, when they''re not THIS HEAVY!'' He groans. Why is it my fault? It¡¯s their fault that they have useless material like this.


    ''Let''s just go quickly. There is nothing here. We¡¯ll just have to look around for anyone.'' He starts walking out of the church, and I follow, dragging my sword over the ground.


    ¡®I doubt I''ll be able to use this effectively, though¡­¡¯


    We step outside, only to encounter this. ''Wha-!'' I think I stepped on something. I look closely, and see a body. ''Everyone''s...dead...'' Around us are at least 5 corpses, and 2 weird things. I know the mist was really thick, but there is no way we wouldn¡¯t have noticed the bodies that were lying here.


    ¡®Abyss¡­¡¯ I hear Evander say something softly to himself.


    ¡®A-Abyss? Isn¡¯t that like, super bad? Our main enemy has beaten us in getting to the sword!¡¯


    ¡®Brandr, stop panicking, and prepare yourself! They¡¯ve arrived¡­¡¯ I try to ready my sword, but no matter what I try, it¡¯s still heavy.


    I can probably make a swing or two with this thing before I get tired¡­ That¡¯s not good at all. The one-handed sword from the village was already heavy, but I could handle it, but this is still another league. I see something in the left corner of my eye. A shadow, as big as a human. I face it, but when I look at it, my body shivers, and I stay frozen at my place. ¡®That¡¯s¡­a¡­human¡­¡¯ It¡¯s a man, probably somewhere around his mid-twenties. ¡®That¡¯s Abyss?¡¯ I can¡¯t fight humans. I thought they were monsters. In my frozen state, I fail to notice the human charging onto me.


    ¡®Brandr, what are you doing?!¡¯  Evander grabs my by the collar, and throws me aside. I dodge the axe by a hair¡¯s breath, and I get shaken out of my state. I stand back-to-back with Evander. I finally notice that we¡¯re surrounded. Nobody moves, they just stand there, making a circle around us. Like they¡¯re waiting for something¡­


    Something moves on my right. I quickly turn my head, and see another human with a big, rusty sword. Evander goes pale by its sight. ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ I take a look at the sword. Don¡¯t tell me¡­


    ¡®Evander, that sword¡­!¡¯ He only nods. That rusty old thing that looks like it¡¯s going to break when you hit it against a parchment is the Sword of Thousand Arcs. ¡®Wait, that thing is my weapon?! I refuse to wield something that can¡¯t even cut butter!¡¯ It¡¯s a completely worn out, rusted great-sword, but a big person could wield it one-handed. ¡®Damnit, the Queen is toying with me¡­¡¯ but while I think that, the human swings his sword, and a dark, concentrated matter comes out of it, like in a story book. ¡®Crap!¡¯ I duck away, but when I try to stand up again, some weird creature attacks me, so I have to dodge that as well. I slowly get pushed away from Evander. ¡®Damnit, Evander!¡¯ I swing my far too heavy sword around, and get a lucky strike on a skeleton-like creature wielding a short sword. I get a quick idea. I drop my sword, and quickly run my way through the other creatures.


    ¡®Brandr, don¡¯t!¡¯ Evander¡¯s warning comes too late, as I grab the sword that fell on the ground.


    Something feels off. The feeling when something tries to rip your arm off with brute force, while your still consciousness. ¡®Ah-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡¯ It hurts! Nothing could hurt more than this. I want to cry so badly. It feels like my flesh is being peeled off rapidly, layer by layer, while someone is smashing my arm to pieces with a sledgehammer. I try to let go, but for some reason, my hand won¡¯t open. Weird, black marking crawl from the sword up my arm. I try to open my hand as fast as I can. I feel my control coming back, but my hand feels glued on. My arm starts to feel weird, like it doesn¡¯t belong to me. I completely forget my surroundings, as my vision starts to fade away. The scene becomes black around me. ¡®Gah¡­ah¡­help¡­me¡­¡¯ The human with the axe charges onto me and swings his axe. I close my eyes, but feel a heat surrounding me suddenly. I open my eyes, and see flames kill the human. The entire body burns, but it¡¯s nothing beautiful or perfect. It looks very grotesque. His body is opening, while the dirty, black flesh reveals itself to the naked eye. I throw up. It looks utterly disgusting. The markings have well reach my neck by now. I feel weird, but not necessarily bad. It¡¯s a very dark feeling, something my more pessimistic side longs for. I want to embrace it, accept it. I feel my sight blurring up again. I close my eyes, and I feel like the feeling is going all over my body before I quickly wake up again. The one, who wakes my up, is Evander. He hits me with his staff, and I feel my hand released from the sword.


    ¡®You fool! He swings his staff above his head, and slams it to the ground, the entire ground starts shaking, and I feel my body lifting up. I fly a few meters in the air, and then fall hard to the ground, like everything and everyone else. When I hit the ground, I start to crawl to my own sword as fast as I can and wield it again. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s heavy anymore. My body feels fine, like nothing happened. The pain in my arm is gone, and my vision is as clear as ever. I need to complete my objective today. I set my target, the man with the Sword of Thousand Arcs.


    ¡®It¡¯s not a human, it¡¯s not a human.¡¯ I keep that fact in mind, repeating it to myself over and over. ¡®Abyss is made from monsters!¡¯ I charge, putting all my strength in the battle. He swings his sword over me, making another wave. I quickly slide underneath it on both my knees, and stand up again. I make a jump, but don¡¯t swing my sword around. I just keep it in front of me. I clash with my opponent. I just keep pushing him, and my opponent is pushing back again. We¡¯re just measuring power, while Evander is keeping the other monsters in bay. I notice that I¡¯m stronger than him. I drop my sword, and grab it mid-air, swinging it upwards. My opponent dodges it, but gets thrown back by the force of the strike. He slices down, making another wave, this time vertically. I quickly roll to the left and charge head on. I will put everything in one big attack. So I need a good opening. He swings again, this time horizontally at my chest. I can¡¯t dodge this, so I block. The wave is as strong as it looks, since I get blown back without warning. ¡®Gah!¡¯ I fall on my back, and another wave head vertically towards me. I roll away to the right, barely dodging the attack. Magic is a pain in the ass to deal with. There is no way I will be able to fight him one-on-one like this. He¡¯ll just keep me at an arm¡¯s length, unfairly spamming magic attack at me like some kid throwing rocks. I need to catch him off guard. Like the metaphor in my head, I quickly grab a loose rock from the ground, and throw it at him. ¡®Hey, you idiot! Catch me!¡¯ I run away, while taunting him by throwing everything I find on the ground. Rocks, branches, loose arms¡­¡­ ¡®GAH!¡¯ I quickly let go off the arm, shake the filthy feeling of me, and resume running through the town. It chases me constantly, while attacking me from a distance. I use the few building around me as cover, and run between the houses, until I stumble on another small square that has a fountain. I quickly run behind it, only to realize it has already caught up to me, as it stands on the other side of the fountain. ¡®Hah¡­hah¡­hah¡­I guess I cannot outrun you constantly¡­¡¯ It starts clicking like a madman, as if responding to my remark, as quickly starts running around the big fountain. I quickly start running around it as well, the opposite way. We¡¯re almost level on speed, but it slowly is catching up to me, mainly due to the big, heavy sword I am carrying with me. ¡®I have to get rid of this!¡¯ I slow down, and the moment its behind me, I start splashing the water from the fountain in its face to blind it. Luckily it also uses eyes for his vision, so by blinding him, I get a few seconds to get away. Shaking of the water of his face, he starts running around the fountain again, only to be unable to find me.


    It starts clicking again, trying to find me in the distance. I use that opportunity¡­to fly out of the fountain I was hiding and kick him in the back which he has turned towards me. It falls to the ground and let¡¯s go of the sword in the process. I quickly jump on top of him with my sword and let it sink into his head. It starts convulsing rapidly, as I try to dig my sword deeper. I throw up in the process of this grotesque and icky action. It feels highly unpleasant to do this. After a few seconds, it stops moving¡­as his body dissolving into a black goo. I quickly roll of him and let go of my sword. I try to catch my breath as I lie down on my back. ¡®Hah¡­hah¡­hah¡­¡¯ I blink a few times, but when I get look around, I see more monsters of Abyss approaching. ¡®Tch, they also followed me. I wonder how Evander is doing¡­¡¯ I quickly grab the Sword of Thousand Arcs from the ground, and ready myself for battle.


    No matter how much I look at it, it doesn¡¯t look useable at all, but I¡¯m separated from Evander, and I¡¯m surrounded. Damnit, this isn¡¯t good. I take my stance, wielding something as fragile as glass to defend myself. ¡®It¡¯s all or nothing¡­¡¯ I think that at loud as I charge head-on.


    I run op one of the monsters, and kick him. I quickly run towards the next one, and try to kick as well, only he evades it, and I have to block his attack, with this blade of all rustiness. The moment our sword clash, I fear the worst, but the blade doesn¡¯t break. It only CRACKS TO THE VERY BASE! ¡®Dammit, Queen! This is absurd!¡¯ I quickly back off, and run back, all the way to the statue of the Great Hero. ¡®Heck no! I¡¯m fighting with this useless sword!¡¯ I get surrounded again. ¡®Somebody, please help me¡­¡¯ I¡¯m definitely am going to die here. If only¡­


    If only what?


    What if you use the power?


    You have once forgot?


    The time to strike is now¡­


    This voice¡­ Isn¡¯t this the voice that spoke to me when I arrived here? No, it¡¯s different¡­ An unknown voice, but I remember it somehow. It¡¯s a man, with a strong voice.


    Never forget,


    You heritage.


    Your root.


    You can defeat them.


    All you need to do¡­


    ¡®All I need to do...?¡¯


    All you need to do¡­is to stop fearing!


    He¡¯s making absolutely no sense at all, and in multiple ways, but for some reason, I nod. ¡®You¡¯re right¡­I cannot continue fearing my enemy. They might look creepy, but there is a time that I have to stand up to them. How can I defeat an evil that I fear?¡¯ My body feels warm, and my mind is calm. I cling on my sword. The monster I defeated comes to mind. Magic¡­filter¡­around me¡­ ¡®Yes¡­this is plenty¡­of our power¡­¡­¡­together¡­¡¯


    I raise the sword to the sky, and the sword starts to illuminate a bright, yellow light. All the monsters are blinded by its shining light. ¡®Rise, and serve once again, Sword of Thousand Arcs!¡¯ The sword reacts to my voice, and shines even brighter. The shape starts to change, and its cracks disappear. A sword, marked by four symbols at its base, and a beautiful, pure white metal appears. This is its true form. The true form of the Sword of Thousand Arcs. I quickly remember the monster wielding this sword again. ¡®The sword¡­already has the power of the stars, but it¡¯s not complete. It needs the Stars to grow in strength.¡¯ It¡¯s a magical sword indeed, but I don¡¯t need all the stars to destroy the opponent in front of me. They¡¯re still blinded by the illuminating light of Arc. I take my stance.


    Focus... I calm my mind again. Magic is around me¡­and it¡¯s usable for everyone. Even for someone like me. The Arc starts lighting up. I wait¡­¡­ ¡®Now! ILLUMINATING STRIKE!¡¯ I slash as hard as I can, and a big wave comes out of Arc, but instead of black, it¡¯s beautiful yellow, with warmth a hot as fire. It slices right through my enemies in seconds. All the monsters fall to the ground. ¡®I-I did it!¡¯ I leap of joy. I can, right?¡¯ I finally notice that Arc is surprisingly light. I can swing it with two hands at ease, although one hand is still a bit hard. ¡®I should search for Evander first¡­¡¯ I almost sink through my knees, but I use the Arc to keep myself standing. ¡®No time to rest¡­¡¯ I quickly run around, and see Evander sitting on the ground, with at least 10 other creatures lying dead around him. It¡¯s still a bit gruesome to look at, so I try to put my focus on Evander, which makes me notice that Evander is acting weird. ¡®Evander, I¡¯m back!¡¯ I quickly run towards him, but when I look at him, his face looks strange, and so does the rest of his body. ¡®E-Evander? What happened to you?¡¯ His skin looks scared, and broken, and his eyes contain little life.


    ¡®Ah¡­Brandr¡­¡¯ He tries to stand up, but he¡¯s clearly struggling with it.


    ¡®I haven¡¯t been using large quantities of magic at one go for a long time, so my body isn¡¯t keeping up anymore¡­¡¯ I quickly run towards him, as he suddenly passes out. I catch him as fast as I can, but his weight is too much for me. It takes a moment, but I eventually get him on my shoulders. He wakes up again, but for a moment only. ¡®Evander¡­I cannot carry you by myself¡­¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s okay, just help me. I can walk¡­¡­¡¯ I support him as we struggle to walk towards the carriage¡­

 Chapter 9 - The time we spent together...

    ¡®¡¯The time we spent together¡­¡¯¡¯


    I ride the carriage back on the road, while Evander is resting on the back. ''He said he had to get used to it...'' Evander hasn''t seen any danger for a long time, so his body can''t keep up if he uses too much magic. That¡¯s what I get from it. We ride out away from the village, and head towards Rakenia. I quickly grab the map, to check the road that we¡¯re taking. It looks like I¡¯m heading on the right road. I look back at the wounded Evander. I have no medical skill, so I''m extremely worried right now. ''Stay with me, Evander. I''ll get you safe.'' I hear snoring in the back as response. ''He fell asleep?!'' I feel a bit of relief in my heart. ¡®He¡¯s going to be fine¡­¡¯ I tell myself.


    ¡®Ah¡­the sun¡­¡¯ I just realized I haven¡¯t slept the entire time, since we escaped Abyss at the Hero¡¯s Monument. I still don¡¯t feel the need to sleep, nor the feeling to take a break. I¡¯m just thinking about what I need to do to heal Evander. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, companion. I will get you help, no matter what¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    I hum an old song while I handle the horses. ''That''s an old song you¡¯re humming¡­'' Evander suddenly comes to the front as he scares me for the moment.


    ''Geh...tell me when you wake up. You startled me.'' He sits down, but his face is still full of scars.


    ''I''ll try to get used to it, so I won''t hold you back next time.'' I start to get worried. What if he won''t get used to it? He might die, and I''ll be left by myself.


    I''ll die from loneliness... I need human activity around me, even if it''s only from one person. ''Wait, how do you even recognize this song?'' It''s an old lullaby that Sylvestra used to sing to me when I was little. It''s something passed down by my family, and the family of Sylvestra. We live generations of master and servant, so we respect and appreciate Sylvestra''s bloodline. ''You probably confused it with something else.'' He sits back in the carriage, and looks around.


    ¡®Everything is still in order, it seems¡­¡¯ He checks on the food and items we¡¯re carrying.


    ¡®I¡¯m surprised Abyss didn¡¯t take any¡­they could¡¯ve sabotaged us really badly.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s because I cloaked the carriage with magic.¡¯ I look surprised at him.


    ¡®You cloaked it? How? When? You were outside the carriage faster than I was. When did you-?!¡¯


    Evander¡¯s hits me softly on the head with his staff. It¡¯s more of a gentle touch than a rebuke. ¡®Calm down, will you,¡¯ he says as he smiles out of nowhere. ¡®I will explain it to you later, after I have rested for a bit. I trust you will get us to our destination safely.¡¯ He goes back to the back and starts lying down. His soft breathing is calming me for some reason, as I keep my focus on the road, that¡¯s sided by beautiful fields of grass and rivers. I guess he just wants me to calm down like himself.


    <hr>


    Ten days later, road to Rakenia¡­¡­


    <hr>


    ¡®Say, Evander. Why did those creatures from Abyss look like humans to begin with? Because they looked like undead at Rotson Village.¡¯ It was one of the more worrying facts that I had, when I was fighting with them at the Hero¡¯s Monument. It even gave me trouble fighting in the start.


    ¡®Well, how could I know? I¡¯m not from Abyss after all.¡¯ I thought he was going to drop the subject with that answer, but some reason, he starts speaking again. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s copying its surroundings. The creatures at Rotson might¡¯ve looked undead, but remember that undead resembles humans. In other words, it¡¯s trying to look like humans as well, even though that can be disadvantageous, since human bodies are fragile, slow and weak.¡¯


    ¡®I guess so¡­but that doesn¡¯t make sense at all, especially because of the part you said that humans were weak.¡¯


    ¡®Remember, Abyss is driven by evil power. Envy is one of those things, and I guess they are envious of human lives.¡¯


    ¡®You think so?¡¯ Geez, when you put it like that, I would definitely want to believe it like that. His way of talking is very persuasive¡­well at least for me.


    ¡®Of course I can¡¯t back it all up, since Illuminians know next to nothing about Abyss. We never really had a time of studying over them, since Illuminia was either battling them, or was relying on a hero to fight them off. Such are many reasons why our armies aren¡¯t only lacking in skill and numbers, but why they are so undisciplined as well. The Queen is no warmonger, and we all appreciate that, but when we are fighting a war that we don¡¯t know when it will end, we ought to be stricter and the Queen needs to do something about that.¡¯


    ¡®So, you¡¯re fully against the Queen on that regard?¡¯


    ¡®Nope, not completely. Think about it, a country relying only on military power.¡¯


    I don¡¯t need to think too hard about it. I can just look at Edelweiss. It was a country of war back in the days, and I can still see some things here and there resembling those times. ¡®Everything will collapse in the times of peace¡­¡¯


    ¡®Exactly. If war fades from the country, you¡¯ll have to end up firing a lot of people of you start cutting through the budget of the military. You¡¯ll have to keep up an army for absolutely no reason.¡¯


    ¡®But can¡¯t you like¡­keep it balanced? You¡¯ll need an army anyway since you are always exposed to dangers outside of Illuminia.¡¯


    Evander starts rubbing his beard again and feels his fading scars. His face has really healed up, and next to a few scars, you wouldn¡¯t even realize he was in a state where he¡¯d looked like dying. ¡®You said you fell down from the sky, right?¡¯This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I look bewildered at him. ¡®Uhm¡­yes, but what does that have to do with anything?¡¯


    ¡®How high were you? Did you see the entire country?¡¯ he asks as he starts grabbing the map again.


    ¡®I think so¡­I did see a lot of mountains,¡¯ I tell him, trying to remember the scenes when I was falling. To be honest, I don¡¯t remember that much since I was preoccupied screaming my lungs out while dropping from a deadly height. Evander opens the map in front of me while I reminiscence on my previous experience.


    ¡®Look.¡¯ He points at the mountains that edge the lands on the map. ¡®These mountains are enormous. We¡¯ve tried to climb over them, but they peak to high for us, and for some reason, the magic starts to diminish the higher we go.¡¯ He proceeds to points at a location called Silversand Mines. ¡®We¡¯ve been digging for years around these areas, but we¡¯ve never reached the end.¡¯ His finger moves from the western location of Silversand Mines, all the way to the east, to the city of Deepmonth. ¡®We¡¯ve also been digging around these mountains, but to no avail.¡¯


    ¡®What are you trying to tell me, Evander?¡¯


    ¡®I mean, we haven¡¯t gotten past the mountains, nor have we had any activity from the northern and southern sea. What I am implying at, is that I don¡¯t know if there are any other countries besides Illuminia, and every day I start to doubt it even more. We don¡¯t need an army unless we¡¯re fighting Abyss. So, keeping one for the sake of protection against other foes wouldn¡¯t make sense.¡¯


    Evander starts rubbing his beard, while I rub my chin simultaneously. ¡®What about a reserve army? Volunteers that live their lives normally, but also train from time to time as soldiers?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m sure that the Queen thought about that, but I don¡¯t know if people are willing to actually to fight¡­people are afraid of Abyss, and the soldiers we have don¡¯t want to do anything but fight¡­ I personally don¡¯t know how to solve the problem.¡¯ We both rub our chins again. ¡®By the way, can you stop copying me?¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s fun!¡¯ He hits me gently with his staff again.


    ¡®Idiot¡­¡¯ he says smiling to himself. I guess he does like the silliness. ¡®So that¡¯s the Sword of Thousand Arcs¡­ At least the ¡®¡¯rusty old butter knife look¡¯¡¯ has faded away.


    ¡®It¡¯s amazing right. It looks so pretty all of the sudden, and it¡¯s definitely far lighter than those worthless orichalcum swords and spears¡­¡­now that I think about it...¡¯ Evander looks at me questioning. I just realized about it. ¡®The army uses orichalcum as a base for their weapons as well, right?¡¯ Evander nods at me, and my train of thought continues. ¡®I know its hard to make weapon that are not orichalcum based, but you should¡¯ve seen how I blasted these creatures away!¡¯


    Evander looks more closely at my sword. ¡®You blasted something with the sword?¡¯ he asks questionably.


    ¡®Yeah, it was like a big light flew out of it and started burning my enemies around me. It was amazing, like swoosh, and kaboom, and-!¡¯


    ¡®I get it, I get it. Calm down, will you?¡¯ Even if he asks me, he¡¯s still smiling. I haven¡¯t seen him smile that much for a while.  I wonder what he¡¯s thinking about to be this happy. He grabs the sword, and holds it up in the sky, inspecting it in the rays of sunlight. ¡®I see¡­that¡¯s interesting¡­¡¯


    ¡®What is?¡¯ I ask him as he return to sword back to me.


    ¡®Your sword acts with the same principles as my staff. It¡¯s a magical item, only its enhanced in a sword. It¡¯s not uncommon to see that, but the engravings and magic properties suggests it isn¡¯t created like the typical magic item.¡¯ I just listen to him, as I look at the shine of the sword. ¡®Well, just like me, you¡¯ve got to practice with it. IF you do, you¡¯ll be able to use the sword and the magic around you better than you can now¡­¡¯ I quickly stand up.


    ¡®Teach me how to use magic, Evander. I know that you¡¯ll make an excellent teacher!¡¯


    He slightly laughs but smiles afterwards. ¡®Sure¡­but let¡¯s do that when we take breaks, okay.¡¯ I nod excitedly at him, as the wind calmly breezes around me, waving my hair in the sky.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­.


    The days come and go, as Evander and I talk about our personal life, hobbies and the world on a subtler level. Him learning how to use magic and helping the country. Apparently, he was one of the few fighters that not only advised the Queen as a personal consultant but took the fight to Abyss after the Hero died. We talked about Abyss for a bit, but I avoided the topic for some reason. The feeling of fighting a group of monsters like that still feels unreal. I trained with my sword, while he tried to get more used to him magic. I learned a lot about the magic around me, and how to control it more efficiently. And just like that, more than 20 days past¡­¡­


    <hr>


    22 days later, near Rakenia.


    <hr>


    ¡®New subject!¡¯ I shout out in the wilderness, and Evander almost leaps up because of it. We burned through a lot of our resources, and hunger started to become more of an issue. I know distracting myself from it would help us, but we didn¡¯t have any energy to talk about anything at all.


    ¡®What happened with you? Did you see a dragon or something?¡¯


    ¡®No, but talk to me about something! Quickly!¡¯ Having no idea what¡¯s going on, he starts to look around, and his eye falls on a particular item.


    ¡®That necklace¡­I haven¡¯t seen it before.¡¯ He points at my necklace that was gifted by Astra. I quickly hide it and try to suppress my blush. ¡®Aw, young Brandr has a crush on the princess,¡¯ he starts saying in the most annoying tone, while he covers his hand like a middle-aged woman telling gossips to her neighbor.


    ¡®I-It¡¯s not like that!¡¯ I shout back at him.


    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t deny it. I¡¯m not mad at you. Falling in love is a healthy thing. You should try to follow your heart.¡¯ I don¡¯t respond. I¡¯m still too embarrassed to talk about it. ¡®You know¡­once we get back to Lamia, we¡¯ll stay for a while, so you can bond with the princess, okay?¡¯


    I quickly turn to him. ¡®Y-You sure¡­that¡¯s okay?¡¯ He smiles and nods. I feel myself calm down. ¡®T-Thank you¡­¡¯ I want to ask him about his love life, but for some reason, my mind tells me not too.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to take a nap, so I won¡¯t feel too hungry.¡¯ My stomach rumbles the moment he talks about hunger. I guess I¡¯ll have to fast just a little bit longer¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­......


    ¡­¡­.


    My body is well done by now, but I try to keep myself from passing out. Evander went to sleep, and I check on him occasionally if he didn¡¯t die in his sleep. Not eating is seriously dangerous, but after very long trip¡­ ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ I see a wall, and a lot of high buildings. I quickly try to wake Evander. ¡®Evander! Evander! Civilization! We¡¯ve made it, we¡¯re going to survive.¡¯ I feel his body, but his breathing has stopped. ¡®E¡­vander¡­?¡¯ No way, he died? ¡®Don¡¯t do this to me, Evander¡­¡¯ Tears swell up in my eyes. *sniff* I start sobbing a lot. And then¡­


    ¡®RRRAAAA!!!!!¡¯ His eyes go wide-open, and he screams loudly.


    ¡®ARGH!¡¯ I fall of the carriage. The shock makes me cry even more.


    ¡®Hahaha, you really are a crybaby, Brandr!¡¯ Evander stops the carriage and helps me up again. I hit him for his troubles.


    ¡®Y-You *sniff* i-i-idi-ot¡­¡¯ I can¡¯t talk normally with all sniffing and crying.


    Well yeah, I really am a crybaby, but that how I was born. I get scared and sad easily. I got bullied by the elder warriors for being a scared sissy, a weakling, and a crybaby. I tried to keep the tears in, and I promised my father I wouldn¡¯t cry anymore, but I keep breaking that promise over and over again. He never minded though, and always reassured me. ¡®When you get older, you won¡¯t cry over these things anymore. He always told me that, and when I asked him why, he told me: ¡®Because you¡¯ll get used to it¡­¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry for scaring you, Brandr.¡¯ We ride to the city in front of us.


    ¡®It¡¯s all right now. So, that¡¯s Rakenia?¡¯ He nods.


    ¡®Let¡¯s get some food first¡­¡¯ Our thoughts are likewise. For it is the top priority, and after that, resupplying. We near the gate in front of us, guarded by two spearmen. The doors are wide open though.


    ¡®Haha, good¡­open gate policy.¡¯ Edelweiss always had their gates shut. We enter the city, and a bright light blinds me, but only for a second, as I see a large city around me now¡­

 Chapter 10 - ’Rakenia, the desert city in the lush plains’\’

    ¡®¡¯Rakenia, the desert city in the lush plains¡¯¡¯


    ¡®We¡¯ve finally arrived!!!¡¯ I nearly scream out from the top of my lungs. Evander strokes his beard as he smiles to himself. We put our carriage at a nearby stable, and head out to find an inn. Evander was planning on staying for a few days, since the trip to Rakenia was a horrifying experience. I quickly agreed with his idea.


    We search around, and quickly find an inn. We almost run inside and secure a table. A waiter calmly comes to us, while we look like hungry coyotes. ¡®Uhm¡­can I have your order?¡¯ The waiter looks a bit afraid at us. Evander places a big bag of coins on the table.


    ¡®All the food, water and wine I can get with this amount!¡¯ Evander doesn¡¯t know how to hold back.


    ¡®Uhm, mister waiter, can you leave the wine out? I don¡¯t need him drunk.¡¯ Evander grumbles at my request but doesn¡¯t fight back. Soon after, a large board with weird, long, thin yellowish food, finished with a red sauce on top of it is placed before us. ¡®E-Evander? What am I looking at? I asked for food¡­not for some weird thing.¡¯ I will admit, it looks very appetizing, and the smell is just to die for. The vegetables and meat can easily be smelled, accommodated with spices I probably have no idea what they are.


    ¡®Wha? It¡¯s jhust postou¡­,¡¯ he says with his mouth already full, and his mouth and beard turning red. He already has eaten half of his plate. He suddenly reminds me off myself back at his home. ¡®Uhm¡­calm down, Evander. Or you might cho-.¡¯ I didn¡¯t even finish my sentence, and he starts beating on his chest. He choked¡­how lame. If he¡¯s beating on his chest, I could help him out. I could just give him water, but that¡¯ll be no fun. While everyone is looking weirdly at our direction, I take a stance. ¡®Ha!¡¯ I give him a straight, hard punch on his chest.


    ¡®GAH!¡¯ He flies of his chair. People looks shocked at the events centering on our table.


    ¡®That felt good¡­for multiple reasons.¡¯ I let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡®You wanted payback?!¡¯ Evander looks scared at me. ¡®Anyway, you¡¯re not going to eat it? I thought you would be hungry enough to eat everything. Considering you-!¡®


    I quickly close his mouth. He still remembers last days on the road, where we had so little food with us that I accidently mistook grass for bread. It was the most shameful thing I ever could¡¯ve done. My face turns red just by thinking about it. ¡®We don¡¯t talk about that, you bastard!¡¯ I let him go and sit back in my seat. ¡®No matter how appetizing it looks, I do need to know what I am eating. What if I eat something impure¡­¡¯


    ¡®I-Impure? What are you even talking about?¡¯ Evander says while grabs his chair I punched him from and sits back on it. ¡®Pasta is impure?¡¯


    I look at the plate of ¡®¡¯pasta¡¯¡¯. ¡®I have never heard of that. Does it come from an animal like a snake?¡¯


    Evander shakes his head. ¡®It¡¯s made of wheat¡­and the sauce it made with beef.¡¯


    ¡®I see¡­ I pray first, and quickly start eating the pasta in front of me. I slurp the pasta in, while taking bites of the sauce with my spoon. ¡®This is¡­¡¯ It¡¯s incredible. It¡¯s spicy herbs, the texture of the pasta, the bombastically tasting sauce! The melted cheese that lies perfectly molten on top of it! Everything just falls in harmony! I cannot believe I missed something like this in my entire life. I need to know how to make this. I need a recipe to take home, so I can have my chefs make this. ¡®Evander! I demand an audience with the master chef who has brought forth this delightfully tasting cuisine!¡¯


    Evander holds his head, while a wry laugh escapes his mouth. ¡®Yes, yes. I will ask the owner to have you get ¡®¡¯your audience with the master chef who has brought forth this delightfully tasting cuisine¡¯¡¯. Leave it to me, your majesty,¡¯ Evander says mockingly. I ignore the fact that he tried to do that, and continue eating, while Evander starts talking with someone that presumably is the owner. The man leaves, and as I finish my plate, another man in white cooking clothes arrives in front of us.


    ¡®Can I help you with something, sir?¡¯ the man asks slightly nervous.


    ¡®Can you help me? How?! This dish is amazing! The meat, the pasta, the cheese, the herbs¡­everything just falls in balance! I want to know how to make it! I must know how to make it! I fear that if I don¡¯t, I will never lay hands on this beautifully crafted dish again!¡¯ I look passionate at the chef, who looks slightly worried and afraid at me.


    ¡®S-Sure¡­I know you¡¯re exaggerating a lot right now, but I¡¯ll show you how its done¡­¡¯ I have Evander pays the bills, while I follow the chef.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­


    We leave the inn, and head to the market to get some supplies. ¡®You look happy, Brandr¡­¡¯ Evander says tired. He probably got bored while I had the chef talk me through the dish called ¡®¡¯Spaghetti Bolognese¡¯¡¯. He eventually gave me a written document for it, so I can show my chefs at home how to prepare this. I¡¯m actually quite surprised that Edelweiss never thought about preparing wheat like that¡­


    ¡®It shows, doesn¡¯t it? I¡¯m delighted to have tried something like that. My tummy is full, and I feel like I can take on the entire world!¡¯ I almost shout while I pump my fists up. It raises the attention of a few people around me, but I don¡¯t mind¡­until Evander suddenly pushes my arms back down.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡®I¡¯d rather not do that if I were you. Not in this city.¡¯ I look surprised at Evander, who tells me that he¡¯ll explain later what he meant by that.


    If you ride through the beautiful plains that head to Rakenia, you¡¯d never expect Rakenia is the state it is right now. The city gives more of a feeling of a city in a desolate country, rather than one in beautiful, lush plains. For starters, the roads are completely made of sand and gravel, with only the main street being slightly bricked. All the buildings have the color of sand, as if they were made from them, and hundreds of people sitting and walking around with a bit of a gloomy expression doesn¡¯t lift the spirit of the city at all. It looks like a city found in my world, rather than one in Illuminia. Not that I have seen every country here, but basing it of Lamia and Rotson Village, you¡¯d expect something more¡­green? Lushes? Beautiful? I don¡¯t know what I expected, but I can tell myself it was more uplifting than this...


    ////Rakenia''s Inspiration. It didn''t look like this in my mind, but I hope it can give more depth. The plains surrounding the city are also desertlike, but only for a short period, as the rest is covered in lush plains.////


    We continue to our resupplying journey, buying some wood and some other tools, in order to reinforce the sides and back of the cart, so the supplies won¡¯t fall off, or be visible to others, to avoid tragedies like people stealing our cargo. As we walk to the stables, I notice something around the city. I talk to Evander in a hushed voice. ¡®Say Evander, have you already noticed?¡¯ He slightly nods, but he doesn¡¯t look around at all. There¡¯s a huge amount of homeless people here in the alleys. It¡¯s completely the opposite from the capital. Not even fairy-tale like countries like Illuminia can be as perfect as taking care of every single citizen. They cannot let everyone live with a smile on their face, or a roof above their head. Homeless people are everyone, no matter where you go. The only difference is the amount of homeless people.


    ¡®If I remember clearly, it wasn¡¯t like this all the time. It was okay, but that was before the governor got assassinated. After that, nobody wanted to take the role over due to the fear of assassination, and this is the result of it,¡¯ Evander tells me.


    I notice something in the corner of my eyes as Evander talk to me. ¡®A deal¡­¡¯ I laugh a little in myself.


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong, Brandr?¡¯ Evander can¡¯t guess why I¡¯m laughing.


    ¡®Evander, did you know that around one of a fourth of the homeless isn¡¯t actually homeless?¡¯ He looks weird at me, clearly not understanding what I meant with that. I give him a lengthy explanation. I feel kind of proud now that I¡¯m informing him, rather than the other way around.


    ¡®In Edelweiss, but of course more in other city-state in my world, homeless people can be a fraud. Of course, there are multiple ways of doing it. The easiest way is doing it yourself. A rich person dresses and acts like a beggar, to get money. If you know who the generous are, and you know the good spots, you can get quite the amount by just acting. Of course, that isn¡¯t necessarily efficient, and there is a big penalty if you get caught. So, you take path number 2. You let someone else do it for you. For rich people, that might be a butler or a maid. Dress them like homeless and have them collect money for you. Butlers and Maids aren¡¯t as easy detectable as masters and deploying multiple of them can get you a good income. Of course, there¡¯s an even more organized fashion to it. Entire organizations and people centering on making money this way exist.¡¯ He looks at me as if I¡¯ve shown him humans¡¯ most ugly side. Yet it¡¯s only a fraction on how cruel humans can be¡­that was dark coming from my own thoughts¡­


    ¡®I don¡¯t doubt that such things happen here in Illuminia and if they did, that would be a real problem,¡¯ Evander says to himself. ¡®It would be hard to find such beggars though¡­¡¯


    ¡®Nah, there are easy to notice here.¡¯ Their disguises are horrible. You can separate a real and a fake easily here. I would¡¯ve had more of a challenge in the other city-states, but even in my world there are real homeless people, which does sadden me, of course.


    I can¡¯t shake this thought out of my head, even when we arrive at the stables. Evander starts unpacking the tools. ¡®Brandr, can you drop these good of the inn we just were. I already rented a room while you weren¡¯t looking. Just place it in our room and can back.¡¯ I nod, as I grab the bags of supplies.


    After I dropped the supplies, I take a quiet stroll through town. I look around and see a lot of homeless people again. Only most of them are real here. I can¡¯t help but empathize. I take a turn and stand still. At my sight, I see a girl around my age, maybe just a bit older. The only reason she caught my eye is because she was stunningly pretty. My eyes were captivated by her natural beauty, which is ruined by the state of her body and her clothing. Her clothes are horrible, half destroyed and filthy. Her reddish hair is a mess, and she even smells a lot. I¡¯m about to cry. She looks up at me. I look directly in her eyes. We stare like this for a moment, but something quickly breaks it. Her stomach starts rumbling in front of me. She looks a little embarrassed by it. I smile a little. ¡®Wait for me here, I¡¯ll be right back.¡¯ I rush to a nearby food stall. I buy a few sandwiches, filled with vegetables and what I think is chicken and return to the girl. I hand her one with a bright smile. She looks at me, and then at the sandwich. Before I even notice, the sandwich is out of my hand, and already in her mouth. She¡¯s the real deal, I think that to myself. A real homeless one, and by the looks of it, for a really long time. I sit down next to me. She already finished her bread, so I hand her another one. I eat one calmly as well. I hand her my flask of water as well, and she gulps in it. This is quite nice actually. We don¡¯t say anything to each other. I feel like she¡¯d run away if I speak a word. I just sit on the roadside with an innocent young girl. I inspect her a little bit more out of the corner of my eye. She¡¯s probably just as tall as me, if not slightly shorter. She has broken metal cuffs around her arms and legs, as if she broke them while she was still in slavery. Her legs and arms aren¡¯t necessarily thin, but not muscular either. She lacks almost no fat, given from someone who hasn¡¯t eaten anything. Her red, amber hair grows till her shoulder, but it¡¯s really messy as well, so it might be slightly longer. She has a stern, sharp expression while she hands me back the water bottle, completely drained from its content. We sit like this for a while, until she suddenly stands up.


    ¡®I¡¯m very thankful to you. If I can ever repay your kindness, let me know¡­¡¯ She runs super-fast through the alley and disappears from my sight.


    She will probably never pay me back¡­but I don¡¯t mind that. I quickly return to Evander.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡®Where the hell have you been the whole time? Thanks to you, I had to fix the entire carriage by myself.¡¯ Evander gives me a lengthy lecture. It was my fault, but I couldn¡¯t leave that girl alone. Even if she¡¯s only one of the hundred others.


    It wasn¡¯t because she was female, right? Am I that easily to manipulate? Besides, Astra-! ¡®Why am I thinking about her suddenly?!¡¯ I start bashing my head against a nearby post. It¡¯s only because I don¡¯t know any other girl! I try to tell myself that.


    ¡®Calm down, damn fool!¡¯ He kicks me in my calf and grabs me up. ¡®Something¡¯s seriously wrong with you¡­¡¯ Evander looks at me like I¡¯m a hopeless creature.


    ¡®No, no, no¡­I don¡¯t!¡¯ I¡¯m having some internal conflicts.


    ¡®Since I¡¯m already done, we¡¯re going back.¡¯ Evander drags me back to the inn, while I¡¯m still thinking about the same thing.

 Chapter 11- ‘\’Digging in Rakenia’\’

    ¡®¡¯Digging in Rakenia¡¯¡¯


    The sun shines through the curtains of my room. I don¡¯t feel like standing up, but my body throws me out bed anyway. ¡®Gah!¡¯ I fall face first to the floor. ¡®Well that¡¯s a great start¡­¡¯ I stand up and open the curtain. The sun is already up in the air, and people are filling the streets. Chatter fills my ears, as I quickly dress up in some common clothes and head downstairs, in search of Evander. Today I¡¯ll take a trip through the city, before departing.


    ¡®Brandr, you¡¯re awake.¡¯ Evander walks up to me as I walk the stairs.


    ¡®Haha, I slept in for a bit¡­¡¯ He strokes his beard and smokes a pipe. ¡®I didn¡¯t see you with a pipe on our journeys.¡¯ He laughs a bit, while magically keeping the pipe in his mouth. Wait, how did he do that? I need to figure that out later.


    ¡®Hahaha, I didn¡¯t have one with me. I left it back home in the village. So, I bought a new one.¡¯ He¡¯s stupid¡­ I have breakfast with him, while he¡¯s reading a huge paper. I presume it¡¯s a newspaper. I remember that being created in Yarren, the trading city. It¡¯s the mass-produced way of spreading news to the commoners, which has been implemented in Brixia as well. Only the Iron Coyote Tribe and Edelweiss don¡¯t have this, mainly because the major population cannot read or write. Either way, Evander¡¯s face gives a troubled look.


    ¡®Something interesting you found?¡¯ I try to look at what he¡¯s reading. He simply closes his eyes and hands the paper over, telling me to read it myself. When I look at the big title, I get shocked. [Children search still at square one. It¡¯s been a month since Rakenia has been plagued with the kidnapping of children. All those children have disappeared when they were alone or in the middle of the night. The local sheriff and volunteers have yet to find any evidence or a lead on the missing children.]


    ¡®You were planning on going out today, right?¡¯ I nod nervously at him, as I hand him the paper back. ¡®Just be careful out there. I know you aren¡¯t a child anymore, but you don¡¯t know what will happen if you drop your guard,¡¯ Evander tells me before he goes on with his reading. I silently eat my given breakfast; egg and beans with toast, before I head out. I wave Evander goodbye for now, and head into the dry, dusty streets of Rakenia.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡®Aah¡­this is nice¡­¡¯ I stroll through town and browse a bit through local stores. There are a lot of hardware stores and other things which don¡¯t really peak my interest. ¡®I¡¯m going to get bored like this¡­¡¯ It takes a short while before I stumble on a weird store. ¡®MagicWare?¡¯ I tell myself, as I enter inside with a lot of curiosity and anticipation. ¡®Wow, amazing¡­¡¯ A lot of weird items lie around. I walk through the store and see a lot of self-powered equipment. Little propeller-like equipment that turn automatically, creating small gusts of wind to cool the place off, as well as little machines with wheels riding over a fixed track. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­magic?¡¯ I pick up a small doll.


    ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯ Evander materializes out of nowhere.


    ¡®WAH! Don¡¯t scare me like that¡­¡¯ I fell to the ground from shock.


    ¡®These are all magic items.¡¯ He completely ignores me being on the floor and keeps talking like nothing happened.


    ¡®Magical items, you said?¡¯ He nods a few times and grabs on of the items.


    ¡®This one is for children, but guests like you might find it interesting.¡¯ He grabs a doll, and hands it over to me. It¡¯s a bear doll, one that¡¯s standing.


    ¡®Place it on the ground.¡¯ Evander gives me orders, and I quietly follow them. He goes through his knees and places his hand above the doll. He doesn¡¯t even look like concentrating, and the doll starts moving.


    ¡®Argh, a possessed doll!¡¯ I scream from shock and crawl a bit backwards. ¡®M-M-M-Magic!¡¯ I already saw it a few times, but it still amazes and scares me like the first time.


    ¡®A lot of things are empowered by magic. This is just a doll, but we have entire machines automated by magic, but there are only a few of them, since they¡¯re hard to make, and there aren¡¯t that many mages with the capacity to make them. Dolls like these require a very little amount of magic, and normal people can use them as well.¡¯ I listen carefully to Evander¡¯s explanation. ¡®Of course, mages are doing research on these kinds of matters. The biggest researches going on nowadays are magic tools that can enhance the power of a person faster, so they can use bigger magic items and higher concentration of magic in a small space of time.


    ¡®So, these little dolls are like small magic items.¡¯ Evander nods in confirmation. ¡®Can you use them as weapons? Because they are merely vessels for our magic. And since magic can be used in any way, you¡¯d be able to use this small bear to make an explosion in your hand or something¡­¡¯


    Evander smiles like a teacher who just heard his favorite student ask the most important question of his profession¡­which is actually more accurate of a description than I thought¡­ ¡®That¡¯s a very good question you¡¯re asking, Brandr. The answer is yes and no at the same time.¡¯ I nod at him, while he continues his explanation. ¡®Technically, you can use any magic item for combat, but remember that every magic item needs a purpose and a specific filter.¡¯ He points at his magic walking stick. ¡®This item is solely created for battle, but even though I can use magic to turn it into a sword, that doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s filter and properties were created for that particular activity.¡¯ Evander tries to explain further, until the clerk suddenly walks to us. We get chased out of the store, because we are lingering to much in the said store.


    ¡®Ahaha¡­sorry, Evander. I got us kicked out¡­¡¯ I slightly bow to him, asking for forgiveness. He hits my head with his staff as punishment.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡®Idiot, I told you enough times to stop apologizing for things that you are not at fault at,¡¯ he says sternly. I don¡¯t respond. We buy some sandwich and start walking as he resumes his explanation. ¡®Where was I¡­uhm¡­¡¯


    ¡®Something about filters and properties not being made for certain activities¡­¡¯ I remember well, because I got confused at that comment. I was solely thinking that it was just a vessel.


    ¡®Ah, yes. Every system has its rules and restriction to bring everything to an equilibrium.¡¯ Evander says jovially as I get lost at the final word. He notices it immediately, shown by his annoying-looking smirk. ¡®It means balance.¡¯ I don¡¯t change my annoyed expression. He doesn¡¯t care at all though. ¡®Anyway, balance. Like I said, the item has to have a certain purpose, which certain filters are attached to. Let¡¯s take the building process¡­very, very simplified of course. You grab a stick,¡¯ he says as he grabs a conveniently placed stick from the ground. It¡¯s as if he planned the entire conversation. ¡®Let¡¯s say¡­you want to shoot balls of fire with this stick. You¡¯d need a filter that amplifies the conjuring of elemental attacks. You¡¯d apply the filter to this stick, and now it¡¯s able to shoot fireballs. Now you¡¯ll need to steady the stick and make it durable,¡¯ he says as he grabs another conveniently placed stick, that has wrapped cloth on both ends. This is starting to get ridiculous. ¡®You¡¯d have to strengthen the stick, so it wont break the item. Remember that every time you cast a spell with a magic item, you will reduce its duration and will damage the filtration-process. If the filter dies first, you¡¯ll have to reapply a filter. The only upside with that is that you can replace the filter with a different kind of filter. Let¡¯s say you want to create a sword out of a stick. You¡¯ll pop out the filter, place and new one and boom, you have a new kind of magic item.¡¯


    ¡®Weren¡¯t you talking about balance just now? That sounds completely unbalanced in my ears.¡¯


    ¡®Well, a downside of changing filters is that your body will have to get used to that. Your body is currently getting used to the Arc, while I am completely used to my magic. If we were to change the filter in our item, we¡¯d have to adapt to the filter newly formula of concentrated magic. How did you feel after using magic for the first time?¡¯


    I clearly remember that moment at the Hero¡¯s Monument. I felt dizzy for a moment, but just a slight moment. ¡®Dizzy¡­nauseous? But only for a moment though.¡¯


    ¡®See, that is your body getting used to the new formula. You never used magic, so your adaption was a lot easier that if I would switch. My body is completely stemmed of on my formula to cast magic, and if I were to change that, I¡¯d have to get completely used to that new magic. It isn¡¯t just a case of skill, but also of adaptation of the body.¡¯ I feel completely drained by his explanation. ¡®It¡¯s okay, Brandr. If you feel like you need to learn more, you can always go to the library here and buy some books on it.¡¯


    I sigh slightly. ¡®You make it sound so easy. And where would I find a library here anyway?¡¯ He points up to the building next to us. It says ¡®¡¯Library¡¯¡¯. ¡®I have no idea how much you planned this exact conversation, or if this is all disturbingly coincidental, but I¡¯ll take you on that offer.¡¯ He says goodbye again, going God-knows-where, while I head into the library for books¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡®Well¡­that was unexpected¡­¡¯ I tell myself as I have gathered yet another huge pile of books. While some are about magic, which I want to purchase, I also got a lot of history books and articles about Rakenia. Why has this city fallen to the state it¡¯s in? After seeing Lamia and Rotson Village, and to some degree Hero¡¯s Monument, I¡¯d expect this city to be lushes and beautiful, and not this barren state of a city.


    I remember Evander talking about an assassinated governor. Things changed around that period. I start my research there, reading through a few articles that has anything to do with the assassination of the governor. After looking through a few dates articles and papers, I stumble upon the incident. ¡®¡¯The saint meets its creator¡¯¡¯ says the title. Upon researching it further, I figure out that Rakenia was indeed in a much better state. The ground surrounding it was still dusty and sandy, but the economy and poverty were completely flipped around during that period. Going back into the history, this man, called Kingsley Goodwin, was a fair governor with ambitious plans. With his council, there were many plans to overshadow Lamia, and make Rakenia superior over the current capital. Rakenia-born-and-bread, he never hid his dreams and goals from anyone, which made him popular, not only in Rakenia, but surprisingly in Lamia as well. There are rumors that he and the Royal Family met with him to turn his declaration into an official challenge, to grow their respected cities, so that future generations can profit for their growth, passion and love that was put into the cities. That was until one night, while he was working late in his office, he got killed. The city was left in turmoil, since nobody wanted to take the role of governor¡­the reason being¡­


    ¡®What in the world¡­?¡¯ I grab another paper, and it shows a symbol for a bolded fist raised to the sky, with the name ¡®¡¯Cinder¡¯¡¯ above it.


    ////I know, this is cringy to look at...well, tell that in court. Sue me for the cringe!////


    This looks like a clich¨¦ rebellion logo, so I have a bit of trouble to take this seriously, but if they were able to assassinate the governor of Rakenia, I cannot take them lightly. Anyway, this paper tells the moment that ¡®¡¯Cinder¡¯¡¯ claimed the assassination of Kingsley Goodwin, and that they will ¡®¡¯Be the Embers that will put this World to Flames¡¯¡¯. After Rakenia, many more assassinations of important people started to take place, as well as the missing of children in other cities concentrated in the north, which would soon spread out through the south. The article of this morning comes to mind. ¡®Cinder¡­I¡¯m quite sure¡­¡¯ I am sure that the Queen already knows about this, and the link, but that they still haven¡¯t found ¡®¡¯Cinder¡¯¡¯ yet. ¡®So¡­Cinder is behind these disappearances¡­but why?¡¯


    ¡®But why indeed¡­that has been the question for years now,¡¯ I hear from my side out of nowhere.¡¯


    ¡®GAH!¡¯ I scream out, startled by the sudden appearance from the stranger. I get shushed by everyone in the library. I get a slight feeling of Deja vu, before I start up again.


    ¡®So, you¡¯ve been researching Rakenia, it seems. What made you so interested suddenly in this city?¡¯ I look at the man asking me questions. He looks quite young, around his mid-twenties. His eyes are sharp, which gives him an unsettling smile. His messy white-brown hair looks unnatural, while he wears very neat and tight clothes.


    ¡®Do you always ask so many questions when you meet someone?¡¯ I tell him, trying to get back at him.


    ¡®Only to those who look¡­very suspicious¡­ Why would someone go so deep in researching Rakenia? A spy perhaps?¡¯


    ¡®From which country? There are no other countries here to be spied by, and even if I was, I¡¯d thought they would confess so easily¡­¡¯


    His unsettling smile doesn¡¯t go away, as he sits down to the seat next to mine, and puts his legs across each other, while ticking his fingers against each other, like an inpatient person. ¡®Fair enough¡­so¡­what do you want to know about ¡®¡¯Cinder?¡¯¡¯

 Chapter 12 - ‘\’The creepy wiseman and the shady businesses’\’

    ¡®¡¯The creepy wiseman and the shady businesses¡¯¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s intriguing¡­ So, you are investigating out of pure curiosity, if I summarize what you¡¯ve just said?¡¯


    ¡®I told you, it¡¯s because of my family. Curiosity is far down the list of reasons why I want to find Cinder!¡¯ I rebuke to the man that¡¯s walking next to me. We¡¯re walking to some place that can ¡®¡¯help me with my personal investigation¡¯¡¯. I have no idea what he means with that, since he constantly talks with a form of mystery in his voice. Everything he says sounds mysterious, like he is hiding all his secrets, and is playing with his cards against his chest. I think back to the library¡­


    [¡®Fair enough¡­so¡­what do you want to know about ¡®¡¯Cinder?¡¯¡¯ he asks me out of nowhere.


    ¡®What do you mean with that? Are you willing to share some information you¡¯ve got? Shouldn¡¯t that be reported to the police?¡¯ I ask him suspiciously. Frankly, I just want to stand up and walk away, but I am still interested in what he has to say. Either way, he uncrosses his legs, and leans with his elbows on them.


    ¡®Quite the cautious one, aren¡¯t you? There is no need to be like that around me.¡¯ His smile widens even more, while is eyes remain so narrow, they look like they¡¯re closed.


    ¡®¡­¡­you still didn¡¯t answer my second question¡­¡¯


    ¡®You still haven¡¯t answered mine,¡¯ he says while his expression remains the same. I find it creepy to look at. As if he is prying¡­digging into my eyes, trying to unravel my secrets. It¡¯s unsettling¡­the air is feeling denser with every breath I take.


    ¡®¡­¡­I want to learn more about them, yes.¡¯ I decide to answer his question as cautious as possible. I feel like I cannot let my guard down around him.


    ¡®Oho¡­and why is that, if I may ask?¡¯


    ¡®I have my reasons¡­¡¯ I look directly at him. I completely forgot my surroundings, until¡­


    ¡®Aha, I see! Well, don¡¯t you worry! I can help you out with your research! I am a very important person after all. Did you know that?¡¯ he says as he stands up from his feet and grabs one of the books I had taken with me to purchase. ¡®¡¯¡¯The principles of Magic¡¯¡¯, huh¡­ Are you interested in magic, perhaps? I wonder why that would be¡­¡¯ He takes a glance at me and opens the book. ¡®Why would one be interested in magic, I wonder¡­¡¯


    I quietly stand up and take the book out of his hand. ¡®I am interested in a lot of things¡­including your attempt in involving yourself in my business. I have no idea who you are, yet you constantly ask me questions, trying to fish something out of me. Tell me something about yourself first, before you ask me a handful of questions. Let¡¯s see, how about you introduce yourself to me first¡­¡¯ I tell him as sternly as possible. I put the book with the other magic-related book. I take another look at the title, before returning my gaze at him.


    ¡®Hm¡­can¡¯t do that. Sorry.¡¯ He shrugs his shoulders like it isn¡¯t his problem. I want to lash out at him, but I hold myself back last moment. What would that solve? I need to stay calm and leave. He¡¯s obviously pranking me. I should be the bigger man and leave.


    ¡®Ah, I see¡­ Then I will wish you a good day, sir. I must purchase these books and go my way. I still have some important matters to attend.¡¯ I make a slight bow with my head and grab all the books I want to purchase and head to the counter.


    ¡®With matters, you mean going to Evander the Wise, right?¡¯ I instinctively turn back fiercely to him, while steadying all the books in my hands. ¡®Bullseye.¡¯ Damn, I let myself get carried away. ¡®I wonder how such a young boy, which seemingly no history or knowledge on Illuminia has been able to hook up with someone so important and powerful. It makes me interested in who you are as a person.¡¯


    This man is dangerous¡­ I don¡¯t feel any threat from him physically, but I feel like he can read through everything I think. ¡®I truly don¡¯t understand. No knowledge over Illumina. Does that mean that magic is the fundament of Illuminia? It¡¯s helpful, but it can exist without it. I think you need to wise up yourself, if you think you can throw me off the charts with a few randomly-shot presumptions about me,¡¯ I say in the calmest fashion I can deliver that sentence. I need to make sure I don¡¯t look nervous.


    ¡®Ah¡­ahahaha¡­hahahahahaha!¡¯ He starts to laugh hysterically, followed by annoyed people turning into our direction and shushing us. ¡®No, I really like you now. You¡¯re calm. Very calm. You analyze your enemies carefully, and you don¡¯t trip they lay out in front of you¡­you¡¯re sharp, and I like that. He walks up to me and starts pushing me to the counter. ¡®I¡¯m paying for all these books, ma¡¯am. Please provide a bag for this young, intellectually pleasing young man. Put it on the tap of the government itself.¡¯


    Everything is to fast-paced for me now, but I get a bag handed over with all the books I wanted, and he starts pushing me out of the library after.]


    After we exited the library, he asked me about my origin. I already have a made-up story I discussed with Evander and try to tell him with as little detail as possible. My sister got kidnapped by Cinder, so I use that as an excuse to research them deeper. He kept asking questions about my past, and constantly doubts my motivation, but I don¡¯t think he has seen through me yet.


    ¡®So¡­where are we going? You¡¯ve been keeping me in the dark long enough,¡¯ I ask him, checking his reaction out of the corner of my eye.


    ¡®You¡¯ll see. Don¡¯t let your impatience get the better of you now.¡¯ He keeps smiling creepily, without turning his head to me at any point in time.


    ¡®You mentioned the tap of the government itself at the library. Is that where we are going?¡¯ His smile widens, so I presume I am correct.


    ¡®Good. I need to have you sharp. You¡¯ll get boring otherwise.¡¯ He finally turns to me with his creepy laugh and barely open eyes. I find it unsettling, but I don¡¯t show it. We keep walking for a bit longer, until we arrive in front of a big building, surrounded by a wall and guards. It¡¯s a dome-shaped building, and its size shows the importance of the building itself. ¡®We¡¯re here. Let¡¯s head in.¡¯ I follow him inside. The halls are lit up by the sun. The first thing I see after walking in the hall is the giant square in the middle, that probably functions as a garden or living room. It has an open roof, so the sun is beaming down into the building. We walk further, and after taking a few turns, we arrive in a room full of books. ¡®These are the archives. They hold the records of everything that happened in Rakenia,¡¯ he says as he grabs a book from a shelf and hands it over. It has lots of loose pieces of paper inside it. ¡®I think you¡¯ll find it interesting.¡¯


    I grab the brown, leatherback book out of his hand, and open the book up in the middle, which contains the largest piece of paper. ¡®T-This is¡­¡¯ I stare at the article that is presented in front of me. [Missing children against the State?] It shows a picture of a young, blond, with long hair and bright, green eyes. She has a small face, making her look like a minor. The article talks about the girl. Carley Langdon. She went missing years back and made her appearance as an assassin. She died in action, during a mission to kill the governor of Rakenia. Although they succeeded, she didn¡¯t make it, with a bunch of other kids that went missing years ago. Carley Langdon was carrying an infiltration plan, and local authorities think it¡¯s connected to¡­ ¡®Cinder¡­¡¯ They make their appearance again. I put the book down on the wooden table near us, and look the creepy guy in the eyes, which he still has barely closed. ¡®Why¡­are you¡­showing me this?¡¯ His smile growths as I ask.


    ¡®To be frank, it¡¯s because you¡¯re suspicious to us.¡¯ I step back as he says that. He just showed his true colors. ¡®A young boy, accompanied by the great Evander the Wise, telling me that he is looking into the disappearance of a sister. Things don¡¯t add up, you know. Did you even think your background through? The fact that you underestimated Evander¡¯s popularity, and the fact that Evander is a wise man that helped this country is many ways shows how suspicious you are.¡¯ I really want to tell him that it was actually Evander who came up with the backstory, not me, but that would only make the situation worse. ¡®You probably didn¡¯t notice that Evander is so popular because people don¡¯t want to bother him on his business.¡¯ I gulp. He has me in a bind. ¡®You¡­are you perhaps from anot-¡®Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡®Sir.¡¯ A man that looks to be a guard walks into the room before the creepy guy can even finish his sentence. ¡®The governor is waiting for you, sir.¡¯


    ¡®Ah, thank you very much. Well then young sir. Let us go to the governor.¡¯ He grabs my arm and after I drop the book on the ground by accident, forces me to walk into the long corridor. After a few more corridors and stairs, we arrive at a room with a big, wooden door, decorated in gold and gems. This look more of a king¡¯s door than a governor¡¯s one, but I push that thought out of my head. The creepy man opens the doors himself, and reveals a beautifully decorated room, filled with treasure and gold scattered around the sides of the huge room. The clay colored room has big bowls hanging from the ceiling, with fire in them to light the room. I see an old, fata man sitting in a clay-colored throne, filled with even more gold and gems, while his throne is sided with statues of giant-catlike creatures, as if they¡¯re trying to intimidate me. Above them is a giant window. The room is heavily guarded. I count around ten guards, all fully armored, wielding spears. To describe the room in one world, wealthy.


    ¡®Sir. I have brought the ¡®¡¯suspicious person¡¯¡¯ to you,¡¯ the creepy guy says as he pushes me a bit forward from the back.


    ¡®So that was your goal all along¡­¡¯ I look at the creepy guy with a sharp glare, before I turn towards the quite fat, very hairy person in front of me, who sits on a throne with fancy clothing fit for a king. If I am honest, I wouldn¡¯t think this man for a governor if I saw him without his fancy clothing, and even if I did, you¡¯d think he was of royalty rather than of office.


    ¡®So¡­¡¯ the man speaks with a heavy, clotted voice, as if he has trouble speaking. ¡®You¡¯re the boy that has been causing trouble in my city, right?¡¯ He rests his head on his arm, clearly having no interest in me.


    ¡®I haven¡¯t caused any trouble, sir. I just arrived here, and I plan to leave soon as well. I was just researching magic, until I stumbled on articles about Rakenia themselves. I stumbled on the history of Rakenia, and that¡¯s when your companion decided to bring me to you. I¡¯d like to believe that I did nothing wrong.¡¯ I conclude my case.


    ¡®You...¡¯ he speaks up as he points his ring to me. ¡®haven¡¯t kissed my ring yet.¡¯ He shows me a very big ring with a bright red gem inside, while covered with gold and other small gems. The ring itself looks greasy, especially on his fat finger. I look at him confused, questioning his intentions. The creepy guy tries to push me to the fat man, but I withstand his push as much as possible.


    ¡®You idiot,¡¯ he whispers to me. ¡®Just kiss his ring or you will be killed.


    ¡®Like hell I will! It¡¯s greasy and disgusting. Besides, I don¡¯t know him,¡¯ I whisper back to him.


    ¡®You¡­¡¯ he speaks again, still sounding like he is stuffed with something. ¡®Why haven¡¯t you kissed my ring yet? Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s a crime to refuse my orders?¡¯ he speaks. I am genuinely confused right now. Who does this fat guy think he is? I stand firm.


    ¡®May I ask¡­? You are the governor of this city, right?¡¯ He doesn¡¯t answer me. He puts his arm back and holds his arm in the air. I have a terrible feeling about this, but I continue nevertheless. ¡®This fancy room, and that rotten attitude of yours. You look more like a fat, bastard king that has no idea what he is doing.¡¯ I take a quick glance at the creepy guy, who has his eyes opened for once, with the look like all the blood just got drained out of his face. He looks genuinely frightened. I turn back to the fat man, who looks seriously agitated, as he drops his hand. I see all the guards around the place point their spear to me. They¡¯re ready to attack. I look around me. The creepy guy is gone. ¡®Shit, where is he?¡¯ No time to worry about him. I need to run away. I can¡¯t fight all these guards on my own. I look at the entrance. Two guards. Then four on each of my side. The only place to go¡­is¡­ I start running, while I unsheathe my sword. I don¡¯t care if they recognize the sword at this point. They¡¯ll think it¡¯s a prop anyway. I rush towards the fat man in his seat, who turns from agitated to scared. I get just in front of him and use his shoulder to launch myself up the catlike statues. I climb up and jump through the window. ¡®ThisisbadThisisbadThisisbad!¡¯ I unconsciously shout my fear out, as I hang on the window from the room with one arm. I look down, realizing that the height would surely kill me. I try to scan for a window below me, while my sweaty palm makes me lose my gripping. I am so scared right now, but I need to stay rational. I can make this. I spot on window below me. ¡®You can do this, Brandr.¡¯ I focus on my sword, trying to have the magic flow to the tip. I miraculously pull it off, and after I take a very deep breathe, while trying to push all the voices to the back of my head that tell me that I¡¯m stupid for attempting something like this, I let go, quickly grabbing onto my sword with both hands. I wait for the moment I am at the window and step my sword into the wall just above it, and quickly use my momentum to fly into is. I kick the curtains away, and safely land into the archive room I was earlier. ¡®Well, that¡¯s a coincidence,¡¯ I think out loud, before I lie down of the floor. That was scary, but I managed to escape. The guards must be looking for me though. I sit up and see the book that I dropped earlier. ¡®This¡­¡¯ I say as I pick it up. ¡®might be useful¡­¡¯ I open the door, with book and sword in hand, and peek out. I cannot see anyone, so I try to sneakily walk out. I take on step outside, and¡­


    ¡®There he is! Don¡¯t let him escape!¡¯ that¡¯s all it took for them to find me.


    ¡®Really?!¡¯ I scream out in agony as I start sprinting through the corridor. I turn right, towards the stairs. I slide over the railing, and quickly run underneath the pathway I was on just now. I run past some rooms, until I suddenly feel my body being pulled into one of these rooms. Unknown hands grab my mouth and body, as they keep me quiet, while the guards who where looking for me pass us. It is then that the person who is holding my hands lets me go. ¡®Who-!¡¯ I turn around almost shouting, but the boy that grabbed me puts his hand on my mouth and shushes me. He takes his hand of my mouth again. ¡®Thank you. You saved me.¡¯


    I look at the boy with extremely bright, blue eyes. His eyes are more shown due his dark skin, with his bandana around his forehead, holding his black, soft hair a bit up. ¡®I haven¡¯t saved you yet. We still have to get you out of this place,¡¯ the boy says with his soft, almost melodic voice as he looks around frantically. ¡®Okay, I need to you to stay hidden until the stairs. By then, you should start sprinting. These guards don¡¯t leave this place, and they¡¯ll let you go. Once you get out, get yourself out of Rakenia.¡¯


    ¡®Wait, what? I haven¡¯t finished my business here yet. I need to do that first. I¡¯m not letting some fat bastard control my will. Even if he is a governor.¡¯


    ¡®Ugh¡­look, you can¡¯t do anything to him. He has the entire city on his site,¡¯ he says with a worried look. I have no idea why I am analyzing his face so much. I try to shake the thought out.


    ¡®He has the city under his control. Not in his hand. I highly doubt people wanted him as the governor. He has more fat in his body than my entire family combined. And he stinks. I smelled him for a brief period, but I almost threw up.¡¯ The boy¡¯s expression grows more scared with every word I talk about him. He looks like he¡¯s genuinely terrified of the governor.


    ¡®You really¡­whatever. Just run away from this place and get out of Rakenia. I don¡¯t even know what you were doing here but resume your business another time.¡¯


    ¡®I was resupplying for my journey, as well as researching Cinder.¡¯ His eyes widen when I mention Cinder.


    ¡®Cinder? What do you need to know about some crazed doctors? That¡¯s a state matter.¡¯


    Crazed doctors? I never heard about any crazed doctors. I ask him after telling him about my sister, and after sympathizing with me, he tells me about the people that are in Cinder. Scientists, doctors and mages working onto a project to create superhumans. Humans with superhuman strength, speed and senses, able to accomplish the hardest of tasks with ease. Apparently, they were an official research group, until it was revealed they were doing human experiments, which let to their disbandment. All their equipment was stolen, and the documents were kept by the Royal Family themselves, but it seems like they are back and are still conducting human experiments, by kidnapping little children. It really saddens me when I hear the through behind it. I decide to leave without any more questions. I follow his instructions and run out of the building. Luckily, they didn¡¯t spot me, and I calmly walked through the gates as if nothing happened. These gate watchers probably had no idea what happened inside, so I was able to fool them. I head towards my room at the inn and read the books content. Everything the boy talked about is inside. The information from the creepy man as well. An organization created by the crazed scientist who conduct human experiments to create superhuman puppets that bow to their will. The experiments were bloody and gruesome, and the Queen decided to disband the organization that was part of the Research and Development team in the royal castle. They got persecuted, and the surviving members continued the experiments, while running away from the state. I also find disclosed information that most of the members had already been rounded up, and that the activity of Cinder has decreased rapidly over time. The persecution is almost over.


    ¡®This¡­is a lot to take in¡­¡¯ I close the book as I lie on my bed and toss it to the side of my room. There is still one in Rakenia. Since there are still people being kidnapped here. ¡®I guess it¡¯s not over yet though¡­¡¯ I get up and take a shower. After the shower and meal, while talking about my day with Evander, I head back up in my room. ¡®Ah¡­I forgot my books at the palace¡­¡¯ I guess I will have to purchase book at another place. ¡®Today¡­a lot happened. I hope I won¡¯t be found by that fat man. I don¡¯t want to bother Evander to much with me being nosey. Tomorrow I have to be a lot more careful if I go out.¡¯ As I close my eyes, my mind wanders, remembering the redhaired girl I met, as well as the creepy guy, the fat man and the blue-eyed boy. ¡®Rakenia¡­I feel¡­like this it isn¡¯t over yet¡­¡¯

 Chapter 13 - ‘\’Brandr and Morana

    ¡®¡¯Brandr and Morana¡¯¡¯


    ¡®Hwaah~¡¯ I yawn deeply, while walking down the street, bathing in the morning sun of Illuminia¡¯s Rakenia. I still have a single day left before I go with Evander to resume my journey to get the first Star. The sand brown houses still give the unique, foreign feeling like the first day I arrived. The increased amount of people that walk the streets makes it slightly harder to walk, but their presence brings life to the city. Wondering what I am going to do in this city, I wander through the groups of people trying to walk on the same road, while supply carriages ride in the middle of the road. I still need to keep my head low though. I¡¯m probably a wanted person after yesterday¡¯s incident. ¡®Mmm¡­ I wonder if I can enter a store without them trying to pin me down and take me to that fat ass. Looking around, I realize there isn¡¯t a single store that really peaks my interest. Have I gotten that boring? I pick up pace, trying to find something that might stop me from walking.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡®What a nice bench,¡¯ I say unconsciously, as I look at a lonely bench with a trash bin that have been placed to the side of the road. The placement of the white-painted bench and the gray trash bin feels random, since there isn¡¯t a single park around here, nor any side you just want to look at. Realizing I¡¯m analyzing a bench on the sidewalk makes me realize how bored I really am. I need to find something else to peak my interest.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­


    My epic adventure to find an interesting object has let me to find a cat, another bench and kid standing suspiciously. I must quickly decide what I want to analyze. Time is precious after all.¡¯ After using my brain to the maximum to realize each scene¡¯s importance, I lazily go in order which I found them¡­


    I analyze the cat. It¡¯s a cat on the road. What else can I say? Its fur is part golden, part white, while his skinny posture makes me wonder if it¡¯s a stray cat. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised, given the amount of homeless people here. He has green eyes. What else can I say? I ponder for a moment, until I end up on sitting on the bench I was supposed to analyze after the cat. ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ I remember back in Edelweiss. Cats were so rare before I was born, but we suddenly had a baby boom of kittens, and because of the lack of kitten death, we started being overflowed with kittens. It¡¯s funny, since apparently Edelweiss traded resources for these creatures of leisure. The city-state of Edelweiss is mostly barren and desolate around the city borders, but a lot of strays now roam these lands along with their fellow homeless.


    Looking around, I still notice the presence of the kid, who looks at me like he just found prey to devour. Quickly breaking eye contact, I focus myself on the bench I am seated in. The bench is completely brown and made from wood. The design looks a bit more artistic than the previous, simple one. I rub the wood of the bench a few times before I head further again. I have no idea what I am doing now but killing time, but I don¡¯t mind it.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­


    ¡®So, he still following me¡­¡¯ I have wandered for a while now. Even since I looked eyes with him, he wasn¡¯t stopped following me. I¡¯m talking about the mysterious, suspicious boy that looked mockingly at me. I tried to blend in the crowd, picking up pace and other things to get him off my trail, but he¡¯s still following me stubbornly. ¡®I wish I could just alarm Evander¡­¡¯ I walk into another crowd. He silently follows. I wait until I get out of the crowd and run as fast as I can into an alleyway. Dodging the beggars and crates on the ground, I keep sprinting, zigzagging my way through the alleys until I stumble into a person. We both fall onto the ground. ¡®Ah¡­I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t see you there.¡¯ I look up and see the same red-haired beauty I fed the other day.


    ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ she doesn¡¯t say anything. She just looks me in the eyes, as if she¡¯s trying to dig into my soul.


    ¡®Well, uhm. I¡¯d love to stay and talk with you, since you look interesting, but I am busy shaking off a kid, so-.¡® The girl quickly jumps up, grabs my wrist and starts running a few corners, until she hides me in a cardboard box that lies in these alleys. She sits in the entrance, and a few seconds later, I hear people running by. I can slightly see the boy who was following me, along with some guards who are following him. They look like the guards that belong to that fat man. So, I guess they¡¯re tracking me. I¡¯m no longer safe in Rakenia if that¡¯s the case. It won¡¯t be long until they figure out where I am staying. I must get in contact with Evander soon after I escape, or he might get in trouble as well. Either way, the girl lets me out of the cardboard box. ¡®Thanks¡­I don¡¯t know what I would¡¯ve done if you didn¡¯t show up.¡¯


    She shakes her head, as if telling me that it¡¯s nothing special. ¡®I¡¯ve repaid my debt¡­¡¯


    ¡®I know! Come with me!¡¯ I take her soft, delicate hand and drag her away from the alleys.


    ¡®W-Wait! What are you-?!¡¯ she tries to struggle out of my grip, but I keep a good hold of her, as I drag her with me.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡®Aren¡¯t you glad you went with me?¡¯ I ask from the other side of the bathing door. I decided to repay her by treating her to some more food, as well as taking a bath at the inn I¡¯m staying. It¡¯s the least she deserves. I am also giving her some of my clothing, since giving her the dirty rags just bites on my conscious.


    ¡®¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¯ No response. I guess she is a little bit uncomfortable with the amount of care she¡¯s being showered with.


    ¡®You¡¯re welcome, miss.¡¯ I take my leave for a moment, and hear into my room, looking for clothes that might fit her. I can¡¯t bring a sweater or any long pants since it¡¯s quite warm in Rakenia. I decide to grab some underwear, socks, sandals, a plain blue t-shirt (they don¡¯t even have these in Edelweiss) and short pants. I quickly bring them to the bathroom, entering the changing hall. Only a door separates us from each other¡­only a single door¡­ Finding myself staring at the door, I quickly shake the immoral thought out of my head. ¡®Calm down, Brandr. Don¡¯t revert to some pervert. You can do this¡­¡¯ I whisper to myself. I leave the clothes on the sink, grab her clothing without thinking and bolt of the room. ¡®Safe¡­¡¯ I take the clothes back to my room and wait until she comes back.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    I jump a bit up as the doorknob turns around. The young, beautiful amber-haired girl enters my room wearing my clothes, while drying her short hair with a towel. My eyes are momentarily captivated by her beauty. She has a slender figure, making my clothes look slightly baggy, since my posture is just a bit sturdier than hers. Her green moderate spring green eyes gives a much softer expression than the last time. She looks gorgeous¡­ I hit my head for a moment, trying to get my thoughts straight. ¡®They fit you¡­the clothes¡­¡¯


    She looks at me. ¡®Thank you. Although now I have to return the favor again¡­¡¯


    ¡®What are you talking about?! Your company is a perfect way to return to favor. Let¡¯s get something to eat! I¡¯m starving.¡¯


    ¡®Hah¡­I¡­¡¯ I drag her out of the room, and into the ground floor of the inn, where all the other people are. I don¡¯t see Evander, so I presume he¡¯s still out. We sit down at a two-man¡¯s table, opposite from each other. The innkeeper comes up to me for a moment, gives me a wink and conjures a long candle out of nowhere.


    ¡®How did you-!¡¯ He puts his finger on his mouth, indicating me to refrain from asking questions. He conjures a set of matches out of thin air after and lights the candle that he put in the middle of our table. He claps in his hands twice, and throws rose petals over the table.


    ¡®Have fun, sir and madam.¡¯ He gives two menus, which he summoned out of another dimension, invisible to the naked eye (I presume, because I have no other explanation for it) and hands them over to us. He turns the glasses on the table and grabs a bottle of water, which he pours in the glasses.


    He walks away from us, behind the bar. ¡®Hahaha¡­I¡¯m sorry this happened¡­¡¯


    She looks with confused eyes to me. ¡®What do you mean? What happened?¡¯


    ¡®Well, you know. He¡¯s making it unnecessarily romantic¡­uhm¡­you know what. Forget I said anything. You should try the Spaghetti Bolognese. I had it the other day, and it was godly! I¡¯ll pick something different this time though. Uhm... this!¡¯ I wave at the innkeeper, who comes back to me with a smile, as I take a few sips from my water.


    ¡®So, what can I do for the young couple?¡¯ he says with a smirk on his face. I almost spit out my water that I just drank, but I managed to keep it inside. The girl still looks with the same confused expression at us.


    ¡®I¡¯m just going to ignore you just said that. A Spaghetti Bolognese for the lady. I¡¯m going with the¡­caprese macaroni and cheese?¡¯


    ¡®So, a Spaghetti Bolognese and a Caprese mac and cheese? Anything else?¡¯ I shake my head. ¡®Okay then. He takes the menus away from us. ¡®Take you for your choice. Your meals will soon be ready,¡¯ he says as he walks to the kitchen, writing something on a small note.


    ¡®Hah¡­sorry that I made a choice for you like that. I got a bit excited. You¡¯re okay with that, right?¡¯ She nods her head.


    ¡®To be frank, I don¡¯t even know what spaghetti is, so I guess this will be the first time for me.¡¯


    ¡®To eat spaghetti? So, I wasn¡¯t the only one!¡¯ I feel like I need to tell Evander. I am not a uncultured brat after all!¡¯


    ¡®No, I mean¡­having a meal like this, with another boy. Being called a couple...it¡¯s all new to me. You see, I¡¯ve been on the streets for a long time now, so I never really got the chance to experience things like that. Although confusing, I¡¯m actually having fun right now.¡¯


    I feel both guilt and happiness fill my heart. I was able to make her have fun, but she didn¡¯t know how to react because she was on the streets for so long. I nearly forgot about that. ¡®By the way¡­this might sound rude, but what¡¯s your name? You do have one, right? Oh, I am Brandr by the way. Brandr of Edelweiss.¡¯


    She looks a bit shocked at me, but quickly calms down. ¡®Morana. Just Morana.¡¯ We both smile to each other for a moment, making me think for just a brief moment how we would be as a genuine couple. She¡¯s beautiful but sounds quite innocent. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s very streetwise, unlike I, who has mostly been raised in wealth and prosperity. It puts things into perspective. We are two completely different people. Our lives have been the exact opposite from each other, yet we sit here on one table. Life works in mysterious ways¡­


    ¡®Your Spaghetti Bolognese and caprese macaroni and cheese. Please enjoy.¡¯ The innkeeper says as he materializes out of thin air and serves our plates. I don¡¯t look at him.


    ¡®Thank you¡­¡¯ I wait until he is gone before I talk again. ¡®So¡­let¡¯s dig in, shall we?¡¯ She smiles and nods at me, and as we both take our food on our fork, and put it in our mouths, we both enter heaven simultaneously. ¡®Ooohhh! How can this be! How can food taste this delicious?! M-Morana¡­¡¯ I look at her, as tears drop off her face. She cannot stop eating. ¡®I see¡­you too¡­have reached enlightenment¡­¡¯ I start eating again, quickly trying to experience the same ecstasy from before. ¡®The different kinds of cheese, the perfectly cooked pasta and the amazingly fresh tomatoes go hand in hand, walking on a beautiful rainbow of food harmony. To think I would get such fantastic food in Rakenia......¡¯


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­


    We walk side by side down the streets of Rakenia. The sun slowly settles down from the highest point in the sky. We¡¯re reaching the afternoon soon¡­ We¡¯ve just been walking together, talking about the food we just ate, the big sword on my back (told her it¡¯s just a regular sword), but also about Rakenia and the events happening around us in the streets. I think both of us don¡¯t want to go into our past or reason of being here, as that might run the mood we have now. We just want to enjoy our day right now. ¡®Come, there¡¯s a park right here,¡¯ Morana says with more confidence than she had earlier this day. I guess she realizes I have no ulterior motive than being a nice neighbor.


    ¡®Sure.¡¯ We take a detour to an empty park. We sit on a warm bench, which feels like it¡¯s going to burn my back if I sit here for too long.


    ¡®Say¡­why are you being so nice to me? I already paid you back for these sandwiches and water from the other day¡­so why do all this as well?¡¯


    Because you¡¯re a beautiful young girl I actually want to take with me on my adventure, rather than let you rot here in the streets, because someone as beautiful and kind as you don¡¯t deserve that¡­ I can¡¯t say that¡­ ¡®Because I feel like you deserve more in life. You said you¡¯ve been homeless for a long time¡­someone like you doesn¡¯t deserve that. I felt like I should at least give you a day to enjoy¡­¡¯


    ¡®What if I deserve to be on the streets though¡­¡¯ Morana suddenly says as she looks at the beautiful blue sky, filled with only the odd cloud passing by. When there is no sign of Abyss, this place always feels so peaceful and pretty. Just like¡­


    ¡®What if you do¡­I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know what you did in the past, or what happened that put you in this state, but I think that everyone deserves a second chance. Even someone like you¡­


    She slightly turns her head away from me, so that I can¡¯t see her eyes. ¡®I don¡¯t know¡­if I should forgive myself. I¡¯ve done something terrible. Something I cannot undo.¡¯ She turns around again. ¡®I-¡®


    ¡®Well, look what we have here. You won¡¯t be able to escape this time, little boy.¡¯ We quickly turn around, only to see the little boy that was chasing me earlier this morning. He has a five other guards with him, heavily armored with big weapons. ¡®You thought you could run away from us after insulting the governor like that?¡¯


    ¡®Brandr? What did you do?¡¯ Morana asks me with an uncertain look on her face.


    ¡®Oh yeah¡­I really pissed of that fatty of a governor yesterday. So, I guess they are looking for me because of that. Hahaha¡­¡¯


    ¡®Ugh¡­¡¯ She holds her head. ¡®Well, if that¡¯s all, I guess I can forgive you. Nobody really likes that man anyway.¡¯ I¡¯m surprised! I was sure she was going to hate me for this, but she actually doesn¡¯t mind?


    ''Get all mushy with each other while you still can¡­I¡¯ll get a big bonus if I bring you back to him¡­dead or alive¡­¡¯ He smiles, and with a single hand gesture, sends the guards to attack us!

 Chapter 14 - Cinder

    ¡®¡¯Cinder¡¯¡¯


    The heavily plated soldiers charge towards us with spears and swords, while I grab Morana¡¯s hand and run away from them. ¡®Morana, I need you to run away from here. Go to the inn once they¡¯ve lost you trail. I¡¯ll try to distract them!¡¯ I let go of her hand, push her forward and face of with the soldiers. ¡®Come on, boys!¡¯ The soldiers come to a halt in front of me, pointing their weapons to me. The boy slowly walks behind them, wearing a cocky expression on his face. I grab the Arc from my back and brace myself from any attack coming my way. There are five soldiers, one with a sword, one with a big hammer and three with a spear and shield. For a few moments, nothing happens until¡­


    ¡®Aahh!!¡¯ The soldier with the sword charges at me. I hold my ground, thinking about dodging him at the last moment. That is until I see a shade suddenly fly past my shoulder towards the soldier and kicking him square in the face. A small grunt can be heard from him until he drops to the ground unconscious. I look at the silhouette and see Morana stand in front of me. Her hair is slightly covering her eyes when she faces this way, but it contains a look of pain and regret.


    ¡®M-Morana¡­what are you doing?! You should be-!¡¯ She turns to the soldiers before I even finish my sentence, and charges at the guards with spears. The soldiers all stab in her direction, but she jumps onto the spears in a swift movement, pushing them down with her bodyweight. A quick dash forward followed by a knee in the face takes out the second guard, before she low-kicks the one next one in the back of his knee, an unguarded spot in the armor. Her movement is fluid and graceful, correctly and precisely executed on a technical level and her attacks so simple but efficient. I can only look in awe, nearly forgetting I need to help her fight. I rush towards the soldier with the big sledgehammer, but he notices me quickly and swings his gigantic weapon in my direction. I halt my run and jump backwards in order to avoid the fatal injury I would¡¯ve taken if I let myself get hit by that thing. I backpedal but trip over my own feet. My legs are slightly shaking while he walks up to me. ¡®Dammit, why now!¡¯ I need to stop the shaking of my legs and let the fear go out of my body. I grab myself from the ground and run backwards as he smacks his hammer onto the ground.


    Think, Brandr! Think! I need to find something that could work in my advantage. I look back at the soldier, who struggles to get his hammer up. That should be my que, my way out. I quickly look around and see a few barrels over at the side of a house, as well as a big tree behind him. I run towards the barrels, while the soldier chases me. I stand in front of them and throw one at him. He easily blocks it, and swings his hammer in the air, trying to gain momentum to smack my head off. I wait until he drops it and jump to the side as he smacks it into a barrel. As I hoped, it gets stuck into the barrel and I quickly kick him into the side, agitating him, before I dash towards the tree. Too angry to think, he follows me mindlessly. ¡®Come on, you bastard! Aren¡¯t you going to smack me down?¡¯ He looks even angrier and swings his hammer in the sky when he gets in front of me, but when he tries to bring his hammer down he realizes that it takes an unearthly amount of effort. He looks up and sees his hammer stuck into the branches. As he looks down, he sees me with a stone in hand in front of him. I smack his face in with the rock, rendering him unconscious in one go. ¡®Wow¡­that required some luck alright¡­¡¯ Even I realize that I was lucky for the barrel to stay stuck, as well as him being stupid. ¡®Morana, do you need any-¡® I stop mid-sentence as I see Morana slice through the throat of one of the soldiers she had kneeled down in front of her. Blood gushes out¡­so much blood it looks unreal. ¡®¡­¡­help¡­¡¯ I don¡¯t know what I just witnessed, but she is walking up to the boy, who looks scared out of his mind. ¡®Ah¡­Morana! No!¡¯ I run towards her, but before I can even get close to her, she dashes lighting fast into the boy, and punches him as hard as she can into her stomach. Barely no sound leaves his mouth as he passes out. I thought for a moment she was going to kill him as brutally as the soldier¡­


    ¡®Brandr¡­ You¡¯re safe,¡¯ she softly says¡­ ¡®They didn¡¯t hurt you, did they?¡¯ I stand in front of her, and she quickly inspects my body. Grabbing my arm, pulling the sleeve of my shirt up and checking for wounds.


    ¡®D-Don¡¯t worry, Morana. I¡¯m safe. I should be more worried about you! Did they hurt you in any way?¡¯ I ask her, consciously trying not to look to my right, where the emptied body of the soldier is located.


    ¡®I¡¯m fine! Thank you for helping me though. You really saved me there!¡¯ She smiled so beautifully and peacefully.


    ¡®It¡¯s the other way around! You helped me bigtime¡­¡¯ I force a smile, but it¡¯s so fake¡­ I cannot stop thinking about the fact that Morana¡­this innocent-looking girl just murdered a man in cold blood. I always try to defeat my human opponents by rendering their ability to fight me, but she¡­¡­that beautiful smile¡­just murdered a man. I am genuinely scared right now, but I know I cannot show that to her.


    ¡®Anyway, you said you had some trouble regarding the governor, right?¡¯ she asks without bothering anything else around her.


    ¡®Y-Yeah¡­I was researching this group called Cinder, and then these guys suddenly interrupted me. I really don¡¯t understand what happened with them, but I was wanted for some reason after that. I just hope it won¡¯t affect the rest of my journey.¡¯ I realize that her focus shifted in the middle of my explanation. Her eyes look sullen, like she lost her will to live for a moment.


    ¡®D-Did¡­did you say Cinder?¡¯ she asks me weakly.


    ¡®Y-Yeah¡­¡¯


    ¡®Why?¡¯ she asks weakly again. I nervously step back for a moment.


    ¡®B-Because I had a sister that went missing one day, and I learned that Cinder was a group that was associated with the kidnapping of children. So I thought-.¡®


    ¡®I¡¯ll help you,¡¯ she says as she interrupts me. My mouth opens. I did not expect her to say something like that out of the blue.


    ¡®W-Wait, what do you mean? You¡¯ll help me with my search?¡¯ She nods¡­ She doesn¡¯t realize that I am leaving by tomorrow. We still have a long time until the sun sets, but¡­


    ¡®Let¡¯s start with this boy.¡¯ She grabs the little boy from the ground and puts him on her shoulder. Something about the image doesn¡¯t fit her looks, but I don¡¯t dare say anything.


    ¡®Why? Is her part of Cinder? What would he know?¡¯ She walks off without answering my questions. ¡®H-Hey! Wait for me!¡¯ I quickly follow her.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡®Gah!¡¯ the boy wakes up after splashing him with water in the face. It feels like a torturing, rather than an interrogation. He tries to move, but he¡¯s been tight with rope at his feet and hands. ¡®Why am I-¡­ Hey, you two! Let me go!¡¯


    ¡®So, Morana. Going to tell me why we took him with us?¡¯ I look at her. She still looks a bit sullen, but her eyes contain a lot me fire now.


    ¡®Well, if the son of the governor comes to take us to his father, then you must¡¯ve something really bad.¡¯


    I look at the little boy. ¡®Wait, that¡¯s his son!¡¯ This kid is the son of the governor. That fat blob had a son?!


    ¡®W-What do you guys want from me? Money? Is it money? I don¡¯t have any on me! Let me go!¡¯ the kid squeals around. It¡¯s slightly annoying me, but Morana needs him to talk, so I cannot bind his mouth.


    ¡®We don¡¯t want money, we want information, and you¡¯re going to give us information.¡¯ Morana goes low as she says that and pulls a kris dagger from underneath her shirt and pushes it against his cheek. This situation is scaring me, because it brings the memories of her killing that guard back.


    ¡®W-What¡­d-d-do you want¡­?¡¯


    ¡®Cinder¡­¡¯ Morana only says the name Cinder, and the atmosphere feels like it¡¯s turning to ice. The kid has an even more fearful expression on his face now.


    ¡®I-I can¡¯t¡­I promised father¡­¡¯ he turns his face to the side, and Morana moves her dagger to his neck, and pushes hard enough to gush a little bit of blood out.


    ¡®I see¡­you don¡¯t value your life then. That¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll just ask someone else from the Council then.


    ¡®Hiii! No, please! We¡¯ll all die if I say a word. You cannot go after Cinder!¡¯


    ¡®Tell me¡­or you will die now¡­¡¯ Morana starts pushing harder and harder.


    ¡®Okay! Please don¡¯t kill me! Please!¡¯ Morana takes her dagger away from the kid. I stand frozen to the side, unable to do anything. I feel like the whole situation is escalading beyond me. ¡®Look¡­you probably know Cinder is a broken group, but people don¡¯t know that Cinder is everywhere. They are watching us right now. I¡¯m probably going to die after this, but they are even here in Rakenia¡­ Please just let me go! I¡¯ll tell you, but please spare me!¡¯


    Morana looks at me. I stare her in her eyes, and we both nod at each other. Morana cuts the ropes from the kid. ¡®Don¡¯t worry¡­we¡¯ll deal with Cinder right here. You¡¯ll be safe. I know they are big, but they don¡¯t hear everything. The darkness doesn¡¯t cover the entire world, so it¡¯s safe¡­


    He slightly nods. ¡®We¡­the Council was told that they would give my father power if they could do their research here in Rakenia. No one would know, and no investigation would be allowed. The Council agreed, but they didn¡¯t know that they would kidnap children for their experiments. We thought about banishing them, but when they thought about overthrowing them, Cinder killed some of the councilmembers. Cinder must always stay hidden. I learned all this because I was with my father at the meeting. People who tried to investigate them would be taken out by Cinder themselves or my father and his henchmen.¡¯ I suddenly remember the creepy guy. So, he wanted to get rid of me because he thought I would investigate Cinder¡­I coincidentally did in the end, but if I didn¡¯t, he would¡¯ve left me alone¡­


    ¡®So, you know their location?¡¯ Morana asks softly.


    ¡®East of the city, at the lonely tree. Magic covers the place. That¡¯s all I can say. I will surely be killed after this, so let me see my father now¡­¡¯ he says nearly sobbing. Morana nods at him, and I look at her. We don¡¯t need anything else. All we have to do is investigate ourselves. His job is done¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    We decide to escort him back to the palace. We watch him from a distance as he makes it to the governor¡¯s building and leave once we know he¡¯s safe. ¡®So, I guess there is only one thing left to do¡­¡¯ Morana says calmly. She takes a few steps to the other side of the governor¡¯s building, but I grab her hand before she walks away.


    ¡®Why¡­ I told you about my sister. You can understand why I¡¯m chasing Cinder¡­but why are you so obsessed with them? You¡¯re even more obsessed than I am! It¡¯s weird!¡¯ She comes close to me suddenly, leaning her body softly against mine, as she places her hands onto my chest.


    ¡®Let¡¯s talk about that while we walk, okay? I don¡¯t feel that comfortable standing here near that building in a big crowd¡­¡¯ I just nod, trying to contain my heart from bursting out of my chest. I¡¯m weak to feminine attacks¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    And then she tells me the story. It¡¯s a story that I already know. The story of Cinder, but this time told with a lot more pain. The story about how Cinder kidnaps children and experiments on them. The quest of the almighty superhuman that could beat Abyss without the need of a Hero. The children suffered terribly, and many even died in order to create the ¡®¡¯perfect being¡¯¡¯. ¡®I hate the thought how many children are suffering every day, just for a cause that might not be attainable. It breaks my heart to think that so many of them are suffering¡­torn away from their family. You and I know how that feels¡­having lost family. I have lived on the streets for years, and I have seen a lot of children abandoned by their parents, but that doesn¡¯t mean that you should just take them and kill them for your own good¡­¡¯Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    She just feels for children. You wouldn¡¯t think that if you saw her a while ago, threatening to take a kid¡¯s life¡­ I¡¯m sure¡­she must have had something to do with Cinder¡­everyone can see that once you see the hate she has for them. ¡®Say¡­Morana?¡¯ She looks at me, still saddened by her own story. ¡®Let¡¯s put an end to this, okay?¡¯


    ¡®Let¡¯s¡­¡¯ she says, half smiling. I grab her hand for a moment. She clenches mine tightly¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡®So, this is the place, right?¡¯


    ¡®Yes. The lonely tree in the east of the city.¡¯ It¡¯s a single dead tree in the middle of a plain. There is nothing surrounding it. The city walls are far, but visible. It won¡¯t take long to return, but that¡¯s not on our mind at the moment. We want to finish our business here.


    ¡®The kid said something about being covered in magic, right?¡¯ I ask Morana while she approaches the tree. She looks at it from different angles, until she suddenly disappears. ¡®Ah, Morana! What just happened!¡¯ I look around the tree for her, the same angles that she looked at. I approach the left side of the tree as my vision warps. I blink my eyes a few times, only to find myself in a small cottage. It¡¯s an old, dusty cottage, filled with broken furniture and smashed walls. It looks sad and disgusting. I look at Morana, who stands in front of me.


    ¡®It seems the magic was just a trick on the eyes. I think we¡¯ve made it¡­the hideout is here.¡¯ She points at the carpet on the floor, and as she removes it, reveals a big hole in the ground that the carpet covered. There is a stairway in the hole going down into the ground. The hole is barely lit up, so it looks creepy to me.


    ¡®So¡­this is it¡­¡¯


    ¡®Mhm.¡¯ She offers me her hand to help me stand up. I grab it firmly as she pulls me to my feet. ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ I nod at her, and we walk down the stairway.


    We approach the end of the stairs, and find ourselves in a dark, gray alleyway. The air feels tense. The walls and floors are tiled with gray marble, and only a few torches on the walls light up the dark halls. This place doesn¡¯t look inviting to the least. ¡®Let¡¯s stick close to each other, Morana.¡¯ I grab her hand. She looks at me with a smile. You sure are innocent¡­ I don¡¯t say it out loud, but I do feel calmer with her at my side. Even though I witnessed her killing a man in cold blood, I do feel a sense of innocence come from her. She¡¯s smart, but I feel like she is ignorant of common knowledge to a certain extent.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go¡­¡¯ she interrupts my train of thought and drags me with her into the dark halls. We don¡¯t hear anything. Like nobody lives here. It¡¯s silent¡­and then


    A damp sound. Like the sound of chopping wood. It¡¯s foreign and quiet. It slightly echoes for a brief moment and disappears into the darkness. We have no idea where that sound came from, but it indicates the most important thing¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­someone is here¡­¡­


    ¡®Say¡­what do you expect to see here,¡¯ I ask her in a soft whisper.


    ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯ No response. I look at her expression. It¡¯s tense¡­and filled with anger. This isn¡¯t the Morana that just smiled at me. Her expression is the complete opposite right now.


    ¡®Morana, are you okay? You look troubled.¡¯


    She looks at me, with hate and fear in her eyes. ¡®I¡­¡¯ she says softly.


    ¡®¡­¡­I smell blood¡­¡¯ and with that, she lets go of my hand, and suddenly dashes forward. She takes a turn somewhere along the way and disappears out of my sight.


    ¡®Ah, Morana!¡¯ I whisper as loud as I can. I run after her, but she is gone. I am alone¡­ ¡®She said that she smelled blood¡­¡¯ Shivers go down my spine. My arms and legs are shaking. ¡®W-What am I scared about¡­ It¡¯s going to be okay, Brandr. It¡¯s going to be okay¡­¡¯ I clench my hand into a fist and hit my like, trying to calm down. ¡®Let¡¯s just keep going. I have to find Morana and continue the investigation.¡¯ I place my leg forward and move my other leg before that. Slowly¡­I walk¡­towards¡­something¡­


    The gray walls feel like they are growing closer to me. It is getting harder to breathe. ¡®Dammit, Brandr. Why are you so scared?¡¯ I lean against the wall for a moment. I remember the events at the Hero¡¯s Monument. The grotesque images fill my mind, as if trying to describe the fear in my head. ¡®It¡¯s okay, Brandr. Just take a deep breath.¡¯ I inhale all the air I can get through my nose and exhale it through my mouth. My mind calms down after a few times of doing so. The walls appear normal, and my breathing is stabilizing again. ¡®Okay, we¡¯re fine now. It¡¯s going to be okay after all¡­¡¯ I walk forward again, and take a few turns, trying to find Morana.


    *chop*


    And there it is again. A lot louder. The chopping sound came from the other side of this hallway. Should I approach it, or should I wait for Morana. Of course, the latter. It¡¯s unsafe to face the enemy alone when you have no idea what he can do¡­


    ¡­¡­then why¡­are my legs moving me forward. My curiosity is getting the better of me. I need to find out what that chopping sound was. So, I walk. I walk forward to the end of the hallway, and after taking a right turn, see a massive door in front of me. It has a symbol on it, which I can barely see due to the terrible lighting these hallways have. ¡®It¡¯s the Cinder logo¡­¡¯ The fist with the words ¡®¡¯Cinder¡¯¡¯. ¡®It¡¯s going to be okay, Brandr.¡¯ I take my sword out and tap the door. It slowly opens by itself. ¡®It¡¯s going to be okay¡­¡¯


    ¡­Too bad¡­it wasn¡¯t going to be okay¡­


    I walk into the dark room and terribly smelling room. It¡¯s even worse lit than the hallways, but I see a light in the distance. It¡¯s a man next to a table. I take a few steps forward on the sticky ground, until I suddenly kick something. ¡®Who¡¯s there?!¡¯ I suddenly hear from the man at the table, and as if responding to his voice, the room lightens up. Everything is splashed in red and down below me is a??????????????????????? ???????????????????????c????????????o???????????????r???????????????????????p????????????????????s???????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????o?????????????????f??????????????????????? ??????????¨¤??????????? ???????????????????????d?????????????????????????????????a?????????????d???????????????????,??????????????????? ??????????????????????m????????????????????????????????????t??????????????????????????????????????????????????l????????????????????????t?????????????????????????????????????????d????????????????????? ???????????????????c?????????????????????????¨¬???????l???????????????d?????????????????.????????????????


    WARNING: Due to previous complains about displaying content like this without warning. Hidden content contains violence and gore against children. Don¡¯t read the hidden content if you¡¯re sensitive against stuff like that.


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    What¡­is¡­this¡­


    A corpse¡­and not just a corpse¡­ '' A child¡­?'' He can¡¯t be older that six I remember the article in read in the news the other day; [Children search still at square one. It¡¯s been a month since Rakenia has been plagued with the kidnapping of children. All of those children have disappeared when they were alone or in the middle of the night. The local sheriff and volunteers have yet to find any evidence or a lead on the missing children.]. It¡¯s still a young little boy, but his limbs don¡¯t look like limps anymore. Grotesque lumps of flesh attached to a body. My eyes have adjusted well by now. I look in front of me and start to vomit. I see corpses of mutated children everywhere. Every single one of them has something weird to their body. A girl with no eyes, only darkness filling the eyeholes. Another boy with no limps and pus coming out of the wounds. Bodies of little children with wounds from needles, as if they¡¯ve been injected with something. Everything is horrifying to watch. Everyone is dead, and theirs blood everywhere¡­


    ¡®Who are you, you boy? How did you find this place?¡¯ I look at the man. He¡¯s doing something. I take another step forward. Only now I can see what¡¯s in front of him. Another child. He steps away from the child with a grin on his face, and I see a gruesome scene in front of me.


    Spoiler: More Warning content<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    Some of the organs have been taken out. The little boy looks at me with tears in his eyes.


    ??????????????????¨²???????r????????????????????????d???????????e????????r?????????????????????? ????????????????????h?????????????????????m??????????????????????????!???????? What? I cannot think straight¡­Tears roll down my face. I cannot contain my emotions any longer...


    ??????????????????¨²???????r????????????????????????d???????????e????????r?????????????????????? ????????????????????h?????????????????????m??????????????????????????!???????? It feels like my head is splitting open.


    ¡®So, I guess I have been compromised. I¡¯ll have my minions deal with that later. As for now¡­¡¯ He looks at me, while holding a bloody axe in his hand. ¡®I will have to deal with you, nosy brats.¡¯


    I want to puke¡­so badly¡­My stomach is twisting. My head hurts¡­ It feels like I¡¯m snapping¡­


    ??????????????????¨¶???????????r??????????????d???????????????????????????e????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????h????????i????????????m?????????????????????????


    I cannot get it out of my head. It¡¯s¡­¡­it¡¯s¡­


    ¡®I won¡¯t kill you, don¡¯t worry. You might be a useful test subject after all. Maybe I can alter your genetic formula, and turn you into another mind slave of mine¡­¡¯


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    My mind turns blank. The throbbing pain won¡¯t leave. I don¡¯t care if it doesn¡¯t anymore. All I want to do¡­is¡­


    Murder him.


    It happens in a flesh. Before I can even do anything, I realize my sword is impaling him and pressing him against the wall. He¡¯s coughing up blood. I keep pushing in, trying to increase the bleeding. It doesn¡¯t feel like I even control my own body. It¡¯s as if I¡¯m spectating myself while it functions by itself. I don¡¯t say anything. The man is screaming in agony. I keep on stabbing him, trying to make him suffer as much as possible. ¡®I won¡¯t kill you, don¡¯t worry. Your screams of pain are like music to my ears, after all,¡¯ my body says as a smirk appears on my face. I want this to stop. I don¡¯t want to kill him like this. I don¡¯t want to kill. I don¡¯t want to hurt. I¡­I¡­STOP!!!!


    My body stops, and I feel control in my own actions. I drop my sword, and the body slides down to the ground. I look at it intensely, barely noticing the hand that¡¯s on my shoulder. The hand¡­belongs to Morana. Did she bring me back to my senses? I don¡¯t even remember¡­ ¡®Brandr¡­there¡¯s no need for all this¡­¡¯ She grabs her kris dagger and stabs it in the forehead of the man. He convulses a few times and lies down lifeless on the floor. ¡®It¡¯s okay, Brandr¡­it¡¯s over¡­¡¯


    Ah¡­I¡¯m¡­ ¡®I¡¯m¡­sorry¡­¡¯


    I don¡¯t remember anything after that. I pass out in the middle of the room, surrounded by so much pain. My mind wanders completely, and when I come back to it, I recognize the ceiling of my waking place. It¡¯s the inn. I¡¯m back at the inn. I don¡¯t believe that was all a dream¡­ ¡®Why¡­am I here¡­?¡¯


    ¡®A young girl brought you here. She said she saw you passed out due to the heat. You really should be more careful about things like that.¡¯ I turn my head, and see Evander come in with a bowl of water. ¡®Thank god I didn¡¯t need to wash you myself. Look, just use this and rest for a moment. We¡¯re going to leave soon, but I don¡¯t want to have you pass out again because I overworked your body, okay?¡¯ He places the bowl next to me on a chair.


    ¡®Wait¡­we¡¯re leaving today¡­?¡¯


    ¡®Yeah, you¡¯ve been sleeping since yesterday. You must be hungry, so go get something to eat as well before we leave. I¡¯ll come pick you up later,¡¯ Evander says before he closes the door.


    ¡®I¡¯ve been sleeping for a day¡­¡¯ I remember the events that happened yesterday. ¡®I¡­did something like that¡­¡¯ I still cannot believe I was able to do something like that to another person. I never like hurting people, ever, yet I went out of my way and torture someone¡­ ¡®I guess I¡¯m just mentally weak¡­¡¯ I sink my head in my knees. ¡®Dad¡­Sylvestra¡­Sis¡­I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡¯


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    After contemplating my actions, I decide to clean myself up, get dressed and eat something. The food tastes bland. The water felt cold even though it was steaming. I am really out of it at the moment¡­


    I walk down the streets for one last time. I¡¯m leaving Rakenia today. I can¡¯t believe so much has happened over the course of the few days I¡¯ve been here. I walk past the magic store, the library¡­until I walk on the path that leads to the governor¡¯s building. ¡®There sure are a lot of people here suddenly. They are all looking at something. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ I quickly try to blend through the crowd to see what is happening in front of me. I get through the big crowd, and when I look up to see what¡¯s going on¡­


    ¡­¡­I see what happened¡­¡­it¡¯s all because I was here¡­¡­


    The head of the governor¡­is on a pike. In the middle of the road, there is a head on a long pike. It¡¯s surrounded by more pikes, containing the heads of creepy man, the advisors of the governor and the boy that helped me escape. Their heads are all on a pike, while a flag hangs underneath all the pikes. ¡­It¡¯s the flag¡­of Cinder¡­ They¡¯re¡­all¡­dead¡­ I step back, and quickly run away. I run almost blindly through the crowd, as far away as possible. ¡®It¡¯s my fault! It¡¯s my fault! It¡¯s my fault! It¡¯s my fault! It¡¯s my fault! It¡¯s my fault! I did this!¡¯ I came to Rakenia, and this is what happened! I run, and run, and run¡­and realize I¡¯m in the park¡­ I ran here unconsciously¡­ I look around and see something. I walk towards it and sit next to it.


    ¡®Apparently the son of the governor is missing¡­ I presume he got kidnapped¡­¡¯ Morana says calmly.


    ¡®It¡¯s my fault¡­ Everyone got killed because of me¡­¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s okay. He had it coming¡­¡¯ I look at her in disbelief. ¡®They all had it coming¡­they are the reason this city is such a mess¡­did you see the people around the pikes. They weren¡¯t even sad. They couldn¡¯t care less¡­ It¡¯s because-¡®


    ¡®It was a message to us¡­¡¯ I interrupt her sentence. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a message to the people. It was a message to us¡­saying they can kill us whenever they want to. I ruined everything¡­I put us¡­you in danger. It¡¯s because of me that-¡®


    And just like that, I halted¡­because she kissed me on the forehead¡­ ¡®It¡¯s okay. Trust me, it¡¯s going to be fine.¡¯ I am silenced. She turns around, facing the sun in the sky. ¡®You know, I have been thinking after yesterday. I¡¯m going to keep chasing Cinder. I have been hiding...regretting here in Rakenia, but yesterday made me realize I can still redeem myself for my mistakes. I might not be able to fix the past, but I can still do something to help the future. So, no more will I hide in Rakenia. I will bring the fight to them, even if it kills me.¡¯ She turns around and smiles at me. ¡®Thank you, Brandr. You¡¯re the first one to give me so much happiness since I¡¯ve been here. We did a lot of fun things, even if it wasn¡¯t much. I enjoyed every moment of it. Thank you for giving me a new goal in life.¡¯ She smiles brightly.


    I have absolutely, 100 percent no idea what she is talking about. What past? What future? ¡®Y-You think maybe one day we¡¯ll be able to see each other again?¡¯ I don¡¯t know why I asked that. I should be asking what she is talking about, but for some reason¡­


    ¡®I¡¯m sure we will. I¡¯m sure fate will bring us together one day,¡¯ she says beaming. I don¡¯t ask anything anymore.


    ¡®Well then. We should get going, right?¡¯


    ¡®We should.¡¯ I stand up. My body is moving on its own again. I have so many questions, but instead of asking any of them, I just hug her, as she hugs me back. ¡®Till we meet again, Brandr.¡¯ I nod at her.


    ¡®Till we meet again, Morana,¡¯ I say back, as she lets go of me, and walks away. I look at her walk away until she is out of my side. I¡¯m extremely overwhelmed at the moment. ¡®I knew it¡­she had something to do with Cinder¡­¡­¡¯ I take a deep breath and look at the beautiful blue sky. ¡®I cannot stop now, can I Dad?¡¯ I look back at the direction Morana walked away.


    ¡®May we meet again¡­Morana¡­I hope I might¡¯ve matured by then...¡¯

 Minor Note from Author

    Hi there.


    This is probably an unimportant message to the most of you, but I still feel like I should write this.


    No, I''m not stopping with writing (which will make a certain group of people unhappy, they know I''m talking about them). On the contrary, I actually managed to finish two chapters over the time.


    Next to having a short break (mental preparation)...It''s just been hellish in school. I study Biomedical Laboratoria (if you''re actually interested), and well...the course is packed with projects, homework and lessons that I barely cannot breathe. Next to the fact I was moving house in that period of time, working more shifts than usual, and like I said: Studying something slightly resembling Hell, I just never had the time to write. I always told myself that school comes before everything, and that I want to finish this course more than anything.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    You can see it as an excuse, or it might not even bother you. I just wanted to get this off my chest.


    The two chapters will be released shortly after this message, but I do not know when I the next ones will come out. Whenever I have time I guess. Now that I have fortified my mind in the art of just keeping on writing and not give a damn about people telling me to stop because ''''I am so bad that I make their eyes bleed'''', I hope to steady again, and start working on this book. Because I love writing this story. This is one of the few books I have loved for myself. It''s jarring to read for others and I understand that, but I just hope over time that people will notice why I have written it like this. I am going somewhere with all this, and since writing is a good way to release my stress and just think about the possibilities I can go with this, I will not stop this story.


    So yeah.


    That was me, Marcus. I hope I won''t make any eyes bleed again, and hope to kick on with the postive feedback that I''ve gotten.


    See you soon!

 Chapter 15 - I am...

    ¡®¡¯I am¡­¡®¡¯


    A quarter of the day after leaving the town, Evander suddenly starts talking to me. ¡®You look troubled¡­¡¯ I¡¯m scared by his sharpness. Where does his knowledge and intuition come from? I¡¯m afraid that Evander might be a very evil person. I can¡¯t trust anyone here anymore. I¡¯m afraid.


    ¡®I-It¡¯s nothing.¡¯ Suddenly, the carriage comes to a halt.


    ¡®E-Evander? What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ He walks up to me.


    ¡®Why aren¡¯t you telling me anything? You¡¯ve been acting weird since that girl brought you back. If you need someone to talk to, I¡¯m your man.¡¯ I still don¡¯t know if I should tell him.


    ¡®Say Evander...I want you to be honest. Tell me all the dark and evil sides of Illuminia. Everything. I tell you when to stop so¡­¡¯ He looks very worried at me.


    ¡®Brandr, what did you encounter in Rakenia?¡¯ I can¡¯t tell him, because if I remember that scene again¡­and I just did. I quickly lean over the carriage and vomit.


    ¡®B-Brandr, what¡¯s wrong?!¡¯ Evander quickly comes to my side. I calm down in a corner for a while, as Evander moves the carriage again.


    ¡®There were bodies¡­mutated¡­¡¯ I try to speak to Evander, but my voice is weak. Evander hears me though.


    ¡®Bodies? What kind of?¡¯ The moment I think about it, I feel the urge to vomit come back.


    ¡®Don¡¯t force yourself.¡¯ Evander looks back at me, with a very sad face. ¡®There were horrible things in the past, beside Abyss. Well¡­most of them were caused by the corruption Abyss spread. I won¡¯t say there weren¡¯t any non-corrupted people around that were rotten to the core, but there were only a small number of them. A very small number.¡¯ I don¡¯t like the idea of such psycho¡¯s walking around.


    ¡®Abyss, you say¡­¡¯ A lot of evil seems to be caused by Abyss¡­It¡¯s the same excuse I always hear. It¡¯s always¡­Abyss


    ¡®Abyss is the root of all evil here in Illuminia.¡¯ Evander puts an extra reminder for me.


    ¡®¡¯Of all evil¡­¡¯ All evil thoughts and action are caused by Abyss¡­ I hope that¡¯s the reason. That means if Abyss is defeated, this country will become very peaceful. That¡¯s a nice thought for once, but highly unrealistic. ¡®You know, shoving it on Abyss is easy. Do you really think that if they disappear, that everything will become peaceful?¡¯


    ¡®I hope so¡­¡¯ Evander looks away for a moment.


    ¡®Evander¡­¡¯ He looks at me concerned. ¡®The thing is¡­¡¯


    I tell him everything¡­from start to finish. My encounter with the scientist and my¡­sadistic moment. Evander just listens to me, silently. He doesn¡¯t utter a single word while I cry my way through my story. He hands me a handkerchief. ¡®Blow your nose, it¡¯s disgusting¡­¡¯ I follow his instructions and blow loudly into the handkerchief. It¡¯s a mess now, and I highly doubt it he wants it back. ¡®You know¡­I¡¯m not the best person to console you with this, but-.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s fine¡­I need to deal with it some way or another. I must learn to deal with it myself.¡¯


    ¡®There is no need to act strong when you¡¯re not though.¡¯


    ¡®I know¡­but some things you have to learn to deal with yourself.¡¯ I clean my face up with my shirt. ¡®Thank you though, for at least trying to help me.¡¯


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    We just stare in the distance. We haven¡¯t talked in a while now, as we just ride next to each other. The silence feels heavy, to the point that I cannot stand it. ¡®S-so! Do you have a favorite color?¡¯ Evander looks indifferent at me, showing no emotion at all. ¡®Y-You know! Like, is there a color¡­you¡­like?¡¯ Oh god, I am so awkward sometimes. I ¡®m surprised I was able to talk to Morana and Astra back then, because this is how I really am. I¡¯m super awkward when starting conversations¡­


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong? Asking something like that? If this is your idea of breaking the ice in a dead conversation, you still have a long way to go.¡¯ Shots were fired as the imaginary arrows pierce my heart.


    ¡®A-Ahaha. You think? I guess so¡­¡¯ I have no idea how to respond. ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¯ I head to the back of the carriage, until my action gets interrupted by a single word.


    ¡®Brown¡­I know, weird right?¡¯


    Joy fills my body as I almost race back to my seat next to him. ¡®On the contrary, brown is a great color. Like the mountains and the earth on the ground. The color feels alive, and it fills you with a sense of adventure and-¡®


    He puts his hand on my uncontrollable mouth, indicating me to stop talking for a moment. ¡®Take a breath, Brandr. Ha, you were so calm and silent on the way to Lamia and Rakenia, but I guess you are a kid filled with unlimited energy. I just said what color I like.¡¯ I slightly blush of embarrassment. I really am a kid.


    ¡®I-I¡¯m sorry, hahaha.¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t say sorry for that. What happened to the Brandr that was so determined?¡¯


    ¡®He¡¯s still there¡­but I¡¯m just really awkward when things calm down. Fighting is easy. There are no words, no consideration of another¡¯s feelings or need to impress them to get closer. Just beat the other¡­that¡¯s how I see it.¡¯


    Evander nods a few times before lighting his pipe. ¡®You think awfully deep for a kid sometimes.¡¯ I stay silent. ¡®I mean, as in: You consider things on multiple levels from time to time.¡¯If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡®You think?¡¯ I never thought myself off being ¡®¡¯deep¡¯¡¯ or ¡®¡¯thoughtful¡¯¡¯.


    ¡®Let me ask you a question then? What do you think the meaning of life is?¡¯


    I think for a moment. Why he would ask me that question, and such¡­ ¡®The meaning of life... Why that question? And in what way do you mean?¡¯


    ¡®Hahaha, to think you were seriously considering that questions.¡¯ I feel a bit offended by him laughing. He notices it, and quickly hold it back in. ¡®Most people I know just tell me it¡¯s to drink, feast, reproduce and then die. I do have to add to the fact that most of my friends are simpletons. Not the smartest people to have around in life. If you needed a favor that involved using your brains, they wouldn¡¯t be helpful.¡¯


    ¡®Wauw¡­isn¡¯t that a bit¡­harsh? To talk about your friends like that?¡¯ Evander gives me a strange look, like he¡¯s searching into my eyes for something. The longer he looks, the more uncomfortable I get. ¡®Uhm¡­¡¯ I break eye-contact, which satisfies him for some reason.


    ¡®The type of boy that cares more about others than himself. If he had ten pieces of gold, he¡¯d give all of them away to help someone, before realizing he doesn¡¯t have any gold for himself any longer.¡¯


    I laugh wryly. ¡®You think so¡­ I don¡¯t consider myself a ¡®¡¯type¡¯¡¯. Aren¡¯t we all different from each other after all?¡¯ Evander looks surprised as I said that, but his smile soon returns, before his expressions turns sullen soon after again, and points to something in the distance. He¡¯s complex.


    ¡®As different as the scene in front of you.¡¯ I look in front of us.


    He points at a sight of multiple broken-down carriages. We quickly head over the series of carriages. We get off when we parallel the caravan. It solely consists of torn and damaged wagons. Not even one is unscratched, but I don¡¯t see anyone around. Not alive at least. Nobody is around next to half a dozen of corpses. The corpses remind to much of what I saw in Rakenia, so I quickly turn away. ¡®So, they have been raided¡­¡¯ I say unconsciously as Evander rubs his beard while checking inside the wagons.


    ¡®I doubt it.¡¯


    ¡®And why would that be?¡¯


    ¡®Because all the supplies are still here. Either the raiders did a lousy job, or¡­¡¯


    ¡®There goal was something else than the supplies.¡¯ Evander nods at me. Excellent insightful thinking from him again, if I can say so myself.


    ¡®This is a typical nomad trading caravan. They tend to travel in big groups, with all their families. They are usually heavily guarded, so it baffles me that they were that easily killed.¡¯


    ¡®So, where is the rest of the caravan then?¡¯


    ¡®They could¡¯ve been taken away, but I don¡¯t see why they would do that.¡¯ Evander exits the wagon. The moment he mentioned ¡®¡¯taken away¡¯¡¯, the images of those kidnapped children come to mind. I quickly suppress the urge to vomit. I cannot seem to get the image of them suffering out of my head. Once you see something, you cannot forget it, I guess. I hope they¡¯re not at least... ¡®It sure looks like there¡¯s been a fight here.¡¯ There are clean sword cuts, and only the wheels have been critically damaged. The rest is in decent condition, with a few exceptions. ¡®This is quite horrible, isn¡¯t it?¡¯


    ¡®Should we investigate? I mean, these people might need our help and such¡­¡¯ Evander looks back at me with a soft smile. I remember what he said earlier. How is this equal to giving away my gold?


    ¡®At least we¡¯re in synch with that thought.¡¯ He dives back into the carriages, probably looking for clues. I feel like he¡¯s enjoying this more than he should.


    ¡®So, Evander. Do you have any clue where to start?¡¯


    He grabs a pipe and starts smoking it. ¡®Of course! Who do you think I am? I am ¡®¡¯Evander the Wise¡¯¡¯.¡¯


    ¡®Okay, you cocky bastard, calm down. Just¡­focus on the investigation.¡¯ I get out the carriage and approach the caravan with caution. My legs are still shivering slightly, because the events in Rakenia. I don¡¯t know I will ever forget what I saw.


    ¡®You don¡¯t have to force yourself to come out, you know. If you still feel uncomfortable and all¡­¡¯


    ¡®Thanks, but I have to deal with it some way.¡¯ He shrugs his shoulder, basically telling me to do whatever I want. ¡®So, mister Investigator, have you figured out what happened here?¡¯


    ¡®Investigator? You mean detective¡­¡¯


    ¡®What the heck is a detective?¡¯ Evander looks surprised at me, like I am a child asking a silly question.


    ¡®You don¡¯t know what a-!¡¯ He stops for a second. ¡®Right, different world. You guys don¡¯t have detectives? Or any law enforcement?¡¯


    ¡®Not really¡­the army does the law enforcement, but we don¡¯t have things like detectives¡­¡¯


    Evander remains silent for a moment. ¡®Well, detectives are basically investigators I guess. People who¡¯s jobs it is to solves mysterious crimes.¡¯


    ¡®Okay then, Grand detective. Do you have a clue what happened here?¡¯ I ask him, trying to annoy him for a moment.


    ¡®Grand detective¡­of course, my sidekick, we¡¯ll start by investigating the area of the assault.¡¯ I hold my head. He¡¯s too excited by this¡­


    While inspecting the ¡®¡¯crime scene¡¯¡¯ (how Evander calls it), I wonder if Abyss is behind this. He said that most of the evil is caused by Abyss and its corruption. Would they attack defenseless caravans? Most likely they will. Looking at the scene, the travelers didn¡¯t put much of a fight. After searching for a while, I find a few footprints dug into the grass leading into the wilderness. ¡®Evander, I think I found something!¡¯ He hurries from the other side of the caravan towards me.


    ¡®Let¡¯s see, let¡¯s see. Ah yes, footprints. Nicely done, sidekick. We¡¯ll follow the footprints with haste!¡¯ He¡¯s getting on my nerves. I quickly grab him by his robe before he walks off.


    ¡®Evander, I hope you didn¡¯t forget something.¡¯ I point towards our own carriage. He smiles wryly. Since we can¡¯t ride the carriage off-road, we¡¯re forced to leave it behind, but we¡¯ve hidden it out of sight with magic, so it shouldn¡¯t be robbed or something. We¡¯ve also covered the bags, so they won¡¯t see it in an instant. ¡®If you look good, you can see it pretty well, but only if you focus on it.¡¯ That¡¯s what Evander said at least. With that fixed, we can continue our investigation with a little more ease in mind. We keep following the footsteps, until a few more come to vision. A few human-looking footprints and some which are completely unknown to me. What are these anyway? They¡¯re big and look like mutated paws. Evander doesn¡¯t look uneasy or something, so I hope it isn¡¯t anything serious. We keep following the trail in the same fashion for a long time.


    .....................................


    .....................


    .........


    ¡®I¡¯m tired¡­and thirsty.¡¯ My flask is already empty. It¡¯s surprisingly warm here. I¡¯m drenched with sweat. It¡¯s an open plain, and I can¡¯t see anything in the horizon. ¡®Evander¡­let¡¯s head back. There¡¯s absolutely nothing around here.¡¯ He doesn¡¯t react to me at all. ¡®Hey, Evander? You¡¯re alive?¡¯ I wave my hand in front of his face, but he puts it away quickly. What¡¯s wrong with him? I look down again, only to notice the odd change. The trail is getting smaller¡­ I can¡¯t see the weird footprints anymore. Only human-looking ones. I wonder where they all went. They probably splat up when I wasn¡¯t paying attention. I don¡¯t really care about this right now. I just want to return home. Evander suddenly ticks me on the shoulder.


    ¡®Look at the ground for once, Brandr.¡¯ I check the ground and see the trail go to the right. That by itself isn¡¯t anything special. The point is¡­


    ¡®Eh¡­they¡¯ve all disappeared.¡¯ The trail goes further for a moment, but after that, the trail is gone. ¡®How in the¡­ Magic! I¡¯m sure of it!¡¯ To think that me shouting that would actually make sense one day¡­


    ¡®Brandr, stand back. I¡¯ll handle this.¡¯ Evander raises his staff in the air and start chanting something. ¡®Quaerere, Revelabit!¡¯ A big magic circle appears underneath Evander, and glows brightly, which blinds me. Out of nowhere, a rock starts appearing in front of us. ¡®A cloaking spell, hiding the exit¡­¡¯ A large opening is carved in the rock, big enough for a person to go through. When I look through the hole, I see a long stairway. I look at Evander, who nods at me. The people from the caravan are probably in here.


    ¡®That¡¯s a creepy place¡­ Well, we found them! Let¡¯s go ba-!¡® Evander grabs my collar as I try to walk away. ¡®No, no no! Do you see that? It¡¯s creepy as hell!¡¯ He doesn¡¯t say anything, but just looks at me with an expression that just shouts: ¡®¡¯don¡¯t be a coward, and just go already.¡¯¡¯ ¡®F-Fine¡­but only because you¡¯re my guide¡­¡¯ I wouldn¡¯t be able to undo the spell on our carriage anyway¡­


    And so, we walk down the stairway taking us down below¡­

 Chapter 16 - ‘\’Golem and Necromancer‘\’

    ¡®¡¯Golem and Necromancer¡®¡¯


    Our steps echo through the narrow halls of the magic cave, lit by the tip of Evander¡¯s staff. Only darkness would be present if not for him. We take our steps slowly, making sure not to trip on our faces while descending the flight of stairs. ¡®What do you think we¡¯ll encounter, Evander?¡¯ I whisper to him.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know, probably a banquet.¡¯ I stare him down, and he returns a disinterest look back at me.


    ¡®You know it isn¡¯t the time to be sarcastic, right?¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s because you ask me a stupid question. It might be the caravan, it might be Abyss. Whatever the case, you should be ready for anything. It might even be a scene like the one you described you saw in Rakenia.¡¯ Just thinking about a scene like that send shivers down my spine and gets me shaking to the core. ¡®Are you scared?¡¯


    ¡®Mhm, slightly.¡¯


    ¡®Do you want to go back? I¡¯ll take care of it if you want me to.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s very kind, but no. I need to do this at some point¡­¡¯ Evander only nods, as we reach the bottom of the flight of stairs. In front of us stretches a long hallway that swallows all the darkness. We stay quiet, trying not to alert anyone as we walk forward through the darkness. Our steps are the only sound that echo through the long hallway, until we hear a sudden cough in the distance. We look at each other and without thinking, start running towards the source of the sound. We keep running until we enter a clearing.


    I gulp loudly for a moment as we see a clearing coated in weird engravings, patronized like they belong in an evil ritual. The engravings for a weird circle in the middle of the clearing, while the walls accompany groups of people sitting sad and depressed, until they look up and see us. They react scared and anxious the moment I try to take a step forward. ¡®I-It¡¯s okay¡­I won¡¯t hurt you guys.¡¯ They respond surprised. I guess they have been here for a while, expecting certain doom or something since every single on of them look terrible, drained from their stamina.


    ¡®The boy is right. We¡¯re getting out of here. Abyss won¡¯t hurt you anymore today.¡¯ They respond better to the voice of Evander, as some people start standing up. I was expecting something to happen, but everything stays surprisingly quiet. Evander guides the people outside, while I stay behind and keep a watch over those still resting. The ¡®¡¯operation¡¯¡¯ proceeds smoothly, as we eventually get everyone next to a few outside. Evander is helping those too injured to move, while I stay outside. There are tons of people just sitting and standing around, looking like they haven¡¯t seen the outside world for years. They cry, talk and help each other. I personally feel nervous. Everything went too smoothly. I expected something to pop out. I don¡¯t know what, but at least something to make it a little bit hard. I think about the footprints we saw on the way here. These definitely weren¡¯t human ones.


    ¡®Could it be¡­¡¯ I hear a big rumbling coming from within the cave. ¡®Evander!¡¯ I quickly glance at the people from the caravan. ¡®You guys, head back to your caravan! I¡¯m going to check downstairs.¡¯ I feel like I am making a mistake, but I shove that thought to the back of my mind as I rush down the flight of stairs, blindly running forward through the darkness until I enter the clearing once again. In that clearing, a single tall person stood, wearing a black robe and a blue and a red mantel, while holding a creepy locking staff in his right hand, creepily engraved with strange symbols.


    A few clicking sounds could be heard from the creature. ¡®So, ¡®¡¯he¡¯¡¯ has returned.¡¯ The man levitates, and slowly turns around to me.


    ¡®Ah¡­what in the¡­¡¯ The man shows his ¡®¡¯face¡¯¡¯. A skull covered in bandages that wrap the mantel on his head. Old looking jewelry cover his skeleton body.


    ¡®Brandr?! What are you doing here? Why aren¡¯t you with the other upstairs?¡¯


    ¡®I¡­uhm¡­ I heard a rumbling here¡­so I¡­¡¯


    ¡®You fool, go back up!¡¯ I can feel Evander¡¯s anger towards me. I have no idea what I did wrong, but I force my body to turn around and run back upstairs, until my progress gets halted by skeleton-looking creatures of Abyss, the same ones I saw at the Hero¡¯s Monument. I instinctively jump back, grabbing the Arc and holding it in front of me.


    ¡®Evander, I-¡®


    ¡®I¡¯m busy here! Figure it out yourself!¡¯ Evander screams at me as he conjures a magical circle in front of him. He chants something inaudible, before a bright light starts shining out of his staff. I use that opportunity to bypass the blinded monsters and run upstairs. I dash without looking back as I can hear the screeches of Abyss behind me. It is when it starts to get quiet behind me that I notice the ruckus coming from above. My body shivers as I pick up pace, scared of what I will encounter. I hear screams and rumbling, and when I get outside, I only get greeted with the most horrible looking sight.


    ¡®Help m-.¡® Before the woman from the caravan can even finish her plead for a rescue, she gets bitten in half by a humongous creature. It¡¯s an ugly looking monster. A gigantic beast with big tusks coming out of his mouth. Its brownish skin is covered in blood, only having its blue markings pop out, going from his torso all the way to his bright-red eyes. The blood of his victims¡­the tenfold of people we just saved from the cave¡­dead. Half-eaten or just beaten to a pulp. Some are still alive, some probably have already started running since there aren¡¯t that many people left from the original group. Some of the caravan notice my presence and run up to me. ¡®Please help us! It killed Emma and so many others! It¡¯s killing us. The golem is killing us all!¡¯


    I barely hear the person screaming at me. I cannot stop looking at that grotesque monster eating that human being. It¡¯s eating it like some fish, but with bone and all. I didn¡¯t even know that these creatures could digest! ¡®Ugh!¡¯ I hold back the urge to vomit. I cannot get used to this. I hold my sword to it, my body still shaking to the core. ¡®H-Hey! Damn Abyss! Come and get me!¡¯ The monster stops eating, and in a single motion looks at me and starts screaming like a beast. ¡®Lady, please get the other people and get out of here! I¡¯ll drive it away!¡¯ I force myself from her and start running as hard as I can while provoking the beast. It has his attention on me, while I see people start running the other way. ¡®Thank God, they¡¯re going to be safe.¡¯ I stand my ground at face the beast. ¡®Time for me to be a Hero¡­¡¯ My confidence sinks in my shoes. I still don¡¯t believe I¡¯m cut of for this, but I that doesn¡¯t matter right now. Innocent lives are at stake¡­ ¡®To think¡­that one day¡­these words come out of my mouth.¡¯A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    For just a single moment¡­my memory flashes in front of my eyes. [¡®I hate all of them¡­¡¯ It said in the darkness]


    No more though. ¡®Hey Abyss! Aren¡¯t you hungry? Or are you scared?!¡¯ It starts screaming like a beast at me once again and starts charging head-on to me. I¡¯m just realizing the mass this monster carries. Every step it takes is shaking the earth to its very core. I quickly remember the events at Hero¡¯s Monument. A magical blast¡­like last time. It tries to grab me as it gets close, but I dash as hard as I can underneath it and slice the leg with my sword as I run behind him. ¡®That should¡¯ve weakened him.¡¯ I look at the damage I inflicted. There isn¡¯t even so much as a scratch. ¡®W-What?!¡¯ It turns around, but I quickly duck underneath it again and start running the other away, trying to gain as much distance as possible. I look behind, seeing where he is, but he isn¡¯t there. ¡®Wait, where is he?¡¯ I notice the light diminishing a bit. I look up, and see it falling above me. ¡®It jumped?!¡¯ It lands right in front of me, and the impact send me flying back again. I stumble and roll on the ground, trying to shake the pain off as I stand up. It¡¯s still looking for me, so I stand and ready myself. ¡®Concentrate¡­¡¯ I try to guide the magic into my sword. The Arc lights up, indicating its ready. ¡®Let¡¯s go¡­Illuminating Strike!¡¯ I swing my sword forward, and absolutely nothing happens but the beast noticing me through my awkward yell. ¡®E-Eh¡­¡¯ It starts chasing me, and I quickly run as fast as I can. ¡®HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO FIGHT THAT?!¡¯ I roar out my fears. It takes another leap and lands right in front of me. It makes me realize I am just an ant to this thing. I feel inferior¡­in mass, strength and speed. It throws a punch at me, and I try to block it with my sword, only to be send flying backwards again. I drop my sword halfway and lie down, gasping for air I momentarily cannot grasp. ¡®Haaaaaaaaaaah¡­¡¯ The air fills my lungs, and I feel life return to my body. It walks slowly this time to me, probably trying to intimidate me with his aura. To be fair to him, its working. I¡¯m shaking in my shoes. ¡®I can¡¯t beat this¡­I just can¡¯t¡­¡¯ I say as I sink through my legs. It¡¯s over¡­


    ¡®You idiot! Stand up and fight!¡¯ A voice can be heard from the distance, followed by gigantic roots growing underneath the monster and hold him down.


    ¡®Evander!¡¯ I see him standing at the entrance of the cave, slightly blooded. ¡®Oh God, are you okay?!¡¯ I grab my sword and rush to his side.


    ¡®You idiot, don¡¯t come here!¡¯


    The monster suddenly pops next to me before I even notice it. It swings a fist to my right side. This fist is much bigger than me. I quickly put my sword in between, but I still feel a strong impact in my side. ¡®GAH!¡¯ Not much sound comes out, as it replaces it with blood. I fly a few meters away, and land in the rock where we all came out. A sharp pain goes through the side that landed against the rock. I fall on my chest. My body hurts all over¡­I cough of a lot of blood. My body doesn¡¯t listen at all. I think I broke a few bones. Everything is turning dark. ¡®Father¡­Sister¡­¡¯


    See¡­that¡¯s what you get¡­This is what you get¡­for not putting your faith in your strength¡­in your true self¡­¡¯


    The voice is different from the one in Hero¡¯s Monument. It¡¯s lighter, the voice of someone my age. The signs of someone going mad.


    I¡¯ll let it slip by¡­and help you this time¡­It¡¯ll only be a matter time¡­for everything¡­will fall in its place¡­


    The voice fades away, like it was never there. My consciousness returns slowly. I hear a voice from somewhere else. It¡¯s calling to me. I probably should wake up¡­ ¡®Brandr, wake up!¡¯ I get pulled back to reality. I see Evander in front of me now. ¡®Ah¡­thank goodness, you¡¯re alive. We still have to kill that golem!¡¯


    ¡®I can¡¯t¡­I can¡¯t even slice through him¡­so what¡¯s the point? I can¡¯t even use my magic again.¡¯ A shadow grows above me again, but I don¡¯t bother looking. Evander pulls me away, and barely dodges it.


    ¡®Listen to me, Brandr. You need to focus your own energy it the sword!¡¯ I don¡¯t really understand him, but a huge fist comes from my side. I react quickly and put my sword in front of it, and successfully block it. I still fly a few meters though, away from Evander, but I can land a lot better now. I roll a few times on my side, and quickly get up.


    I¡¯m afraid. I don¡¯t want to stand up, but I see the golem grabbing Evander in his huge            I don¡¯t have any time to hesitate. The golem grabs Evander in his huge hand, and start crushing him. I can hear him scream all the way from here, suffering because I cannot safe him. It lit something inside me. I shove my fear to the side. ¡®I cannot hesitate¡­if I get scared all the time, and lose my resolve at every bad thing, I¡¯ll never get home¡­I¡¯ll never save this anyone¡­I¡¯ll never safe those precious to me!¡¯ I slice away all my fears and doubts. I throw it in one strike, even though it might not produce anything. I don¡¯t feel any magic or something at all, but I feel something in my heart.


    [I¡¯ll let it slip by¡­and help you this time]


    ¡®Illuminating STRIKE!!!¡¯ I roar out, as I strike my sword down. The magic turns black and white. It¡¯s different from the last time. It flies forward, and cuts cleanly through the arms of the golem that held Evander. The underarm drops down, and Evander gets released. It yells out, and I charge in. ¡®ONCE MORE!!!!¡¯ I slice upwards, and another magic attack flies out, right through the middle of the golem. It doesn¡¯t react on my attack. It probably didn¡¯t expect it at all, as it goes through the middle of him. The golem splits in two and falls to their sides, blood gushing and spilling out of the body. ¡®Hah¡­hah¡­hah¡­¡¯ The golem dissolves into the air, and out of the dust of the golem comes the skeleton with the creepy staff.


    ¡®Strong¡­but unpolished¡­I see now. The cycle has started anew.¡¯ That¡¯s all it says, before it disappears into a magical circle with the wave of his hand. Everything goes quiet¡­finalizing this fight¡­ I quietly fall down on my knees and pass out.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    When I wake up, I lie in a carriage of unknown origin. I look around, and see a few recognizable people. The people of the caravan. ¡®Ah, you¡¯re awake?¡¯ A girl around my age was attending my wounds. I quickly crawl a bit back (due embarrassment of course. No woman has ever seen me naked, expect Sylvestra), and a sharp pain hits my right side. ¡®Ah, you shouldn¡¯t get up yet.¡¯ She helps me back under a blanket. ¡®You need to rest a bit longer¡­¡¯ She smiles reassuringly at me.


    ¡®What happened to Evander?¡¯ She points to another wagon, where he is already smoking. He only has a few bandages around him. ¡®I guess he didn¡¯t have that much damage¡­¡¯ The girl suddenly looks pale.


    ¡®You were supposed to be dead¡­¡¯ I quickly turn towards her, which only increases the pain even more. ¡®Ah, what did I tell you¡­?¡¯ She still looks sad.


    ¡®W-What do you mean? I¡¯m supposed to be dead? Do you hate me that much?¡¯ She quickly starts shaking her head.


    ¡®When I was healing your body, I noticed that your lungs were crushed, and most of your ribs were broken. Anyone would die from that¡­but when I wanted to cover you up, I noticed you were breathing¡­so I quickly checked your lungs again. They¡­¡¯ She halts in the middle of the sentence, which only makes me push her more.


    ¡®They¡­?¡¯ I ask her hesitantly, as she takes a small breath.


    ¡®They were repairing themselves, at a really fast rate as well. It was inhuman.¡¯ Something snaps in me. I can only ask myself one thing after hearing that, which coincidentally, she asks me as well. ¡®Sir¡­what are you¡­?¡¯


    [I¡¯ll let it slip by¡­and help you this time¡­It¡¯ll only be a matter time¡­for everything¡­will fall in its place¡­]

 Chapter 17 - ‘\’Perinia Village’\’

    ¡®¡¯Perinia Village¡¯¡¯


    I walk through the plains away from the caravan, trying to calm down and get some fresh air. The night sky is pretty, filled with hundreds of stars. Since we¡¯re in the middle of nowhere, no lighting is keeping them from being seen. They shine brightly together with the moon, naturally lighting the flowers and grass stretched over the endless looking plains. I stretch a bit out, still tired from my nap. I¡¯m allowed to walk already, but¡­


    I¡¯m already healed, even though I was supposed to be dead. I look at my hands¡­but there¡¯s nothing unusual with them. ¡®What in the world am I?¡¯ I never felt something like this before. All this weird stuff has been happening to me ever since I fell into Illuminia. ¡®Maybe Evander knows something I don¡¯t¡­¡¯ I clench my fist. I think about my battle with the golem. I ended up relying on a power I don¡¯t even know. My attack turned dark¡­like Abyss. Not to forget the voice I heard during that time. It sounded so familiar. I try to think where I heard it before, but I¡¯m drawing blanks. It¡¯s on the tip of my tongue. ¡®Argh! Why do I always draw blanks when I think about something important?¡¯


    ¡®Seems like you are alright now. Shouting like that in the middle of the night,¡¯ Evander says while coming from behind me, removing his bandages as we speak.


    ¡®Are you sure you¡¯re supposed to take them off? They might get angry, you know¡­¡¯


    ¡®I wasn¡¯t that badly hurt, so I didn¡¯t need much treatment¡­unlike you.¡¯ A grin appears on his face. I-Is he mocking me? That old¡­ ¡®Let¡¯s get some sleep and depart tomorrow. We still have a journey to continue.¡¯ He walks away from me again, back to the caravan.


    ¡®Evander¡­¡¯ My mind falls into thought again. ¡®Abyss¡­¡¯ I remember the people of the caravan that were being slaughtered in front of my eyes. If I stayed with them, I could¡¯ve prevented so many from dying. ¡®I¡­let so many people die¡­¡¯ I stare into the sky. ¡®I¡¯m¡­so sorry¡­¡¯ My heart aches. Today, I failed as a Hero.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­..


    The ruckus around me takes me out of my slumber. People are walking and running around, while others are finishing some final repairs on their carriages. ¡®What the...they finished repairing everything already?¡¯


    ¡®Of course, they are experts in this. As a caravan, you need to be sure that you can quickly manage repairs and inspections with minimal personnel,¡¯ Evander says from me behind. I¡¯m more surprised by myself that I didn¡¯t get startled. It seems that I¡¯m getting used to his sudden popping up out of nowhere. ¡®They also weren¡¯t planning on leaving whitout thanking their savior.¡¯ I get choked up from hearing that.


    ¡®But¡­¡¯ But I let so many people die¡­ I want to say that, but the words don¡¯t come out of my mouth. The people from the caravan start gathering in front of me, while I stand up in our own carriage.


    ¡®Sir Brandr, we cannot express our gratitude that you saved us. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.¡¯ Some of them bow, and some kneel, while others just keep standing and bowing their heads. I couldn¡¯t feel worse now. The thought that I let so many people die doesn¡¯t escape my mind. The girl that treated me suddenly walks up to me. ¡®Please accept this from us.¡¯ She hands me a wooden bracelet, craved with weird markings. ¡®It¡¯s a protection charm. It will keep you safe in your travels.¡¯


    ¡®I¡­I can¡¯t take this! I-¡®


    ¡®Please, it¡¯s our only way of saying thank you. We sell these to people at a very high price, but you saved us from Abyss.¡¯


    ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ I just let my head hang for a bit. ¡®Thank you. I do feel safer already.¡¯ I force a smile, which feels unconvincing, but it does the trick.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad. We¡¯d love to travel with you back to Lamia, but since I we heard you guys are heading the other way, we will have to say goodbye.¡¯


    ¡®True¡­¡¯ I really am bad in conversations with strangers sometimes.


    ¡®Well, goodbye for now. We hope to meet you again someday!¡¯ We all return to our respective carriages and wagon, but when we all start to move, I suddenly realize something. I quickly hang outside the carriage.


    ¡®Girl, I never caught your name!¡¯ The girl turns around to me and hangs outside the back of her wagon as well.


    ¡®It¡¯s Cindy! Cindy Limonia!¡¯ She waves at my wildly, and so do I. Their carriages disappear in the distance as we continue our journey.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­


    ¡®Evander?¡¯ He doesn¡¯t say anything. ¡®Did¡­did a lot of people die the last time Abyss attack?¡¯ He doesn¡¯t respond, but I keep on talking either way. ¡®Do you remember when I went down to help you? All those people¡­ If I stayed up¡­could I have saved those people? I¡¯m weak after all. I couldn¡¯t beat that monster without that mysterious power¡­and¡­¡¯ I fall quiet. The weight of those lives. They might¡¯ve had families that are wondering when they are coming home¡­and because of me¡­they will be waiting forever on a son, daughter, wife or husband that is never¡­ever going to return to them¡­ Evander stays quiet once more. ¡®If¡­if I just listened to you¡­ Could I have¡­¡¯ I hear a small snore coming from him. ¡®W-was¡­he¡­sleeping?¡¯ My worries get replaced with anger, and I throw an apple to his head for his worries. He instantly wakes up. ¡®That¡¯s what you get for ignoring me.¡¯


    ¡®What was that for?! Don¡¯t you have any respect for your elders?¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re not my elder, you¡¯re a lazy old geezer who sleeps and drives a carriage at the same time.¡¯ We start fighting like children again to the point we fail to notice that we¡¯ve already entered a different kind of surrounding. ¡®Evander¡­?¡¯This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡®What is it?¡¯ We both start looking around as he asks me.


    ¡®I think we¡¯ve entered a forest¡­¡¯ The trees are thick and overgrown, so we can barely see the sunlight.


    ¡®Well, I¡¯m just glad you aren¡¯t stupid. Thank you, Sir Obvious.¡¯


    I glare at him for a moment. The density kind of creeps me out. I presume that Evander noticed that, since he suddenly grabs my sides.


    ¡®Boo.¡¯


    ¡®Gah! Monster!¡¯ I kick him away from me. He starts laughing like an old am. ¡®You idiot!¡¯ I shout as I throw the same as before at him. He catches it easily this time.


    ¡®A donkey doesn¡¯t hit the same stone twice, young one.¡¯ I completely loose him there. ¡®It means that no one is as stupid as you to make the same mistake twice.¡¯


    ¡®You really like mocking, don¡¯t you?¡¯ He just ignores my remarks as he grabs his personal satchel.


    ¡®Let¡¯s see...¡¯ he says as he grabs the map and shows it to me, pointing at a specific point. ¡®We¡¯re about to enter Perinia Village. It¡¯s a small village known to make revolutionary elixirs. It¡¯s also known as ¡®¡¯The Witches Village¡¯¡¯ because of this. We¡¯ll quickly resupply and move on if possible, but you can also use it as a resting place. That would mean we will travel straight through the next place, which will New Asonia, the capital of North Asonia.¡¯


    ¡®I see¡­ What¡¯s the best option to take?¡¯


    ¡®I want you to decide that, but it¡¯s probably to rest in New Asonia. More options to calm the feet down and more stores to resupply from. Perinia is really just a simple village.¡¯


    I think for a moment but stop myself from making a choice just yet. Something tells me to hold my decision off. We start seeing buildings as that thought crosses my mind. ¡®So that¡¯s Perinia Village?¡¯ The village is quite small, with only one big main road going through it, while small roads lead deeper into the forest. I can see some buildings constructed on trees, with ladders or big spiraling stairs leading to the entrance. It¡¯s like I¡¯m in a true fantasy village, with huge treehouses in a dense forest. ¡®This place is amazing¡­¡¯


    ¡®It is a one-of-a-kind village really. From what I¡¯ve heard is that most animals here don¡¯t attack the villagers, since the people have found ways to domesticate the fauna in this forest.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s amazing,¡¯ I respond as we enter the village. We only ride for a few seconds before a little kid stands in front of our carriage, stopping us dead in our tracks.


    ¡®What business do you guys have here in Perinia Village, outsider?¡¯ The boy has a high-pitched voice, and he¡¯s wearing a white shirt and blue short pants, showing off his bandages on his arms and legs. He wears a straw hat, which makes most of his face not visible to me.


    ¡®Uhm¡­my name is Brandr.¡¯ It takes a moment to progress my respond, since he took me off guard. We''re here to resupply and such...we''re traveling to Fireroot Village.''


    ''There''s nothing to resupply with here, so be gone, outsider!'' That response takes me my surprise. I suppress my urge to rudely respond, until another old looking villager covered in brown and white robed clothing with gray hair and a small beard appears and signs the boy to stand behind him.


    ''I''m sorry for his behavior; he is quite rude to strangers. He slightly bows to me, and then quickly inspects me. ¡®What is your business here in Perinia Village?¡¯


    ¡®We¡¯re just taking a small break, before moving on to Fireroot Village. We mean no harm, truly.¡¯ He looks suspicious at him and moves his focus to Evander. ¡®Ah, he¡¯s my guide! Right, Eva-?¡¯ He fell asleep again. ¡®He¡¯s tired. I¡¯m going to let him rest for a moment, before we take the road again. He¡¯s been driving the entire day after all.¡¯ I hit him in the side, and he shoots awake.


    ¡®I see¡­ Excuse me for the boy his behavior. He¡¯s not used to strangers. Please, there is a stable further down the street. You can leave your carriage over there,¡¯ the old man says, before tapping the straw hat of the kid and leaving again. The boy follows him but turns around for a moment.


    ''If you''re smart, you''d better leave. You¡¯ll regret staying here.¡¯ The boy parts with the old man after leaving me with those words.


    ¡®¡­weird kid, right Evander? ¡­hey, Evander?'' He fell asleep again. What''s wrong with fool today? He''s keeps falling asleep. I shake him carefully this time, because it¡¯s kind of worrying me now. He slowly wakes up; nods back off, and completely wakes up again. ''Evander, are you alright? You keep falling asleep today...''


    ''Yeah, I¡¯ve been feeling kind of tired ever since we left the caravan. It¡¯s probably the after-effect of the medicine they gave me. If I get enough sleep today, I''ll be fine tomorrow.''


    ¡®If you say so, then we better take a rest here and just pass through New Asonia. I can¡¯t have you fall asleep on me the entire time.¡¯ He laughs for a moment when I say that, before taking the reins again and driving to the stable. We leave it there and rent two rooms for the night in the nearby (and only) inn located in the village.


    ¡®Well, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow then. I¡¯m going to get a long sleep,¡¯ Evander says as he lets out a big yawn and enters his rented bedroom. That leaves me with the entire day further for myself, so with some of his pocket money in my pockets, I try to find a place to wash and score a meal¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡®Sir, what is this dish? Pi-zza?¡¯ I found a peculiar store after my long bath, giving off a similar vibe as the one in Rakenia, which served the groundbreaking ¡®¡¯Spaghetti Bolognese¡¯¡¯. Ah¡­my mouth waters just by the thought of tasting that sublime dish again. I have longed for another bite for a while now, and with the recipe in my bag I might be closer to tasting it again than I think.


    ¡®Ah¡­the quattro formaggi has gorgonzola, mozzarella, pecorino and parmesan cheese.¡¯ I look absolutely dumfounded at him, making him realize all those ¡®¡¯cheeses¡¯¡¯ weren¡¯t the issue. ¡®Wait¡­do you mean?¡¯


    ¡®Indeed, I mean! What is a pizze?¡¯


    ¡®Pizza, sir.¡¯


    ¡®Yes!¡¯


    He doesn¡¯t know how to respond at all. ¡®You¡¯ve never had a pizza, sir?¡¯


    ¡®Well, if I did, we wouldn¡¯t be having this conversation now, would we?¡¯ He looks a bit agitated now. I try to tone myself down a bit. ¡®Excuse me¡­can you explain to me what a pizza is?¡¯


    ¡®A pizza is round wheat dough, baked in a stone oven and layered with things like tomatoes, cheese and various other ingredients.¡¯


    ¡®I still don¡¯t really understand, if I¡¯m honest¡­ If I can just see an exam-¡® he sighs before I finish my sentence and suddenly overflows me with information straight out of a book, that I cannot even begin to understand.


    Pizza /?pi?ts?//?p?ts?/.


    NOUN A dish of Italian origin, consisting of a flat round base of dough baked with a topping of tomatoes and cheese, typically with added meat, fish, or vegetables.


    ¡®a cheese and tomato pizza¡¯


    mass noun ¡®a slice of pizza¡¯


    as modifier ¡®a pizza restaurant¡¯


    He takes a deep breath, as if coming to back to his senses.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. ¡®what?¡¯ That was¡­weird. ¡®Noun? Italy? Mass noun? What on earth you talking about?!


    ¡®I don¡¯t know either. This tends to happen whenever I explain something. I just get¡­lost in myself, and usually make it harder to understand that simplifying it.¡¯ He bows to me apologetic.


    ¡®It¡¯s okay, really! I¡¯ll just see for myself. I will take the one you talked about in the beginning. The one with cheese!¡¯


    ¡®Almost every single on is with cheese, sir¡­¡¯


    ¡®I know, I know, but I mean the one you said. The one that had a lot of cheese.¡¯


    ¡®Ah, the quattro formaggi. Coming right up.¡¯


    The waiter takes his leave, finally giving me a break to absorb all the information he has given me. I hang in my chair, staring at the ceiling. ¡®Dad¡­¡¯ I still remember the faces of my family clearly. I try to everyday, in fear that I will forget them. ¡®It¡¯s going to be okay, Brandr. You¡¯ll see them sooner than you think. We¡¯ll arrive in one piece.¡¯


    ¡®Thinking about your family? You did seem quite young for a sellsword.¡¯ I jerk forward when I suddenly hear a voice address me. It¡¯s the same man that talked to me when I arrived. The old one which the annoying kid stood behind.


    ¡®Ah¡­can I¡­help you?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m pleased you asked. Indeed, you can help me. Help all of us, in a matter of fact,¡¯ he says as he sits in the seat in front of me. ¡®The people of Perinia Village need you, young man. The lives of this village rest in your hands¡­¡¯

 Chapter 18 - Deep into the Forest

    ''''Deep into the Forest''''


    ¡®S-Sir?¡¯ the older man tries to get my attention as I stuff my face with another slice of pizza.


    ¡®Mm?¡¯


    ¡®So¡­about the problem¡­¡¯


    ¡®Mm, hm mh mhmm!¡¯ I respond as I swallow the delicacy of heaven itself. ¡®I know, I heard you. Something with a guardian spirit terrorizing the village.¡¯ He smiles wryly and nods his head. ¡®See, I was listening, but more importantly!¡¯ I stand up, holding another slice of quattro formaggi pizza in my hand. ¡®I demand an audience with the chef who created this dish of wondrous adventures and discovery. I must know the recipe, even if my life depends on it!¡¯


    ¡®S-Sir! You¡¯re making a scene!¡¯


    ¡®No, I¡¯m making a demand!¡¯ I yell as I stuff my face with the slice of pizza in my hand. ¡®D-Dewicious!¡¯ The chef promptly comes forward and gives me a tutorial on how to make pizza and a handwritten recipe. I finally start to calm down and return to speak with the old man. ¡®So, how can I help with this guardian spirit problem?¡¯


    ¡®Shhh¡­ Don¡¯t talk to loudly about it,¡¯ he whispers to me.


    ¡®What do you mean? Wasn¡¯t this a problem for the entire village?¡¯


    ¡®It is, but you have to understand that some people don¡¯t like outsiders to¡­interfere¡­with our problems. They are old in their ways, still thinking that they can resolve this problem by themselves.¡¯


    ¡®Yeah, you said that a rampart guardian spirit is terrorizing your village, but how come you cannot solve this problem yourself?¡¯


    ¡®We have tried that¡­¡¯ the man closes his eyes for a moment, looking extremely sorrowful. ¡®We have lost many good friends and family, trying to fix this problem ourselves¡­only a few men return back to us¡­gravely wounded,¡¯ he says as he hints me to look in a certain direction behind me. I turn around to see a man without a left arm and right leg. Just seeing that sends shivers down my spine. ¡®The guardian spirit has gone rampart near our precious lake, which sacred waters give birth to our villages pride, the Earth-Dragon Roots.¡¯


    ¡®Earth-Dragon Roots?¡¯


    ¡®Yes, we use to roots to make our renowned potion, the Dragonroot Elixer, but enough about our potion. You have to save us, young sir!¡¯


    I gulp for a moment. ¡®You know I am just a traveler, right? What could I possibly do that tenfold of people couldn¡¯t do?¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re experienced!¡¯ he responds. I am honestly flabbergasted by his unique response, which makes absolutely no sense in the long run.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think that is a good reason to send me to a battle like that.¡¯ He looks pressuring at me. ¡®I¡¯ll give it some thought, okay? I¡¯ll have to discuss it with my companion first!¡¯ I quickly stand up, trying to put some distance between me and the old man. ¡®I¡¯m sorry!¡¯ I dash away after my useless apology, completely forgetting to pay for my delicious meal.


    I¡¯ll just have to return later¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­


    ¡®And that is basically what he told me¡­¡¯ I finish explaining the situation to a sleeping Evander. He hasn¡¯t woken up the moment I left him, which worries me more than ever. ¡®When is this potion going to wear off¡­ I¡¯m glad Cindy treated him and all, but he is absolutely useless at this moment¡­¡¯ I feel the pressure growing on my shoulders. ¡®Should I just leave¡­?¡¯ I think about it. What can a single 15-year old do by himself against a guardian spirit, that killed multiple people? ¡®But then again¡­this is technically what I signed up for¡­a Hero¡­¡¯ I remember the man I saw at the pizza place. He lost two limbs in that attempt to quell the danger. That could end up being me if I do this. ¡®That¡¯s it, I¡¯m not doing it!¡¯ I grab my sword, take the cloth with belts that serve as a scabbard from the sword, and examine it from the base to the tip. The white, shining metal reflects the light perfectly, a blade so clear I could see my reflection in it. ¡®I¡­¡¯ My previous resolves disappear like snow in the sunlight. ¡®What is wrong with me¡­? I¡¯m doing this to get home. I cannot forget my original goal. Get the stupid Stars and go home! As much as I want to help them, I cannot risk my own life in order to help them!¡¯ I put the sword back against the wall, covered in its belts and cloth, and walk outside. ¡®I just have to find that old man and tell him I cannot do this¡­¡¯ I walk around the small village that doesn¡¯t give any tension at all. Like danger is a foreign concept. People working in and out their respective stores, selling and buying goods and services. Trading and chatter fill the streets of a calm village. ¡®I haven¡¯t seen any kids though¡­¡¯ It makes me wonder for a moment as I pass by the entrance that leads into the forest. I always enjoyed walking through well-kept gardens and parks. ¡®Too bad there weren¡¯t that many in Edelweiss¡­¡¯ I always had to travel to Brixia or the Dark Woods in order to have a calming stroll.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­


    The wind slightly breezes through my hair as I walk down the path of the forest, completely forgetting all my stress and thoughts I had. Nothing calms me more than being surrounded by nature itself. If I could, I would plant thousands of trees and flowers, so that the entire world would be a big forest. ¡®If we have tons of fruit trees as well, we¡¯d be able to feed ourselves for the rest if our lives. Everyone would be happy, and the world would be a beautiful place. No more wars, fighting and useless politics keeping everyone busy¡­¡¯ I reflect on what I just said. I really am a pacifist at some point. I don¡¯t want to fight anything. If possible, I¡¯d talk things out with Abyss and make sure everyone can live happily ever after. I continue reflecting on myself, asking questions and answering them myself at the same time until I stumble on a clearing in the middle of the forest with a small playground and a few benches. ¡®So, this is where the children hang out. Isn¡¯t this quite deep into the forest¡­¡¯ I do remember Evander¡¯s words stating that animals don¡¯t attack the people here for some unknown reason that domesticated the local fauna¡­This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    I decide to sit down on one of the small benches that is the furthest away from the playground and take a deep breath, taking in the forest smell into my nose. The peace and quiet truly make me feel at ease, to the point that I even feel a bit sleepy. Realising I should head back soon, I stand up and walk to the inn¡­only I don¡¯t do that and for some reason lie down on the bench instead and slowly feel my conscious drift away¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­.


    ¡®Hero¡­¡¯ A young woman¡¯s voice echoes through my mind.


    ¡®Huh¡­ I¡­¡¯ My eyes open to darkness, instantly waking me up as soon as I realise that I am no longer in the forest near the small village.


    ¡®Hero, head my plea for help¡­¡¯


    ¡®W-What¡­what is happening? Where am I?¡¯


    ¡®Do not be afraid, young Hero. I have merely entered your dreams.¡¯


    ¡®He said merely¡­ Does he think that is normal or something?¡¯


    ¡®Young Hero, I am in desperate need of your services...¡¯


    ¡®Wait, I¡¯m asleep? Did I actually fall asleep on that bench?¡¯


    ¡®Focus!¡¯ Her voice suddenly pitches up, startling me.


    ¡®I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ You said you needed something?¡¯


    ¡®Yes¡­I am Perinia, Guardian of the Seas and Waters. I am the Keeper of this forest.¡¯


    ¡®The Guardian¡­ You were the one the old man from the village was talking about. The one that was killing the people¡­¡¯


    The voice sighs deeply, and she suddenly materialises in front of me, tuning into the shape of a lady, but a body completely made of water. Her expression (or at least what I can make of it) carries a sullen look. ¡®That is how it looks like from the outside, most certainly¡­¡¯


    ¡®From the outside? So it isn¡¯t really you doing all the battling?¡¯


    Her head shakes multiple times. ¡®I would never senselessly kill them! I¡¯ve been protecting them for generations. I have no intention to terminate the contract that is my duty.¡¯ I want to ask what the villagers are fighting against, but she starts talking before I can even open my mouth. ¡®If I could, I would protect them until my breath, but I cannot. Not until I can finally be liberated from my capturers. The capturers named Abyss.¡¯  There it is again. Abyss. It always comes back.


    ¡®So, Abyss has captured you... How did they even do that?¡¯


    ¡®They¡¯ve corrupted my home¡­I cannot do anything if it¡¯s out of my control¡­ Young Hero, you have to save me¡­ Save me from the hands of Abyss.¡¯ Her words and image start getting hazy and blurry.


    ¡®Wait, how do I do that?!¡¯ Everything is being pulled away around me, and I can feel my own being change.


    ¡®Shine your light! The waters and light align! Hurry!¡¯ She gets engulfed in darkness as I¡¯m being pulled away.


    ¡®Ha!¡¯ and suddenly I find myself lying down on the bench again, woken up by my bizarre experience. ¡®Ha¡­ha¡­ Was that¡­a dream?¡¯ It all felt amazingly real, and I can still remember everything she said. ¡®Shine your light¡­The waters and light align¡­¡¯ Nice and cryptic, just how I like it¡­couldn¡¯t she say something that was less hard to figure out?¡¯ She mentioned the waters¡­so she must mean the lake I heard the old man talk about. ¡®I should head back¡­it¡¯s already night-time¡­¡¯ I look at the moon shining brightly in the sky. I stand up, but just as I try to make my way back, I could hear laughter and voices. A shiver goes down my spine. ¡®W-What¡­was that¡­¡¯ I don¡¯t want to figure out and just go back, but if I turn back now, I would constantly think about it and be scared¡­ So, my feet take me deeper into the forest.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Laughter can be heard from time to time if you listen closely. They are the voices of children having fun in the night-time. ¡®Definitely a ghost story¡­¡¯ The deeper I go, the louder the voices become, and if you listen closely, one would notice that there are two of them. A boy and a girl. ¡®They are not ghost¡­they are not ghost.¡¯ I pray for safety and sneak behind some bushes until I feel like I¡¯m close to them. They are talking about something, but I cannot really follow the conversation. ¡®Okay¡­¡¯ I must take a peek. Just a small one to sate my curiosity¡­ ¡®Three¡­two¡­one¡­¡¯ I peek over the bush, and my eyes meet the eyes of someone else. It takes both sets of eyes a few second that someone is looking at them, before the both of us start screaming and backing off.


    ¡®Inna, what are you doing?! Stop shou-¡® the boy notices me before finishing his sentence, and starts screaming as well. ¡®Inna, run! They can¡¯t get us!¡¯ The boy starts making a run for it, but soon stops when he notices Inna not running. ¡®Inna¡­ Ugh, fine.¡¯ He comes back, while Inna stays frozen on the floor, probably still in shock. ¡®Did you piss your pants or something?¡¯


    ¡®Uhm¡­you guys¡­¡¯ I take a closer look at the boy who now stands in a spot where the moonlight beams on him. It¡¯s the same kid from earlier this day!!


    ¡®Y-You!¡¯ We both say at the same time as we point at each other. ¡®You were from earlier this morning!¡¯ We seem to be in synch. ¡®Ugh, and I thought it was my gramps. Inna, let¡¯s go. He¡¯s not important at all.¡¯ The boy picks Inna up and starts walking.


    ¡®W-What do you mean, not important?!¡¯ I wonder why I care about this¡­


    ¡®You won¡¯t lose your shit because we are here playing. That¡¯s the difference.¡¯


    ¡®So, you are hiding from the elders of the village¡­¡¯ He nods. ¡®Well, it¡¯s true. I couldn¡¯t care less that you¡¯re still up. That¡¯s your responsibility.¡¯


    He smiles brightly. ¡®It seems like I¡¯ve misjudged you. You do have a bright head on you.¡¯


    ¡®What¡¯s that supposed to mean¡­¡¯


    ¡®Most people would hate people going out late¡­ They have strict curfews after all,¡¯ Inna says, finally speaking for the first time since I got here. I hold my shoulders up.


    ¡®Say, bright man.¡¯


    ¡®The name¡¯s Bran-¡®


    ¡®We wanna show you somethin¡¯, kay?¡¯ He waves to follow him and starts running off.


    ¡®I should¡¯ve gone to bed¡­¡¯


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡®This¡­is¡­¡¯ It¡¯s a lake. A simple lake in a forest, yet it carries more beauty than the stories I have heard about the vast oceans, waters that would stress endlessly into the horizon. The shine of the moon beautifully beams a clear and perfect mirror image.


    ¡®This place¡­feels¡­calming¡­¡¯I completely forget everything I was doing for a moment as I approach the waters and kneel to check out my own reflections in the lake.


    ¡®Neat, isn¡¯t it, but that¡¯s not what I wanted to show you!¡¯ the boy proclaims, as Inna starts pulling his hand.


    ¡®Hey¡­should we really show him? It was supposed to be a secret. Our secret.¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t tell anyone. He¡¯ll leave sooner than later, and no one will know.¡¯ I don¡¯t focus on the conversation that is happening behind me. I just look at my own reflection in the lake, and then in front of me. There is a little island in the middle of the lake. She said something about a home she cannot return to¡­ ¡®Hey, bright man. It¡¯s this way.¡¯ He grabs my shoulder, but I resist his pull.


    ¡®That island¡­¡¯ He looks confused at me. ¡®I need to get to that island¡­¡¯


    His eyes light up in excitement for some reason. ¡®You have to go there? You know it¡¯s prohibited, right?¡¯ he asks, still with a smile on his face. I can feel he¡¯s scheming something.


    ¡®I have to go there¡­¡¯ It must be the home the Guardian was talking about. Should I wait for backup¡­or proceed with haste? My mind tells me the former. My body¡­acts according to the latter.


    ¡®Say, what if I told you I know a way to get there?¡¯ the boy says proudly.


    ¡®Wait, are you going to¡­¡¯ Inna doesn¡¯t finish her sentence, but we all know where she wanted to head with it. There is something they know that I don¡¯t, and I must figure it out¡­


    .

 Chapter 19 - ‘Perinia the Guardian and Brandr the Hero’\’

    ¡®''Perinia the Guardian and Brandr the Hero¡¯¡¯


    <blockquote>


    </blockquote>


    ¡®Come on, it¡¯s this way.¡¯ The boy is leading me through some woods while the girl called Inna and myself follow behind him. We walk through the dark forest and over the thickets.


    ¡®Say.¡¯ I look over at the girl who easily manages through the woods. ¡®What is he trying to show us actually?¡¯ She doesn¡¯t answer. ¡®Uhm¡­are you not allowed to talk about it?¡¯


    ¡®Exactly!¡¯ the boy suddenly interrupts. ¡®No spoilers allowed. You¡¯ll see it when we get there!¡¯ He strolls over the thickets and through the trees, quickly disappearing from our sight.


    ¡®Ah¡­wait!¡¯ We quickly chase him down, until we get at a treehouse, covered in moss. It has wooden planks nailed against the tree, forming an insecure ladder all the way to the treehouse. It¡¯s big, and even has a platform to walk on. ¡®Woah¡­did you guys make this?¡¯


    ¡®No, we found it already like this and decided to make it our secret base!¡¯ the boy yells all the way from the treehouse. I have no idea how he got up there so fast, but I¡¯m not going to question it too much. They probably can climb this faster than anyone else in the village.


    ¡®Although now it isn¡¯t that secret¡­¡¯ Inna says as she nimbly climbs upon the wooden excuse of a ladder.


    ¡®I get it, Inna! Just¡­¡¯ he falls silent and heads back into the house, only to reappear again with a pedal. ¡®Hey, bright man. Catch!¡¯ He throws it down before I can even respond, but in the klutz, I manage to catch it mid-air.


    ¡®Hey! That¡¯s dangerous!¡¯


    ¡®Yeah, yeah. Just hold on, will you?!¡¯ Soon after, the girl throws down some rope and a piece of wood, followed by a mallet and a weird shaped wand and then themselves (the climbed down of course). ¡®There we go! Grab the ropes and follow me!¡¯ he says as he puts the weird shaped wand in his pocket and grabs the piece of wood to start swinging it around like a sceptre as he starts walking away. Inna quickly follows him with the mallet and I soon follow as I grab the rope from the ground. I have no idea what they are planning, but there is nothing else for me to do but to follow them. I knew I should¡¯ve gone to bed when I had the chance¡­


    ¡®Tada!¡¯ he cheers as he puts his foot on a rowing boat.


    ¡®Oh, a boat. Didn¡¯t see that coming.


    ¡®Be a little more excited, will you!¡¯ I¡¯m sorry, boy. I¡¯m just sleepy at this point. ¡®Anyway, since the lake is so big, I¡¯d figure you¡¯d need a boat to carry you to the altar!¡¯


    ¡®I see¡­ I can¡¯t swim anyway, so I guess this is the best-case scenario¡­but why are you doing this for me?¡¯


    He holds up his shoulders. ¡®I dunno. It entertains me. It sates my boredom.¡¯ Fair enough with me. I don¡¯t care about his motives, but now I got something I can use to go to the altar tomorrow.


    ¡®Anyway, thanks for everything. Just leave the pedal here and I¡¯ll try to come back as early as possible.¡¯ I turn around and head back to my bed and sleep in for a bit before I go back and take the boat to the altar. Only I am not, since I am looking at the boy asking Inna to help push the boat in the water. ¡®W-Wait, what?! Why are you pushing it in already?¡¯


    ¡®To get you to the alter, of course. You¡¯re not as bright as I thought you were!¡¯ the boy says struggling as he puts all his power into pushing the boat, which inevitably starts getting in the water. Inna just stands and watches at the boy.


    ¡®Why though? Aren¡¯t we going to do this tomorrow?¡¯


    ¡®People come and go from the morning till night-time. This is the only time that no one is here. In order words, it¡¯s now or never!¡¯ The boat finally gets completely into the water, as Inna throws the stuff we¡¯ve brought into the boat. ¡®So¡­are you coming?¡¯ We¡¯re only doing this today, so it¡¯s a once in your lifetime opportunity.¡¯


    I think for a moment. He did say it¡¯s forbidden to go to the altar, so it must to be night-time when I head out to it. I could always to and fetch this boat and the pedals as well, since he showed me where it is. But can I rely on the fact that the materials will still be there? He would probably playing near the treehouse again anyway, and I have no idea if he will support me if I reject him now. If I just came here more prepared¡­ ¡®You know what¡­¡¯ I walk over to the boat and step inside. ¡®I guess we¡¯ll do a little rowing.¡¯ They start beaming as the quickly climb into the boat. I am slightly worried not having my Arc with me, but a quick exploration mission wouldn¡¯t be bad. Besides, the spirit talked through me, so I might be able to talk my way through everything. ¡®I¡¯m just making excuses¡­¡¯ I immediately regret stepping on this boat, which takes off onto the lake, rowed by the two kids who work in synch.


    We float slowly and softly over the water reflecting the moonlight beautifully in the nearly mirrorlike lake, which is completely calm next to our movement in the waters. I cannot stop feeling mesmerized by the still image of myself and the surrounding nature in the waters. ¡®What¡¯ya looking at, not-so-bright man?¡¯ the boy suddenly asks while using all his strength to row the boat.


    ¡®The name¡¯s Brandr by the way¡­ I¡¯m just¡­looking at the waters.¡¯


    ¡®They¡¯re mesmerizing, aren¡¯t they? Inna suddenly says.


    ¡®Yeah, you¡¯re right. The reflection is amazing¡­¡¯


    ¡®Well, you better start memorizing it, because we¡¯re almost at the altar.¡¯ The boy suddenly finishes the conversation as we embark on the small island, containing a moss-covered tombstone in the middle, surrounded by small pillars surrounding it. ¡®So, we¡¯re here!¡¯ He is awfully excited by this. It¡¯s just an altar for them after all.¡¯


    ¡®Anyway, I¡¯m going to do my thing, so be free¡­to do whatever you want¡­¡¯ Although there isn¡¯t anything to do, I leave them on their own, and head over to the altar, which really is in a sorry state in comparison to its probable former yesteryears. ¡®This place looks like it hasn¡¯t been tended to for decades¡­ What happened?¡¯


    ¡®The elders always told us to stay away from the altar because of the spirits¡­.¡¯ I just back in surprise as Inna suddenly pops behind me with the boy. ¡®Ever since we¡¯ve been born, the elders told us not to get close to the altar, because of the evil it contains.¡¯


    ¡®E-Evil¡­?¡¯ I don¡¯t understand.¡¯ I scratch my head, while Inna looks very solemn.


    ¡®A lot of people died you know¡­ Even a few days ago, there were villagers fighting the spirit. It pops out of nowhere from the altar and starts corrupting the lake and destroying the forest and stuff.¡¯ The boy suddenly joins the conversation with a lot less enthusiasm than before.


    ¡®So, you¡¯re saying that for generations the village has been fighting the spirit?¡¯ They both look at each other and shrug their shoulders. ¡®I see¡­well, I was asked if I can do anything about the spirit attacking the village, so I guess this is the one.¡¯ I purposely leave the part where I actually wanted to head out town. It¡¯s the spirit herself that brought me here. The one they want to get rid of. I instinctively start rubbing of the moss from the altar and read the words described on it. ¡®Guardian of the Waters of the World. Perinia, daughter of the Sea. Well, that¡¯s catchy.¡¯


    ¡®You were supposed to fight it?¡¯ the boy asks. I turn back to him and nod. ¡®Then¡­where are your weapons?¡¯ I smile wryly at him.


    ¡®That¡¯s why I wanted to do it tomorrow. So that I would have it.¡¯ His face starts losing colour quickly. ¡®Hey, are you okay?¡¯ His face doesn¡¯t change, as he looks more scared than a wounded deer cornered by hungry prey wanting to feed of its flesh. I glance at Inna, who has the same expression as the boy. ¡®Say, guys. Just because I am not armed, doesn¡¯t mean you have to look that scared.¡¯ They both only point behind me. Only then I realise that there is a big shadow behind me that sends chills down my spine. ¡®Wait¡­no, no, no¡­that¡¯s too clich¨¦! Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯


    I turn around slowly, only to see a watery figure behind me. A woman wielding a trident, covered in watery armour. ¡®I see¡­¡¯ a dark, low-pitched voice of a woman ¡®¡¯enters¡¯¡¯ my mind, as if speaking directly into my soul. ¡®You have awoken me from my slumber, feeble land-strider.¡¯Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡®Wait, didn¡¯t you attack the village recently?¡¯ I ask shakenly.


    ¡®A trivial matter. You still have summoned me. Is it to surrender your body to me?¡¯


    ¡®Surrender my body? I didn¡¯t even do anything! I just read what the darn altar said after removing the moss!¡¯ I have no idea why I am arguing with this spirit, even though I am shaking in my shoes. ¡®Besides, aren¡¯t you supposed to represent the Guardian of Waters? Not this¡­Abysmal spirit that kills for fun?¡¯


    ¡®Fun? Fun?! Hahahahahaha!¡¯ It laughs hysterically like a maniac. ¡®No, puny land-strider. I am looking for the ultimate vessel. The vessel that allows me to walk on the lands. With the Guardian of the Waters in my possession, I shall create an army. First, I shall control a single land-strider, then I will use him to take over others, and I shall rule these vile lands to my own discretion!¡¯


    ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ Nobody says anything.


    ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯ He says nothing either.


    ¡®¡­Thanks for the information, I guess. We¡¯re none of your concern, so I guess we¡¯ll make our way out. Right guys?¡¯ They both nod at me. ¡®Well, then¡­¡¯ I slowly walk towards the boat, which in an instant gets destroyed by a sudden wave of water coming out of the lake, slicing it through the middle. I fly back onto my bottom, only to look in agony as our only way of the island sinks down to the bottom.


    ¡®You are not going anywhere, puny ones...¡¯ I turn back to the spirit, who is looking eviller than before, its watery body turning almost into a rainbow-like colour. ¡®¡­for there is no place to run¡­¡¯


    ¡®B-Bright man¡­¡¯ the boy grabs my arm and shakes it multiple times to get my attention. ¡®T-The lake¡­it¡¯s¡­¡¯ I turn my head around, only to see the lake slowly turn into the same colour as the spirit itself. Blue, red, yellow, violet, orange, all mixed together while the lake bubbles and oozes like a swamp.


    ¡®W-What¡­is¡­this¡­¡¯ It¡¯s disgusting enough to twist my stomach. I turn away from the view while supressing the thought to vomit.


    ¡®I-It¡¯s like a swamp¡­¡¯ Inna says while approaching the water. The boy quickly grabs her hand and pulls her way.


    ¡®Inna, you idiot! Don¡¯t touch that! I might be poisonous!¡¯


    ¡®¡­¡­¡­¡¯ Inna doesn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡®¡­what is it you want, Guardian? Our bodies aren¡¯t strong or anything. We¡¯re just children!¡¯ I shout out to the entity that shows no emotion, it¡¯s expressions even more unclear than before.


    ¡®You fool. It doesn¡¯t matter. A vessel is still a vessel, and I¡¯m sure¡­¡¯ the grip around it¡¯s trident grows stronger. ¡®¡­you will be a fine vessel for me!¡¯ With a quick movement, it throws it trident at me. Grabbing the boy behind me, I jump to the side with him in my arms as the trident firmly gets stuck into the ground.


    ¡®Hah¡­hah¡­ Hey boy!¡¯ he looks in shock at me. ¡®You¡¯ve got to get Inna and try to run away as hard as you can. I¡¯ll try to distract him.¡¯ He doesn¡¯t react at all, as the trident suddenly dissolves like water. ¡®Listen to me! Take Inna and run!¡¯ I shout at him as strictly as I can, in order for him to react. He lets go off me and runs over to Inna, who takes his hand and start running away from the wreckage of our boat. ¡®Good. Hey, unicorn poop!¡¯ I shout at the Guardian while wildly waving my hands in the air. ¡®Come and get me, you psycho!¡¯ I run in the opposite direction of the kids, trying to stall time until the slow-coming morning light, so that people will find us here and help.


    ¡®¡­¡¯ he doesn¡¯t say anything and creates another trident in his hand.


    He doesn¡¯t attack at all, instead just looking at me, carefully watching my movements. I come to a standstill, as the body of the Guardian turns back into water. I quickly look back, only to see that lake still emitting a rainbow-coloured glow. I finally realise that he cannot kill me. ¡®Wait¡­I¡¯m a vessel. He cannot kill a vessel!¡¯ Confidence swells up inside me, as I walk over to the Guardian, who doesn¡¯t react to my movement at all. ¡®H-Hey¡­ Just because you¡¯ve got an advantage, doesn¡¯t mean that I am easily beaten! D-Do you k-know who I am?!¡¯ I point at my chest, trying to puff myself up as much as possible. There is no reaction from him but a silent stare down to my soul.


    ¡®¡­¡­you might want to refrain from approaching me that casually with kneecaps shaking harder than an earthquake.¡¯


    ¡®¡­hey. What are you¡­?¡¯ I look down at my legs¡­they are trembling enormously. Shit, I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m so scared right now¡­ I realise I have no way of fighting it. Suddenly, danger pressures my entire body, and forces me to look upwards, facing the Guardian that throws its trident like a veteran javelin thrower, flying towards me at high speed. ¡®Hngh!¡¯ I instinctively jump backwards, dodging the weapon of the sea with sheer luck. I fall on my butt, but quickly pick myself up as another trident forms in the hand of the Guardian. ¡®Y-You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡¯ He can really use that ability unlimited. I will probably have a hard time dodging every single one of them until dawn breaks. A glance at the sky shows that the moon is away from the night sky and already way over the halfway point of setting. Morning is going to come sooner or later. I run to the side but slip down to the ground face-first. How did that happen?


    ¡®T-The¡­ground¡­¡¯ Its dying. That¡¯s the only description I can give it. The grass that covered the small island bubbles up like a swamp, losing its colour and its attributes. It¡¯s like a swallowing monster, chipping away at its victim¡¯s life little by little. ¡®Is this¡­the effect of the water¡­.?¡¯ The rainbow-coloured water¡­ I try to stand up, but slip once again, not knowing that that single moment saved my life, as the trident flies over my head, into the rainbow waters. ¡®Huh! Ah¡­¡¯ I must catch my bearings. I¡¯ll die if I don¡¯t. ¡®Y-You¡­you¡¯re going to kill your only chance of escaping this island? You are actually going to kill your vessel?!¡¯ I shout at him as I run left again, to the other side of the island.


    ¡®That¡­doesn¡¯t matter anymore¡­¡¯ It¡¯s voice projects itself into my brain.


    ¡®W-What do you¡­¡¯ I stutter as he creates five tridents at the same time. I was a fool, thinking his attacks only consisted of throwing a single weapon. He throws two at the same time. ¡®Ha!¡¯ I can see the pattern of the weapons. These are easy to dodge¡­or so I thought. I try to move my leg, but for some reason sticks to the ground. I shift my body to my left side, dodging one attack, while the other trident pierces my left leg and right flank. ¡®Hngh! Ahh¡­¡¯ It hurts! It hurts so badly I want to scream. I look down at my legs. Water has been forcefully withdrawn from the ground and has taken grab on my feet, making it impossible to move. Even the ground looks dried up and dead after the water has been taken up.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to die¡­ I¡¯m going to die¡­I¡¯m going to die¡­¡¯ That single thought repeats in consistently in my mind. The coward in me resurfaces and shows its true colours. The pain of the trident doesn¡¯t leave me, as blood slowly starts leaving my body. ¡®Ah¡­shit¡­¡¯ My vision slightly wanes. This is bad¡­I¡¯m not going to see the next sunrise if this keeps up. ¡®Why¡­tell me¡­at least¡­¡¯ There is no reaction from the Guardian. ¡®First you speak about gaining a vessel, and now you¡¯re trying to kill me.¡¯


    It remains quiet for a moment, but soon after I hear its voice projected once again in my mind. ¡®It¡¯s because I realise what you are¡­Hero¡­¡¯ I gulp loudly. He discovered my secret. ¡®As much as I would like to steal your body for myself, the situation has forced my hand. Now I shall kill you here, take the other candidate as my vessel and submit this world to my bidding, granting my unlimited power.¡¯


    I shake in my shoes, afraid of the inevitable. ¡®¡­wait¡­you said ¡®other candidate¡¯¡­ Do you mean¡­?!¡¯ He summons two other tridents, while the one inside me remains.


    ¡®Farewell, Hero.¡¯ He sends all five at the same time, while I close my eyes, trying not to look death directly in the eyes. It is then when I feel my entire body suddenly shift to the side.


    I open my eyes, to see both the boy and Inna having pushed me out of the way from the tridents. ¡®Ah¡­you two!¡¯ I thank them in my thought, and try to stand up, but the wound in my flank immediately makes me sink to my knees.


    ¡®Bright man, you¡¯ve got to get up! Please!¡¯ He tries to support me to stand, but the pain is just unbearable. The trident dissolves, and blood starts gushing out even harder than before. ¡®B-bright man!¡¯


    I push him away from me. ¡®Run¡­you two¡­¡¯ I try to support myself unto my feet, while having one hand cover up the deep wound in my body. ¡®You¡¯ve got to get out of here¡­quickly¡­¡¯


    ¡®B-But how?! There is no way of the island!¡¯


    He¡¯s right¡­ There is no way of the island¡­ I led those two to their doom¡­ I¡¯m going to be the reason why two children die for reasons they are not related to. ¡®J-Just¡­stand behind me¡­and use my body as a shield¡­until the morning breaks and we can get saved¡­ Evander¡­will do something¡­about all this¡­¡¯ I push the boy behind me, but the moment I try to grab Inna, something happens¡­


    Something¡­disgusting¡­


    ¡®Ah¡­Inna!¡¯ I hold to boy behind me, while Inna stand still behind me. Water and blood enter her mouth, like a serpent wiggling its way into her throat. It forces its way in, nearly choking her as her throat starts to swell up. I cannot do anything to stop it. My body is frozen to the spot, unable to react to the horror scene I am witnessing.


    ¡®I-Inna!!!¡¯ the boy screams as he escapes my grip and run over to the girl, who stands straight, like her body is being forced to. He grabs the water, which apparently is solid enough to grab and starts pulling as hard as he can. It has no effect. The water easily digs her way into her body.


    Another water body comes out of the ground, immediately killing the flora in the surrounding area and knocks him away from Inna. I cannot do anything to help. The water inside her disappears from sight, and a change occurs within Inna. She stiffens up, and relaxes immediately, her arms hanging weakly next to her body, her head hanging downwards and her long blond hair hanging creepily around her face. At the same time, the Guardian starts to convulse wildly as the waterbody drops to the ground, leaving behind any trace of its existence but a wet pool, as the lake turns back to its original colour¡­a beautiful reflecting lake, reflecting the rising sun as morning arrives. ¡®What happened¡­?¡¯ I force myself towards the boy, who lies down unconscious on the ground. My vision shifts towards Inna, who still stands motionless, like a corpse forced to stand up. ¡®I-Inna¡­ Are you¡­okay¡­?¡¯


    A small voice escapes her mouth. It¡¯s a chuckle. It¡¯s a small chuckle, which chains itself into a much louder laugh. The laughter of a demon. ¡®Finally,¡¯ the Abyss says through the body of Inna, ¡®Finally I have gained a vessel. I can finally start taking this world by the neck.¡¯ She looks over at me, her hands balled up into fist while she stays bend over, staring through her strains of hair. Her eyes are filled with fury. I shake. I cannot stop shaking. I cannot even image beating her with my bare hands while having a wound as deep as this one.


    My vision blurs, but I can clearly see a trident forming over her head while she remains in her same pose. ¡®D-Dad¡­¡¯ An image of my dad suddenly pops to my mind. Am I going to die here? Am I in this situation again? ¡®Dad¡­dad¡­¡¯ Tears flow down my eyes, as the trident flies towards my head!

 Chapter 20 - ‘\’A Bright Shine’\’

    ¡®¡¯A Bright Shine¡¯¡¯


    <blockquote>


    </blockquote>


    I remember a distant memory. I was walking next to my father down our yard. I felt comfort in it. Like I would forever be safe. ¡®Say, father.¡¯ I get his attention while we walk through a field of Edelweiss flowers. ¡®For the last few years, we¡¯ve all been living peacefully. Nothing that would threaten our lives. Business has been running smooth¡­yet I feel uneasy. Like everything could just fall apart in minutes¡­ Do you feel like that as well sometimes?¡¯


    He chuckles. ¡®Of course, my dear Brandr. That has been part of history for as long as humans can remember. Never has there been true peace. Conflict will rise at some point.¡¯ I look worried at him as he suddenly stands still in the middle of the flower garden. ¡®But you know, Brandr. Even if everything we build is for naught, we must try. There is nothing gained from giving up before even starting. Because if that was the case, nothing would ever been done in this world¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¯


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­


    Seconds pass while my eyes are closed. I prepared myself to die just a moment ago, as I couldn¡¯t do anything anymore to prevent the trident of the Abyss to skewer me. Yet there is nothing. No wound. No death. I slowly open my eyes, only to see a wet ground in front of me and an angered Abyss in the body of Inna. The trident disappeared¡­but why?


    ¡®It seems like I can test this body fully now¡­¡¯ A smirk. That¡¯s all. Confidence drips of his expression, but these words weren¡¯t directed at me. They were meant for someone else. Someone¡­behind me¡­.


    My head jerks to the other side. I see a man standing on the tip of a boat, with a staff in his right hand. ¡®E-Evander!¡¯ He¡¯s here! Oh my goodness, he¡¯s here. I¡¯m saved!


    ¡®Looks like you¡¯ve got yourself in trouble again. Can¡¯t you just have a normal day without me for a second?¡¯ I let him mock me. I don¡¯t care. I feel myself being filled with confidence again.


    ¡®Hah¡­ I guess so. Never a dull moment, right?¡¯ I smile. Finally, I get to smile honestly again.


    Evander puts his foot on the island, while the old man that was talking to me gets out after him. He sees the boy, and sprint towards him. ¡®Dyer! By the¡­what happened to you?!¡¯ He glares at me, clearly looking for someone to put the blame on.


    ¡®He¡¯s only unconscious¡­he actually saved my life¡­¡¯ Dyer¡­ I didn¡¯t catch his name at all before now. It¡¯s the name of a brave kid.


    ¡®Brandr¡­¡¯ Evander throws something to me, but I barely react to it and the object smacks me in the face. I recognise the cloth around it, wrapped in leather straps.


    ¡®Watch out with that! It¡¯s very important after all¡­¡¯ I pull the leather straps from it, unveiling the shining Arc. My entire body still hurts all over, and my wound in my flank is still gushing out blood, but I cannot falter here.


    ¡®So¡­I can feel an awful presence coming from that girl, so I presume that she¡¯s the enemy¡­¡¯ Evander stands next to me, while something red appears in his left hand. I can feel the heat from its source¡­fire¡­


    ¡®¡­yeah. The spirit entered her body¡­¡¯ I feel vomit coming out of my mouth, but I resist throwing up here.


    ¡®That¡¯s¡­.¡¯ the blood from the old man nearly pulls from his face. ¡®¡­maybe it¡¯s for the better that she is the one being possessed.¡¯


    ¡®W-What?!¡¯ Anger nearly overcomes me. I can¡¯t believe what he¡¯s saying. ¡®What do you mean wi-¡®


    ¡®Silence, useless land-striders!¡¯ A demonic voice fills the area within seconds, gripping everyone (but Evander) with fear. ¡®You can have this conversation in the afterlife!¡¯ The spirit lifts Inna¡¯s arm up in the air, as tridents start appearing above her head.


    ¡®Watch out!¡¯ I shout as the old man grabs Dyer and Evander pushes me to the ground as tridents fly in out previous positions. I pick myself up and try to muster up as much possible magic into my sword. ¡®Ugh¡­ Come on!¡¯


    ¡®Lighting¡­¡¯ A quick mutter from Evander followed by a lightning strike that flies from his staff straight towards the body of Inna initiates our counterattack. The Abyss throws a wall of water in front of him as the lake starts to turmoil, turning into a body of its own.


    ¡®Hm?!¡¯ The magic gathers into one place, ready to be unleashed by my sword. I brace myself, ready to attack with a single strike. ¡®Take¡­¡¯ I swing the Arc behind me and use my body as leverage to throw as much momentum in the downwards swing. ¡®¡­that!¡¯ A massive magic wave flies from the Arc towards Inna, who was still dealing with her skirmish with Evander. She notices at the last moment that my attack is heading towards her. ¡®Y-Yes!¡¯ I already start my celebration of a successful attack, only to have my hopes shattered as it created another wall of water, bringing my attack to naught. ¡®Y-You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­¡¯


    The confidence sinks into my shoes, while Evander tries to keep Inns at bay with multiple elemental attacks, while she herself is constantly countering them by the use of tridents, water walls and typhoons pointed towards an Evander that dodges, attacks and counters with the skill of a veteran that has fought for over a thousand years without pause, honing his skill to near perfection. Evander doesn¡¯t need incarnation for the small spells, an only short ones for the quick attacks he uses to quickly attack his adversary without risking himself for battle. It¡¯s honestly an amazing fight that I could probably watch all day. Only we don¡¯t have a day, and defeat is equal to¡­death¡­ ¡®Hngh!¡¯ A small grunt comes from Evander, as the earth on the island starts shaking, and pillars of rock appear, stopping the multiple tridents flying for his head. ¡®Sol!¡¯ A flame accumulates in his hand and as he throws it high in the air, it starts shooting fireballs in all kinds of directions, turning the island into a sea of flames. The Abyss uses Inna¡¯s body to its extent, nimbly moving around the altar, narrowly dodging every attack, while using the waters of the lake to attack back in short counters. It is then that I notice something happening behind Evander in the waters, as if the lake is cooking at a specific point.


    ¡®E-Evander! Behind you!¡¯ I reach out to Evander, who¡¯s foot gets captured by the water, while water surfaces like pillars from two different spots, throwing themselves at Evander, who uses his magic in a quick move to cover himself with earth. It¡¯s a high-level magic battle, where only one outcome can be reached¡­ a defeat for my aged guide. A trident form above Inna¡¯s head, ready to pierce the barely guarded Evander. My body reacts before I can even think, as I throw my body in front of Evander, catching the spear right into my body.


    *drip*


    I can hear the blood dripping from my body. My throat feels hoarse, my legs weak and my body cold. A strong voice in the distance is keeping me awake, preventing me slipping into my unconsciousness. My vision sharpens bit by bit, revealing the unimaginable wound on my chest. I can still¡­see¡­it¡­pierce¡­me¡­


    ¡®Brandr! Wake up, dammit! Brandr!¡¯


    ¡®S-Shut¡­up¡­will¡­you¡­¡¯ I clench my sword tightly. Even in a state like this, my body doesn¡¯t want to give up. My body has been reacting to these events quicker than my mind. So, it¡¯s my mind¡­that¡¯s holding me back?¡¯ I shake the bad thought from my head, and glare at the Abyss in Inna, whom has a satisfied smile on his face, as if he finally passed the point of no return. ¡®This¡­is¡­nothing¡­¡¯If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    I hate everyone¡­


    A lingering voice in my head, completely pushed back into the safe that harbour my thoughts and feelings. I push it back in. ¡®Do¡­you really¡­think¡­I¡¯m¡­going to die¡­because of this! You should¡­go back¡­to your¡­fantasies!¡¯ I hold my sword as tightly as possible, and all the magic in the area gathers into one place. The Abyss realises what I am up to, and quickly send all the water and weapons in the vicinity at me, only to be blocked once again by Evander¡¯s quick judgement, using the earth to halt the attacks, while the Arc consistently gathers more and more magic inside it. ¡®You¡­are¡­not dealing¡­with¡­a normal¡­person¡­¡¯ I use all the strength in my body to raise my sword in the air. ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. My conscious is rapidly fading away, but I can pass out just yet. ¡®¡­radiate¡­Arc!¡¯ I release all the energy in my sword, which blindingly shines brighter than the sun itself, illuminating the dark morning sky with a beautiful light.


    ¡®W-What are you!¡¯ The Abyss inside Inna realises too late. I remember being able to keep Abyss at bay with this shine, so if I use it more effectively, I might¡­ ¡®Grrr¡­! You will pay for your insolence!¡¯ the Abyss screams as it escapes Inna¡¯s body and tries to push itself into the altar. It wants to take control of the Guardian again.


    ¡®I won¡¯t¡­let you!!!¡¯ I concentrate all the power in my sword and get ready to unleash its power with everything I¡¯ve got. ¡®You have enjoyed yourself for too long! Now¡­die! Illuminating¡­Strike!!!¡¯ I swing downwards to the earth, unleashing all the magic inside.


    ¡®Damn you¡­Hero!¡¯ The strike flies towards the small Abysmal body, and completely obliterates it at impact, leaving nothing behind as the magic disperse mid-air and returns to the sky.


    ¡®Damn¡­that¡­was¡­easier than¡­I thought¡­¡¯ I barely get out of my throat. I am beat.


    ¡®Is it over?¡¯ Evander looks released from whatever he was locked and stands next to me, as I suddenly fall through my knees. ¡®B-Brandr?!¡¯ I can only smile pitifully. I defeated the Abyss controlling Inna and the Guardian. In other words, I made the tridents disappear¡­including the one in my chest. Blood starts spitting out of my body, as well as my throat. ¡®Brandr, pull yourself together.


    ¡®I-It¡¯s...okay¡­just¡­¡¯ My consciousness is rapidly fading away. The world is turning pitch black, filled only by the voice of Evander that sounds like its in another country. I fall asleep, my body cold and tired from the night¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­


    ¡®Brandr¡­¡¯ the boy falls asleep in Evander¡¯s arms, his breathing shallow but still existent. ¡®I¡¯m no expert in healing, but I will try my best. Anima¡­¡¯ A single chant that escapes tiredly from Evander¡¯s lips is accompanied by a green and yellow light in his hand, which he uses to cover up Brandr¡¯s wounds. It¡¯s a lacklustre effort. ¡®Dammit¡­I should¡¯ve studied more healing magic.¡¯ He desperately ties to close the wounds, to no avail. ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡­Brandr¡­ It seems like¡­¡¯


    ¡®Sir Evander¡­¡¯ a familiar voice cuts of Evander¡¯s loud spoken thoughts. The older man has put down Dyer and offers Evander a bottle. ¡®Please¡­use this¡­It will help him heal.¡¯ Evander grabs it without second though and forces the fluid down the throat of the sleeping Brandr. His body responds to the fluid in seconds, as the wounds on his body regenerate.


    ¡®W-What is¡­¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s our trademark potion. The pride of this small village. I can close any wound on anybody. Our ¡®¡¯Dragonroot Potion¡¯¡¯.¡¯


    ¡®I see¡­¡¯ Evander thinks quietly. For now, Brandr is safe. Everyone can think rationall-


    ¡®Now that that is over with¡­it is time to pass judgement¡­¡¯ the old man says suddenly as he stands up, his vision darkened as he looks at the body of a young, unbeknownst girl¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­.


    A whole day passes.


    I vaguely remember the events that took place, but Evander kindly explained what happened. Apparently, the curse had been lifted, and I was saved by a special potion that kept me from dying. I am still amazed sometimes by the amount of luck I have. I am sure I should¡¯ve died already by now¡­


    The villagers prepared a thank-you for me by the time I got out of bed. They gave us a ton of stuff to carry with us, as well as samples of the potion that healed me. Three of them. I was thankful for that. When we were about to leave, Dyer came to me. He apologized for everything, but I told him I didn¡¯t mind. He saved me after all¡­


    Inna was still resting in her bed. Evander told me that she nearly became a vessel of both the Guardian and the Abyss. She could¡¯ve died. She should¡¯ve. But she didn¡¯t. I told them it¡¯s because of her strong will.


    We resumed our travels soon after, heading to Fireroot in order to get our first star. ¡®Say, Evander¡­¡¯ He turns towards me, while skilfully keeping the horses on the road. ¡®I¡¯m glad I was able to help these people¡­ I was reluctant, because I was only thinking about myself, but they have lives as well. They are just trying to get by, just as much as I am¡­¡¯ Evander only smiles and smokes his pipe as he returns his vision to the road.


    Yeah¡­I¡¯m glad¡­ I really think I did something good¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­.


    A magic circle appears on the ground of the forest of Perinia. Somewhere deep in the forest, where no one ever goes, a single man with a hood covering his face stands in front of the magic circle, chanting inhuman incarnations, until the silhouette of a beast appears, carrying more weight and power than the man could ever image for. The silhouette stretches his arm, and the man promptly takes it, as his body suddenly disappears along with the magic circle and the silhouette, leaving only pure corruption behind which the forest could never filter out. It will remain dead and corrupted until the days of the world are completely spent.


    ¡®My lord, I bring urgent news.¡¯ The man goes to his knees and takes of his hood. The face reveals the old man from the Perinia Village.


    ¡®Ah, Rador¡­ What is it the humans call you? Aaron? Alat?¡¯


    ¡®Adam, my lord, but what the humans call me is of no concern of mine. It is merely a cover for me to safely serve you.¡¯


    ¡®Ah, yes¡­ Adam. How have the humans been to you? Have you done something new? I¡¯d like to know. It peaks my interests¡­ Ah, I wish I could have a taste of all those delicious meals¡­pizza, spaghetti, ravioli. Ah, if only they tasted so good as the blood of Illuminians¡­¡¯


    ¡®It seems that your love for small talk hasn¡¯t faded yet, my lord. As always, you tend to side-track.¡¯ The demon Adam talks to chuckles loudly. ¡®I have come to report to you that the new Hero has departed the village, my lord. It has gone exactly as you planned. Your wonderful plan has stalled their movements.¡¯


    ¡®I see¡­good¡­good! A Hero will always be a Hero. You know what a Hero makes one, Rador? It¡¯s their inspiring will to help the weak and fragile. Using the corpse of the Guardian was a good call from you. Ah¡­ Heroes truly remain the same. They are blinded by their desire to help, so much so that they don¡¯t even realise that it¡¯s a fake voice talking to them. Now we can move to the final stage of the ritual.¡¯


    The demon talks continuously while Rador silently listens. The Guardian is long dead, taking over and murdered by Abyss. They projected a voice like the Guardian¡¯s into Brandr¡¯s head, begging for help. Never would Brandr have realised that it was a trap to stall time for the demon.


    ¡®My lord, I wonder was goes through your mind right now¡­¡¯ the demon stops his monologue and stares angrily at Rador, who doesn¡¯t look fazed, like a man that knows his friend more than he does himself, knowing when to back away and when not to. ¡®If we played our cards differently, we could¡¯ve prevented the Hero damaging the fake spirit, and we could¡¯ve used it to gather more energy for you.¡¯


    The demon chuckles once again, seemingly enjoying himself. ¡®There is no need, because that same Hero has nearly completed our ritual. The girl¡­because of his fight, that girl became a vessel, harbouring the remains of the Guardian. When we killed the Guardian, we kept her intact, using her body and making sure that it could carry our abysmal strength. But a spirit remains a spirit. It¡¯s not alive and cannot feel anymore, but the guardian now resides inside the girl, along with the Abyss that was inside the Guardian¡¯s body. We can use her to bring even more misfortune. Herself alone is more than enough. We don¡¯t even need the villagers anymore¡­¡¯


    ¡®I see¡­what shall we do with the rest of the villagers, my lord?¡¯


    ¡®Purge them. Craze their mind into killing each other. I want the boy and the girl alive. They are valuable assets.¡¯


    ¡®I will see to it, my lord.¡¯


    ¡®Make sure both of them will be tortured brutally. I need their sorrow. Misfortune obtained by pain still tops my personal list of most delicious sorrow. I love to see the faces of humans when they beg me to kill them to end their suffering.¡¯


    ¡®Your wish is my command¡­ I shall see to it, lord Juren-Kulei.¡¯ Rador stands up as his appearance change. No longer does he look like an old man, but more like a demon wearing a dark, long robe and demonically shaped necklaces.


    Juren-Kulei¡­ the name of the demon Rador was talking to steps out of the shadow, revealing a demonic golem, as much humanized as possible. ¡®Good¡­soon I will have enough power¡­to destroy this world and get my revenge¡­hahahaha...hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!¡¯ A demonic laugh escapes his mouth, lost into the darkness that is¡­the Abyss¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­..


    [It remains one of the most bizarre cases in the history of Illuminia. Within a single day, the entire village of Perinia ceased to exist. By the time the soldiers and investigators arrive, there wouldn¡¯t be a single person alive. A complete massacre, with the bodies of its former inhabitants spread all over the village, while the beautiful lake would be encountered in red, newly coloured by the blood of its former inhabitants. When the bodies are counted, only three people would be found missing. Inna, Dyer and Adam. Till this day...no one knows what happened¡­but I am sure that Abyss had something to do with this, which makes me wonder if I could¡¯ve done anything to prevent it¡­]

 Chapter 21 - ‘\’Onto the road once more’\’

    Chapter 21


    ¡®¡¯Onto the road once more¡¯¡¯


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­...*thud*¡­¡­¡­


    The wheel of the cart hits a single rock on the road, drawing my consciousness back to reality. ¡®Ha¡­¡­¡¯ My deep sigh quickly lost into the sky is enough to draw the attention of my companion guide.


    ¡®Ready to talk about your feelings now? The longer you wait, the bigger the payment will be. My sessions aren¡¯t cheap.¡¯ I cannot prevent a small laugh escape my mood, which seems to put him in a little bit of a better mood. ¡®Seems like it¡¯s working¡­¡¯ He slows the cart down and sits down next to me as we halt the cart onto the side of the road, giving the horses an unexpected but pleasant break to graze the grasses around them. ¡®Look¡­you did well. I¡¯m a veteran. I¡¯ve used magic for longer than you¡¯ve lived. Of course, it¡¯s going to be difficult for you to master, but it takes time. Nothing is mastered overnight, nor in a week. It takes years of-¡®


    ¡®-dedication, will and persistence. I know, I know, but I am just getting impatient. I am relying on my sword alone and a single attack that have been spamming at my enemies. It worked so far, but I feel like I¡¯m reaching the end of my luck well. I need-¡®


    ¡®-something else to rely on. I know that as well, but like I said, that doesn¡¯t come overnight. I can see you¡¯re really talented at it, because you pick things up very easily. It is so simple to teach you, but you tend to overthink your practical actions, resulting into failed attempts, flickering the biggest flaw you have as a person.¡¯ He takes a breath for a moment, and I can¡¯t help but gulp in negative anticipation. ¡®You really hang onto failures. Some have had graver consequences than others, but the moment you fail at something, you stop trying it all together. You give up to easily, and you¡¯re wasting your talents because of it.


    ¡®¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¯


    ¡®Ah¡­no, I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you, but I had to tell this to you straight.¡¯ He puts his hand on my shoulder, like a caring father consoling his son. ¡®I am proud of you. You¡¯re doing well, so not only for your own sake, but for mine as well. Let¡¯s keep going.¡¯ I only nod a few times as he suddenly grabs the Arc and gets out of the cart. ¡®Come, I want to try something with you.¡¯


    ¡®Ah¡­wait!¡¯ I hurry of the cart, my miserable mood momentarily forgotten by the sudden change of momentum.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­..


    Having given the horses some water to drink (Evander does that by just deploying a single long bucket in front of them and drain some of the grasses and other elements from their water. It does kill them instantaneously, but our horses are more important) we head a few yards into the green lush fields around us. It really is a picture of beauty, canvassed by the gods of this realm like a masterpiece painting. ¡®Evander¡­that is it you wanted?¡¯


    ¡®Practice.¡¯ He throws the Arc to me. ¡®Repetition brings retention. Wield your weapon. I want to see you focus gather the energy around you¡­¡¯ I nod quietly, unwrap the cloth around my weapon and hold it in front of me. ¡®Calm your mind, Brandr. Focus on your surroundings.¡¯


    I take a deep breath and close my eyes, shutting the world out. Only the deafening silence remains, as I can feel the presence of magic floating around me. It feels like a thin layer of silk, floating in the air. I can feel it wrap around me, like a sheet of silken cloth. A dangerous sheet of cloth. A few drops to many in my body could kill me. Yet I can breathe it in freely without feeling any danger or collapse in my body. Yes¡­it is strange indeed. I focus on my hands, which holds my weapons. It acts the same way my body. The Arc is a host to a greater power, as am I to a greater power. We are just a speck in this world¡­


    ¡®Brandr! Focus everything in your sword and strike!¡¯


    Evander¡¯s voice echoes through my concentration. I do as I am told, as the energy starts gathering into my sword. The density of my sword increases rapidly. Twofold¡­tenfold¡­until I feel like I reached maximum capacity. My sword is brimming with high-density energy. I feel my body take a natural stance to withstand the shockwave of realising such vast powers. I open my eyes and strike forward. ¡®Hah!¡¯ I raise my sword and swing down ferociously. A giant swing of magic blasts forwards into the distance, leaving a slice in the ground of which path it followed. Nature roars for an instant, before returning to its calm state. The state all living creatures look for. A state of rest¡­of low energy. That¡¯s what it always feels like when I concentrate heavily on assembling my magic. It feels like I¡¯m touching something of a higher sense of being. A power only tasted in a small amount, something that only has its surface scratched. ¡®I did it, Evander¡­although I have no idea what the point of that was¡­¡¯ We have done this multiple time, in order to get my body used to the state of attacking with magic.


    ¡®We¡¯ll get there¡­let¡¯s see¡­your limit was three times, right?¡¯ I nod. My body starts to show signs of damage after I use it for a third time. I tried to cross that line before, but my body started to break down completely. If Evander wasn¡¯t there to stop me¡­ ¡®Alright, give me one more.¡¯ I sigh and start to focus once again. That same feeling returns instantly. The touch of a power I never will understand. So many components¡­so many unsolved mysteries. So many- ¡®Above!¡¯ *SMACK* My thoughts interrupts and bounce inside my head, followed by an excruciating pain.


    ¡®GAH! What was that for?!¡¯ I drop my sword and hold my head in agony, as I open my eyes and look with a murderous intent at Evander, who doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s feeling any remorse for his extreme rude action.


    ¡®Stop whining and grab your weapon, Brandr.¡¯ I grunt at him as I grab the Arc. ¡®The first time you attacked using magic was a complete fluke. The second time you weren¡¯t the focus of the enemy. The third time, you were lucky because Abyss was cocky. Do you see the pattern? In a real battle, you shouldn¡¯t expect the enemy to wait until you have enough focus to attack. Do you remember when you rushed you strike?¡¯ I recall a memory back from quite a while ago. We were also training like this, but I tried to use my Illuminating Strike way to fast. The base of the attack crumbled like mud and lots its momentum way to fast. In other words, it was completely useless in battle. ¡®You need flexibility, both in technique and variety.¡¯


    ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ I hate to admit it, but he¡¯s absolutely right. ¡®So¡­what are we going to do about it?¡¯You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡®We? What are you going to do about it? I can only advice you and help you train, but I won¡¯t hold your hand until the end of the journey. You need to mature and grow yourself. Try to figure it out.¡¯ His voice is stern and disciplined. He was such a goofy character at first. He is even now. We joke around a lot. We constantly make fun of each other, and he can be such a man-child sometimes. But when it comes to serious matters like this, he turns ruthless and disciplined. I guess he is just rightly balanced as a person. Strict and fun.


    ¡®¡­I understand¡­¡¯ He puts a hand on my shoulder as I lower my head.


    ¡®Don¡¯t put yourself down like that. Just know that even if the world is against you, I still believe in you, Brandr.¡¯


    I don¡¯t know if he is just saying it to make me feel better¡­ ¡®Mhm!¡¯ ¡­but I don¡¯t mind hearing that from time to time¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­


    ¡®Seasons? What are those?¡¯ Evander asks in a rather surprised tone, something I am not used to since it¡¯s usually the other way around. When I talk about Edelweiss, it would put him into thought from time to time, but he never looks completely surprised like this.


    ¡®Ahh¡­¡¯ I randomly asked Evander what season we are in at the moment, since it is always such amazing weather. He loses his focus on the road as we ride the paved way towards our next destination. ¡®In my world, we have four seasons named summer, autumn, winter and spring. Every season has its climate and temperature. Like in summer, it¡¯s very warm, and in winter its start snowing. Uhm...do you know what snow is?'' He turns away from me again and starts riding.¡¯


    ''Of course, I know what snow is! I''m not stupid.'' Why would he react like that? This world doesn''t have winter, so I wouldn''t...wait, how can he know snow without winter?


    ''Say, Evander. When does is snow here?'' He strokes his beard, thinking.


    ''Randomly, I guess.'' He just said randomly... ''What about spring and autumn?'' Evander doesn''t turn my way, but he''s still interested.


    ''When it''s spring, all the plants will grow again what died in winter, and the animals will come out of their hibernation. Then after spring comes summer, which is basically the hot season with lots of sun, and after summer, autumn comes, and everything dies out again, and the animals prepare themselves for winter and hibernation.''


    He strokes his beard again. I have noticed it is kind of a habit of him the moment he starts thinking about something. ¡®What¡¯s hibernation exactly?¡¯ Ah¡­I guess he doesn¡¯t know since this world doesn¡¯t have any seasons.


    I stroke my non-existent beard¡­in other words, my chin, trying to imitate his recently discovered unusual habit. ¡®Since the plants die in the autumn and winter, small animals tend to harvest as much as food as possible and eat a lot. That is to make sure they don¡¯t starve in their sleep, as they rest until the entire winter passes and plants start to grow again, so that they can harvest again, and the cycle repeats.¡¯


    He strokes his beard again. ¡®I guess it does make sense that they would go to sleep for such a long period, but I wonder how they are doing it on a biological level¡­that would mean that they would have to lower their own body temperature and heartrate, in order to slow down the metabolism.¡¯


    I stroke my chi- ¡®Ow! What was that for?!¡¯ He hit me with his staff.


    ¡®Don¡¯t get cocky, runt.¡¯


    ¡®What was that?!¡¯


    ¡®You heard me, runt!¡¯


    ¡®Old man!¡¯


    ¡­we bicker like this for a while, until we both run out of energy¡­


    ¡®Anyway¡­what do you mean? Biological level? I don¡¯t understand.¡¯


    ¡®Oh yeah. I forgot that Medelkeiss isn¡¯t anywhere near Illuminia when it comes to advancements and evolution.¡¯


    ¡®What was that?!¡¯


    ¡®You heard me, runt!¡¯


    ¡®Old man!¡¯


    ¡­we bicker like this for a while, until we both run out of energy again¡­We¡¯re like little children sometimes¡­


    ¡®Anyway¡­what did you mean? you still didn¡¯t answer my question, Evander.¡¯


    ¡®Oh yeah. I forgot tha-¡®


    ¡®Okay, you stop right there.¡¯


    ¡®Tch¡­¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t act like a kid!¡¯


    ¡®Says the boy who can¡¯t grow a beard.¡¯ ¡­that hurt more that I thought it would¡­ ¡®Biological level. Imagine lowering your own heartrate and body temperature. Do you think you could do that?¡¯


    I think hardly, while resisting the urge to rub my chin and mock him. I don¡¯t want to be hit with a stick anymore. ¡®Well¡­animals are different from humans. So, they must be built differently, inside and out.¡¯ Evander nods his head. I guess he is pleased with my answer.


    ¡®A discretion is required!¡¯ Evander¡¯s words send a chill down my spine, as the image of him opening a poor, little squirrel gets engraved into my mind.


    ¡®Evander¡­you sound like a crazy person¡­¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re just a bit spineless. Sacrifices must be made in order to advance the Illuminian race!¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s exactly what a madman would say, Evander!!¡¯ I cry out to him.


    We switch from topic to topic like this all the time. We can¡¯t walk on a straight line, and always find some way to deprive from the original topic some way or another¡­


    ¡®Anyway¡­our next stop was Asonia or something? After everything that went down in Perinia, I don¡¯t feel like there is a single place I can have a normal rest,¡¯ I say as the temperature slowly starts dropping and goosebumps slowly form on my arms, which has been exposed by the fact that I rolled up my sleeves.


    ¡®That¡¯s mainly your own fault though.¡¯


    ¡®¡­wait, what do you mean with that!¡¯ I stand up in the cart, but quickly crouch down as the paved road and the carriage are anything but stable.


    ¡®Rakenia: You meddled with affairs you didn¡¯t need to stick you neck into. Caravan: Same as before. Perinia: Same as before.¡¯


    ¡®Ughh¡­¡¯ I hate how he¡¯s right¡­


    ¡®Anyway, our next destination is New Asonia, the capital of North Asonia and the biggest city of this province,¡¯ he tells me without even looking behind him. ¡®You can even see the walls from over here,¡¯ he points towards the city in the distance. Only a little bit more until we arrive at the city with a giant tower sticking far out of the city walls, covered in what looks like a ghastly mist. I presume these are there for an aesthetic reasoning.


    ¡®Mhm¡­¡¯ I don¡¯t particularly care about these things at the moment. It¡¯s just something that suddenly popped in my mind. We stay silent for a while, while a thin fog starts covering the area. ¡®Hm¡­is this amount of fog in the area normal?¡¯ I ask surprised. Evander just rubs his beard, which is a clear indication that something is fishy. ¡®Do you think its magic?¡¯ I have learned whenever something weird of outlandish happens, I should blame it on magic. I still don¡¯t know the properties of magic after all, so anything that is off probably is caused by it.


    ¡®Probably¡­ It doesn¡¯t feel like natural mist after all.¡¯


    ¡®I knew it!¡¯ And once again, I am right. I puff my chest, slightly tipsy with meaningless pride. ¡®By the way?¡¯ I ask Evander seriously. ¡®How in the world can you sense the difference between ¡®¡¯natural¡¯¡¯ and ¡®¡¯not natural¡¯¡¯? You couldn¡¯t sound more suspicious¡­¡¯


    We bicker for a while about meaningless things until the fog suddenly starts setting harder than I ever thought it could. We quickly lose the ability to see things right in front of you, forcing our carriage to a halt, in front of the city gates. ¡®E-Evander¡­¡¯ I barely see him in the mist, shrouding the city into a visionary illusion.


    ¡®Just stay in the carriage. I¡¯ll go check what is wrong,¡¯ he says as he jumps out of the carriage. I quickly move towards the edge to listen into a conversation between Evander and an unknown person. ¡®-so, you¡¯re not going to inform us why the gates have been closed?¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s like I said, sir. The city has been closed to outsiders because of official business. Please head back or take a different route towards your destination.¡¯ My eyesight starts to get a bit more used to the fog, as a giant wooden gate reveals itself in front of me, guarded by four silhouettes, double the amount when you usually guard a gate.


    ¡®You do know you¡¯re talking to Evander the Wise, right? I¡¯ll have a written report to the Queen about this behaviour.,¡¯ Evander says a little bit more agitated.


    ¡®The city has been closed to outsiders because of official business.¡¯


    ¡®You broken record¡­¡¯


    ¡®The city-¡®


    ¡®I will beat you with my staff!¡¯ Evander gets too agitated for his own good, so I pull him away from the guards.


    ¡®We won¡¯t forget this¡­¡¯ We slowly make our way to the carriage, but instead of driving away, Evander gets into the cart and throws me my sword. ¡®Oh my, what do we have here? What would the great Evander be plotting in his head?¡¯


    ¡®The same thing a little rascal like you would be planning?¡¯


    ¡®You know¡­just because I like where this is going¡­I¡¯ll let that slide.¡¯ Evander cloaks the carriage and we quietly sneak around the walls, looking for a blind spot to climb on.

 Chapter 22 - ‘\’Alterations’\’

    ¡®¡¯Alterations¡¯¡¯


    <hr>


    I climb up the wall, while my hands glow a faint bluish light. ¡®I can barely see anything¡­¡¯ I look down, but I haven¡¯t made any real progress. It felt like I have at least climbed about halfway, but I am barely from the ground. ¡®Well, I¡¯ve got to keep goi-!¡® A strong gust of wind interrupts me and breaks my concentration, which blows the bluish light of my hands as I plummet down to the ground in spectacular fashion as I land on my back. ¡®Gah! Aaahhh~ that hurts like hell¡­¡¯


    ¡®You¡­really suck at this¡­¡¯ Evander looks down to me, while he¡¯s sitting on the carriage.


    ¡®I don¡¯t see you climbing up a 10-meter wall, you bastard!¡¯


    [half an hour earlier¡­


    ¡®Seriously, how are we supposed to break in? That wall is at least 8 meters!¡¯ Evander looks up the wall.


    ¡®It¡¯s probably 10 meters.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re not helping the case, geezer!¡¯ Since we couldn¡¯t get in the normal way, we decided to break in. There¡¯s only one problem. ¡®So, how are we supposed to break in?¡¯ I ask my question again, while Evander strokes his beard.


    ¡®We could burst through the gate.¡¯ I grab my shoe and throw it at him, but he catches it flawlessly, and confidently throws it back.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be retarded! If you want to storm the city, go right ahead, but don¡¯t involve me in your death wish!¡¯


    ¡®What did you say, runt!¡¯ We start arguing again about nothing. We stay like that a little bit, until we grow tired of fighting.


    ¡®Haah¡­haah¡­say Evander¡­let¡¯s climb the wall¡­¡¯ I can barely speak with this heavy breathing.


    ¡®Alright¡­let¡¯s do it¡­¡¯


    A little while later, we find a blind spot from the guard at the wall. ¡®So, how are we going to do it?¡¯ Evander asks me the ultimate question, something I¡¯ve been pondering with the moment we decided to break through.


    ¡®Do you have a wall-climbing spell or something?¡¯ He looks annoyed at me. Figured.


    ¡®You really think that magic is something that falls out of the air, don¡¯t you? Listen, you know the basics, so I¡¯m pretty sure you can think of something yourself, right?¡¯


    ¡®¡­¡¯ I am silent. I have nothing to say to this but: ¡®What basics?¡¯ His jaw flies open. ¡®If you mean about the fact that you need a magic item as a filter, then yeah, but that¡¯s all.


    He facepalms himself and groans. ¡®I am stupid. I thought you already knew the basics for some reason. Argh, we don¡¯t have time for a complete lesson, but just know that you are extremely talented.¡¯ I scratch my head for a moment, completely clueless about what he is talking about. ¡®Let¡¯s just say that you can make magic ¡®¡¯stick¡¯¡¯ to things if you know the right spell and the right mental image. I don¡¯t know if the Arc can do that though, so just take this for now.¡¯ He hands me a small wand. ¡®Given the way you¡¯ve been fighting and taking the history stories about the Arc, I can safely assume it¡¯s a Magic Item that can only convert Unique Magic.¡¯


    ¡®U-Unique Magic? What are yo-¡®


    ¡®Shush, boy. I¡¯m thinking.¡¯ I go silent. He¡¯s like a teacher for the moment. ¡®Okay, it¡¯s time for a very rapid lesson, but it¡¯s time for you to learn real magic.¡¯


    ¡®R-Real magic¡­?¡¯


    ¡®Well, what you have been doing has been real, but I guess this is going to be a little bit more creative. It usually takes quite a while to learn it, but when I said that you were talented, I meant it. You are extremely talented.¡¯


    ¡®W-What¡­?¡¯ I quietly blush by his sudden praise. I have no idea what he¡¯s talking about, but having Evander praise me¡­it¡¯s a nice feeling.


    ¡®Brandr¡­I¡¯m going to teach you Alternating Magic!¡¯ I gulp as I repeat the words in my mind. Alternating Magic¡­ ¡®You¡¯re probably confused, but with that wand, I¡¯m pretty sure you easily start making some magic that will literally make you ¡®¡¯stick¡¯¡¯! I stay silent as he starts explaining.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure you remember the theory of magic and the magic items. That they¡¯re filters for our body to convert magic into something viable for us to you. It becomes part of our body, our system once converted, and it can be used to create whole new things.¡¯ He takes a big breath and conjures a flame out of his hand. ¡®Using the magic that has been converted in my body, and I use my own imagination to ¡®¡¯unleash¡¯¡¯ the energy in a new form. Like I just did with the flame. In the same sense, you can use it to create other thing beyond the mind of the elements.¡¯ He releases the flames and with another big breath, creates a glow of blueish light in his hand. ¡®It requires creativity, imagination, will, concentration, desire and the right amount of magical outlet in order to bring about fascinating things.¡¯ Evander starts walking to the wall and places his glowing hand above his head onto it, and pulls himself up, supporting his body by putting his legs onto the wall as well.


    ¡®I-I can¡¯t believe it¡­you¡¯re actually stuck!¡¯


    ¡®You haven¡¯t been in Illuminia long enough if you¡¯re impressed by this.¡¯ He releases himself from the wall by fading the blueish light.


    ¡®Quick question!¡¯ I instinctively raise my hand.


    ¡®What is it?¡¯


    ¡®Why do you chant when you make magic if you can just make flames without saying anything?¡¯


    He smiles, so I guess he¡¯s happy that I asked him that. ¡®You are absolutely right. Why would I chant when I can easily conjure magic like that? The answer is¡­I don¡¯t need to.¡¯ He looks confused at him as he continues explaining. ¡®I tend to chant when I use more difficult magic or magic out of my comfort zone. It¡¯s to focus myself and saying my chants helps me build up a proper image in my head.¡¯


    ¡®So, it helps you focus¡­¡¯ I guess that makes sense.


    ¡®Now, it¡¯s your turn to try.¡¯


    ¡®M-Me?!¡¯


    ¡®No, the tree in the background, of course you, dunce.¡¯ He walks behind me and sits down while smoking his pipe. ¡®Creativity, imagination, will, concentration, desire and the right amount of magical outlet.¡¯Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡®O-Okay¡­¡¯ I clench the wand in my hand and close my eyes, trying to focus on¡­something. Trying to find the same feel as I grasp the Arc in my hand, the magic flowing around me. My body familiarizes once again with the surroundings, feeling the magic swirl around me. This is it, the magic I have been looking for. When I have the Arc, I always try to keep the magic inside my sword and never let it enter my body too much, but now I have to keep in inside me and convert it.


    ¡­


    There! It feels extremely weird. Like another soul entering your body and occupying it. ¡®Focus, Brandr.¡¯ I can hear a familiar voice in the background, but I pay no attention to it. I lock the magic inside my body and without realizing, drop the wand on the ground, as I direct the energy towards my hands and feet. Stick. Stick. Stick. I shout it as much as possible in my head as I form the mental image. Luckily, Evander gave me a template to work with. A blue light, engulfing my hands and feet, until the image gets firm into my head and body.


    ¡®Excellent work, Brandr. You keep on impressing me.¡¯


    Opening my eyes, I see and feel a blueish light surrounding my hands. ¡®E-Evander! I-I¡­¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t celebrate too much and focus, Brandr!¡¯ He startles me as I return my focus to my own hands, as the light slowly diminishes away. I try to focus as much as possible, but the concentration has already faded. The light disappears completely. ¡®If you lose concentration, it¡¯ll disappear¡­¡¯


    ¡®But you were talking to me earlier with it!¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s because I¡¯m over hundreds of years old with more knowledge than you can even fathom.¡¯


    ¡®Okay, o¡¯ wise deccenia man~!¡¯


    ¡®What I¡¯m trying to say, you empty vase, is that I have been using magic longer than you¡¯ve been alive, so I am far more skilled in that and can keep my magic and concentration up for far longer periods that you.¡¯


    ¡®I see¡­I guess you¡¯re right¡­¡¯ He nods. ¡®I¡¯m not ignoring the fact that you just called me an empty vase, you geezer!!¡¯ I throw my shoe once again, and yet again he catches it marvellously before returning it to me.


    ¡®Go crawl like a spider!¡¯ Evander tells me from the carriage he leisurely smokes his pipe and rubs his beard.


    ¡®Alright.¡¯ I pick up the wand from the ground and close my eyes again, focusing on the magic around me. Everything goes a lot quicker once you¡¯ve done it before. The magic successfully gathers inside me as I lock it in my body. Without muttering a word, I start to guide the magic to my hands and form the same mental image as Evander¡¯s example. ¡®Hah¡­¡¯ I slowly open my eyes again to see the light radiate around my hands and feet. ¡®Like a spider!!!¡¯ I put the wand in my pocket and run towards the wall, sticking against it with my hands and feet while I crawl up like a spider. It goes extremely slow and tedious as my muscles start aching after a meter or so. A strong gust suddenly blows me from my grip as I plummet to the ground.


    ¡®Shoot!¡¯ I get back up, but the spell has already worn off. I lost my concentration completely with that fall. ¡®Again!!!¡¯ I grab the wand out of my pocket and start focusing once more, closing my eyes and letting the magic channel through me.¡¯


    <Evander>


    The light slowly returns around Brandr¡¯s hands and feet as he charges to the wall. ¡®I can¡¯t believe that I would ever see someone as talented as him again¡­¡¯ mutters out of my mouth without thought. Most people struggle so much with the basic steps of magic, using the magic item as a filter and converting it into their own. He didn¡¯t even realise that he did it without the wand on his first try and now he conjures magic like it¡¯s second nature. ¡®This boy¡­he can save the world¡­I¡¯m sure of it.¡¯ I slip out of my mouth confidently as I stand up, only to see him plummet down again and start conjuring his Alternation Magic. ¡®Too bad he¡¯s stupid.¡¯


    I climb up the wall, while my hands glow a faint bluish light. ¡®I can barely see anything¡­¡¯ I look down, but I haven¡¯t made any real progress. It felt like I have at least climbed about halfway, but I am barely from the ground. ¡®Well, I¡¯ve got to keep goi-!¡® A strong gust of wind interrupts me and breaks my concentration, which blows the bluish light of my hands as I plummet down to the ground in spectacular fashion as I land on my back. ¡®Gah! Aaahhh~ that hurts like hell¡­¡¯


    ¡®You¡­really suck at this¡­¡¯ Evander looks down to me, while he¡¯s sitting on the carriage.


    ¡®I don¡¯t see you climbing up a 10-meter wall, you bastard!¡¯]


    I recast the magic again with the exact same process and start to sprint (yes, sprint) up the wall, actually getting me farther than I thought I could get, but cruel nature blows another strong wind and I almost drop to the ground as I get released from the wall and try to grab the wall instinctively. I don¡¯t drop down. ¡®Huh, what the-!¡¯ I look at my hands, were the light is slowly diminishing. ¡®Crap, I need to focus!¡¯ I completely forgot I also had the magic surrounding my hands and as I regain my focus, I start to crawl like a madman onto the wall until I make the top. ¡®Hah¡­hah¡­phew, just made it¡­¡¯ I lie on my back, completely tired of all that climbing.


    ¡®You sure took your sweet time.¡¯ Of course, for some damn reason, this idiot is already up. ¡®I¡¯m not even going to question this¡­¡¯ My vision shifts to a familiar sound. Footsteps in the distance. ¡®Crap, guards! Evander, what are we gonna do?!¡¯ I look around, only to realise he has disappeared. ¡®E-Evander?!¡¯ The mist is really thick, so I can¡¯t see where he went. ¡®Crap! Uhm!¡¯ I think as hard as I can. ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯ I grab the wand from my pocket and quickly focus the magic around my entire body. If I can make the magic stick to things, I can make it do all sorts of things. Evander said it himself. Creativity, imagination, will, concentration, desire and the right amount of magical outlet. I have the will, the concentration, the desire and creativity. I just need the right imagination¡­the correct mental image and use the right amount of magic to make sure I don¡¯t self-destruct. ¡®Lighter¡­lighter¡­¡¯ The magic shrouds my body and feels like it hardens as I take a leap of the wall into the town. ¡®Work!¡¯ I descend downwards the 10-meter in a slow-fall and soon touch down to the ground, where I notice Evander already smoking his pipe as he sits on a barrel, like he just teleports wherever he wants to go to.


    ¡®Well, took you long enough again. You really need to get faster in these things,¡¯ he says annoyingly, while he cannot suppress his smile. I have no idea what¡¯s going on with him.


    ¡®You oaf, you should be impressed by the fact I did that! I should be showered in praise, but instead you keep vanishing when I need you most!¡¯ I whisper as loud as I can.


    ¡®Did you need me though? Seems like you¡¯re doing just fine by yourself.¡¯


    ¡®Hphm!¡¯


    ¡®Anyway, better keep quiet from now. We¡¯re in territory we shouldn¡¯t be in. They don¡¯t know us, and that works in both or advantage and disadvantage.¡¯ He has a point, no one will recognize us, but if someone starts to question if we belong here or not, they¡¯ll try to kick us out.


    Evander starts to walk out of the alley, so I quickly follow him. ¡®Alright, we have to be extra careful, and not draw any suspicion to us.¡¯ The moment we walk out of the alley, Evander stumbles on someone. It¡¯s a guard. That idiot, he¡¯s already starts drawing attention. When we both look up, we look right in the face of the guards. They¡¯re the same guards as the ones at the gate. We all stay silent of a few seconds.


    ¡®W-What are you guys doing here¡­?¡¯ The guard questions us. We¡¯re only a few minutes in the city, and we¡¯re already busted. We both don¡¯t say a thing, and then:


    ¡®RUUUNNN!!!¡¯ Both Evander and I dash away as fast as possible.


    ¡®W-Wait, you bastards!¡¯ The guard shouts something, but we¡¯re already far away. We¡¯re both running as fast as we can.


    ¡®Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit!!!¡¯ We take as many corners as possible, trying to shake the trail.


    ¡®Evander, you fool! You got us busted in seconds!¡¯


    ¡®H-How could I know they would be here?!¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s your fault to run in the open like that anyway!!!¡¯ We¡¯re not thinking rationally again, as we shout at each other through the streets of New Asonia.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    After a long time of pure straight running, we halt in a nearby alley. ¡®Haah¡­haah¡­ I¡¯m running too much out of breath today.¡¯ This is all Evander¡¯s fault. ¡®So, what do you think what will happen?¡¯ Evander, who looks awfully pale and in pain, raises his hand, telling me to wait. ¡®Wow¡­Are you okay? You look horrible.¡¯ He sits down, gasping for air.


    ¡®They¡¯re probably¡­going to search for us. Make us wanted or something.¡¯ He forces himself to speak, but what I hear isn¡¯t exactly reassuring.


    ¡®I¡¯ve never been wanted¡­this is kind of exciting.¡¯ My fantasies go wild for a moment. ¡®Brandr, the wanted Hero¡­it has a nice ring to it.¡¯ Evander hits me with his staff before I completely get drawn in my fictional world.


    ¡®Don¡¯t forget our goal. I think it¡¯s best to figure out this mist, and why the city is in lockdown.¡¯


    I nod at his proposal. ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯

 Chapter 23 - ‘\’Looming darkness in the streets of New Asonia’\’

    ¡®¡¯Looming darkness in the streets of New Asonia¡¯¡¯


    <hr>


    We quietly roam the streets, blending in with the native people of the city. A tense atmosphere hangs in the misty streets, as people, deprived from any energy, gloom around. The mist is not as thick as outside the city, but still dense, making it hard to see into the distance. ¡®Evander¡­this mist¡­ What do you think caused this?¡¯


    ¡®I only know one person who could have the potential to bring something like this, but not only is he a good person by heart, he isn¡¯t specialised in Manipulation Magic, nor has the magic item that can bring such powers,¡¯ Evander says as I notice his skin had gotten paler.


    ¡®Are you feeling okay, Evander. You look like you¡¯ve aged at least a good thirty years.¡¯ I reach out to his face, but he calmly puts my hand down.


    ¡®Speak for yourself. You look sicker than most of the people here.¡¯


    ¡®I do?!¡¯ I look at my hands. They do look a lot paler than before, but I feel just fine, unlike Evander who looks like he¡¯s struggling to keep himself standing straight. ¡®I guess I look horrible, but my energy levels are as normal as they can get!¡¯


    ¡®I see...that¡¯s good, because I¡¯m definitely napping after today,¡¯ he says with a blank expression.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here!¡¯ I flex my arm muscle as a show of dependence, which only seems to please Evander.


    ¡®Yes, yes. You are good enough to be my servant.¡¯ I punch his side for his trouble. ¡®Ouch.¡¯ He keeps on smiling though, with his weak eyes twinkling for some reason. ¡®Anyway, we have to get to the bottom of this.¡¯


    ¡®You said something about a person who could do this. Who is it?¡¯


    ¡®A man named Jenar, a former pupil of mine, but he¡¯s a kind-hearted man. He became the governor of New Asonia, but I have no idea why he would do this.¡¯


    ¡®Maybe he didn¡¯t¡­¡¯ Evander looks surprised at me as I remember the events of Perinia Village. The Guardian¡­that got possessed by Abyss. ¡®Jenar could¡¯ve been possessed or something by Abyss. They are everywhere I noticed lately, so I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if something similar has happened.¡¯


    Evander rubs his beard. ¡®I guess that would be plausible¡­ Okay, let¡¯s act on your hunch then.¡¯


    I feel something lift me up in my heart. ¡®I won¡¯t let you down!¡¯ I nearly shout in an upbeat voice. I¡¯m just glad that he has so much trust in me now, to just blindly go with my assumptions.


    ¡®Calm down, will you?¡¯ he tells me whispering as I finally notice some people are looking in my direction with strange, tired looks before they return to their business. ¡®We don¡¯t know who could be on the enemy¡¯s side. Let¡¯s try to play it cool.¡¯ I silently nod.


    ¡®So, where do you think Jenar would be?¡¯


    ¡®Where do you think?¡¯ Evander says as he points towards the glaringly large tower in the middle of the city.


    ¡®Obviously there. That tower just screams ¡®¡¯My evil lair is located at the highest floor of this tower, filled with traps, traps and I guess more traps¡¯¡¯.¡¯


    ¡®It really does, but we got to start somewhere, am I right?¡¯ Evander says, shrugging his shoulders.


    ¡®Got a point there¡­¡¯ We set our destination for the tower¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Lord Jenar has denied any access near the tower. If you have any business, please address your problem at city hall,¡¯ the guard says with the most monotone voice you¡¯ll ever hear.


    ¡®Geh...we¡¯ve been hit with the standard procedure¡­ Evander, what now?!¡¯ I panic unnecessarily.


    He drags me away from the guard back into the crowd and lowers his voice to the point only I can barely hear him. It probably also has to do with the fact that he looks sicklier every passing moment. ¡®We have to create a distraction. I¡¯ll-¡®


    ¡®No, you won¡¯t. You look like you¡¯re dying just by breathing. You should rest and have some faith in me.¡¯ He already trusted my hunch; I want to do just for him. I want to make him proud.


    ¡®Brandr, I-¡®


    ¡®Hush¡­believe in me a little bit.¡¯


    ¡®Alright, I will hide somewhere and rest, but you do you plan to get through?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll¡­think of something along the way.¡¯ I¡¯ve been hanging so much around you Evander; I am sure I¡¯ll be able to figure something out with inspiration alone¡­is what I never could say to his face. I¡¯d be too embarrassed. ¡®You just take a rest.¡¯ I help him to an alleyway and let him sit on a small box. ¡®Just rest here.¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry to much about me. I¡¯ll catch up to you as soon as I can.¡¯ I nod at his words as I see him close his eyes. I need to quickly get rid of this mist in order to cure everyone¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­...


    ¡­


    I hide in the alleys and move through small crowds as I scout the area around the tower. I halt at a certain point, as I hear a passing conversation. ¡®We¡¯re looking for two persons. A young boy with amber hair, accompanied by an elder, with a grew-brown beard accompanying him.¡¯ Crap, they already started their search. I don¡¯t have anything to cover my hair, so I¡¯ll have to move quickly. Suddenly, some guards start heading my way slowly. Did I already draw suspicion? I pick up the pace, and start heading in a nearby alley, and dash as fast as possible. I try to shake the off, and when I look back, I can¡¯t see them anymore.


    ¡®Did I lose them?¡¯ Due the mist, my sight is bad, so I almost fail to notice someone in front of me. The moment I notice him, I jump backwards, and dash the other way, zigzagging through the streets and alleys. I don¡¯t know who that was, but I can¡¯t take any risks right now. I have no idea where I am anyway, or how far I am from the tower, but I probably widened the distance. I get back on the streets and move through more small crowds. I successfully escaped them, but when I get to the tower, I notice that the guards are much harder to pass then before. Did they increase the guard amount of the tower? ¡®Looks like we¡¯re back on track, but I need to find an opening¡­¡¯ I think for a moment. What would Evander do. ¡®Either something reckless of overcautious.¡¯ I look around, until an idea pops in my head.


    It takes a while, but I successfully climb up one of the roofs. Quite sure they wouldn¡¯t bother too much with the roofs since no one in this town has the energy to even properly walk around. I get a little bit exciting. I¡¯ve never jumped roof to roof before, so if I fall, I probably will die. ¡®Begone, bad thoughts¡­¡¯ It¡¯s all or nothing. I take a head start and jump across the roof. I make it properly, which gives me the confidence to jump on another, and another and so on. I keep my momentum like this, and when I¡¯m about to be spotted, I quickly hide by lying down. ¡®So far, so good.¡¯ I keep my momentum up like this, until I arrive a few roofs away from the square where the tower is. It¡¯s in complete lockdown. Every entrance point has some guards stationed making sure that people don¡¯t get in. ¡®Okay, what can I do¡­¡¯ I get down off the roof, thinking about my next move until I suddenly see a lot of movement from the crowd towards the square, followed by an explosion coming from the other side. The townspeople panic and start running around like headless chickens. My gut feeling says that this is my only chance, as I quickly slip into the crowd that overload the guards and flee into the square. I slide through the distressed folks of people and make my way down a door unguarded due to the panic that is happening as I slip inside the building and barricade the door.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡®Infiltration complete¡­¡¯ My mind goes towards the explosion. I can bet that Evander saw me and gave me an opening to work with. ¡®Thank you¡­old friend¡­¡¯ I must get back to him alive so we can continue our journey. Without him, I¡¯d be hopeless after all. I look around the large interior of this round tower, that is stuffed with filled bookcases, furniture, a fireplace and small models of animal skeletons. The air is dry, with absolute silence falling on my shoulder, sending shivers down my spine. The feeling of a ghost just popping up is increases to alarming levels. ¡®Calm down, Brandr¡­it¡¯s okay¡­there is no ghost here¡­¡¯ I notice a stairway going up. ¡®Jenar is probably on the highest floor¡­¡¯ I fearfully step on the stairs leading up the tower¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡®W-W-Why did he¡­build it¡­so large¡­¡¯ After a while of constantly running upstairs, I start to reach my true limits. I can¡¯t walk like this, it¡¯s too long. That Jenar probably has amazing leg muscles, if he walks them constantly. ¡®I need to watch out for his kicks¡­¡¯ They¡¯ll probably hurt like hell. I just have to keep on walking upstairs. The clock house stairs echo my footsteps as I try to climb the stairs as fast possible (that means very slowly). The walls are full of books, writing equipment, and a lot of other things that probably to do with magic. ¡®This guy takes his studies serious¡­ Does he ever go out?¡¯ Which each level I climb, I notice the books and mannequins and models get weirder and weirder. The titles of the books start getting more demonic, while I see a lot of tools used by doctors and models turning from animals to human ones, from the ones with only bones to real-life looking ones with what looks like skin. I dare not to touch a single one of these, so I keep on walking, until at some point, it starts to get a little misty. It isn¡¯t regular mist¡­it¡¯s purple. ¡®What in the world¡­¡¯ I hold my breath, but after trying to breathe it, it feels safe. At least it isn¡¯t poisonous, but what is this guy doing¡­?¡¯ The chills in my body only get more severe with each passing moment¡­ Until I reach the highest floor¡­


    The place is round like the tower, but the aura is extremely sinister. At the end of the room is a single man chanting something with a staff in his hand, giving off a purplish glow, the same colour as the mist that has engulfed this tower. I can almost taste the danger that radiates from that staff. It seems like my hunch was correct¡­ Suddenly, Jenar turns around, while his eyes glow completely purple.


    ¡®You!¡¯


    ¡®Kyah!¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ve been expecting you¡­Hero of IIlluminia¡­¡¯


    ¡®¡­how does everyone know I-¡®


    ¡®Your exploits are well known in the Abyss¡­putting the Guardian¡¯s corpse of Perinia to the sword, and ¡®¡¯saving¡¯¡¯ the small town. You truly are a noble person.¡¯


    ¡®Perinia¡­Guardian¡­corpse?! What do you-!¡¯


    ¡®Silence, brat!¡¯ Words of power echo though the room, succumbing me to my knees. With just the utter of a single word, he put me down. His words still ring in my ears. Something about a Guardian corpse. What does he mean? I must force it out of him.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Jenar. I¡¯ll destroy that staff¡­and save you¡­¡¯


    ¡®Save him? You really don¡¯t know anything, brat!¡¯ Jenar waves his staff in a wide arc, and wind just blasts me to the back of the room. ¡®Don¡¯t think I am done yet. Al Vire Dok!¡¯ A small black ball forms into his hand, as he flicks it towards me. I quickly grab my Arc and rush forward, blocking the ball with my sword.


    ¡®Don¡¯t underestimate me! Radiate, Arc!¡¯ The greatsword lights up slightly, but nothing more. A candlelight at best. ¡®Wha-! Radiate!¡¯ I focus even more and try to build all my energy into my sword, which barely reacts. ¡®Why on earth¡­¡¯


    ¡®Haven¡¯t you noticed, you brat. That there is no magic in this room? You are thicker than I thought. How in the world were you able to defeat that Guardian rip-off?¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t think you can beat me that easily!¡¯ I smack the ball upwards by leaning backwards and lifting my sword up.


    ¡®Good, it seems you¡¯ve got some fight left in you. It wouldn¡¯t be fun if you didn¡¯t!¡¯ He makes three other balls out of his staff and launches them to me.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t I just say¡­I¡¯m not that easily to beat?!¡¯ I dodge all three of them by a hair¡¯s breadth, and charge towards him. ¡®Royal sword play, two hands!¡¯ I step into him, and thrust my sword upwards, following by a swing downwards, while jumping back, all after each other. He blocks all my attacks with his staff, proving its resilience, so I jump to my left, and then back to my right, closing the distance between us. ¡®Block this!¡¯ I feint a swing to his left, but spin around, and attack his right. He blocks it, but I let go of my sword and with a flawlessly preformed grapple, I throw him to the ground, and grab my sword in mid-air, and thrust it down. As expected, he blocks with his staff, but that was according to plan. I place my foot under his staff and kick it up with all my might. It flies in front of me, and I hit it away from him, and put my sword by Jenar¡¯s neck. ¡®Game over¡­Abyss¡­¡¯ I win, since he doesn¡¯t have a host to fight with anymore, but for some reason, he laughs.


    ¡®Don¡¯t think you have defeated me with just that. I can do much more, even with this body.¡¯ I suddenly feel a push in my stomach, and in seconds I get blown against the ceiling.


    ¡®Gah!¡¯ The impact goes through my entire body and fall face-down to the ground. He casually grabs the staff, pointing it towards me.


    ¡®It seems like the entire fiasco in Perinia was just a misunderstanding. To think a little brat like you could defeat a spirit like that¡­¡¯ Jenar points the staff at my face, as another purplish light grows between my eyes.


    ¡®What the hell have you been talking about? Guardian corpse? Rip-off? What do you mean with that?!¡¯ I shout, and the purple ball of light starts fading away, as he grabs my collar and pulls me up with one arm. The strength in Jenar¡¯s body is unreal, for him to do something like that.


    ¡®You really didn¡¯t realise? You must be stupider than I thought.¡¯ He swings my body effortlessly and throws me against the wall. I spit out blood, my body limp from the pain. ¡®That your stop in Perinia was a part of out trap. We wanted you to stay in Perinia and fight that Guardian. You fell right into our trap.¡¯ My body slips to the ground, every muscle in my body screaming in pain.


    ¡®W-wait¡­what? But¡­¡¯ I rummage through my head, trying to tie his words with my experience. ¡®He called me¡­the Guardian came into my dreams and cried for help. Help to vanquish the Abyss out of him. I saved the village because I did so!¡¯


    ¡®Yes, indeed. You headed the call of a dead Guardian in order to help a inside-agent of ours to take a big step in our ritual to summon your demise.¡¯


    ¡®Dead¡­Guardian? I-¡­¡¯


    ¡®The great general killed that Guardian long ago, and we simply used its corpse to stage the play! The great ritual was going to be complete, and we would rule these lands! That damned Abysmal Guardian was becoming uncontrollable though, and we needed it to be put down, but luckily, you came along and destroyed it, so we could use it¡¯s dead heart to steal the souls we needed¡­¡¯


    I slowly get back on my feet, using my sword as a walking stick. ¡®R-ritual? Souls? What did you do in Perinia?¡¯


    A wide, evil grin forms onto the face of Jenar. ¡®We killed everyone¡­¡¯


    My mind goes dark for a moment. The cold shivers shooting through my spine, my muscles trembling, my mind shattering, as the memories of the village pop into my head. Inna¡­Dyer¡­Adam¡­ It was short, but I did care about them. They helped me get stronger. To save their village¡­all for nothing¡­because of me¡­? ¡®Aah¡­hah¡­.¡¯


    ¡®Everything was done in order to finish the ritual, so we may bring back the great 3<sup>rd</sup> General of Abyss, the King of Golems¡­


    Juren-Kulei.¡¯ Jenar starts laughing maniacally, but his words fall onto deaf ears¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    *thumb¡­thumb* the beating of a broken heart. Voices that were never heard. Brandr was lost in his own darkness, blaming himself, cursing himself for the deaths of hundreds, including close ones. He thought that if he didn¡¯t arrive, nothing would¡¯ve happened. That it was his fault. Once again, rather than saving anyone, he was the reason people died¡­ His heart¡­couldn¡¯t take it¡­


    Jenar failed to notice that a change began to occur in the young man. A dark force was engulfing the young Hero, who already started losing his mind to his negativity. If Brandr was the Hero, and Abyss feeds on negative emotions, the two forces combined would bring havoc and destruction.


    ¡®You need it, don¡¯t you?¡¯ A familiar voice spoke to Brandr.


    ¡®¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡¯ He didn¡¯t respond. He couldn¡¯t respond.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Ill make sure to get revenge for you, and take over your body as a payment!!¡¯


    ¡®Aahhh...hahh...HAAAAAAA!!!¡¯ And with a single scream, his heart collapsed¡­¡¯

 Chapter 24 - Black and White Vision

    Chapter 24


    ¡®¡¯Black and White Vision¡¯¡¯


    <hr>


    Cold air fills the room. A darker, gripping, menacing power overshadowed the mist of Jenar. A chill that cuts through skin, a burn that penetrates the skin and scorches the muscles. Jenar¡¯s eyes fall on a boy whose eyes have gone dark and lifeless, desolate of hope and light, filled with only the tears of remorse and regret. A shaken voice that utters no words, but only the pained moans of a boy that seems himself more unfortunate that anyone else.


    Jenar looks at him with surprised due the sudden change in his opponent. ¡®¡­¡­¡­what in the world happened to-!¡¯


    ¡®!!!¡¯ in a blink of an eye, a single beast possessed by Abyss elbows Jenar, sending him flying towards the wall. The beast is Brandr, having lost control over his heart and spirit, broken by the fact that he indirectly caused the deaths of hundreds. Now only a shell of himself, he only has one target, which he jumps to in one swift step, grabs by the chest, and with one hand swings over his body and smacks against the ground.


    ¡®Gaah! How dare you-!¡¯ Brandr smacks him against the wall next to him and throws him to the other side once again.


    ¡®RAAAHHH!!!¡¯ He grabs his sword, which completely changes in form as he shrouds it in dark matter. ¡®!!!¡¯ Without a mutter, he gathers mass and magic and swings it with rage towards Jenar, who flies towards the wall towards the high sky over the town square. ¡®ARGH!!¡¯ Brandr jumps after him and in an instant that can¡¯t be matched by the eye, impales his gigantic sword into the body of Jenar as the plummet down to the ground.


    ¡®Grrr¡­you fool! Do you really think you have me like this?! You¡¯re a brat, and that¡¯s final!¡¯ Jenar casts something in his hand, and places it near the chest of Brandr, who grabs his extended arm and squeezes hard enough to break it instantly. ¡®Gah! You-!¡¯ Jenar casts it and Brandr gets lifted by the spell and flown into the tower as Jenar pulls the swords out of his body and slow-falls himself to a soft touch on the ground, surrounded by soldiers. ¡®W-what are you looking at? Can¡¯t you see the threat is over there?¡¯


    ¡®They don¡¯t control you anymore, old friend? Or should I say¡­Abyss?¡¯ A familiar voice comes from the back, as a strong, wrinkled figure walks through the crowd.


    ¡®Ahh...the mentor of my vessel¡­ the great Evander! Are you here to stop me as well?¡¯ Jenar poses his body with his arms wide, the darkness already healing the giant wound made by Brandr.


    ¡®It seems that I have to force you out of my pupil¡¯s body, but it wouldn¡¯t be fun if I didn¡¯t have to try, right? Well, battered like that, I probably just have to blow against you to take you down.¡¯


    ¡®And trying is the last thing you will ever do, Evander the Wise!¡¯ Jenar shouts, interrupted by a big explosion behind him, with a crazed Brandr coming from its origin.


    ¡®Grrr¡­gr¡­ABYSS!!!¡¯ A loud scream, as Brandr¡¯s body jumps towards Jenar, and in a flash stands in front of him as he punches him to the ground. ¡®Grr¡­¡¯  Jenar lies there, Brandr¡¯s punch blocked by the staff, that he pulls out of his hands and breaks in two, releasing a dark miasma that gathers into the clouds and takes the mist of the city with it as it flies high into the air.


    ¡®The mist¡­is dispersing¡­¡¯ Evander says to himself as he clenches his fists. ¡®The magic is returning to the city¡­You did it, Brandr!¡¯


    ¡®Grr?!¡¯ Brandr looks up to Evander, who reacts shocked as he sees a Brandr, engraved in markings and encryptions of dark magic, covering half his body as one eye has changed colour to black, a dark energy flowing out of his body.


    ¡®B-Brandr¡­? That¡¯s you, right?! Brandr?!¡¯


    ¡®E-E¡­vander...?¡¯


    In an instant where Brandr and Evander recognise each other, Brandr¡¯s body flies back by a purplish energy again, crash-landing into the ground. ¡®Don¡¯t you ignore me, you Hero brat!¡¯ Jenar¡¯s body struggles from the ground he was punched into. ¡®I shall quickly dispose of you and then rid of the filth in this land.


    ¡®W-what?! But Brandr broke the staff! You should be dispelled out of his body without your magical source!¡¯ Evander shouts as he conjures a fireball into his hand, ready to defend himself.


    ¡®You fool! I never needed that staff. Not for a long time. You see, this man was weak and jealous, desperate for power!¡¯


    ¡®No¡­¡¯


    ¡®Yes, you weakling. I found him in a cave where the staff was buried, broken a man by the fact that he was even more useless than the useless maggots that you all are. He needed power¡­power to protect his people, his pride, his land and to earn to respect of his friend and mentor. You drove him to this desperation, Evander the Wise, and you should know¡­what desperation can bring¡­¡¯ A wide grin forms onto the face of Jenar.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡®I see¡­then I am sorry my friend, but it seems I have no other choice but to take you down. It seems like I haven¡¯t been able to tutor you properly.¡¯


    ¡®Well then. Let us commerce, Evan-¡®


    ¡®MINE!¡¯ In a flash, Brandr jumps above Jenar, and roundhouse kicks him to the face, towards the tower, as Brandr holds the Arc in his hands. ¡®DIE!!!¡¯ A swing of dark magic, Brandr attacks the damaged tower, and in a single swing, damages the side of the tower enough to make it collapse onto Jenar. A loud crash followed by dust and silence as the thumping in Brandr¡¯s head continues.


    ¡®Grr¡­Gahh¡­Aaahhh!!!¡¯ Brandr screams like a beast into the sky, shaking the ground with power and sorrow, followed by¡­darkness¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡®Where¡­am I¡­? I look around me. There is only darkness. ¡®What happened¡­¡¯ I try to remember what happened, until I realise the words that were said to me. ¡®Perinia¡­ngh!¡¯ My head starts thumping again, but I try to keep my composure, until I suddenly see a figure in front of me. It¡¯s hazy, but I can make a person of it. ¡®Who are you?! What¡¯s going on?¡¯ The person ¡®¡¯looks¡¯¡¯ at me and makes a wide grin as I suddenly feel my body falling. ¡®Gaaaahh!¡¯ I feel like I¡¯m falling into endless darkness. ¡®That¡¯s right¡­mistake after mistake. Since my birth, all I have been doing is failing and disappointing everyone around me. I deserve to lose my mind and body. I don¡¯t deserve to walk among those noble enough to protect this world and mine, instead me being an ambassador of sorrow and destruction¡­¡¯ I slowly close my eyes, giving up on everything until I notice something flickering from my neck. It¡¯s the necklace that Astra gave me. Something swells back in my heart. ¡®That¡¯s right¡­I promised her¡­to save this world¡­¡¯ I hold the necklace and clutch it to my chest I remember the faces of my father and my sister. Of Sylvestra. Of my people. I made a promise to myself to return. I won¡¯t let myself lose control like this! ¡®I might not deserve it, but I promised that I would try. After all, if I don¡¯t do this, this world truly would crumble, and I¡¯d never be able to return to my family. So¡­I need to try¡­for her, for me, for Illumina¡­for Edelweiss!¡¯ Light shines in my hand that hold the necklace. A warm light¡­


    I can hear rumbling, mostly blocked by a high-pitched ringing in my ears and pain in my body. My vision slowly returns to me, revealing a broken and tumbled tower in a wrecked town square. ¡®W-what¡­happened¡­here¡­¡¯


    ¡®Gaahh! To think¡­this brat¡­is pushing me back like this!¡¯ I hear a voice coming from the rumble. It belongs to Jenar, who used magic to partially shield himself against something. His arm is limp and looks broken, his body is tattered and bleeding.


    ¡®Jenar! It¡¯s over! I will save you!¡¯ I clench my sword with everything I got. I won¡¯t lose my light anymore.


    ¡®Grr! I will kill you, Hero of Illuminia!¡¯ He uses his spare hand to create another purple ball, but one that increases ten times in size as he holds it above his head. ¡®I will make sure your face will be wiped of this planet!¡¯


    I gather all the magic I possibly can gather around me and push myself to the limit! ¡®I¡¯d like to see you try! I will come victorious! Illuminating Strike!¡¯ I throw all my energy forward and strike as Jenar throws his ball towards me. They fly against each other, clashing and pushing, until my attack overpowers and splits his ball, making it explode. Midst the explosion, I sprint forward and use the dust as smokescreen to get in front of Jenar.


    ¡®What!¡¯


    ¡®Begone out of his body, Abyss! No longer will you torment this man! Radiate, Arc!¡¯ I gather all the power I have left in my muscles, all the magic around me and push the flat side of the Arc against Jenar, as it shines as bright as the sun, radiating the square completely.


    ¡®Brandr!¡¯


    ¡®Haaaaaaa!!!¡¯ I push more and more, as the dark miasma steadily starts fading from Jenar¡¯s body. I push one more time, blasting all the darkness completely out of Jenar¡¯s body. The Arc stops glowing and all there is left is rumble and devastation surrounding two individuals, as Jenar¡¯s body falls. I want to catch him, but I barely can hold myself up, as I fall on my butt. ¡®Hah¡­hah¡­it¡¯s over¡­isn¡¯t it?¡¯


    ¡®Brandr! Are you okay!¡¯ I look to my left, as I notice Evander running towards me. He looks a lot better from the last time I saw him.


    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t be running. You were looking so sickly earlier.¡¯


    ¡®Brandr¡­is that really you? Are you back?¡¯ I¡¯ve never seen him so worried.


    ¡®What do you mean¡­of course it¡¯s me¡­I¡¯m not the king¡­yet.¡¯ I rub my chin, thinking that I might¡¯ve said something weird.


    ¡®It¡¯s really you¡­? No one makes worse jokes than you after all.¡¯


    ¡®I swear, if my body functions again, I will hit you so hard!¡¯


    ¡®Hm.¡¯


    ¡®Anyway, I will make it. It¡¯s Jenar that needs the real attention. His body looked really battered. Maybe go a bit easier on him, Evander. I know you like to show off your power, but we shouldn¡¯t kill him.¡¯


    ¡®Wait, you don¡¯t¡­¡¯ he pauses mid-sentence, rubs his beard, but only says ¡®Never mind. You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll make sure that Jenar gets the medical treatment he needs.¡¯ Evander says, glancing one more worried look in my direction before he carries Jenar¡¯s body. Even with his age, he¡¯s able to do something like that. That¡¯s impressive¡­


    ¡®Let¡¯s go¡­¡¯ I stand up using my sword, but the moment I get up I feel my body failing me, as I plummet back to the ground, losing my consciousness in the process. The last thing I heard was Evander calling out my name, before I fell back into my slumber once more¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­..


    It¡¯s dark around me. Once again, I cannot see anything further than my hands. There is nothing¡­ I float in nothingness, wondering what is going on, until I see a figure in front of me. ¡®You¡­who are you¡­?¡¯ He floats towards me, or rather, I feel like I¡¯m being dragged towards him. I fly, until I suddenly stop a meter in front of him. His back is turned towards me, but as he turns around, I see myself, only with weird, dark engravings in my face, and eyes turned black and white. ¡®W-what¡­you aren¡¯t me! What are you?!¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t you remember? What you did?¡¯ it says as its starts putting his hand into my chest. I scream in agony, as he grabs my heart, and yanks it-!¡¯