《May Aien Have Mercy》


 Prologue

    <u>Prologue</u>


    Ten-thousand meters below the surface.


    The sound of metal hitting upon metal rang throughout the entire cave. An unceasing rhythm that showed neither signs of stopping or slowing down at any given time. Even if the yearspassed and people died, this one thing would remain unchanging. Inside this cave, there was a primitive railway system on which numerous wagons filled with a luminescent ore rolled along. Close to the walls of the spacious cavern, thousands of men caused the sound echoing through the cave with their similarly luminous pickaxes. Each man had a masculine figure brimming with strength and vigor, and despite their unceasing work, their bodies showed no signs of fatigue. Only the lifeless expressions on their faces revealed the exhaustion of their minds.


    If the eyes were the window to the soul, then these miserable menwould be devoid of anything as these were the eyes of the dead. Anything resembling hope or life itself had no place within these men. As per the orders of the Warden, the men finally stopped working and gathered in rows. Still, there was no relief for the brief rest they had gotten.


    This was a place whereall hope was lost. But as it was with all things in existence, there was an exception.


    At the front, there stood a single man. Likewise, he was suffering the same fate as the men next to him. But in the depths of his eyes, a small spark of life was flickering and struggling against the wind, refusing to let itself be extinguished. The appearance of a fool, one would assume, who had yet to live through the real terror of this hell. But you''d be wrong, for he had endured the longest and the most in this godforsaken place.


    The burly Warden stood alone, waiting for the last men to gather in front of him. Like all of the guards, the Warden wore a dark-green uniform that barely fit his chubby body. In contrast to the others, however, several medals were adorned across his chest, showing his high standing within the military.


    ¡°Great job again, everyone!¡± He began speaking.


    ¡°For a year, you have all met your weekly quota. Maybe it''s time to raise it a little...¡±


    In response, a few within the crowd shivered and suppressed their desires to cry out as that would only worsen their situation. On the other hand, the veteran workers knew of the sick jokes the warden was fond of. As much as theyloathedhis behavior, there was nothing they could do. They were powerless.


    ¡°Please, General. Don''t joke around. Otherwise, some will take it seriously. And you know how it is...¡±


    Despite all of that, one man spoke up. Some couldn''t believe their ears as they looked around in shock. The voice came from the front row, and soon they realized where exactly it had come from.


    The Warden squinted in irritant at the man, who had spoken up. But when he realized who it was, the frown on his face was quickly replaced by heartful laughter. The newer workers were shocked at his unexpected behavior and the veterans, who were already familiar with the man''s attitude, couldn''t help but silently shake their heads. What a madman.


    ¡°If it isn''t ''The Mentor''! It''s been a while since we''ve last seen each other that I even forgot your voice. How''s life been treating you?¡± The warden cackled with delight.


    ¡°As always, sir. I''m getting by.¡± The man called ''The Mentor'' answered honestly with a calm smile on his face. He wasn''t bothered by the warden''s attitude nor the scene he was making. Meanwhile, some within the workforce looked at him like he was a buddha that had transcended worldly desires and suffering. Especially suffering.


    The awaited punishment for ''The Mentor'' didn''t come, and the Warden seemed to have lost any interest before he waved to some of the distant guards to come closer.


    ¡°Might as well send them to you.¡± The warden continued and raised his voice. ¡°Now, back to work! You three, move your asses over here!¡±


    ¡°Fuck! What is happening!? What are you doing!?¡±


    ¡°Help! Somebody, help me!!¡±


    The terrified and rebellious shouts of three youths mixed indistinguishable from each other. Ignoring their behavior, the Warden handed over three inconspicuous pills to the Mentor.


    ¡°Here, you explain it to them.¡± The warden said beforeleaving him alone with the three youths.


    ¡°What if they don''t decide to take them?¡± ''The Mentor'' asked rhetorically, and as expected, he didn''t get an answer. It was a... ''tradition,'' to give the future workers a choice. Everyone had made the same choice, and this time,it would surely be no different.It never was. At this point, it was merely for show and the Warden''s entertainment. The sadist would surely enjoy watching the events unfold from behind the security cameras.


    ''The Mentor'' sighed as he watched the three youths approaching him, who were filled with confusion. They only grasped part of the short conversation, and they couldn''t figure out the context nor what was happening to them. He gave them some time to calm down before he began his explanation.


    "Hey there, Newbies. Welcome to your new home," ''The Mentor'' greeted them with a kind smile.


    "Most of the people here call me Mentor. It started as a meaningless title until it somehow became my actual name. You can call me that too if you like. If any of you have any problems, come to me and don''t bother the others. They''ll just ignore you anyway as they don''t have the time."


    The several youths looked around and noticed that he was right. None of the other workers had bothered to talk to them as they all continued mining. The guards didn''t bother to give them an explanation either, and if it wasn''t for Mentor explaining things to them now, they would be at a total loss.


    However, before he could begin his explanation, one of the youths burst out in tears. He stammered some meaningless words and continued sobbing while Mentor helped to calm him down. Then, Mentor calmly listened to the story of each youth.


    One was raised in an orphanage without friends or families.


    The other had a family that died in an unfortunate accident. Since he was always shy around others, he didn''t have many friends, and he had just finished school.


    The last was disinherited by his own family, that severed all ties with him.


    Nothing new to Mentor. All the stories always had one thing in common. They wouldn''t be missed.


    Finally, they bombarded Mentor with questions. Wherewere they? Whatwere they doing here? How could they get home? The usual stuff.


    "Alright calm down you guys. Being agitated won''t get you anywhere." Mentor continued. "To summarize your questions, you are now part of the Unofficial Workforce as they call it. Or in short, slaves. And you are not going to leave anywhere unless as a corpse."


    ¡°What!?¡± They all exclaimed in shock. Not only had they never heard of this workforce, they just couldn''t accept something like this even existed. This was entirely in contrast to what the outside preached about a perfect society; The Golden Age of Modern Man. Panicked, they looked around and paid more attention to the workers. From this distance, they looked like machines with a perfect rhythm that never deviated regardless of how often the pickaxe was swung.


    In contrast, Mentor took all of this in stride. He had seen too many react the same way.


    ¡°From now on, you will work here for the rest of your lives and nothing else.¡± Mentor grabbed back the attention of the now thoroughly terrified youths. They wanted to believe this was a dream they would soon wake up from, but a voice at the back of their minds told them that this was real. This was their reality.


    ¡°How is this possible!?¡± One of the youth exclaimed still refusing to accept this.


    ¡°Work? What work, when everything has been automized by machines?¡±


    In the following minutes, Mentor calmly explained the fa?ade of the present day.


    Technology had skyrocketed, and men left for the stars. Additionally, humans were no longer required to do mundane work, leaving more room for individual freedom and exploration. TheEmpire boasted a fulfilling and prosperous life for every individual, promising equal chances and treatment for every human. These were only some of the results of the aftermath of the Pandium Wars that had left mankind almost extinct through its actions. Common knowledge claimed that men had left behind their animalistic shackles and transcended to the next step of civilization.


    But there was one thing hidden from the populace.


    Even with the technological advancements in recent decades, scientists were still unable to figure out the full potential of the largest energy source known to humanity. The biggest mystery was not only its sudden appearance beneath previously scanned earth (for oil) but also its strange property of harvesting it. No matter what scientists did, unless the ore was mined by a living human, it would not break. It could withstand any force and environment, yet in the hands of humans, it became strangely subdued, bending to their will. The energy and potential hidden within was still immeasurable, evidenced by mankind''s sudden improvement over the decades leading them into the furthest depths of their galaxy.


    Nevertheless, one problem could never be solved. The need for human workers.


    On top of that, Pandium was absolutely necessary for the prosperity of mankind. The Empire struggled for a solution until they arrived back at their roots. For the sake of the many, the few had to suffer. As long as they could uphold peace and prosperity for 99.99% of humanity, the fate of the remaining was negligible.


    It took some time for the Newbies to digest the news. They never knew that behind the paradise that everyoneconsidered a matter of fact, laid such a dark secret. One that they too were now part of.


    ¡°I tell everyone the same when they arrive here.¡± Mentor changed the topic back to the more pressing matters at hand.


    ¡±If you don''t want to suffer meaninglessly...¡±


    The group paid their full attention to Mentor, who was the only one willing to somewhat help them with their predicament.


    ¡°Then your one and only chance is to kill yourselves right now.¡± Mentor finished his sentence with utmost seriousness that made sure he wasn''t joking.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Please explain, Mentor. What do you mean by that?¡± The youngest and most frightful of the group asked nervously. This was not advice he had expected from this kind elder in their dire situation. Suicide? What kind of solution was that?


    ¡°It is what is. You either take my advice, or you don''t. If hell truly exists, then it can''t be much worse than what this place will be doing to you. You will live through suffering that makes you wish you were dead, but by then it''s too late.¡± Mentor gave his routine explanation and warning as he sighed. He could already tell the youths weren''t going to listen to him. Who could blame them? A weird stranger out of nowhere came and told them to commit suicide. It would be odd if anyone actually listened to him, but he felt obligated to give everyone the same warning.


    ¡°Without exception, every single one of us workers regrets the decision they made that day.¡± The youths looked aghast at the mindless workers and immediately knew that Mentor wasn''t lying. Even so, they couldn''t bring themselves tofollow his ''advice.'' Dying now was just too sudden. An understandable reaction since everyone had some faith that something in the future might change. As irrational as that was, they clung to that small flame of hope, believing they were too young to die. But in the minds of the veterans here, being too young, was only similar to being too far away from death.


    ¡°Then take this.¡± He handed each of them one of the pills the warden had given him earlier. In turn, they quizzically looked at Mentor, waiting for another explanation.


    "Don''t ask me about the details. I have no idea what this is made of or how exactly it works. Besides strengthening your muscles, it also strengthens your organs, veins, and so on, as well as your recovery... It''s really freakish. At this point, some of us believe that even if you cut your head off, you''d just grow a new one. Maybe that''s exaggerating it a little, but if you want to use the pickaxe to kill yourself or others then forget it. You''d need hours to kill someone, and at that point, the guards you''ve seen earlier would have long noticed and punished you. And that''s something you definitely want to avoid..."


    With this, the youths understood the implications of the earlier warning, yet their decisions didn''t change.


    ¡°As you can guess, all of us can only die a natural death. After taking these, life expectancy will be around two hundred years. Upside, or downside, is that you won''t ever fall ill, feel physically exhausted or tired. Pick up one of the pickaxes over there and start mining the ore you see inside the wagons. 7 buckets of ore each week is the quota. Don''t try to cheat or bother counting. Again, I don''t know the details, but each worker''s amount is automatically recorded by the system.¡±


    He led the youths to the place he was usually mining at and took out a good-sized chunk of ore out of his bucket and threw it toward each of them.


    ¡°Treat this as my welcoming gift. Try your best to fill the quota. You can take breaks as you wish and no one cares what you do, as long as you fill your quota. But remember...¡± Suddenly Mentor''s expression grew far more severe, and a stern, emotionless voice left his mouth.


    ¡°If you can''t fill the quota until the end of the week, then you will truly experience what a hell this place is.¡±


    This sent shivers down their backs and the youths didn''t need to be told twice to begin working earnestly after swallowing the pills. Theyhad yet to acclimate to their surroundings but they could guess that joking was not something you did around here. Alas, they didn''t know that the pills took some time to take effect.


    ¡°You never stop, do you?¡± One of the many nameless next to Mentor began a conversation when the latter had returned to his usual mining spot.


    "You always help the Newbies. You even gave them a few pieces of ore. They would understand everything on their own sooner or later." The person said but never stoped hacking with his pickaxe while doing so.


    "It''s just... I can''t leave them alone, you know. If helping them eases their suffering even just a little, then it will be worth it," Mentor answered as he continued his work.


    <hr>


    This place was only one of the Empire''s many famous Pandium Mines. After revolutionizing society and the meaning of work, the Empire was faced with the problem of how to mine this important ore. In the end, no one would volunteer to work as a miner when the other option was to do whatever you wanted. Thus, to keep the working force as low as possible, there was only one way. Slavery - 120% Efficiency out of every worker. With medicine preventing hunger and tiredness, they could work 24 hours a day at peak physical condition. The only problem left was their mental condition and to keep working motivation high. It took them a few tests to figure out the best solution for that.


    Fear.


    <hr>


    Days passed, and thetime to fulfill the quota had almost arrived. The youths desperately hammered down the pickaxe from above theirheads in hopes of acquiring more ore. They felt the miraculous wonders of the medicine coursing through their veins, preventing them from some of the exhaustion. But it had yet to fully assimilate with their bodies. Regardless of how earnest they took Mentor''s warning, eventually they were too exhausted and had to replenish energy through sleeping. Unfortunately, this schedule would never allow them to reach the quota.


    ¡°Not bad Newbies.¡± The familiar voice from behind them arose from their frenzied work. It was the only voice they had heard all week.


    ¡°Mentor!¡± The three exclaimed, dropping their pickaxes and themselves on the ground in exhaustion.


    ¡°This is impossible! How are we supposed to fill seven whole buckets!¡± Alan complained. He was the youth who never had a family. Mentor''s sincere concern without a shred of deceit quickly made Alan grew very fond of him. Zarek, the timid and youngest youth, expectantly looked over at Mentor hoping for something to happen. This was just a joke! I have a top-secret to help you! Fantasies like thoseflashed through his mind, placing Mentor almost like an idol within his heart. The last youth,Deren, was more subdued, quiet, and realistic; more willing to accept their fate. But he couldn''t hide his trembling legs from the unknown punishment they were bound to face


    ¡°You already did better than most. I''m glad you took my warnings seriously. Some choose not to listen and... learn the harder way. I can''t help you fill your entire quota, but this should help.¡±


    He handed each of themtwo entire buckets full of ore. Flabbergasted, they didn''t know how to accept this gift, but they also couldn''t bring themselves to refuse it.


    ¡°Unfortunately you are not expected to fill the quota,¡± Mentor said, unbothered by their awkward gift accepting.


    ¡±Nor the next one. The pills take some time to fully transform your bodies.¡± He didn''t mention that this was probably done on purpose. The youths were already frightened enough as it is.


    Eventually, thedeadline had arrived. With no new arrivals, the workers were quickly dismissed so that they could continue to work.


    On the other hand, Mentor and the youths were taken away by the guards into a passageway that was made entirely out of metal. The youths squirmed uneasily as they look at the several blood stains covering the floor that no one bothered to clean up. Then, they arrived in a corridor filled with dozens of doors where the burlyWarden was waiting for them.


    ¡°I knew it.¡± The warden cackled loudly. ¡°If I didn''t know any better I would think you actually like this place. Hah!¡±


    ¡°General.¡± Mentor greeted him casually.


    ¡°Alright. Enough chitchat. You guys.¡± He pointed towards Alan and the other two. ¡°Six buckets, eh? Pretty goodfor newcomers.¡± He gave a glance to Mentor but didn''t say anything else.


    Alan gathered his courage and was about to ask for more information when his face suddenly turned deathly pale.


    The doors inside the large corridor abruptly opened and what they saw made everyone shiver uncontrollably. Behind each door was an abomination. Every single room looked like an operation room from an ordinary hospital. In the middle there stood a single table covered in red. Initially, the room must have had the same color as the passageway they went through earlier.However,every single room was painted in blood. There just wasn''t a single place without a stain of blood. And it wasn''t only a single layer of blood. Compared to the corridor, the room''s floor was elevated by the dried blood that had spilled over dozens of years. A repelling odor that churned their insides upside down escaped the room and drilled into their nostrils. Their instincts told them that this was a place no living being should be. A different world where only the dead reside.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The most scared of the group was about to run, but was held back by Mentor and had to make do with his soaked pants.


    As each of them was brought into their room and tied to their table, they stared at the ceiling. What they saw there made them almost pass out from fear and scream in terror. They hadn''t been able to see it from outside, but the ceiling was covered with nearly uncountable tools, all differently shaped in every possible way imaginable. Everyone except Mentor screamed at the top of their lungs as they further sullied their pants. They called for their mothers. They prayed to God. But none of this would change what was about to happen.


    "They always react the same." TheWarden chuckled to himself. He had already worked here for overthirty years. As he served his military service during the Pandium Wars, he had seen a lot of cruel things. But none of that could compare to what happened inside these chambers. Thankfully he didn''t have to torture them personally nor monitor them. All of it was done automatically by devices that were built to reach the utmost efficiency while not overstepping the victim''s limits. Ironically, this miraculous torture device that knew how to treat human bodies perfectly was the only technology available to those who made it possible in the first place.


    The Warden personally led Mentor to his table and tied him upwithout any resistance.


    "So you once again gave your ore away?¡± He asked, jokingly.


    "How generous of you."


    The Warden roared with laughter once more. In his mind, this fellow before him had indeed lost his mind. He wondered whether the machine had a defect and went over his limits. Mentor didn''t answer him and only continued to have a slight smile on his face.


    "Anyhow, you have been here longer than me, so you know the drill. See you insix hours."


    With that, theWarden closed the door behind him and went outside. There he tapped a few times ontoa display and left the corridor. All of the guards also left the hallway and went out.


    For the next hours, screams and howls that didn''t resemble that of a human could be heard even from the outside of the supposedly soundproof rooms.


    <hr>


    Twelve hours later.


    Although they would have been allowed to leave earlier, the Warden and guards only came to release them after everyone had finished their punishments and got some rest. Even the Warden couldn''t help but shiver when he heard their screams much less the regular guards. Although all of them were battle-hardened war veterans, they would still prefer not to listen to these screams.


    As they opened each door, they were assaulted by the smell of blood. Each room was painted in at least one layer of fresh blood. As the ties were released, each of the victims had a different reaction. Alan andDeren would wail while still screaming although the torture has long since stopped.Zarek simply didn''t react. Whether he was trying to play dead or not only he knew. It was a fruitless attempt anyway.


    The guards dragged each of them outside the garrison and threw them on the ground.


    ¡°Alright, I hoped you learned your lesson. I don''t really like this either. After all, I''m also human. So I hope you work hard, so none of us have to bother with this again.¡±


    The Warden gave his speech as usual, but he already knew what would happen. They would come back here at least once more. Obviously, this was done on purpose to truly instill in them the fear needed to keep them working as much as possible. Only afterthe medicine had fully displayed its effectand workingtwenty-four hours a day could they keep away these punishments.After that, they''llhave been transformed into the perfect workforce both mentally and physically.


    When the youths fully regained their bearings, they were even more eager to continue working.Despite only being confronted with a single hour of torture, it was more than enough for an entire lifetime for them. Mentor was no exception. Although he liked to say that he was used to this, it was merely a lie. Humansmight be able to adapt to pain to a great extent, but inside these rooms, it was impossible. Every single session was completely different than the previous one, so there was no way to''get used to it.'' Even after decades, the amount of fear and pain now was no different than his first time. Yet he still chose to always help some Newbies as much as possible.


    ¡°Mentor...¡± The three youths ran up to him with pitiful gazes. It looked as if they were crying; however, there were no more tears left to shed.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing. You get used to it. But still, don''t count on me next time. From now on, you are on your own.¡±


    <hr>


    More time passed and nothing had changed. The workers continued their meaningless mining solely motivated by the fear of torture. Aside from working, there was only one other thing theydid. They were always praying. It was the only conscious thought on their mind other than ordering their bodies to move. There was nothing else left for them except to turn to God, and before they knew it, a religion had emerged.


    Prayers to The God of Death, Aien, became common among the workers.


    No one knew when exactly it had started, but this religion seemed to have existed since the day the mines were created. What they prayed for was their salvation. Their deaths. Even in their prayers, they couldn''t imagine escaping this place alive, so all they wanted was for their suffering to finally end.


    Meanwhile, each time Newbies were introduced to the workforce, Mentor would take some of his time and suffering upon himself to help them out, truly deserving of his name. Some took his warnings seriously while others... didn''t. Either way, after the first week, everyone learned their lesson and seamlessly integrated into the working conditions whether they liked it or not.


    Until one day Mentor was approached by three men, he could barely recognize anymore. Enough time had passed for Alan and his two companions to grow into the appearance of a worker. Similar to everyone else, their faces were mostly covered in beards, and their untended hair rolled beyond their shoulders where it stopped growing. Their eyes too became the definition of lifeless, but today there was something different. Mentor saw them shining with... hope. A differentkindof hope than the ideal he himself clung to - something more practical and imminent.


    ¡°Mentor!¡±Alan whispered. ¡°We have something to show you, but you have to be quick.¡±


    Realizing their impatience, Mentor didn''t waste any time and followed after them, wondering what this was about. It took them a few minutes until they arrived at their destination, but Mentor still couldn''t guess what they wanted from him. The thought of conflict between workers never crossed his mind. Over time, a sense of comradery developed between the workerscreating an unwritten rule of no conflict between them. Even the most selfish person couldn''t bring it over his heart to doom another into continuous torture by robbing them of their ore. And that was disregarding how exactly the system counted their quota.


    ¡°We wanted to ask you for some more ore Mentor... I know you don''t have any to spare, but we were really unlucky. It seems like there is nothing left to mine at our spot and it took us too long to notice...¡± Alan finally began talking.


    It didn''t take long for Mentor to catch on. They didn''t know whether the security cameras recorded their voices, so they played it safe. Mentor realized from their unassuming gestures and gazes that they were hinting at something else. Something perilous apparently. After picking on their subtle hints, Mentor moved closer to the wall and suddenly felt his entire body shivering in ecstasy. A small gust of air brushed against his neck, a feeling that he had long forgotten and almost made him cry out in satisfaction. For the first time for decades, he felt something that resembled the outside.


    ¡°...So please can''t you help us once more? I promise it will be the last time,¡± Alan finished hisplea of help.


    In response, Mentor lost himself in deep thought. It didn''t need to be mentioned that he was tempted. Very tempted. But the consequences of failure were something he didn''t dare imagine. If anyone caught wind of their potential escape attempt then...


    ¡°I don''t know.¡± He finally answered after staying quiet for a few minutes. ¡°I told you that was the last time I would help you. I know the guards don''t care how we obtain our weekly ore deliveries, but if they actually caught me handing it over, there might be consequences. They might ignore me taking care of newcomers, but you are now veteran workers as well...¡± He stopped there.


    ¡°Don''t worry, I''m sure they won''t notice. And so what? It''s just a few pieces of ore. Unfortunately, they won''t kill us over it.¡± The usual timidZarekreplied most excited by their findings, causing Mentor to wonder whether he didn''t realize the implications of a failed escape or didn''t care about that risk if it meant a slight chance to get out of here.


    ¡°Of course we know your deliveries are tight on time as well,¡± Alan continued. ¡°We don''t want to force you to suffer for us. We only asked you for any spares you might have left. You are the only one we know of that we can ask.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Only the distant sound of mining echoed across the cave as they nervously waited for his answer. They had found the hole a few days ago, and after talking it through among themselves, they decided on acting on this small chance. They wouldn''t know where this hole led to, but they were willing to take the opportunity. They also agreed on telling Mentor about this. He was the one whohad helped them back then after all, so they decided to include him. On the other hand, they didn''t care about the rest. Although there existed a certain comraderybetween the workers, it wasn''t too deep, and they wouldn''t unnecessarily decrease their chances of success.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Mentor agreed, much to their delight. They felt much safer and hopeful about his cooperation.


    ¡°This place should be out of ores soon as you said. I''d give it a month at most until it runs dry. Come, I''ll help you out. However, this truly will be the last time,¡± with that the four of them remembered the place and left.


    <hr>


    The four of them grouped up in front of the hole. Except for a large rock, there wasn''t much for them to prepare. Only their determination and speed was essential. They needed to be as fast as possible. The guards probably weren''t bored enough to always pay close attention to them or the security cameras, but they couldn''t know for sure.


    All four of them dug at the spot as fast they could. Surprisingly, only after a few minutes did they break through the rock and what they had found left them astonished. Hidden behind the wall was a tunnel barely big enough for each of them to crawl through. Without any delay, they crawled into it with Mentor being the last. He covered the hole with the rock they had prepared beforehand and continued onwards. Each of them could hear their heartbeats exploding, Mentor being no exception. They could feel their pulses reverberating within their chests, each with such force that they were afraid it alone would cause the tunnel to collapse. Without pause, they crawled for an unknown amount of time, yet there was still no end in sight, causing their nervousness to peak.


    ¡°Could this have no end?¡±Deren huffed trying to calm himself down from having a panic attack. Being the eldest among them, Mentor tried to comfort them and assured that this cave was not natural, but he had begun doubting his own words. Besides worrying about the endless tunnel, another conflict waged within Mentor. Before, he had reluctantly agreed with the others that taking more people with them would be too dangerous. The argument was sound and logical, but he still felt guilty about leaving the others behind. Knowing there was no other choice, he kept telling himself that once he set foot outside this hell, he would try his damndest to help his fellow workers. He didn''t owe them anything and he had already helped them to the best of his abilities. Nevertheless, this was something he had decided for himself. He had always helped others and that was something that wouldn''t change in the future.


    ¡°AH!!¡± Alan''s shout ripped Mentor out of his thoughts. He didn''t need to ask what got him so excited as he could see for himself. The first rays of light for decades,maybe since he was born, shone through a crack in the distance above them and they felt so good. The youths began crying tears of joy as they hastened up towards the light. Mentor as well couldn''t hide his happiness, as his limbs trembled in excitement at the sight of freedom.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Mentor hushed them in a low voice, not losing his reasoning due to the excitement. They didn''t know where the tunnel led to, and it would be a shame if they got caught this close to freedom. The three quickly realized their foolishness and silently crept up towards the end of the tunnel. Carefully they began moving towards the rock blocking their path while listening for the outside. The light blinded them (especially Mentor), but they could finally see, rather feel the outside.


    It was a beautiful noon as the sun hung high up in the clear sky, filling the earth with warming rays of light. The ground was filled with lush greenery and several trees that blocked their vision. Nevertheless, it left them with a breathtaking sight of nature that was mostly gone from the surface world. The occasional bird chirped like an instrument of nature, filling their ears with the beautiful sound of freedom. Judging from their position, they were very far away from any civilization as this place was clearly untouched by the latest war.


    Finally, they could no longer hold back their excitement, shouting cries of happiness at the top of their lungs. Only after Mentor, who desperately held himself back, awakened them from their stupor did they calm down.


    They began talking about their future plans, but a sudden sound caused them to freeze all of their movements in an instant.


    ¡°I told you,¡± A distant man''s voice disrupted the peaceful sounds of nature. ¡°I heard something over here.¡±


    ¡°Aren''t you imagining things?¡± Another voice.


    ¡°No, I''m certain. And if I''m not mistaken, we''ve got some escapees,¡± The man said gleefully.


    ¡°Escapees?¡± The second voice asked doubtfully. ¡°Have you ever heard of someone breaking out of there? I know you are desperate after pissing off the General but aren''t you too delusional?¡±


    ¡°Better safe than sorry.¡± The man said, clearly annoyed by the lack of enthusiasm of his partner. He was silent for a while before he thought of something.


    ¡°Imagine he finds out we actually let someone escape. Then it will be us who have to take their place.¡± This caused the other man to drop his attitude as he gulped audibly. He was stationed more than once on guard duty and he knew more than most how terrifying joining the Unofficial Workforce is.


    ¡°Fuck this. I''ll look over there.¡± The man sped off in the opposite direction aftergrunting something inaudible about his bad luck.


    Mentor and the other three felt their hearts sink into their stomachs as they listened to the conversation. They didn''t have time to lament theirsituation and needed to quickly think of a solution to their predicament.


    ¡°M-Mentor, w-what do we do?¡± The three of them turned to him for guidance. Fear and uncertainty occupied their minds, unable to think for themselves; they hoped for Mentor to have an idea.


    ¡°Fuckin- I knew it!!¡± The man who was searching in their direction suddenly shouted out. Immediately, he closed the distance between them, revealing the military uniform he was wearing. A mixture of black and dark green spots covered his clothes. Few medals hung on the left side of his chest while some small damage there indicated that something had been ripped out by force before.


    Startled by the shout, the few thoughts they could form were washed away by the adrenaline rushing through their veins. They had all hid behind trees and talked in a volume that was far too low for the distant soldier to hear. Even so, the soldier had some method of finding their hiding spots and was coming closer at an incredulous speed.


    ¡°Wh- What is happening? How did he find us? What do we do? Mentor? Mentor!¡± The three panicked and lost all thoughts of reason. Unlike them, Mentor was forcing himself to calm down. They didn''t have many choices before, and it was now reduced to a single option. At least that discarded all of the doubts Mentor had about his improvised plan and he quickly took action.


    ¡°I''m with the National Security Department. There is no reason to hide if you are innocent. This is my last and only warning for you. Stop hiding!¡± The man said his obligatory line. He didn''t bother to call for his partner after noticing someone hiding. He was confident he didn''t need any help and if they were escapees, then he might finally get back on the General''s good side.


    ¡°Overwhelm him!!¡± Mentor shouted at the three of them and dashed with all of his might at the soldier. Although he was much faster than most ordinary humans, his speed was laughable compared to the soldiers.


    As they closed in on each other, the soldier slowed down and took a stance to deal with Mentor who was closing in on him. Mentor, on the other hand, continued his charge. Instead of throwing punches without any skills, he chose to tackle the guard with as much power as possible, confident in his muscular body.


    The guard, however, faced this rush with absolute calmness. He didn''t bother drawing some sort of weapon; instead, he simply stepped forward with one foot. Both his arms stretched out and his hands collided with Mentor''s shoulders as he rushedinto him. Without being bothered by the force of the impact, he held him in place as if Mentor was suddenly rooted to the ground. Afterward, he pulled Mentor''s arm behind his back and in a swift motion, he threw him to the ground where he was pinned down with a simple joint lock.


    ¡°Resistance is futile.¡± The guard said, looking to where the rest of the escapees should be. Besides having their bodies strengthened with similar medicine, every soldier also went through rigorous training. Dealing with the charge of a mindless bull was child''s play for him.


    Nevertheless, Mentor didn''t give up just because his movement was restricted. Instead, he struggled with all his might ignoring the pain coming from his joints. Mentor hoped to distract him as much as possible so his companions would be able to overwhelm him. Mentor knew he alone would never stand a chance against a trained soldier, but if they grouped up, they had a chance to win the fight quickly. It was their only chance as otherwise, news of their escapes would spread quickly unless they could incapacitate the soldiers. Although Mentor knew that the guard had noticed them, he hoped that he wouldn''t know their exact numbers, giving them an advantage.


    But the expected help did not come. As he lay on the ground, he could catch a glimpse at the place they had been hiding. No one was there. And no one was coming.


    ¡°Motherfu-, they actually ran away.¡± The soldier cursed. He had also realized what the best chances were for them in this situation. Thus he acted accordingly, mostly being on guard of being surrounded. Now, he was stuck in this situation.


    ¡°And here I hoped I could catch you all. From your appearance, I can guess you really are part of the Unofficial Workforce. What a surprise.¡± He talked to Mentor who didn''t bother listening anymore.


    ¡°So how many companions did you have? Oh my bad, I guess I shouldn''t call them your companions, should I?¡± He ridiculed Mentor with laughter, and once more, his snark was only met with silence.


    The soldier shrugged his shoulders, and without loosening the joint lock, he reached to his ear with his left hand.


    ¡°This is Reynold, ID:0752. I have escapees of the Unofficial Workforce in Sector W13. Numbers unknown. Requesting assistance. Over.¡°


    ¡°Central Here. Request denied. OperationXerxes takes priority. You are on your own. Over.¡±


    A metallic voice answered that seemed human enough to fool some.


    ¡°Operation what now? Well, I can''t be blamed for being understaffed, thus letting some escape, right...?¡±


    The soldier muttered to himself, then turned to look at Mentor.


    ¡°I guess today is your lucky day, isn''t it? You should have heard whatit said. Why don''t you help me look for them? I''m sure you have some grudges? Maybe the General will lessen your punishment if you cooperate.¡±


    There was only silence.


    Reynold sighed again. This was an unexpected mess to deal with. He hoped that he would get something good out of this hassle. What a vacation this was.


    ¡°Hey, Jeff. Reynold here.¡± He communicated through something in his ear again.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°There are escapees. I caught one. Central doesn''t want to give us reinforcements. You know what to do.¡±


    ¡°Oh shit, really!? Alright, I secure the borders you take care of the one you''ve already caught. No need to mention me.¡±


    ¡°I knew you were a nice guy.¡± Reynold smiled and stopped talking.


    ¡°Well, time to go home. I''m sure you are starting to get homesick by now.¡±


    With that, he lifted Mentor and urged him to walk. Unexpectedly for Reynor, he wasn''t met with any resistance. Mentor just looked around, trying to brand the surroundings into his memory. He had always been inside the mines for as long as he remembered. He looked at the sky where he saw the bright sun. He could see the metal skyscrapers far away as they reached the sky, connected by countless metal tubes. Every other minute rockets would start and he could almost feel the vibrations in this place. This was his first time being outside. And it was also the last time.


    ¡°What a nice day.¡± Mentor finally opened his mouth.


    ¡°Sure is,¡± Reynold replied more solemnly this time. He couldn''t hide a trace of pity in his eyes. Alas, this was his job, and there was no room for arguments.


    The transport was dead quiet. A silence reigned like that of a criminal sentenced to death and on his way to the execution platform. But Mentor knew what awaited him was much, much worse. With this almost successful escape attempt, it was necessary to set a deterrent - an example needed to be made. And he clearly knew what that meant for him. Awfully clear. And so did the dutiful escort that guided him towards his fate.


    During this trip, Mentor didn''t bother with anything anymore. Not the outside nor the small miraculous flying carriage he was in with Reynold. Instead, he was lost within his own thoughts, thinking about his life so far.


    There wasn''t much.


    Just like the others, his life had consisted of working and praying.But he hadn''t prayedfor death or was part of the religion that had developed in the Unofficial Workforce. He had heard stories about other Gods and religions from people before they too lost hope and converted in the hopes of a merciful death.


    For as long as he could remember, there was only the work within the mines. If there was something that made him different from the others, then it was that one, single mantra.


    If you are kind to others, then they will be kind to you.


    He didn''t knowwhen or where he had picked it up from or who had taught him that. But it had stuck with him his entire life. Deep within he had believed this to be true. That if he helped others, he would someday be repaid. He''d thought that day had finally come. Alan, Deren, and Zarek had come to repay their kindness which in turn he would extend to the rest of the Unofficial Workforce after his successful escape. Yet fate had other plans in store for him. Not only their bad luck but also the betrayal of the three had led to where he was now.


    A mixture of emotions boiled within him. Anger at their betrayal and theunfortunate meeting with the soldiers were actually only a small part of that. What was far more devastating was that he felt betrayed, not only by his companions but by his own ideals.


    Up to this day, he''d lived under the assumption that helping others would also lead to his salvation. But what was the real reward for that?


    Despair and helplessness he had been able to keep at bay for decades filled him, extinguishing the small fire of hope that was his beacon in life.


    For the first time in his life, Mentor had lost everything he believed in as he confronted his future.


    The one thing that had kept him sane and made him feel human was gone.The anchor he''d relied on to get through each day was no more.


    <hr>


    A day had passed before they arrived at the mine. TheWarden was outraged when he saw Mentor. Even now they didn''t notice that someone had escaped. It was his job not to let the public know about the Unofficial Workforce. Following that, security was tightened and inspectors for the guards were organized so they would stop slacking.


    As for the fate of ''The Mentor''...


    Above the place where the workers would gather after fulfilling the quota, awide monitor was installed. It was so huge that even hundreds of meters away, you could still clearly see what was going on. On this monitor, you could see a man tied to a table as he was being tortured by countless different instruments. You could see him shouting and crying at the top of his lungs, but for the sake of everyone around, there was no sound transmitted. Nevertheless, it was enough to send shivers down one''s spine no matter how often the scene repeated itself. This video was never paused, and no one would claim it was looped as they were different instruments being used each time. The man would rarely ever get short breaks as his torture continued for decades.


    Ironically, the man still came to be known to eachNewbie as ''The Mentor.'' Even now he was teaching the Newbies what fate would await them and since then there were no moreNewbies slacking on their first week. However, the man who once found solace in that was no longer there.


    After sixty years, his mind had finally died. He was no longer screaming, yet the machine didn''t stop while he was continuously taken apart.


    After another forty years, his body finally followed him in death. On the day Mentor officially passed away, every single worker stopped working for a few minutes as they offered their sincerest prayers to Aien.


    This was how the life of the man known as Mentor at long last came to an end.

 Chapter 1

    <u>Chapter 1 ¨C A new beginning</u>


    His mind had already been empty for many years. It''d been a long time since he fell asleep only to awaken in darkness. There was no feeling in his body, but something told him that he was somewhere else. Far away from the place that inflicted atrocious amounts of pain on him. Like the clouds he had once seen a long time ago, his weightless body drifted in the void. He couldn''t see, smell, or feel anything, but there was a constant voice inside his head. Unrelenting it bombarded his mind with words he couldn''t understand. Without telling him anything substantial, it continued assaulting his tired mind that had yet to recover. Whatever the voice said, he didn''t care. The only thing on his mind was his desire to continue his slumber that let him escape from the pain he was on the verge of remembering.


    Suddenly the voice paused. Before, there had been a fog that clouded his mind and made the voice difficult to understand, but with the next question, the crystal clear voice of a female become audible to him.


    ¡°Do you accept?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He answered subconsciously, hoping it would cease talking. As if to answer his prayer, the voice stopped, and so he returned to his deep slumber.


    He didn''t know how long he was asleep for if that was what you could call it, but he was startled awake by a sudden feeling inside his chest. Pain, the sensation of touch. For the first time for who knows how long, he could notice his own breathing. His brain was assaulted with all kinds of signals, like a firework of nerves exploding within him and overwhelming his fragile mind. With each breath he took, the searing pain inside his chest became worse. A reflex that he couldn''t control caused water to leak from his eyes and he seemed to hear distant voices. They were vastly different from the other one that had been nagging him an unknown time ago. Concern and surprise mixed into the chattering, but he couldn''t make out any details as his consciousness was still muddled. When he tried to focus on his surroundings, his vision was only a blur and the ringing inside his head increased the nausea he felt until darkness finally enveloped him once more.


    This scene repeated itself for an unknown amount of times. He would wake up in a daze only to shortly after fall unconscious again.


    Until one day he was able to hold on for a little while longer. His mind was still a mess, and he couldn''t form any coherent thoughts, but he was finally able to get a grip on his surroundings.


    He lay on a floor surrounded by sleeping children, probably no more than five years old. There were so many children that they had to nudge each other since the rundown room wasn''t particularly big. If he could turn his head or see more clearly, he would notice two people talking to each other as they closed the door. Then he hit his limit and fell unconscious again.


    Again the process repeated itself. No matter what he did, his mind was always in a fog where he barely realized when he was awake or not. Nevertheless, his senses began returning to him as he recovered from his fragile state of being. He had heard people talk, but it was a language he couldn''t understand. Strange. There were many different dialects but as far as he knew there existed no more than the three languages hewas fluent in.


    Unlike him, the other children would always leave the room during the day and leave him alone. He had tried moving his body countless times, yet no matter how much he recovered, his body remained unresponsive for the time being. Sometimes a person, who seemed to be a caretaker of the children, would help move him around to feed and wash him. Eventually, he noticed an incredulous change regarding his body. As he struggled to look down, he saw the body of a child. His arms that used to have the strength to move a boulder twice his size were now as thin as twigs. The dirty, white shirt he was wearing was long enough to cover his legs, making it the only piece of clothing he wore.


    It took him another year for his mind to recover more, and as he came to himself, he was almost shocked back into unconsciousness.


    There was no trace left of the firm and masculine body he used to have. It was replaced by that of a skinny youth that was around fifteen years of age. After his mind had fully recovered, he was at a loss at what had happened. As he tried to remember, his past memories of unspeakable pain flashed within his mind, which he quickly tried to repress again. This was a memory of a long-forgotten past, yet the pain was as fresh as if it had happened just hours ago. Remembering his past and looking at his surroundings eventually filled him with indescribable emotions. With a lump in his throat, he scrambled for air as tears of happiness rolled down his face.


    Whether this was only a dream or the afterlife didn''t matter to him right now. At last, the eternal nightmare of torture had finally come to an end. Then, as he calmed down, he thought of another possibility. A distant and unspoken wish he''d once dreamed of during his times of despair. Far too irrational yet he wished for it to be true. He had heard of religions that believed in reincarnation, where only those that had lived a decent life would get to be reborn as a human again whereas others would suffer in the form of animals to pay for their sins.


    ''Yes!'' He firmly believed this in his mind. ''This my reward! I was not wrong!''


    He was barely able to calm down his trembling body before he took a closer look at the room he was in. It was relatively small and in dire need of renovations. There were many cracks inside the brick wall that allowed the freezing cold winter air to breeze inside. The ground was covered with numerous blankets, stitched together to prevent at least a little of the cold that threatened to freeze his bare feet.


    ¡°!¡± He heard a woman shout something he couldn''t understand the moment she walked into the room with a meal in her hands.


    She continued to talk in a frenzy, almost panicking at the situation before her. He''d remembered her as one of the caretakers that seemed slightly annoyed at his lack of reactions.


    Although the language was a foreign one, there was one word that repeated itself too often.


    ''Michael''


    It had a nice ring to it and considering it was the same word she had shouted at the beginning he could guess the meaning of it which almost made him tear up again. This had to be his name! For the first time, he had a real name of his own!


    The woman was more than a little surprised at Michael''s sudden recovery. She had already taken care of him many times in the last several years, but he''d never reacted before, no matter what they did. A few more words left the woman''s mouth before she hurriedly left the room. She had worn a strange black robe with a hood that covered her hair entirely. He faintly remembered some of his past co-workers telling him about the nuns of the old days and the description seemed similar.


    Michael patiently waited when he suddenly heard his stomach growl as if in pain. It took him a few more moments to realize what was wrong. Food! As if that realization ignited his hunger, he wolved down the meager bread and vegetable soup the nun had brought. Like a wounded beast, the dishes disappeared within seconds, lacking any semblance of how a human should eat.


    Once more, he shed tears until there weren''t any left. It might have been the fault of his young body that made him this easy to tear up, but he was filled with happiness and warmth he had never felt before.


    His new body was barely able to endure the winter cold of the room, and his food was that of a beggar''s, yet it was the most comfortable moment of his entire existence. The simple bread and soup tasted like the fruits from heaven, and the blankets on the stone-hard ground were as soft as the most luxurious beds.


    Shortly after the nun returned with another woman who wore similar clothing, the only difference being the additional necklace. Michael had heard of religious crosses before, but hers depicted a symbol he didn''t know of. It was a hollow circle made out of something resembling gold, containing a diagonal sword in the middle that connected the outer rings. After having regained his bearings, he took a closer look at the two nuns.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    The first nun was quite young as far as Michael could guess. A few strains of red hairs had escaped her hood, which she had hurriedly hidden again. The newly arrived nun was considerably older, as indicated by the wrinkles on her face. The beauty of youth she used to have had long begun to fade. But there was no reason to lament, for it had revealed the mature charm of a kind elder. The gentle smile she gave Michael filled him with a warmth that he was immediately very fond of.


    ¡°Michael?¡± She asked with some concern.


    In response, he looked over to her, indicating that he had understood while also confirming to himself that was indeed his name.


    ¡°Me, Mother. She, Sister Angelica. Understand?¡±


    Although he couldn''t recognize the words, he more or less guessed there meaning. He pointed at each of them and repeated what she had said.


    ¡°!¡± The woman calling herself Mother exclaimed something with sincere happiness as she patted his head.


    ¡°!!!¡±


    More words he couldn''t understand which were filled with sincere concern and relief that could traverse any language barrier. He looked down once more at his youthful appearance and quickly understood their surprise and relief. Apparently, he was already alive in this place for many years but barely conscious of it. Even after being reincarnated, it took more than a decade for his mind to recover from all the torture he had gone through. Disregarding that, he felt a physical weakness he hadn''t ever felt before and the earlier food hadn''t been enough to sate his hunger. Although these feelings obviously weren''t pleasant, there was a bright smile covering his face. This was what it meant to be human!


    After taking the pills and the endless work, every worker had lost their feeling of humanity. Even the Mentor from back then didn''t feel alive, especially after the incident.


    Hurriedly, he shook his head to disperse these ghosts of the past. This was a new beginning for him! A new life!


    Mother ordered Sister Angelica to do something else before she took him outside the room, where they entered a vast church hall. It was decorated with several ornaments of unknown religions, mostly depicting golden swords. The few windows, on the other hand, were covered with wooden planks to prevent the winter air from flowing in. There was also neither an altar nor any benches where the people would usually sit and pray. In place of that, the hall was filled with several youths at around the same age that loitered around in their own groups.


    ¡°Gather round, children!¡± Mother shouted out, and without any delay, the children ran towards her to sit down in a semi-circle. ¡°This is Michael.¡± She pushed him towards the group of youths who gazed at him with a mix of disbelief, surprise, and slight fear. ¡°Treat him nicely, he has finally recovered from his injuries.¡± It wasn''t difficult for Michael to grasp the meaning behind her words as he looked at the youths in front of him.


    The youths looked at each other with some hesitation in their eyes. They obviously knew who he was, but this strange kid who had only laid around was something too abnormal. Irrational fears and doubts filled their minds hand they didn''t make any attempts to approach him. Mother noticed their reactions as well, but she didn''t have the time to integrate him into the group at the moment and hurriedly left. There was something more important she had to do before it was too late.


    Meanwhile, Michael just stood there, and after being looked at by the dozens of children, they all left. They said a few words, but he couldn''t understand them, so the children quickly grew even more distant. He wasn''t bothered much by it. Even if he knew the language, he would have no idea how to interact with children to begin with.


    Unlike the others who loitered around aimlessly and spend their time playing in groups, Michael scanned the room to find a few books lying around. The most important thing for him right now was learning the language. He didn''t understand his situation at all, but figuring that out had to wait.


    He picked a few of the more simplistic picture books for children and sat in a corner where he began browsing through them.


    <hr>


    After Mother had left the hall, she went to an adjourning room. There was almost nothing inside except for a wooden table and chairs. Bleak as it was, this still was the guest room and the best shehad to offer. Michael''s sudden awakening was unexpected by everyone working here. They had all thought he was born defected and that there was no hope for recovery. Only Mother was adamant about taking care of him. She strictly refused any suggestion of ''putting him out of his misery'' and seemed to vehemently believe in a miracle. To their surprise, it turned out as Mother had always said it would, but instead of solving a problem, it just created many new ones.


    A few moments later, the expected visitor arrived in the room.


    The man in front wore a military uniform mostly colored in red. On his chest, you could see a single silver medal in the form of a silver cross. The uniform was made for civil occasions and thus quite extravagant looking. He had a roughened face with a huge scar right below both of his eyes, and together with his stern expression, it made for an intimidating appearance. This expression showed the visage of a man who had endured untold hardships on the battlefield - a battle-hardened veteran. His left eye would sometimes twitch for no apparent reason, most likely the result of another injury he had gotten during war times.


    Behind the man, there were two other men following closely. Both of them wore a dark red suit, and on each of their backs, they carried a dark mantle. On it, you could see a cross symbol that was stitched into it, similar to the man in front.


    The three walked in as if they owned the place and didn''t bother with any proper greetings. The man in the uniform sat down on the shabby chair while the two behind him stood to his sides.


    ¡°Everything still looks as run-down as ever, Catherine.¡± The man in uniform said.


    ¡°We wouldn''t have this problem if you would give us more money, Captain. And I told you to call me Sister Catherine.¡± Although she corrected him, there was no trace of agitation on her face, only a calm smile unbothered by anything mundane.


    ¡°You know we can''t spend any more than we already do, Catherine.¡± This time one of the other men spoke up. The Captain waved his hand to stop him from speaking further and continued while ignoring her earlier remark. ¡°The Empire is in a tense situation, Catherine. Not only us, but by now the whole continent doesn''t know what might happen next. Anyway, you know I''m not here for small talk. I was tasked to take a look at the children we chose suitable the last time and check their progress.¡±


    ¡°Regarding that, Captain. I''m not sure if you might remember a child called Michael?¡±


    The Captain shook his head. Behind him, the two men squinted their eyes in slight annoyance.


    ¡°So, you finally put him out of his misery? It was the best for all involved.¡± One of the men said with a mix of relief and doubt.


    ¡°No.¡± Catherine shook her head calmly with a smile that would never disappear. ¡°In fact, this morning the young man made a full recovery. He is unaware of the world and doesn''t know any language, but deep in his eyes, I can see an intelligence surpassing that of his fellow brothers and sisters.¡±


    The Captain didn''t show any particular reaction. He''d never met any children that were of no interest to him. On the other hand, the two men to his side couldn''t hold back some gasps of astonishment.


    ¡°I hope you are not lying, Catherine. This would be a petty way to prolong the boy''s life.¡±


    ¡°If she says he has recovered, then he has.¡± The Captain suddenly spoke up and glared fiercely at the men. ¡°Don''t accuse her of lying. Or else, I''ll make you regret the next time you spout such foolish words.¡±


    The two men quickly nailed their mouths shut, not daring to test the Captain''s patience.


    ¡°We received him about fifteen years ago. He was still an infant back then.¡± Catherine continued after giving the Captain a small nod of thanks.


    ¡°While growing up, there was barely any reaction from him, and even I had to admit that there was little hope for him. Nevertheless, I''d never give up on the blessed children of Al''ir. The Benevolent has responded to our sincere prayers. Thus I hope you will listen to my small request.¡±


    Mother Catherine looked at the Captain with a pleading gaze. The latter was at a lost and awkwardly refused to meet her gaze. He knew where this was going...


    ¡°...¡± The captain fumbled for words, trying to find the right ones. On the one hand, this was a waste of his time, but it was difficult for him to refuse Catherine.


    ¡°Sometimes you can be very cruel, Catherine. You know I can''t do much, but you still insist on your plea. On account of our close relationship and cooperation, I will see what I can do when I return. But if I were you, I wouldn''t hope for much. You know it''s too late for him to practice any form of Magecraft. And that''s disregarding whether he even has the talent for it. I can see you are quite fond of him for some reason... No, excuse me, you are fond of every child, I know. But sending him to the military like this... You nor I would want that. Therefore, there is only one other choice. ''Sigh''... For now, let me see the other children.¡±


    Catherine didn''t refute his point and led the Captain to the hall. Everything he''d said was sound and logical, leaving no room for her to argue. She knew the answer beforehand, but she''d still try any chance she could get. Yet, Michael''s situation left her somewhat powerless. She could only raise him until he was eighteen, and after that, he had to go. If he hadn''t recovered, it would have meant his death, and even now, there weren''t many options. After all, how much could a child learn in three years that made him useful to the Empire? The world wasn''t in a state where people had enough time to care for the disabled or the useless. She knew all of that. But she really wanted Michael to be safe. Ironically, the military would have been the best option. Alas, she could only try to raise him into a mentally functioning adult. That was already the best she could hope for him.

 Chapter 2

    <u>Chapter 2 ¨C Graduation</u>


    ¡°Listen very carefully, my dear.¡±


    Mother Catherine and Michael sat within the guest room, where they had spent most of their time during the last year. It didn''t take long for Michael to acquire decent language skills at a frightening pace that left Mother Catherine quite astonished. In turn, she lavished the child with praise, something Michael was very fond of (despite his mental age) further motivating him to give his best. Regardless of what it was, he''d absorb all of the knowledge Mother Catherine would throw at him while also spending the rest of his time reading lots of books about various topics. From fiction to Herbalism to Magic, there wasn''t anything he wasn''t interested in. He''d never understand how the other youths could waste their free time with meaningless games and idle talk when such an exciting world was surrounding them.


    ¡°A magus is to be respected under any circumstances. It doesn''t matter what race he is. What his background is or what he did in the past. Even criminals would be pardoned by the Crown if they swore fealty. Of course, that has its limits too, but it shows how the world values capable magi. A powerful magus can always make things work out in their favor. Especially in recent times, Ethena is desperately trying to increase its military might. After all, depending on the magus, their prowess could equal dozens, hundreds and even thousands of men, if not more.¡±


    As always Michael paid rapt attention, especially when Mother Catherine talked about Magecraft. This wonderful subject filled him with boundless excitement and daydreams about the possibilities of Magic. Unfortunately...


    Astute as she was, Mother Catherine realized that Michael had recently gotten easily depressed if she mentioned the topic of Magecraft - even if he didn''t let it show on the surface. Therefore, she quickly changed the subject, and for the first time during their lessons, she became very serious and stern.


    ¡°Remember this very well, Michael. If there is only one thing you take away from my teachings, then it should be this.¡±


    Michael was a little surprised to find out how... scary Mother Catherine could be. When she turned serious, she no longer looked like an old woman in the last stages of her life. Instead, there was something surrounding her. An air of force ¨C like an invisible might, that could crush him with ease if she so desired. In the back of his mind, Michael wondered whether that was Magic or not. Then, he quickly put the matter aside, and earnestly listened to her, aware of the importance of the subject.


    ¡°In our world, many different minor races exist. We, humans, are only one of them. There is conflict, but we mostly stand on equal footing. The higher races, however, border on the Divine and are not to be trifled with. As for the Divine, repeat what I say and ingrain it into the depths of your mind.¡±


    Fear the Demon, for he is the harbinger of chaos.


    Don''t trust the Devil, for he is as lawful as he is deceitful.


    Respect the Fairy, for they are the Protectors of the Forest.


    Show faithfulness to the Gods, for they are the Parents that govern our lives.


    The Devils uphold the order. They must be followed.


    The Gods uphold the laws. They must exist.


    They are the Gate.


    Neither is evil. Neither is good.


    The mortal''s concepts can not comprehend that which upholds the world.


    But know this.


    Nothing can exist without the other.


    Any average person that didn''t know much about Magecraft would at least know the first part of this rhyme. Variations differ from children''s songs to the text of scholars, but the content and messages were mostly similar. Demons were a dreadful omen, the contracts of the Devils bring misfortune, and the Fairies were... Well, you just didn''t mess with them. This was the overall consensus accepted by all humans and minor races as a matter of fact.


    Michael was entranced by this short rhyme and it didn''t take long for him to remember all of it, but not without leaving him with several questions. He''d heard stories of the Devil''s temptations. The invincible Fairies. But...


    ¡°Do Gods really exist?¡± Michael asked, not for the first and most definitely not the last time. While the other Divine Beings had recent events that proofed their existence in this world, the Gods...


    ¡°Well, of course, my child!¡± Mother Catherine returned to her kind self as she chuckled quietly, almost sheepishly. Michael had already asked the same question multiple times and she''d always answer the same. ¡°How else would that which surrounds us exist? Who would guide us through life? The Gods most certainly exist, and they will be your beacon, wherever you are. That reminds me, we should continue our religious studies. I''ve already told you of the Second Beginning. Thus we''ll continue with what must inevitably follow, the Second End...


    Yikes. If there was one topic that''d bore the hell out of him, then it was religion. Sure, mythology was as interesting as the books of fiction he''d read, but he couldn''t help but think that the stories of legends and myths of time unknown were somewhat... ridiculous? If any of those were true, then the Gods should be considered pitiful, for their boredom knew no bounds...


    Regardless, Michael would power through and listen to Mother Catherine''s teachings as he''d always do, and soon it was time for their lessons to come to an end for the day.


    <hr>


    ¡°Come on, Mike! It''s not that hard!¡± A cheerful voice aroused Michael from his daydreaming. His mind was still dwelling on his latest lesson that he almost forgot what he was supposed to do at the moment. Next to him was a young woman, close to him in age. Her blonde hair loosely flowed down to her shoulders and her gentle voice was like music to a weary traveler. Possessing eyes as blue as the clearest sky; sparkling with an excitement for life that rivaled that of a child''s curiosity. Like all of the orphans in this church, she wore a tattered grey robe, that had been white before its years of taking on dirt. Despite that, everyone could see her beauty that was unrivaled within this small town, only comparable to her talent and intelligence.


    Michael sighed as he looked down at the feather pen he was holding in his hand. Dark ink from its tip dropped onto the paper below, on which Michael had just written a few words in etha. A flurry of words flowed into each other like the waves of the sea, connected by a string from beginning to end. Exceptional handwriting for a youth his age but except for that, there was nothing else standing out.


    ¡°Alice... It''s fine. I''ve already given up, there''s nothing I can do. It''s not like Magecraft is all there is to this world.¡±


    ¡°But this doesn''t make any sense!!¡± The girl Michael called Alice ruffled her hair in frustration.


    ¡°Anyone can do this! Even if you didn''t have the slightest bit of talent, it would still show changes! Are you sure you are doing it, right? I showed you the process several times already, don''t tell me you still don''t understand?¡± Alice shot him a fierce glance. For some reason, she was more disappointed and angry than Michael himself. Wasn''t their reactions reversed?


    ¡°I''ve told you dozen of times already...¡± Michael let out a heavy sigh. This stubborn brat just didn''t want to listen. And he was supposed to feel the most down about this. ¡°I don''t feel anything. You tell me to sense Mana, Aer, Eden, and whatnot but there just isn''t anything!¡±


    In response, Alice slid closer to Michael, and after putting her hand on his neck, she looked him deep into the eyes. Awkwardly, Michael averted her fiery gaze while trying to calm himself down. Despite his age, he didn''t have much experience with women.


    ¡°You have a pulse! You are not dead!¡± She said matter-of-factly before releasing her hand from his neck.


    Well, duh.


    ¡°Any living being should at least feel something even if they had the worst of talents. Hell, even the Stone Dwarves of Old would be able to do this!¡± Alice continued, refusing to accept defeat. On the other hand, Michael didn''t share her enthusiasm anymore.


    The exercise was simple. Pick up the feather pen and write anything down on a piece of paper. To put it simply, the pen was an amplifier to one''s senses and helped sense the Mana that filled their surroundings, or that within their bodies. It was also a device designed to help make the connection between the ink and your Mana.


    Depending on various circumstances, Mana was split into several subparts; Aer in the case of humans. Some exceptions and variations were resulting in different kinds of Mana, like Eden, but it was a very rare occurrence for humans and easily noticeable - Nothing that could be hiding within Michael without anyone realizing.


    Anyhow, usually the (special) ink would then mix with the different kinds of Mana and react accordingly, for humans most often turning into a bright white color, almost indistinguishable from the paper.


    In Michael''s case, however, the dried black words were a testament to his utter lack of talents. If Alice''s talents defied the natural order of the world, then Michael was the same ¨C just in the opposite direction...


    ¡°Alice, it''s fine. It''s better to let go instead of chasing the impossible.¡±


    ¡°Don''t think like that! What was impossible yesterday might be possible tomorrow! But, well... yeah, in your case... Maybe giving up is really the right decision.¡±


    Damn it, girl! Make up your mind!The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Alice had helped him for quite some time after Mother Catherine decided that Michael had no talent in Magecraft and stopped teaching him as such. Michael was grateful for Alice, but it didn''t change the results in the slightest.


    Although Michael said he''d given up, he couldn''t hide the trace of disappointment on his face. No matter how often he''d failed, there was a slight glimmer of hope that this time it would be different. But slowly he''d come to accept things as they were.


    Magecraft was impossible for him.


    ¡°Don''t bother worrying so much about me. I''ll be fine. You should focus on your own studies. No matter how talented you are, Magecraft is built on the accumulation of experience. Don''t waste your talents.¡± Michael said, more solemnly he had intended to.


    ¡°Look at you! Lecturing me like some adult.¡± Alice huffed.


    ¡°Alicia, the Captain is here! Hurry over!¡± One of the orphans shouted from a distance.


    ¡°I''ll better get going then. I''m fine with angering Mother, but the Captain... Hell no. See ya later, Mike!¡± Alice soon hopped away with a jump in her step while Michael couldn''t help but sigh again. The girl was the definition of cheerful and optimism. Then again, maybe she just hadn''t known real struggle yet.


    Alicia von Regea.


    Despite being an orphan of unknown origins, her talents in Magecraft created a big storm within Ethena. Michael could swear he had seen bodyguards hiding in their vicinity more than once. The only reason she hadn''t left yet was that the Crown wanted her to stay low-profiled, but that sure as hell didn''t work out. It didn''t take long for numerous persons to recruit, or even try to adopt her, into their noble houses. In the end, she''d chosen the house of Regea under Mother Catherine''s supervision and advice, earning her a standing high up the social ladder. After serving her mandatory military service (most likely in a distant but safe region), she''d have smooth sailing through life with her status as a talented magus.


    <hr>


    Time passed peacefully for Michael except for his daily interactions with the giddy Alice. These past years had been the greatest time of his two lifetimes. After some thinking, he also wasn''t too sad anymore about not being able to learn Magecraft. All he wanted was a peaceful life within a community that supported each other. He dreamed of calm days as a farmer or maybe a merchant, traveling the continent.


    There was no need for any adventures and the like, just because he had been reborn with his previous knowledge of a lifetime (that was mostly useless).


    Magecraft wasn''t the only difference from his previous life. He had never seen the night before in his last world, but he knew that there was supposed to be only a single moon and not three. This and the concept of Magecraft told him that he wasn''t just reborn or on another planet. He was in an entirely different world. Nothing was indicating that humanity had traveled among the stars. While biding his time with learning about this new world, he couldn''t help but reminisce about his past. Was his past world as exciting as this one? He had never gotten to know anything about it after all, except for the flying metal ships and weird metal tubes.


    Mother Catherine was also delighted with him, seeing his improvement as well as his unending curiosity. However, she didn''t forget to remind him about the current state of the world.


    ¡°An unseen storm is brewing behind the curtains. It might change the entire world, or nothing might happen. No one can really tell. From the news, we have heard, apparently a fourth Magus...¡±


    Michael attentively listened to the story. There were many details he remembered, but the gist of it was quite simple. The Emperor of a major empire was always a magus, and more often than not, the strongest of the empire. With there being a total of three major countries and the appearance of a fourth magus at their level, dark clouds on the horizon began to appear. Many small fiefdoms hoped to rise along a Fourth Empire to gain better status while the other countries definitely didn''t want to see another power rise, yet were obviously too divided to cooperate. And this was disregarding the external conflicts between races.


    Michael couldn''t help but think what a farce all of this was. As if the existence of Demons and Devils threatening humanity wasn''t enough, no, they even had to fight among themselves, dragging down the civilians with them.


    If nothing else, humanity''s greed and desire for power was something Michael was only too familiar with...


    In the following lessons over the years, Mother Catherine tried to prepare him as much as possible. The other children would spend a lot of their time learning Magecraft as well as military tactics. Since Michael didn''t have to bother with any of this, his lessons were more focused on other mundane things and the social aspects of life.


    <hr>


    A group of young adults, wearing red uniforms walked out of the two rooms they had spent all of their life. They walked in pairs, except for a single man at the back. Unlike the others, he wore shabby trousers and a shirt that was clearly too large for him; thus, he bound it with a makeshift belt. His dark hair was the shortest among his brothers who preferred to grow their hair long as it was more common in the country. He wasn''t particularly handsome, but the calm within his eyes brought a sense of reliability with them. The way he carried himself as he walked at a steady pace was much more refined than other people his age, displaying his maturity. Striking was also the confident smile he''d always have on his face that radiated an air of charisma, only rivaled by the devilish charm found in stories. Despite all of that, the other youths didn''t seem to bother much with him.


    Michael was now eighteen years old, and it was time for all of them to leave the orphanage. During these years he hadn''t interacted much with his fellow brothers and sisters. Only Alice was keen on talking with him, mostly annoying him with nonsense. But he had to admit that he quite enjoyed their time together, bantering about everything and nothing.


    For their celebration, there was a small ceremony as they ''graduated'' to step into their respective lives. Inside the hall, there were the Captain and the few Sisters who had trouble holding back the tears in their eyes. The person Michael was most grateful for, Mother Catherine, stood at the front and greeted all of them with her usual smile. Unlike the other sisters and youths that still treated him with some distance, Mother Catherine had spent most of her time with him. She took care of him and also raised him to her utmost capabilities. For him, she truly was the mother he''d never had. As he looked at Mother Catherine with gratefulness in his eyes, she returned him a loving smile. However, there was a trace of concern hidden in her eyes. She''d talked to the Captain several times and also reported Michael''s rapid growth, comparable to academic geniuses. Yet the results were the same. No matter how talented he seemed to be, the shadow of being mentally unstable still followed him.


    ¡°Congratulations my children.¡± Mother Catherine greeted the group with open arms as they finished lining up before her.


    ¡°You have already lived here for many years, and now it is finally time for you to start your own lives. You all know Captain Reynold, he is...¡± Mother Catherine continued talking, but Michael didn''t pay her any attention anymore as he felt as if the floor was breaking away underneath him, plunging him into the depths.


    That name was too much of a shock from him. He could never forget the man who had stood in his way at the last moment of his way to freedom. It took him a few moments to gradually calm down his exaggerated breath. The two of them had no similarities except their status, yet he couldn''t help but change the way he looked at this Captain. He felt his heart sink at an ominous premonition which he quickly dispersed from his mind. Ridiculous! They weren''t the same! Why was he thinking that just now?


    No one had ever called him by name inside the orphanage. Instead, he was only referred to as a Captain of Ethena, a proud title of address that by itself would earn him respect wherever he was in this empire.


    ¡°I have watched all of you grow over several years.¡± Captain Reynold said after Mother Catherine had finished. ¡°Each of you has worked hard, reaching the first step towards becoming a magus. I truly am happy for you.¡±


    Michael had always wondered why all of his peers were capable of Magecraft when it was considered somewhat rare. Apparently, he was an exception to this orphanage that usually only took in the children showing promise during their early stages of life. Typically, the likely less talented children would''ve been sent to a different orphanage.


    ¡°I''m also proud to announce that all of you will join the military under my command. Continue to work hard, and you will receive prosperity. Money, fame, name whatever you desire. Or become mediocre and die meaninglessly on the battlefield. The chance is yours. All of you will follow me to the Northern Garrison, where your training will continue under my tutelage.¡±


    Except for Michael, each of the youths were awarded a bronze medal in the form of a cross.


    ¡°This is the mark of your hard work and pride that represents a Knight of Ethena. You can now leave and prepare yourselves. Tomorrow morning we will leave. You stay here.¡± He pointed to Michael.


    Michael knew he wasn''t able to join the military. Or more likely, he shouldn''t. However, Mother Catherine had never told him what his future path would be.


    ¡°There is a carriage waiting for you outside. Say your farewells.¡±


    ¡°Y- yes, Captain,¡± Michael answered with an awkward voice as if he''d forgotten all of his teachings from the past few years. He had yet to calm down from the earlier surprise and the previous thought still simmered at the back of his mind.


    The Captain gave him a curt nod and evicted him from his memory. He bade his farewells to the Sisters and left the church to finish his preparations. Michael didn''t have any package to bring with him, so after he thanked each of the sisters and especially Mother Catherine for their care, he left the church while holding back his tears. Mother Catherine had done too much for him, and he would surely repay her kindness one day.


    Outside, there was a carriage waiting. It spanned two horses and its driver was an old man with his entire face covered with his beard. He also had long hair that had already begun to turn white. This appearance was awfully familiar to Michael as he couldn''t help but remember how he and every person he knew back then used to look like.


    Hastily, he shook his head again. Why did he remember these useless things about his past life? Things were different now. He had to finally let the past go, regardless of how hard it was to forget.


    He proceeded to get onto the carriage when...


    ¡°Mike, wait!¡± Alice hurried out of the church and grabbed him by the shoulder. On the red military uniform she wore, there was a bronze cross, slightly different from the others that represented her noble status.


    ¡°If you ever run into trouble, come to the Northern Garrison. I''ll help you. If you don''t find me there, I''ll be at the House of Regea in the capital. I''m sure at that time they''ll listen to a measly request or two of mine.¡± Alice said hurriedly with sincere concern in her voice.


    ¡°Thanks, Alice. Take care of yourself. I''m sure we''ll meet again someday.¡± Michael smiled and gently released her hand from his shoulder. After a short silence, the two averted their gaze from each other and went their separate ways.


    Michael walked up next to the driver, where a middle-aged man sat with his eyes closed. He wore a similar military uniform as Captain Reynold, but instead of fancy ornaments, it was clearly designed for battle. No robe that would get in the way of fighting and perfectly tailored to the man''s stature, nothing without a purpose. In contrast to Reynold''s focus on leather armor, the man had an entire set of heavy plate armor, partly worn and a few parts next to him. Even as he noticed Michael approaching, he still didn''t bother to open his eyes or show any signs of courtesy.


    ¡°Are you Michael?¡± The man asked in an uncaring voice.


    ¡°Yes, Sir,¡± Michael answered respectfully. He would always show respect to others to avoid possible trouble regardless of how bad their first impressions were. One of many of Mother Catherine''s teachings he would always abide by.


    ¡°Sit on the back. Hurry it up. Driver, we are going back, this should be the last one.¡± The man continued in an annoyed voice. He was already traveling for days for this damned assignment.


    ¡°Sir, may I know your name? Aren''t you-¡±


    ¡°You don''t need to know. Now move!¡± He interrupted Michael before he could finish his question.


    Wasn''t he going to work for him? He should at least make simple introductions. Regardless, Michael didn''t bother arguing and got onto the carriage. It didn''t have a roof and it must have usually been used for simple deliveries and goods, definitely not meant for passengers to travel on. Several youths were squeezing into each other with barely any place for him.


    ¡°You actually asked such a stupid question. What''s wrong with you?¡± One of them asked Michael with a tone mixed between surprise and ridicule.


    ¡°Stupid? Why? Shouldn''t I at least get to know my boss a little more?¡± Michael said with sincere confusion.


    The other youths looked at him as if they saw a ghost but didn''t continue. They minded their own business, longingly looking into the distance or mumbling to themselves. There was even a language or two mixed in the constant grumbling and moaning that Michael wasn''t familiar with. But what he was very familiar with was the apparent trace of despair in their eyes.


    ¡°What''s with the mood?¡± He tried to warm up to them. Maybe they were his future co-workers, so he decided to build a good relationship from the start by making some small-talk. But the stares he got this time were even stranger.


    ¡°You... Don''t you know where we are going?¡± The one from earlier asked him with much more surprise this time.


    As Michael shook his head, all of the other youths looked at him with pitiful eyes.

 Chapter 3

    <u>Chapter 3 ¨C It repeats itself</u>


    Their two-week trip wasn''t particularly eventful. Michael had repeatedly asked the others various questions, but they refused to answer him. They''d told him some meaningless drivel about how he should enjoy his ignorance while he could and ended the short conservations. In truth, they were afraid that Michael would react badly to the news and try to do something stupid that would get all of them into unnecessary trouble. Thus, Michael could only wait and endure the anxiety continuously building up within him.


    During the trip, the rations they''d gotten were comparable to the orphanage. Barely enough food for young adults but Michael didn''t complain. Instead, he was more focused on the fact that there wasn''t any storage place, yet the driver would always deliver them enough bread and water, seemingly grabbing it out of thin air.


    Despite their meager food, none of the youths seemed malnourished or dissatisfied with its amount. In fact, Michael was the most underdeveloped of the entire group. They should have been about the same age, but their complexion and build looked significantly healthier than his own. Although they had supposedly grown up in similar conditions, the difference in strength was visible from the outside. Further inquiries on the topic had taught him that they were able to use at least some tiny fragments of Mana. Far from enough for proper Magecraft, but with the right instructions, it''d helped them improve their physical conditions slightly. As it turned out, food wasn''t the only way for the body to gain energy.


    Michael knew he was once again at a disadvantage compared to his peers, but he didn''t let that bother him. They might have surpassed him in physical prowess, but they couldn''t come close to his mental fortitude. Behind this somewhat frail-looking young adult, there hid an iron-will, forged by a century of suffering. If nothing else, then this was a weapon he could rely on.


    Finally, they''d arrived at their destination in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by lush greenery. The ground was mostly covered in a silver-green grass that was still wet from the morning dew. Several trees rose from the ground, blocking their view in every direction. Only a small trail that led into the depths of the forest indicated any signs of human activity in these areas.


    ¡°Alright, step out, and line up.¡± The Captain said with much relief. There was neither pity nor compassion in his eyes as he looked at the young men, whose fate he held in his hands.


    The youths listened obediently and lined up in front of the Captain. Each of them looked into the opening between the trees where the trail led to. Even from this distance, Michael could recognize the faint echoing of a very familiar sound. A sound etched into the depths of his soul that he could never mistake for anything else. More familiar scenes of the past flashed through his mind, and when the realization hit him, it left him with a deep sense of helplessness and disbelief. Rooted to the ground, he began muttering to himself, shaking his head repeatedly as if he could evict the idea in his mind through this method. The Captain merely shrugged at his sudden behavior and continued unbothered. He had seen many going crazy before they''d arrived. Fair enough, in his opinion - the spreading rumors only became worse, the more time went by.


    The youth next to Michael fiddled nervously on his tattered clothes. The later had begun muttering and stammering words repeatedly in a language he''d never heard of before. He silently praised himself for not telling Michael anything about this before they arrived. Who knew what this nervous wreck could have done?


    It took until the Captain almost finished his explanation for Michael to calm down. This wasn''t the time to panic - he needed to stay positive. Sure, it might look bleak at the moment, but it could never compare to his previous life. Repeatedly, he tried to convince himself that things would turn out fine, but a small unsettling voice in the back of his mind wouldn''t let him calm down. The past had haunted him, and despite his hardest attempts, it didn''t seem to leave him be. From the outside, he had at last returned to his calm, yet deep within, he was still struggling with the terror from times past that dreaded to resurface and consume him.


    ¡°This will be the place you will be living in.¡± The Captain pointed at a tall wooden cabin next to the excavation. Logs, simply stacked upon each other, lacking any signs of skillful workmanship. It was most likely built by people who had never been instructed on how to properly build a wooden house.


    ¡°You will be working here for the rest of your life. You had the chance to join the military, but now that you are here, your future is set. Unless you prove yourself capable of sufficient Magecraft, this will be your life now. Your job is simple. You mine the iron ore within the excavation. If you behave properly, you might be rewarded with luxuries. If you don''t, the guards will teach you some memorable lessons.¡±


    When the Captain finished, all of the youths had ugly looks on their faces. Now that they''d arrived, the brunt of reality had finally hit them and they truly realized the graveness of their situation. For them, the possibility of advancing in Magecraft was not impossible but very minuscule. With a conservative estimation, some of them could escape this life by the time they are forty or fifty. However, most of them would spend the rest of their life here. Under normal circumstances, working as a miner was not the worst-case scenario for them. That''s why they''d chosen this life instead of joining the military as a mere foot soldier ¨C more commonly referred to as ''cannon fodder.''


    But their attitude had changed shortly after they''d spent some time traveling. Rumors circulated as the people had pointed at them with pitiful eyes. Slowly they understood that they had been too hopeful about the future.


    It didn''t take long for them to find out about the truth hidden inside these rumors.


    Officially, slavery was not tolerated. The numerous churches had spoken vehemently against it and the Empire could not ignore their influence. Nevertheless, it didn''t stop it altogether. Instead, the military was only ordered to keep their chosen workers low-profile. As dissatisfied as the churches were, they couldn''t push the matter too far either. Thus, as long as the public was mostly unaware of these locations, workers were still drafted in horrible conditions. Both sides put up a front for the public while nothing much had changed behind the scenes. Simple work like mining was always handed to small groups of military personnel that would forcefully control their workers. Of course, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn''t prevent some information from leaking to the public, resulting in various rumors. Unhappy as the population and churches might be, this was something they could except. Especially since mostly only orphans, criminals and prisoners of war were sought out for these kinds of jobs. In the end, everyone on the surface could accept the status quo and revel in the feeling of upholding human rights while blissfully ignoring the truth. It didn''t concern them personally, after all.


    While some still had a glimmer of hope regarding improvements in their Magecraft, Michael didn''t have that. It was crystal clear by now that he had absolutely no aptitude for Magic.


    He continued to cheer himself up with pretty words and try not to despair too much. He had a lot of hope for this new life and it was too early to come to conclusions. The silver lining - it was impossible for it to get any worse than his last life.


    After this short instruction, the Captain led them to the cabin. Despite its fragile look, it provided decent accommodations once inside. They still had to look after the health of the workers at least a little after all.


    ¡°Come out, Arthus!¡± The Captain shouted. Within seconds, a man hurried out of the cabin. His fragile upper body was bare, and as he turned around, it revealed the numerous old scars stretching across his back, causing the blood to drain from the faces of the new arrivals. His blonde hair had grown below his shoulders and lacked any signs of caretaking. Although he didn''t smell particularly bad, he looked like a homeless beggar with his untamed beard covering his entire face.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Take care of the Newbies.¡± Without waiting for an answer, the Captain left the group alone and disappeared in the woods from their sights.


    Arthus waited until he was sure he couldn''t see the Captain anymore before he straightened himself to look at the group of new arrivals.


    ¡°So you guys are the Newbies? Not many as always.¡± He said. His voice was surprisingly relaxed and devoid of any signs of exhaustion. From his wounded figure they''d expected him to sound a little more worn out.


    While Arthus inspected each of the young adults, his gaze remained on Michael for a longer time. It was difficult to tell a person''s proficiency in Magic from the outside, but Michael''s appearance indicated a few obvious things to him. He was aware that all of the orphans who were doomed to work here, were usually prepared in some minor physical enhancements as evidenced by their appearance. Michael was a stark contrast not only to his peers but also to the workers passing by. Only very few were as thin as Michael, including Arthus. On the side, Michael had realized that those were especially downtrodden, while some other men seemed strangely satisfied. Not as relaxed as Arthus, but they were content with their situation. One couldn''t call them happy, but they were in much better shape than one would expect, both physically and mentally.


    Arthus'' gaze had lingered longer on Michael for quite some time before he assigned each of them their beds inside the cabin.


    ¡°Yours is 52. It''s next to mine.¡± Arthus gave Michael a friendly smile before returning his attention to the entire group.


    ¡°If you have any problems in the future you can come to me. I''ll help you out as long as it''s within my capabilities. Under your beds, you will find some clothing and a pickaxe. Your work is straightforward. You wake up at dawn, go down to the mines and work until you fulfill the quota for the day. Guards will supervise you so don''t try anything funny. After you''re done, you can find some dried rations in front of the cabin. As for water, you can find some down the mines and inside the cabin. Any questions? If not, get your stuff and follow me.¡±


    Arthus explained patiently, ready to comfort anyone who''d break down from the news. However, he didn''t have to worry about this group, except for Michael, whom he didn''t let out of his sight. The group changed their clothes into plain grey trousers and grabbed their pickaxes while following Arthus'' advice of omitting the shirt, that would only motivate the guards to lash out at them harder.


    Michael looked a little absentminded as if he still couldn''t come to terms with reality. Except for Arthus, no one paid him any more attention as they were busy lamenting their own fate.


    The group led by Arthus walked down some stairs to the excavation. There were about a hundred men that worked unceasingly and twelve guards, each holding a whip that was painted in the color of dried blood. Almost every worker had open wounds on their back from which fresh blood was dripping onto the ground, gathering in a small pool beneath them. The occasional grunt and scream of pain filled the Newbies with even more dread. Meanwhile, a few had noticed that some of the men were exempt from the punishment. Those men only had old scars that''d healed a long time ago with no traces of any recent wounds. They were also mining the iron ore within the stones but barely gave the activity any effort.


    ¡°You better work hard,¡± Arthus advised them. ¡°As you can see, our ¡°working conditions¡± aren''t the best. At the end of the day you each have to fill a wagon with iron ore like the one you see over there.¡± He pointed behind a worker. It was a hollow box made of stone without a cover. At the bottom, some makeshift wheels were adhered to it, which barely seemed to work.


    ¡°If you are too slow or you somehow displease the guards, they will hit you. Some of them are really sadistic bas-...¡± He didn''t dare to continue as he saw one of the guards noticing their group''s arrival.


    ¡°Don''t mind me. Please continue.¡± The guard said as he arrived with a wicked grin on his face. There was a massive scar across his face that went through one of his eyes, effectively blinding it. Pretty much every guard had some visible injuries or scars revealed on the few spots their armor would reveal their skin.


    ¡°Nothing, nothing, revered Knight. I just finished showing these newcomers the ropes and was about to return to the cabin.¡± Arthus said in a fawning voice, something he''d trained to perfection over the years.


    ¡°Just leave. You''re lucky the Captain favors you, else...¡± The guard didn''t continue, but the wicked smile on his face grew wider as he licked his lips in anticipation. Arthus didn''t dare test the man''s patience any longer and hurriedly went away after excusing himself. The last look he gave the Newbies told them that they were now on their own.


    ¡°So you are the Newbies the Captain brought back? Get to work on the double!¡± The man shouted at the Newbies as he lashed out with the whip onto the ground. As a result, a small crack appeared underneath the strength of the whip that immediately filled the Newbies with immense fear. Things were developing too fast, and with the aggressive appearance of the guard in front of them, they were like helpless children who didn''t know what to do despite how obvious it seemed.


    What no one expected was, that Michael was the first to get his act together as he threw the pickaxe across his shoulder in a practiced manner and walked away. The others admired how quickly Michael had recouped, despite this turn of events. The one they''d assumed was the weakest and most fragile among their group, turned out to be the calmest. Thus, they followed and clung onto this steadfast back like a lighthouse in the turbulent sea you could always rely on. Regardless of the weather, its light would always guide them in their direst needs.


    What they didn''t know, however, was that Michael''s mind was an utter mess, a stark contrast to his outward appearance. Total chaos that had eventually resulted in calmness on the surface. The more he''d learned about his ''new'' work and saw the battered workers, the more his mind slipped into a routine. As if trying to escape from this place and reality, he stopped thinking and let his instincts take over. He''d listened, and with the pickaxe in his hand, his body reacted on its own. Arriving at a desolate place, followed by the Newbies, he swung the pickaxe towards the rock in such a practiced manner that gave the distant workers a big surprise. None of them had paid much attention to the new arrivals, but the way Michael had used the pickaxe was too eye-catching. The pickaxe had traveled in a perfect arch as it hit the rock, resulting in an almost beautiful echoing sound, followed by a refined rhythm as if he had practiced the art of swinging for decades.


    Evidently unpleased by his calmness, the earlier guard walked towards Michael and raised his whip to lash out at him.


    ¡°Faster!!¡±


    With the strength of multiple men, the Knight''s whip traveled at an astonishing speed. The sharp sound of the whip hitting on Michael''s back echoed through the surrounding, sending shivers down the spines of the Newbies. This time, instead of admiration, they were once again filled with fear. An enormous gash had opened on Michael''s back as fresh blood gushed from his back onto the ground. Their fear of the whip, however, was quickly eclipsed by Michael''s unflinching reaction.


    There wasn''t even the slightest trace of a reaction from him. He was still raising and dropping his pickaxe as if anything that had happened wasn''t related to him. Only the wound on his back proved the reality of the injury he''d received. As it was to be expected, the guard was more than furious at Michael''s lack of reaction.


    As if his authority was questioned, the guard continued to whip at Miachel as he shouted insult after insult. Yet, he couldn''t get a single gasp or cry of pain from this new worker.


    This was the first time the veteran workers had seen a guard out of breath from delivering a lashing. It was incomprehensible to them. His tiny stature indicated his lack of strength, yet there wasn''t a single reaction from the young man. Not even disrupting his rhythm in the slightest, he operated the pickaxe at a steady pace to the surprise of anyone present. An entirely different fear emerged within the workers witnessing the event and even the guards began doubting the reality in front of their eyes. The image of the young and weak man was quickly replaced by something else. By a fear for the unknown - A monster.


    The day had ended, yet the surprises didn''t. From the beginning to the end, Michael had worked without pause, neither eating or drinking. He had mined far more than was expected of him before he inevitably collapsed on the ground. It was the first time a guard had ordered someone to stop working, but Michael didn''t listen. He''d worked until his body could no longer support him and the guards called for Arthus to take care of him.


    Eventually, Michael awoke in his bed with Arthus at his side, who held a bowl of soup as well as water, bread and some dried meat.


    ¡°Finally you woke up. What was wrong with you? The guard thought you wanted to commit suicide and actually began panicking. While they couldn''t care less about us, a dead worker wasn''t something they needed.¡± Michael didn''t bother listening to him. He''d calmed down and realized the exhaustion that completely overwhelmed his body. Within seconds he gorged down the food and water, relaxing in the comforting feeling that filled him. It took Arthus some time to explain what had happened before Michael understood what he had done. He had been totally out of it and didn''t even remember the recent events. The actions of today earned him numerous stares from his co-workers who now didn''t want to bother associating with him. Whatever it was, there was clearly something wrong with Michael. Better to not interact with a lunatic like that. Arthus didn''t buy in the superstition and had taken care of Michael until he woke up. The latter was grateful for the help but wanted to be left alone for now. He tried to sleep just so he could wake up from this nightmare.


    But when the next day arrived, those hopes too were extinguished and Michael had to accept the reality ahead of him.

 Chapter 4

    <u>Chapter 4 ¨C Trust</u>


    A year passed - or maybe more.


    For Michael, it might as well have been a day or a decade. The mundane, repetitive days made him lose track of time. While he had to admit that the working conditions were far better than he was used to, it didn''t make them good by default. The guards had eventually lost interest in lashing out at him but not until dozens of scars had marred his back for life. During that time, Michael had barely interacted with anyone except for Arthus, who had often accompanied Michael and took care of him on his own accord. Michael was grateful for the kind gestures, but at this point, he had already returned to the hollow and soulless husk of a human that didn''t bother about anything or anyone.


    Concerned about the troubled Michael, Arthus had tried various ways to comfort him. For example, he''d adviced him about how he could acquire a similar position like him and became a favorite of the Captain.


    In Arthus'' case, he''d been rewarded for turning in one of his findings he''d found during mining. When he''d found an artifact buried within the earth with potential magical properties, Arthus could guess at once that it had to be something special. Instead of handing it over to one of the guards, he took the risk and directly confronted the Captain about the matter. After a series of events, he''d become the Captain''s favorite and his workload was cut in half. Whatever that artifact was, it had elated the Captain to no end, resulting in Arthus'' better treatment and a more comfortable life. To this day, it might have been the best decision he''d ever made in his life.


    ¡°They are afraid,¡± Arthus answered one of Michael''s rare questions.


    They sat outside the lodgings, looking at the clear night sky. Seven stars in different directions, which Michael could name with ease, shone particularly brightly, almost eclipsing the moonlight with their luster. The rest of the workers had already gone to sleep when the two sneaked out. It was the only time they could have some privacy for themselves without too many eyes watching them.


    ¡°Those few are close to acquiring decent Magecraft.¡± Arthus continued with a pained look on his face. He had told Michael how the two were very similar ¨C they both couldn''t learn Magecraft. It was one of the reasons Arthus had been fonder of Michael than the other Newbies. Earlier, Michael had asked why there seemed to be some discrimination in regards to who got punished by the guards more or less.


    ¡°I know you don''t know much about this stuff, so I''ll keep it simple. As long as you can acquire a decent Mana Pool of Aer within your body, the Empire will assign a new function to you. For us talentless, this means an enormous time of following a small procedure we were taught at a young age. It''s a snail''s pace, but eventually, after decades of patience, some will have enough. None of the guards wants to make a bad impression on a future magus, no matter how low ranked he''ll be. If that magus ever gained some standing after leaving this place and wanted revenge, not even the military would step in. Most of the guards here are veterans who had survived being sent as cannon fodder. Explains why some of those bastards are so deranged... Captain Sergaz is one of the very few higher-ranked non-magus Captains. During a drunken stupor, he''d once let it slip that he was here due to some punishment after getting on the bad side of a magus ranked below him. Sigh... If only we had the talent... Everything would be different.¡±


    Michael only listened with one ear as he gazed at the stars, thinking about the usual stuff. While Arthus would spend their short nighttime with casual chitchat and never seemed to run out of topics to talk about, Michael was always lost in his own thoughts. He couldn''t help but wonder what the point of all of this was. After escaping a life of meaningless work and torture, he''d thought that this would be his chance. Yet, how did it turn out like this... again.


    Arthus continued his usual small talk until the middle of the night. More often than not, he''d rant about fairness, justice and eventually complain about women. Michael never bothered engaging in a proper conversation, but he was always courteous and silently listened to the man''s complaints. Maybe that was the actual reason Arthus was so fond of him. It wasn''t easy to find someone who''d let you rant on and on without getting annoyed.


    As it turned out, there was an open secret. Michael was not privy to it but couldn''t care less. Most war prisoners, especially those from a different race, were stationed in various mines with more valuable and dangerous resources. For example, the toughness of the descendants of the Stone Dwarves was convenient for mining ores deep below the earth where temperatures were too high for regular workers. They also had a talent for finding rare minerals, and as long as you could convince them, you would have very valuable and desired workers.


    Far more important for Arthus, however, were the hidden female elven prisoners that were reserved for some of the guards and the Captain. Taking them prisoner was usually a very, very, bad idea. However, these particular elves were considered ''forsaken.'' Whatever it meant, it enough to convince humans that there was no danger in keeping them for... entertainment. It was an open secret among the workers that under exceptional circumstances, they could be rewarded, increasing the motivation of some. Female elves were a feast for the eyes, and even nobles would dream of spending a night with one. Thus, although there had been extremely few cases of this particular ''reward,'' it was something that motivated some of them to work harder.


    When Arthus explained this to Michael, the former couldn''t hide the dirty look on his face as he reminisced about something. Michael didn''t care much about the matter, and Arthus quickly coughed to hide his embarrassment, dispersing the awkward atmosphere. The night went on and only a few guards in their vicinity were patrolling the surroundings, occasionally giving them some glances. The previously clear sky became cloudy and blocked most of the moon- and starlight, cladding their surroundings in darkness. The distant torches in the hands of the guards became more visible and Arthus judged the time to be right. He abruptly changed the topic, accompanied by a severe tone in his quiet whispers. To be extra careful, he covered his mouth with his hand and didn''t turn into Michael''s direction, forcing the latter to pay focus properly if he wanted to understand anything.


    ¡°Michael, I know it''s hard for you. I''ve been there. We both don''t have any chance of escaping this place through conventional means.¡±


    Michael suddenly jerked up in response to hearing those words. No longer distracted by his stray thoughts, he entirely focused all of his attention on Arthus. If he wasn''t wrong, then this was...


    ¡°You''re right,¡± Arthus whispered, confirming his suspicions. ¡°I believe we can escape from here. Don''t look at me like that. I know firsthand how heavily guarded this place is. I''m not a fool.¡±


    Michael wasn''t sure what he should make out of this. But listening couldn''t hurt for now.


    ¡°By chance, I glanced a sneak at Sergaz''s schedule. That man is eagerly waiting for a certain day. In about a year from now, he will finally leave this place and switch posts with some other Captain. During this switch, security will be at its lowest. I can''t predict how lax they''ll be without supervision, but if there is any chance for us escaping this place, then this is it. I bet that Sergaz won''t follow the proper protocol either.¡±


    ¡°Why me?¡± Michael asked, skeptically.


    ¡°Because we are the same," Arthus answered sincerely. Michael couldn''t make out his expression, but there was no lie to be found in his voice.


    "I remember when I first came here, it was hell. We are both untalented in Magecraft and the Empire considers us expendable. Also...¡±


    At this point, Arthus'' voice grew rather painful as he thought about his past. His life at this mine hadn''t always been as smooth as it was now...


    ¡°You didn''t fall prey to it yet, but the guards aren''t the only problem in this shithole. Sure the... freakish show... you''ve put on, kept the more driven workers away from you but who knows how long that''ll last. Many veteran workers take out their stress on hitting the newbies or making them their underlings. As long as enough ore is being mined, the guards won''t care about anything else. They''ll even join if the event seems fun enough to them.¡±


    ¡°I''ll need to think about it.¡±


    ¡°Sure, we have enough time. But I''ll need to make some preparations and the more hands, the better.¡±


    The two returned to the cabin, but before they stepped in, Arthus leaned into his ear one more time.


    ¡°Don''t tell anyone else about this plan. I can be sure about you, but I don''t trust the others. Someone might turn us in as a favor for an... ''ahem''... eventful night. Regardless, we must trust each other''s back on this, partner.¡±


    Michael wanted to refute him, saying that he hadn''t accepted the idea yet, but he let the matter drop. Instead, he thoroughly thought about the offer. His experience with escape attempts wasn''t good, to say the least, but it was as enticing as always. Even in the worst-case scenario, what would happen? Death penalty? He had some slim hope left in him, but he''d also arrived at his wit''s end. So what if he lost this life as well? What was the difference between death and this way of living? Thus, it didn''t take long for determination to flicker across his eyes as he made his decision.


    <hr>


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Michael looked down at the uprooted weeds he was holding in his hands. There wasn''t anything special about them except for their slight silver luster in the center. They grew in abundance all around them and nothing indicated that they could be used for anything substantial.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Silent Sleep, a widespread grass but not many know of its narcotic uses.¡± Michael looked at Arthus with much curiosity.


    ¡°I used to read a lot of books back in the orphanage,¡± Arthus continued. ¡°It was mentioned in a book of fiction, where the hero had drugged the dreadful monster with tons of this stuff. It was quite exaggerated, but its effect is authentic. Press out the tiny amount of liquid from a dozen handful of this stuff, put it into an unprepared man''s drink and sleep-you-soon, he''s gone for the day.¡±


    Whenever Arthus ran the occasional errands for Captain Sergaz in the vicinity, he''d carefully pluck more and more of the grass in preparation for their escape plan. It was Michael''s job to be on the lookout while Arthus was busy preparing the medicine they needed. It was simple to squeeze out the little amount of liquid within the grass, but they required a considerable amount.


    ¡°How do you plan to make them drink that?¡± Michael asked.


    ¡°After Sergaz leaves with some of his personal guards, I''ll mix it into their alcohol."


    Michael looked at him skeptically and Arthus could only return a wry smile as he shook his head.


    "I know, I don''t expect this to do very much. But as long as I can reduce the number by a few, it should be worth it. Considering their characters, they won''t fret over a few guards who won''t wake up and simply reduce the number of patrols. Then again, although they do spend their time more drunk than sober, I can''t predict who drinks out of which of the numerous barrels in the storage.¡±


    Michael wasn''t too sure about this idea and Arthus probably wasn''t either. It relied mostly on luck just like their actual escape attempt. This couldn''t even be called a plan. But there was no other way. In the end, they could only have a minor effect on the outcome themselves and slightly heighten their chances.


    After the liquid was extracted correctly, Arthus mixed it within a bowl with some water and stirred it with a stick in his hands. Occasionally (when he was sure there were no guards watching) Michael looked down at the water swirling in the bowl, thinking about his future. He thought back about what Arthus had said was needed for their success. They needed to trust each other.


    <hr>


    Nothing much had changed for the two of them while they waited for the fated day to arrive. Michael had long regrown the long hair and beard he hated, but there was nothing he could do to change that. He preferred much shorter hair that wouldn''t remind him of his past life, but there were more pressing concerns at hand. When the day had arrived, there wasn''t any indication that the Captain and some of the guards had left. Under normal circumstances, no one would be aware of this, but Michael and Arthus knew there chance had come. Under the cover of the night, the two of them sneaked out of their lodgings. They had previously discussed which way they should go and slowly made their way into the forest. At first, they had to stop several times when they encountered some patrols. There wasn''t any indication that the security was any lower than usual and any effect of the medicine Arthus mixed in didn''t show results.


    Nevertheless, they wouldn''t give up. The next Captain would soon arrive and only because of Sergaz''s impatience did they have this chance, to begin with. At least they would have fewer guards chasing after them in the worst-case scenario.


    Michael and Arthus glanced at each other, contemplating how they should proceed. Each guard was within viewing distance of another, leaving no severe blindspots they could use to get through while creating a spotty ring of fire with their torches.


    Michael racked his brain until he finally came up with an idea. It wasn''t perfect, but at this point, he''d try anything. In the time leading up to his year, he had invested himself more and more in the idea of escape. It was a risky idea and depended heavily on the fact that the guards didn''t bother taking their duty seriously.


    At first, Arthus was vehemently against this stupid idea, but after some convincing, he relented. After all, he didn''t have a better one. They circled around the perimeter until Arthus found one of the guards whose name he could recognize.


    ¡°Rekan! Time to switch...¡± Arthus shouted, trying his damndest to disguise his voice while staying outside the radius of the torch. His voice wasn''t that much different from usual, but he succeeded in sounding lazy and slightly annoyed.


    The man called Rekan turned around in surprise. Whoever had called him was some distance away and he couldn''t recognize the shadow.


    ¡°...Eric? What, it''s already time? Man, sometimes time flies when you are bored. Or drunk...¡± Rekan responded and stumbled towards Arthus whom he''d dubbed Eric.


    ¡°Did you see my flask around here? I seemed to have dropped it the last time with some good liquor from my hometown.¡± Arthus answered, trying to prevent the nervousness within him from showing in his voice. If Rekan paid even the slightest attention at all, he would realize this farce immediately. Thankfully Rekan was now busy searching the ground. Whether it was pure luck that they had found the right idiot or just too stupid of an idea to think of and execute, it worked.


    It didn''t take long for Rekan to find a flask made of jagged metal lying on the ground. It was one of the few things Sergaz had given to Arthus as a reward. When Rekan opened the flask, the sweet aroma of alcohol filled his nostrils, causing a broad smile to appear on visage.


    ¡°Don''t you dare, Rekan! You couldn''t pay for that stuff with a month''s of your meager salary.¡± Arthus shouted no longer hiding back his initial nervousness. This only fanned the greed of Rekan, and without holding back, he gulped the contents of the flask down.


    ¡°Good stuff!! I''m...¡±


    With a loud thud, he dropped to the ground and began snoring. Unbelievable...


    ¡°Indeed. A case of too dumb to be real...¡± Arthus breathed out in relief. But it didn''t last long when Michael hurriedly pulled on his sleeve. Time was of the essence and it wouldn''t take long for the other guards to notice the missing patrol. After Michael hid the body behind the closest bush, they sped off as quietly as they could following one particular direction.


    ¡°As long as we head towards this star,¡± Arthus pointed to a bright shining star in the sky, seemingly at random, ¡°we can make it to the closest city within a day.¡±


    Michael was busy contemplating a few things before nodding in agreement. He didn''t have the slightest idea where they were anyways.


    They gained more distance and much to their relief there had yet to be any signs of pursuers. Eventually, the two of them needed a break. While working in the mines increased their stamina, it wasn''t to an extent they could run kilometers without a break at full speed. They chose a good spot behind some bushes to sit down and catch their breath.


    ¡°Water?¡± Arthus gasped through ragged breath, and after taking a swig himself, he handed over the small bottle of water he''d hid in his jacket. The two of them chose to wear it for the first time as the grey color was perfect for camouflage.


    ¡°I''ll be damned. I didn''t expect this to go this smooth. Especially after your... ''plan,''¡± Arthus sighed as much in exhaustion as disbelief. He''d been here for almost two decades and never found a chance. Had he never found that artifact and gotten on the good side of Sergaz, he''d still be condemned to that shithole for the rest of his life.


    Michael gave a non-committal hum and drank from the bottle. The two of them recovered for another minute before continuing their venture.


    However, when Michael stood up, he suddenly felt dizziness overwhelm him, paired with more exhaustion. He stumbled slowly on the spot, seemingly struggling to stay conscious with all of his might. He bit his tongue until it began bleeding out of his mouth and scratched his arm until they too started bleeding. But no matter what he did, after a few seconds, he collapsed onto the ground facefirst.


    ¡°I''m sorry, partner,¡± Arthus said with any trace of his usual kindness gone. ¡°But I''m not taking any risks. If I''m lucky enough they might believe there was only one escapee. Even if that wasn''t the case, the chase would surely slow down after they find you.¡±


    Without hesitation, he stepped away from the unconscious Michael, and without turning back, continued his escape.


    But not for long.


    He had barely walked a few meters before he felt a cold blade of steel pressed against his neck, threatening to slice it in half if there was any movement from him. His pupils shrank to the size of a pin needle as he slowly turned his head around to look at the young man who held his life in his hands.


    ¡°H-How!?¡± Arthus stammered incredulously at the sight of Michael behind him.


    ¡°The Path of a Saint... It''s a good book. Indeed, very educational.¡±


    Michael answered calmly, causing drops of sweat to roll down Arthus'' back. He couldn''t believe that this was happening.


    ¡°You shouldn''t have lied when you said you were incapable of Magecraft.¡± Michael continued, increasing the force of the blade he had stolen from the unconscious guard earlier. ¡°The Star of Judgement can only be seen by magi. And don''t think I didn''t realize the traces of Mana you infused the medicine with.¡±


    ¡°Y-You are a magus!?¡± Arthus exclaimed convinced by his own truth, but Michael was no longer responding, too busy with his thoughts. He was conflicted about what he should do now. If it wasn''t for Mother Catherine''s well-versed education, his life would have once again ended right here and now. This was enough reason to kill the man in front of him, but he couldn''t bring it over his heart. No matter how callous, he understood the man''s feelings. With so close to freedom, he wanted to increase his chances as much as possible. Unfortunately, Michael knew the astronomical star map like the back of his hand. Usually, only a magus would have the ''sight'' to differentiate the Seven Stars of Heaven without calculations. Even for him, the fast learner, it had taken him years to correctly memorize the position of the moving stars. It was considered a useless skill, and the only reason he had learned them to begin was simply out of interest.


    Disregarding that, the traces of Mana inside the mixture was a dead giveaway for Michael. He was confident in his assumption that the swirl was slightly too strong for the tiny movements Arthus made, revealing the addition of Mana. Apparently, the later hadn''t paid attention to that but who would have expected that Michael was this astute.


    To be fair, Michael wouldn''t always pay this much attention to meaningless tasks. But Arthus sought him out too often. It was evident after a few meetings, there was more to this than Arthus led on to, and low and behold he was right.


    Regardless, Michael had still hoped very much for this escape to go smoothly without any backstabbing. Yet no amount of hoping and wishing would change the situation in front of him. If Michael had learned anything from his past life, then it was this. He''d prefer to trust people, but that had to be built on a solid foundation. No longer would he blindly believe what other people said.


    While Michael thought about how to proceed, Arthus felt his world turn upside down. Silently he cursed at himself for being so rash, but how could he expect this to happen! No matter how he looked at, Michael seemed to have some sort of talent in Magecraft and it exceeded his own by far.


    ¡°Look, this i-¡± Arthus pleading was interrupted by a sharp pain on his neck, accompanied by a trail of blood rolling down his neck. He proceeded to shut his mouth and reluctantly waited for Michael to decide his fate.


    There was no way Michael would just let him go. Who knew what the man would do? But he couldn''t bring himself to kill him, no matter how much logic told him to do so. Thus, he took a quick look around to make sure there wasn''t any Blackwood Resin nearby and grasped the last bottle of water.


    ¡°Drink this or I''ll slit your throat,¡± Michael whispered into the man''s ear with as menacing as he could. It didn''t seem very effective since Arthus was clearly hesitating. However much Resin he had previously swallowed would never allow him to counteract an entire bottle of water filled with Silent Grass. Instead of using more verbal threats, Michael simply increased the force on the knife he was holding until Arthus finally gave up and resigned himself to his fate, drinking the water. His body slowly lost its tension and Michael let him sink to the ground. Arthus was sure to not wake up for the night, but soon the despair in his eyes was replaced by a wicked and self-destructive smile. He gathered the last of his strength to move something within his jacket before he fell unconscious to the ground.


    From underneath his jacket, a small flare rose into the sky and exploded above them, illuminating the entire forest as if it was daytime.The short beaconwas quickly extinguished again, but it was more than enough time for Michael to make eye contact with the distant guards who had begun searching for them.

 Chapter 5

    <u>Chapter 5 - Escape</u>


    At first, neither party reacted. The appearance of the flare was simply too unexpected.


    When the light eventually disappeared, and darkness enveloped the forest once more, Michael snapped out of his stupor and sped off as fast as his legs allowed him to. There was no time to regret his actions as any moment counted. He heard some shouting in the distance and numerous glowing lanterns slowly closed in on him. Although most of the guards were still inebriated from drinking alcohol and were wearing heavy mail armor, that disrupted their movements, it didn''t hinder them much from chasing Michael down. He had put on more muscle and stamina over the time he was working, but it was laughable compared to the training and battles these veterans had gone through.


    Michael''s mind raced at the fastest speed it was possible of. He would rather die than return to the mines but more so than that he wanted to live! Finally, lead a normal life! This thought alone kept his gradually exhausting body going as he ran straight into the unknown forest, hoping for a miracle. He prayed to Ilyaesta, the Goddes of Fortune and Ryeka, the God of Judgement. He begged them for justice and fairness as he noticed the lanterns steadily approaching him.


    What had he done to deserve this? Whatever sins he had committed in one of his past lives, weren''t they already repaid by his torturous suffering? Surely he had earned himself some fortune now, no?


    ¡°NO!?¡± Michael shouted out, desperately towards the sky, but he was only met with silence. Most of his strength began leaving him and the lights were almost upon him. However, refusing to give up, he pushed himself past the bush ahead of him with the last of his strength.


    There, he collapsed to his knees; his wobbling legs no longer able to support him. The burning screams of his muscles and lungs were only overshadowed by the deafening sound of falling water in front of him. He had probably been too flustered to hear it earlier, but subconsciously he must have noticed the sound of the waterfall for some time as he had headed towards it.


    Michael gulped down his resurfacing fear as he looked down the chasm in front of him. The darkness of the night prevented him from seeing the depths of it and he could only make out the bottom by the sound of water colliding. He turned around, seeing the lights almost in front of him. The nervous shouting of the guards became louder over time, warning him to stop resisting lest they''d kill him. Confronted with the two choices in front of him, Michael''s eyes quickly shone with determination. A life of slavery was no longer something he could accept. Forcing himself off the ground, he took one last step and silently plunged into the darkness.


    Only moments after Michael disappeared from their sights, did the guards arrive at the spot. They looked down at the place he''d decided to take a chance and shook their heads in distraught.


    ¡°Can''t follow that, can we?¡± One of the guards grunted.


    ¡°Just report him dead... Great. Really fucking great. The new Captain arrives in hours and the first thing we''ll have to report to him are two almost successful escape attempts. I''m sure he''ll be happy to hear that!¡±


    The guards continued arguing among themselves before they returned to the mines with an unconscious Arthus on their shoulders.


    <hr>


    Darkness. One he wasn''t familiar with. A much wilder and untamed darkness that tossed him around like a helpless child. No amount of struggle could contend with the might of the river waters, even if he hadn''t already been tired. Whenever he reached the surface, he coughed up some of the water in hislungs only to swallow more of it. It was already a miracle he''d survived the fall without any serious injuries. Yet he was now at the mercy of the river torrent that carried him to parts unknown. More water entered his lungs until he finally lost consciousness, with his last thought clinging to life and a hope for the future.


    <hr>


    The village, Reydenes, was named after the only magus that was ever born in this rural wilderness. It was both an advantage and disadvantage of living several days worth of travel away from the nearest city. On the one hand, they were spared the theater of power-hungry politics and the atrocious taxes the larger towns suffered from. Still, the problem it brought withit slowly became unmanageable. The small village was very dependant on the few merchants that traveled the country, placing them at the mercy of their extraordinary prices.


    ¡°Two gol'' coins for som clove for the winder!?¡± A furious man argued with the merchant that had just arrived in Reydenes. Their argument heated up until the merchant could no longer take it and took off with his cart while the villager cursed something about highway robbery. No longer enduring the pent up frustration, the merchant immediately turned around in a rage, leading to another considerable dispute.


    ¡°Robbery!? Me!? Sure you can joke about this, you dimwit asshole!!¡± The merchant dropped any pretense of courtesy and hopes of making a sale. At this point, he was ranting and letting off the steam that had accumulated over the recent weeks.


    ¡°Three times! Three times I decided to take the risk and travel out this far from Hayden! What did it get me? Bandits at my door and not a copper worth of money in my pocket! I don''t know what devil possessed me to do this shit but no more! And you can bet that I''m not the only one who''ll stop trying to help you out!¡±


    Besides hoping to make some money, he was actually quite fond of this region. His father had taken him on numerous trips in the past and when he''d heard that the villages this far out would soon have to migrate to thetowns due to the lack of trade, he''d figured he''d take a chance and see what he could do. Boy, oh boy, was that a mistake.


    ¡°Help!? You stinkin'' merchants are only after money! Tha''s all you care about!¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    And this man was clearly not helping his newfound impression of this backwater shithole. To top it off, this wasn''t a one-time thing! For whatever reason, these entitled villagers apparently expected the merchants to just bring them some gifts and leave again. Yeah, what a surprise this region is dying down. Must be the weather.


    Whatever. The merchant couldn''t bother himself with this anymore. All he wanted was to take the fastest road back to Hayden and end this horrible, horrible idea of his and get an earful from his father. He''d much rather deal with that than this, and that meant a lot in his case.


    ¡°Where are you going so fast? No time for reunions?¡±


    Oh, for Amir''s sake! Not again!?


    ¡°Hey... there... I wonder what the mighty Tyrant Lord Karzek might want from this lowly servant?¡±


    The merchant turned around and cursed his own misfortune. How could he not notice five horses approaching him with dozens of people in tow? Not that it mattered of course. Even if he had spotted them earlier, there was no leaving with his goods today.


    ¡°Seryn, my friend. You know what I want.¡±


    The man called Karzek answered from atop his horse. His steed was just like his armor jet black in color. In fact, all of his followers wore a mixture of black leather and mail armor. Karzek himself donned a blackcape over his armor that flattered in thewarmsummerbreeze. His armor was made of full plate, except for the helmet that seemed to be missing. The neck area was somehow ''cut'' out to leave more room for the movement of his head in exchange for lessening the protection at the spot.A full beard covered the entirety of his face, rivaling thelush facial hairs the dwarves were very fond of. If his broad stature wasn''t accompanied by a height that towered over any regular human, you''d surely mistake him as such. His dark-brown hair was combed to the back and held in place by a hairband so it wouldn''t obstruct his vision while also allowing his fierce expression and gaze to intimidate the weak-minded.


    ¡°Sigh... I''ll be leaving then.¡±


    Seryn resigned to his fate and left his entire carriage behind. Thankfully, the bandit boss didn''t ask for the horse he was relying on. As long as one was obedient, Karzek was lenient towards his victims, despite the Tyrant that he was in this region.


    Tyrant Lord Karzek, one of the many reasons the region was in decline. With the Empire in constant disorder and attending ''more important matters,'' the rise of bandits was a matter of course. Obviously, this resulted in a lot of dissatisfaction towards the current Crown but the populace this far out was minuscule and could be ignored. The several bandit groups, on the other hand, were quite thankful for their current situation. Karzek''s group stood at the top and was already big enough to build his own village while their numbers only continued to increase. Even the regular villagers in the region realized that becoming a bandit was nowadays more profitable than being a farmer. Thus, those less restricted by their morals gradually joined him, basically making him the overlord of the region.


    ¡°That''s enough.¡± A loud voice disrupted the short conservation they''d had. AlthoughKarzek''s fame had already spread far and wide, people were still trying to overthrow him. Vigilantes and bandits alike hoped to topple him, but there had yet to be any success. Ever since he appeared, not once was the man in any serious danger. Seryn knew what was about to happen and posthaste left the area. He knew any aggression towards this tyrant would end in bloodshed. And he wasn''t foolish enough to believe anyone in these parts could actually defeat that man in a fight.


    Karzek completely ignored the voice and didn''t even turn around to face the man who had spoken up. Instead, his followers took a closer look at the fools who had come to commit suicide. A group of ten armored men appeared from behind several houses. Most of them wore heavy plate armor that barely left any openings, supposedly guarding the entirety of their body. Only two seemed too poor and settled on shabby chainmails that had already begun rusting.


    ¡°I''m Koros, envoy of the Church of Judgement. Karzek today your atrocities will come to an end! Repent to Ryeka for the atrocities you have committed!¡± The man at the front shouted in exasperation when he was confronted withthe lack of reaction from Karzek. Yet, the latter still didn''tregistertheir existence. He seemed far more interested in the distant river as he was pondering about something.


    Koros finally lost his patience and charged at the bandits together with his comrades. But before the man arrived in front of any of the bandits, he suddenly stopped. Horrifying screams of agony escaped his lips but quickly ceased as his armor he began whistling with an ear-piercing screech. Like a kettle, thissound announced the man''s miserable demise. Slowly, the armor began to melt, together with the body of the man that had resided within, ending in a puddle of melted steel and human.


    Not once had Karzek given the man a shred of his attention, yet it was as easy to kill him as turning over a hand.


    ¡°Maybe it''s time to hold back a little... An actual envoy would spell trouble...¡± The man muttered to himself but quickly dismissed the thought. It''s not like they''d bother with someone minor like him.


    ¡°Kill anyone present. Leave none alive.¡± Karzek gave the order to his bloodthirsty minions that without hesitation ravaged the entire village and the rest of Koros'' frightened companions. The villagers were punished for hiding the ''ambushers,'' and none would be shown mercy.


    Meanwhile, Karzek took his trusted steed and arrived at the river close to the village. It didn''t take long to find the person he had sensed earlier. The man looked fairly young with long disheveled hair and a full beard, not much different from his own, albeit less tended. He was on the verge of death, but more important than that for Karzek was the uniform he was wearing. A very familiar uniform. After some more pondering, Karzek proceeded to help the dying man. Without lifting a finger of his own, the water inside the man''s lung flowed out. Afterward, the man slowly levitated off the ground and was turned onto his back. Seemingly through Karzek''s will alone, air traveled in and out of the man''s lung to reinstate his breathing. Slowly but surely the man began breathing on his own again and eventually regained consciousness.


    If Karzek was exhausted, he didn''t show it on his face. Only the drops of sweat on his forehead told the truth behind this seemingly effortless display of magic.


    It took the injured man some time to regain his bearings as he looked around in confusion before focusing his gaze on Karzek.


    ¡°Thank...you... for saving me.¡± The man stammered slowly, still overwhelmed by exhaustion.


    ¡°What''s your name? Where are you from and what happened?¡± Karzek asked concisely, not bothering with the gratitude the man showed. If the answers weren''t what he expected, he''d decide on a whim whether to leave the man alive or kill him - simply because he could.


    ¡°I''m Michael... I was a worker in one of the mines... I don''t know which one.¡± Michael answered, apprehensively. The gaze of the man in front of him filled him with aterror he''d never felt from a single person before.


    ¡°So you were a slave,¡± Karzek concluded, affirming his suspicions with an evil grin.


    ¡°Boss!¡± One of his minions ran over to inform the deed was done. None of the villagers were left alive and they had looted the entire place.


    Karzek noticed the fear rising within Michael and with a burst of wild laughter that resembled a beast more than a human, he looked at him like acat toying with a mouse.


    ¡°W-What are you going to do with me?¡± Michael asked, fearfully.


    ¡°You have one of two choices,¡± Karzek answered him afterceasing his laughter, but the sadistic grin on his face didn''t disappear.


    ¡°Join me or die.¡±

 Chapter 6

    <u>Chapter 6 ¨C Why?</u>


    When Michael had awakened, he felt utterly powerless. It wasn''t just the overwhelming exhaustion, buthe''d lost all feeling. As if he had been placed inside a different body that was not meant to be capable of movement. The expected coughing also didn''t reoccur; instead, a flow of air had traveled freely through his lungs. It was a surreal and strange feeling like someone else was doing the breathing for him. Gradually he took back control over his own body, familiarizing himself with it once again and looked at his surroundings. In front of him stood a tall horse on which a man was intently studying him. The man''s gaze alone filled him with immense dread, that rid Michael of any movements as if his body was rooted in the ground. The instincts within his body screamed that wherever that man was, danger would follow. This was a new experience for him. For a single person to fill him with such terror... Michael didn''t think a man like that existed, but here he was, standing before one.


    The man had asked, and Michael had dutifully answered. He had made clear that were wasn''t any other option for Michael but, to tell the truth. At one point, another man had joined them, informing the dreadful man of their success. Confused, Michael took a closer look at his surroundings and realized in what situation he had gotten himself in.


    An entire village was burning, lit up in bright flames that engulfed everything in their surroundings. The agonizing screams of people being burned alive were the only other sound besides thecrackingof the blazing flames. The mixed scent of charred humans and the stench of blood filled his nostrils, causing his face to turnas white as a sheetand he was barely able to hold back the nausea assaulting him. The man watched him contentedly, enjoying the distraught expression Michael displayed at the realization of his situation.


    ¡°W-What are y-you going to do with m-me?¡± Michaelstutteredfearfully, barely able to form the right words.


    The man had answered him with an ultimatum.


    After everything he had been through, there was no way he could accept dying now. No, that was unthinkable. But join him? This mass-murderer that found delight in human suffering? Where would that bring him?


    He knew this was the wrong decision. But there was no other choice for Michael. Hoping to find a solution to his predicament later down the road, he reluctantly agreed to join the bandits led by the Tyrant Lord Karzek.


    <hr>


    Michael had soon found out thatKarzek had taken an interest in him because of the uniform he was wearing. Apparently, Karzek had some sort of relationship with the Slave camps (as he called them) of the Empire.


    ¡°The Boss is incredible. You should feel lucky he took pity on you and full-heartedly obey his orders.¡±


    Michael was riding along on one of the horses of Karzek''s underlings. His name was Erwin, and after joining Karzek, his entire life had changed. Previously he had suffered in poverty, at the mercy of food donations from the church and other citizens. Sick of this life, he had decided to take a risk and join this bandit group. That was back then when Karzek had just begun forming it.


    ¡°The Boss is a magus! Can you believe it? He bends the elements and humans to his own will, leaving no room for disobedience!He even brought you back from the dead! Everything...¡±


    Michael decided that enough was enough and stopped listening to Erwin''s unceasing praise. The man clearly had his own little fan club going on and most of the information was too redundant. He had already learned what he needed the most right now.


    To put it bluntly, he was in deep shit right now. Out of the frying pan into the fire so to say.


    No matter how much his minions worshiped him, there was no doubt the man was an absolute lunatic.


    You had something he wants? - You died!


    The slightest sign of disobedience? - You died!


    Bad mood? (Congratulations)You guessed right - You died!


    It didn''t make it better that the man was prone to massacre. It was a wonder he didn''t just randomly went around to kill people. Instead, he would look for the smallest reason to ''justify'' his outrage while his minions would obediently follow him in the wake of his success and prosperity.Michael had hoped there was some misunderstanding and that the man had at least some justifications. After all, he was the one who had rescued his life. But no matter how much he looked for the reasons for his actions, there just weren''t any.


    On top of that, who knew how long it would take until the man got bored with him? What would happen to him then?


    And all of that was ignoring the biggest problem Michael was concerned with. He just became part of a bandit group for Amir''s sake! A group that went around to murder and pillage innocent villagers! Soon the same would be expected of him and Michael had no idea how he''d react in such a situation. He obviously couldn''t prevent Karzek from doing so, but that didn''t justify just following his orders. After losing himself in his thoughts, he realized that he wasn''t getting anywhere. Whatever was about to happen was not for him to decide.


    Yet again, he was at the mercy of someone else.


    Drowsiness overwhelmed him and his body had remembered that it hadn''t fully recovered from his escapades. Slowly, he descended into a light slumber butbefore he fell asleep, a thought he''d kept at the bottom of his heart for a long time began unraveling itself.


    Why was this happening to him?


    Again.


    <hr>


    It took some time for Michael to recover from the shock when he stood in front of the village. He didn''t knowhow a regular bandit hideout should look like, but he most definitely didn''t expect this.


    An entire village several times the size of the one they had burned down a day ago unveiled itself before him. If one hadn''t told him anything, he''d believe that this was just a regular village - a very prosperous one as well that had to be close to some major city. Michael estimated that there were enough lodgings for at least a thousand people. In fact, those wooden buildings were clearly built by people with much expertise. Stable enough to weather even the wildest storms in this area. To the side of the dirt roads, various shops opened for business. From medicine to smithing, everything you would need you could find in this village inhabited by seemingly barbarian bandits. Michael wondered whether there was even any point to pillage other villages when their own was likely the most prosperous in this region.


    It was now that Michael realized that Erwin hadn''t been exaggerating with his admiration. He had to admit that this was very impressive for a single bandit to build from scratch.


    Soon after arriving, Michael was given his own room, close to Karzek''s mansion. Compared to all of his previous living conditions, this was a difference like heaven and earth. A comfortable bed, a fireplace not many had, and even a wardrobe filled with dark clothing of all sizes. But, before he could get accustomed to his new living standards, a man ordered to follow him to see his new Boss.


    Nervousness filled Michael anew as he followed the man across the roads to the biggest mansion in the village, the only one made of stone and bricks. Entering the mansion, he''d expected it to be lavishly decorated with either the body of their enemies (fitting the impression he got of the man) or numerous luxuries from his raids.


    Contrarily to his expectations, the hall, that was spacious enough to fit the entire populace of the village, was almost entirely empty. A small set of stairs led to a platform on which the only chair of the building stood. To be more precise, it was a large throne filled with empty socketswhere the jewelry should be. Anything valuable was missing from the throne, lessening its impact, but the man sitting on it was as intimidating as always.


    Slowly, the man stood up, confronting the two scrawny men below him. With a quick glance, he ordered the escort to leave, leaving Michael to face the man alone. Silence filled the entire hall, increasing the pressure on Michael who didn''t know why he was called here. The fear peaked inside him as any inappropriate attitude from him could end the man''s patience, resulting in his death. Thus, he patiently endured, waiting for the man to speak up while praying to the Gods for their protection.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Then, instead of speaking, Karzek roared with laughter that shook Michael down to the depths of his soul. It echoed throughout the entire hall and Michael could swear he felt the whole building shake from the man''s laughter alone.


    ¡°No need to be so afraid, pup,¡± Karzek said, reclining back into his chair.


    ¡°Remember well why I took pity on your miserable life.¡± The man continued. ¡°This is nothing but a whim of mine. Deem yourself useful, and everything is fine. But If you''re worthless...¡±


    Michael gulped down the terror within him and hastily nodded in agreement to the satisfaction of Karzek.


    ¡°Good. You will join us on our next raid to prove yourself. Consider it... a rite of passing.¡± Karzek cackled loudly once more and Michael felt his ears ringing in pain. He wondered whether the man wasn''t ahuman but rather a vicious beast in disguise.


    Michael correctly took the man''s gaze as his cue to leave and returned to his own room. He fell onto the bed, wondering what he was supposed to do now. Prove himself? He had neither Magic, nor was he particularly strong. His measly knowledge regarding plants or anything else would never be enough to impress the man. No matter how he racked his brain, he couldn''t find a solution to his predicament and could only pray that Karzek wasn''t expecting too much from him.


    <hr>


    He only got a night''s rest before they began traveling again. This time Michael was stored inside a carriage filled with barrels of... something. Despite the rough roads, the barrels didn''t topple over as they stood upwards without anything tying them down. Whatever was inside, was at least as weighty as Michael himself if not heavier. The journey went on for days, and not a single day went by that Michael wasn''t struggling with the panic inside him. He was unable to get any decent sleep and had played with the thought of escape more than once. But he knew it would undoubtedly end miserably. He could vividly imagine a furious Karzek who dealt with any form of betrayal the same way.


    Helpless, he''d tucked his knees in with all of hismight as if he was afraid they''d come off otherwise, forcing himself to calm down. A constant conflict waged within his own thoughts that were still split between his instincts shouting at him to run while his reasoning had to calm them down to not get himself killed.


    Suddenly, the carriage stopped when it shouldn''t have been the time for yet another break. Fidgeting with his hands, Michael took a look outside but he neither knew where they were nor could he see their destination. When he peeked out of the carriage, he felt thewarm sun raysblinding him through the gaps in the sea of leaves above him. The weather was neither too hot nor too cold, as acomfortable summer wind fluttered through his long, disordered hair. The distant fields of tall grass and trees joyfully swayed in the same refreshing breeze, dancing to the tune of nature.


    If it wasn''t for his predicament, it''d make a beautiful scenery for an enjoyable day.


    ¨ªf it wasn''t for his fear always occupying his thoughts...


    If it wasn''t for his bad luck that resulted in his present circumstances...


    If it wasn''t for his lack of magical talent...


    Only if it wasn''t for...


    But no matter how often he closed his eyes (as he had done far too often in this new life of his) nothing changed. He''d hoped for all of this to be some long and tedious nightmare; making him almost wish to wake up back in the mines he left behind a lifetime ago.


    Instead, the sounds of reality came closer in the form of escorts that were told to get him. Michael dragged his feet off the carriage and followed them apprehensively. Not much later, he saw the scene unfolding behind the hill that had earlier blocked his view. The previous serene picture of dancing trees and grass was quickly replaced by the bloody hell in front of him.


    Dozens of unmoving men sprayed across the ground like crushed ants. Arms lay where the legs should be and headless corpses leaned against the two carriages, the only things unfazed by this bloody carnage.


    Michael froze on the spot as he felt something hitting against his feet. He looked down to see the severed head of a man meeting his gaze. Tears had stained its face, paired with an expression of disbelief and fear that was ingrained into its face for all eternity. His lips remained unmoving, as a severed head should, but Michael seemed to hear the unknown man''s screams of despair as he''d begged for mercy. For his own life or maybe for his family and fond friends. But it had fallen on deaf ears. No pleading, begging, and praying was able to save him from this fate. Michael stared unmoving at the severed head, his mind too chaotic to lose his composure. For a second, all of the surrounding carnage disappeared from his vision, leaving only the severed head behind. He couldn''t help but wonder if one day, that would be him. Powerless. Weak.


    Dead.


    Someone urged him to move on and he returned to his senses. They walked across the bloody sea beneath them and closed in one the sole noise that overshadowed the sounds of nature.


    Seconds that felt like an eternity, later, Michael arrived in front of Karzek. Next to the man, a middle-aged man knelt on the ground while screaming in pain at the top of his lungs. There wasn''t any indication he was injured or bound yet the man couldn''t flee. He was too busy writhing in the pain that emerged from the inside of his upper body. When Karzek noticed Michael arriving, the man''s agonizing screams finally stopped to Michael''s relief. But this wouldn''t last long.


    ¡°Kill him.¡± Karzek''s far too calm voice sounded like the decree of a devil to him. Without a doubt, this was an ultimatum. This was his rite of passage. Either the nameless man was killed by him, or he''d be killed by Karzek.


    Without realizing when it had appeared, Michael looked down at the knife that was placed in his hand. A similar short blade he had used to threaten Arthus.


    If back then he''d...


    Michael quickly shook the thoughts out of his head. What was he supposed to do now!? His prayers had fallen on deaf ears. His only way of survival lay in his hands. But...


    ¡°P-Please, d-don''t!¡± The man on his knees shouted in despair as he looked at Michael, who flinched in response. The look of desperation on the man''s face was something he was all too familiar with. Something he had seen more than enough of. Something he was sick of seeing.


    ¡°I-I have a daughter! A family!¡± The man begged, and each word he stuttered out caused more and more hesitation to surface within Michael. On the other hand, Karzek looked at the scene unfolding before him indelight. For him, all of this was just a little bit of entertainment. Whether he killed Michael or not didn''t matter much to him. He had more than enough minions who would follow his orders. One less wouldn''t make a difference, even if he favored this one a little more.


    ¡°I''m a doctor!¡± The nameless man continued, a slight slimmer of hope appearing in his eyes. He could sense the hesitation in the man who was ordered to kill him. He didn''t know if there was any chance of his survival at all, but he had nothing to lose as he pleaded at the humanity within Michael.


    ¡°Both my daughter, Aira and my wife Sera are terminally ill! I''ve traveled knowingly to this dangerous region to obtain the herbs necessary for their treatment! If I don''t get back...¡± The man trailed on even when Michael had put up his hands to close his ears. This only caused the hope within the pleading man to flare up as he shouted the story of his life with all of his might.


    Michael wanted the man to stop. He didn''t want to learn more about him. How was he supposed to kill him when he recognized him as a human - An innocent man, who had a family waiting for him?


    ¡°Please... stop...¡± Michael stammered, and tears began welling in his eyes. What had he done to deserve this? Why would the Gods lay upon him this cruel fate?


    Karzek glared threateningly at him, indicating that his patience began reaching a limit. If Michael didn''t make his decision soon then...


    With trembling limbs, Michael closed in on the man; the knife in his hand grabbed with all of his might, almost shattering its shaft. He could no longer close his ears and was forced to listen to the man''s unceasing begging as he raised the trembling arm holding the long knife.


    Michael looked at the man who had a daughter.


    A loving wife and a caring mother.


    What right did he have to end this man''s life only for the sake of his own?


    ...


    ......


    .........


    That''s when he understood everything.


    The life he had lived. The future he was bound to face if nothing changed.


    Time stood still.


    As if the world had lost its luster, a lid that had blocked his view fell off and revealed the truth.


    It was so simple - The answer was obvious.


    How had he not realized it before?


    In his eyes, the short hair of thepleading man slowly became jet black in color. His surroundings faded away as Michael focused all of his attention on the man in front of him, whose features had begun morphing into a very familiar face. He looked at the new face and a slight smile crept onto Michael''s previously quivering lips. A smallchucklehecouldn''t recognize escaped hismouth, ashe looked at the appearance of the man in front of him.


    He saw himself pleading for his life while at the mercy of others.


    He saw himself praying and hoping for a miracle.


    What he saw was his pitiful self. He had never noticed how ugly his struggle had been. How weak he had been.


    It was at that momentwhen he realized the origin of his suffering.


    The features transformed once more. The hair grew longer and gradually, a full beard covered the man''s entire face. The Mentor had never known before, but he was certain that this was how he must have looked like. Frail and weak. At the mercy of those above him. Those stronger than him.


    A second lid within Michael fell off.


    Something that he had bottled up deep within him, too ugly for the world to see and far too sinful for him to accept, was unleashed.


    He had endured and refused to accept it while lying to himself, denying its existence.


    But no more.He was tired of restraining himself.


    No longer washis hatred bound by his conscience or ideals. Like a match that was lit and thrown into his heart made of gasoline,a devastating fire of hatred erupted within him.


    There was nothing that could compare to its might. Too many he had known were deserving of this hatred. Even more, he had never met should be the recipient of his vengeance.


    With no target, it raged aimlessly, engulfing everything and anything in its way.


    Thus, it was directed at the world.


    The trembling in his arm that held the knifeceased. Without any more quivering or hesitation, the blade rushed down at the pleading man. In a swift and smooth motion, far too perfect to be executed by an amateur, the knife slid through the man''s throat. Just like that, withthe ease of action, a child was capable of, he had ended the man''s pitiful existence.


    <hr>


    He had known of the man''s daughter Aira


    The man''s wife Sera and his mother Elene


    Yet he didn''t know the name of the first man he''d killed


    And he couldn''t care less about it


    The man was dead ¨C Nothing would change that


    And so was the weakness that was once called Michael


    And so was the kindness that was once called Mentor


    The only thing left, was the unyielding hatred within


    Aien.

 Chapter 7

    <u>Chapter 7 ¨C Bandit Life</u>


    ¡°Hang on, brother! Don''t you die on me!!¡±


    Erwin had just arrived back in the village with his shouts disrupting the serene atmosphere on the streets. His entire body was drenched in sweat as he beelined towards a single direction. The man on his shoulders struggled to stay conscious despite Erwin''s best attempts to keep him awake. From the outside, there was nothing wrong with him. Nothing that would explain the frenzied expression on Erwin''s face who was about to collapse himself.


    It didn''t take him long to reach his destination. Even if you didn''t know where he lived, the line outside would indicate it. As it had always been the case recently, dozens of people lined up in front of the building. None of them appearedespecially ill or injured, yet they patiently waited for the ''doctor'' to receive them. Much to Erwin''s relief, this indicated that he was at home.


    ¡°Aien!! Help us, Aien!!!¡± The man shouted with the last of his strength before collapsing to the ground. Those that had waited recognized the severity of the situation, and while one went to inform Aien, the others helped the two men into the building.


    <hr>


    Erwin slowly opened his eyes again after he had swallowed some weird-smelling liquid. Despite its disgusting taste, Erwin enjoyed the revitalizing feeling that had filled his entire body within mere moments. Still exhausted, his eyes scanned the small hall he was brought in. As usual, it was filled with numerous barrels and nothing else. No decorations, pieces of furniture or plants. He knew that Aien didn''t have his own garden and was prone to scavenge the woods for herbs. In hisopinion, the man was somewhat of an eccentric. Except for plants or anything related to them, the man didn''t care aboutmuch else.


    Erwin and his friend lay next to each other on the ground. He could see that Aien was busy studying his friend, that had already fallen unconscious, and was no longer responding to any calls. At first, dread filled him again at his friend''s painedcomplexion but seeing Aien brought him hope. Compared to the Boss, he had a slightly tender figure. Despite that,he gave you the impression that you could rely on him for anything. His short hair revealed more of his not-so-handsome face, but it also showed the undisturbed calmness within his eyes. ''In the eye of the storm'' brought an entirely different meaning whenbeing looked at by this man.


    ¡°Aien!¡± Erwin exclaimed exasperated. All of this was his fault, only if he hadn''t... But it was too late for regrets.


    ¡°Eric... Eric he-¡±


    ¡°Got bitten,¡± Aien stated calmly. ¡°Hmm... A Red-Eyed Spider...¡±


    Although Erwin was astonished as ever about the man''s knowledge that knew no bounds, he couldn''t care less about it at the moment. When Eric had suddenly frothed at the mouth, it was evident that something had gone terribly wrong.


    ¡°Can you help him?¡± Erwin asked even more nervously. He wasn''t one to believe in the Gods, but at this moment, he couldn''t help but pray.


    ¡°Not much of a problem, Erwin. It was only a hatchling. The symptoms look much worse than they actually are.¡±


    With relief, Erwinsank onto a barrel as the strength he''d regained left his body again. If Aien wouldn''t have been able to help him, then no one here could. Meanwhile, Aien had left the room, and within less than a minute, he reappeared, holding a small wooden box in his hand.


    ¡°Take this salve. Search for the place Eric has been bitten. For the next three days, it has to be applied at all times and changed regularly after eight hours. Be careful when you dispose of it, don''t let anything get onto your skin. Within a week he''ll be back on his feet as if nothing happened.¡±


    ¡°Thank the Gods! Once again, you savedour asses.¡±


    ¡°Don''t mention it. What happened anyway?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know.¡± Erwin shook his head and continued. ¡°We were forking through the jungle looking for something we didn''t know even existed. I found a faint hint of something I was looking for and asked Eric to help me check it out. We went into the forest west from here when suddenly Eric began frothing at the mouth. I immediately hurried to you after that.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Aien replied as hebegan pondering something. Erwin knew he didn''t like being disturbed while he did so and patiently waited for him to speak up again.


    ¡°Well, be careful in the forest. This should be a good lesson for you guys. The Boss might be able to shrug off this stuff but for us plebians...¡±


    ¡°I know, I know...¡± Erwin sighed. Now that the situation was diffused he let his thoughts wander and eventually changed the topic.


    ¡°I have to say, Aien. Your ale is excellent stuff! I''ve never drunken anything like it before!¡±


    ¡°Come on, you are exaggerating.¡± Aien chuckled helplessly as he averted his gaze. Did he just...?


    ¡°There''s no reason to blush, my friend!¡± Erwin laughed out loud, which made Aien seem to get even more embarrassed.


    ¡° ''Cough''... Anyways, about that thing, I mentioned the last time.¡± Aien quickly changed the topic once more, apparently no longer able to handle the teasing.


    ¡°Of course, I got it,¡± Erwin answered and handed over a grey pouch. It was a simple pouch, nothing special, yet he was very cautious about handling it. Despite its tiny size, he carefully handed it over with both of his hands, afraid of the slightest chance of dropping it.


    ¡°About this Aien... I hope this goes without saying but don''t mention this to anyone. If the Boss finds out, I''m as dead as they come.¡± Although he''d said so, there was no hesitation when he''d handed over the pouch. Instead, he was eagerly anticipating Aien''s response.


    ¡°Thanks, Erwin. As I promised, I''ll give you an entire barrel. Just come back later today, the new batch should be finished by then.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡± Erwin exclaimed with joyful laughter. Whatever risk he had taken was all worth it if he got an entire barrel of Aien''s ale for himself!


    ¡°That reminds me...¡± Aien said, ignoring how pleased the manwas with himself. He left the room and shortly after he returned with a sword in his hand. An old and rusty sword with a handle that was almost about to fall off. Most definitely not suitable to be used in a fight. However, when one took a closer look,one would realize that it was somewhat different from a regular sword. On each side of the blade, a significant symbol was ingrained into the steel. Written in a foreign language, the symbol was drawn in a single zigzagging motion. Resembling lightning, it rushed down from the hilt and concentrated into the tip of the sword.


    ¡°Amazing, isn''t it?¡± Erwin said still excited but this time for a different reason. This was a treasure of his, and under normal circumstances, he''d never give it away. Looking for these ancient artifacts was the reason he''d joined the bandit group after all. In his opinion, it had been the best option to do so as a non-magus, as long as his morals wouldn''t hinder him.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Aien said, also entranced by its aesthetics. ¡°A ritual sword that was part of a summoning ritual for a low-ranked Devil. Indeed, very intriguing.¡±


    Before handing it back to Erwin, Aien gave it one last glance to make sure it hadn''t been an illusion. As if to prove itself and dispute his doubts, seemingly affronted by the thought alone, the symbol shined in bright white light. A sentence was being imprinted into the depths of Aien''s mind with words he was unable to read. Despite that, he, and any other living creature would instinctively understand the meaning behind these words, which were written in the Divine Language.


    The contracts of Devils must be upheld as they are part of what is governing this world.


    Aien had read it for dozens of times, yet he was as infatuated with it as ever. Some sort of Magic or Magecraft was used on this regular sword to transform it into a magical artifact. One that had lasted for millennia and was still able to function correctly. Erwin had displayed several other artifacts to Aien over the year, but none of them was as intriguing as this sword. While they all had their own stories andmyths attached to them, Aien couldn''t get this sword out of his mind.


    On the other side of the room, Erwin chuckled contentedly atop a barrel. He''d been the same as Aien when he''d first found this sword in the wilderness. There was something so... magical about it, for the lack of a better word.


    Reluctantly, Aien handed the sword over, back to its original owner. He''d made Erwin several offers, yet the man wouldn''t let go of this sword. He wasn''t so captivated with Aien''s ale that he would hand over his life''s purpose. Then again, it was already a surprise that he''d trusted Aien enough to lend it, to begin with, just in exchange for some ale. But that was something Erwin attributed to how likable the fellow was.


    ¡°Oh, right,..¡± Erwin said before he also ran off in a hurry, struck by a sudden thought. After a few minutes, he returned with a stack of books in his arms.


    ¡°From our latest raid. There should be some replicas, but there might be something new mixed in.¡±


    Aien took the books off the man''s arms and put them onto a table before briefly leafing through them. Basics of Botanic, Advanced knowledge of herbs... The books all had different titles but ranged around the same topic.


    ¡°Thanks as always Erwin. I can''t repay you enough for what you are always doing.¡±


    ¡°Don''t mention it, Aien. This much is nothing compared to how much we''ve troubled you over the last year.¡± Although he had said so, Aien saw him taking several glances at the door behind them. Without saying anything further, Aien went into the said room. It didn''t take him long to return with a mug that was filled to the brim with ale. Without further ado, Erwin eagerly accepted the mug with much care so that he wouldn''t spill a single drop.


    ¡°It hasn''t finished fermenting, but the taste should be alright.¡±


    This didn''t hinder Erwin to eagerly gulp it down within seconds. Placing the mug back onto a nearby barrel, he rubbed his stomach with a beaming smile and let out a satisfied burp.


    ¡°Ahh...It really makes life worth living... Seriously Aien what''s your secret? Even the wine we stole from some noblessome time ago can''t compare to this!¡±


    ¡°If I told you, it wouldn''t be much of a secret anymore, no?¡±


    Eventually, Erwin left with Eric on his shoulders. Aien bid the two goodbyes and closed his doors for the day to the dismay of the gathered people. All of them had come in anticipation to trade numerous favors for some new ale. Back in his private chamber, Aien sat onto a wooden chair, fiddling with the brown pouch Erwin had given him. Calmly he pondered, occupied with his own thoughts. Only he knew what he was thinking about when the trace of hesitation in his eyes was replaced by an unseverable determination.


    ¡°It''s about time...¡±


    <hr>


    After his rite of passage, Aien had begun settling down in his new life as a bandit. No longer did he call himself Michael, instead he''d taken on the name of Aien. At first, he was expected to accompany the bandit group on their raids. He''d killed. He''d pillaged. Not more than it was expected of him, but he had done so nonetheless. Innocent villagers had died by his hands, but he wasn''t disturbed much by his own sinful acts. Gradually his companions had grown closer to him as they accepted him as one of their own.


    No matter who it was, everyone quickly grew fond of him within a few conversations. They couldn''t tell what it was, but there was something that made the fellow so amiable. To top it off, compared to their fearsome Boss, whom they also admired, Aien was very comfortable to talk to.


    Aien had learned a lot from the conversations with his new companions. Unexpectedly, nearly all of them were very educated people despite their status. People from all different backgrounds had decided to join Karzek and abandon their past life. Another testament to Karzek''s influence and power as even scholars had agreed to join the man to fulfill their various passions. Anyone with some ambition and lack of morals gathered around the man. As it was to be expected, very few had contested his rule and territory until there was no one left who dared to do so in the vicinity.


    During the last raid, Aien had been a participant of, he had an exciting conversation with Erwin. The man was the least tight-lipped, and it didn''t take him long to get the man to diverge some secrets.


    ¡°It''s inside those barrels next to you.¡± He''d eventually whispered. ¡°Well, four of those are decoys. But inside one of those is the largest keg of ''gunpowder'' you''ll find in your lifetime. It''s got something to do with Magecraft, so I don''t know the specifics. However, what I can tell you is that this stuff is destructive. I think I once saw an ordinary magus blow up an entire mansion with a big handful of that stuff.¡±


    Concentrated Mana, Aien had assumed, but that was the limit of his knowledge as well. He couldn''t confirm whether it was as amazing as Eren had made it out to be.


    ¡°Where did he get that?¡± Aien continued to pry for more information.


    ¡°We robbed it from the military. They transported that stuff who knows where and ran into us.¡±


    ¡°And they didn''t come to take it back?¡± Michael raised an eyebrow. Rather careless of them to leave a bomb with some criminals.


    ¡°Who knows? I think the Boss pulled some strings. Not like corruption was anything new these days.¡± Erwin answered, somewhat annoyed as he remembered something.


    ¡°Well, whatever.¡± Michael quickly changed the topic, realizing that he was breaching on a sensitive and depressive subject. So, to lighten the mood, he decided to endure more ramblings about the man''spassions. ¡°So, you wanted to tell me something about your sword?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Erwin''s mood immediately brightened, a stark contrast to his previous downtrodden expression.


    ¡°The time during the uprising of K''Zath was a turbulent one. Demons and Devils alike roamed the land and...¡±


    ¡­


    With Aien''s smooth-talking and skills at handling people, he grew into a favorite among the bandits. He always knew what to say or when to stop when a conversation went south. He''dcalmed down heated arguments and curry favor the veteran bandits until his popularity was only second to Karzek, who took all of this in stride. No one ever knew what the man was thinking, but he didn''t seem to care much about Aien anymore. Karzek long lost any particular interest he once had in him.


    Instead, he was far more concerned about the lack of challenges lately. Instead of being happy that his rule in this region was undisputed, the manwas bored out of his mind. This filled the entire bandit group with more dread than any war campaign. Who knew what the man would come up with to lessen his boredom?


    Then, the most prominent event had happened. For reasonsunknown, Aien suddenly began brewing homemade alcohol. And it was a success. A huge success. If before he was a favorite, second only to Karzek, then this new incident almost put Aien on par with him. Within days, Aien''s ale became well-known across the entire village and even beyond. Together with Aien''s increasing skills in medicine, he was soon considered irreplaceable for their group.


    <hr>


    The entire group of bandits was assembled in Karzek''s hall. There was no second-in-command, only Karzek himself sat on his throne as he looked down at his minions below. The man seemed placid compared to his usual antics, but the veteran bandits knew that this was only the calm before the storm. For the last few weeks and especially the recent days, the man had been quite agitated. He didn''t let it show, but that only indicated how irritated the man actually was.


    Much more surprisingly, however, was the attitude of the entire bandit group. Under normal circumstances they''d be terrified out of their mind, afraid of what their boss would come up with. Most had joined the group, knowing of Karzek''s terrifying whims. They had always known the risk in associating with this lunatic, and despite still sticking with him, they were nonetheless afraid of what Karzek would suddenly do.


    Yet, the group was occupied with something else. With heads in the clouds, each had their own frown on their faces, unrelated to their current situation. Some were even trembling and whispering to themselves. Very daring, considering they''d never uttered a single sound in the tyrant''s presence before.

 Chapter 8

    <u>Chapter 8 ¨C Uproar</u>


    ¡°Silence!¡±


    Karzek''s boomingvoice deafened the ears of everyone present as it thundered through the hall. As a result,the bandits stopped their chattering while they waited for their boss to tell them what this assembly was about.


    ¡°In a month we will attack Gartenz. Prepare yourself until then.¡± The hall had already turned quiet before,yet it was still able to descend into a further level of silence. All of the men seemed to have stopped breathing at the same time, unable to process what their boss had just proclaimed.


    ¡°Are you ser-!?¡±


    One foolish man was about to refute Karzek, but before he could finish, the man lit up in a bright flame. The dazzling human torch screamed out in agony for some time, thrashing at his empty surroundings that had already been cleared by the nearby bandits in a hurry. Without any attempt to help him, they watched the man slowly sink to the ground as his cries died down, signifying his demise. The bandits watched this scene filled with a new horror that shook them out of whatever stupor they had been in. They remembered why they''d never refuted anything the man said and a third silence filled the hall.


    ¡°Anyone else?¡± Karzek asked, and the silence was his answer. He dispersed the gathering, and each bandit went about their activities as they silently thought about this event.


    <hr>


    ¡°He wants us to attack Gartenz!? Has he gone completely insane this time!?¡± Eric, who had long recovered from the venom, shouted out in a drunken stupor. Together with Erwin and another man, the three sat around a table filled with delicacies and alcohol. From cheese tofresh meat to the best alcohol they could find, anything one could wish for was there - Except for one thing.


    ¡°This...¡± Neither Erwin or the other man could answer him. No matter how they looked at it, this was a fool''s endeavor.


    ¡°Rob some merchants? Sure, gladly! Attack aheavily guarded transport from the military? Risky, but count me in! Attack an entire military base close to the academy? Fuck, no!Do we look like such fools to him!? Come on, Erwin, Warren, say something!¡±


    ¡°...It''s true. I don''t know what the boss is thinking...¡± The man called Warren responded. Out of the three, he was the least incapacitated by the alcohol. He''d thought carefully about their boss'' motives but... No matter how strong he was, this was something way over their heads.


    ¡°He''s gone mad! A lunatic, like he always is!¡±Erwin joined in on the cursing, also inhabited by the alcohol.


    ¡°You know why he dares to oppose Gartenz!? It''s because regardless of the outcome, he will survive. But what about us!? He couldn''t care less about us! It''s been fine that way before, but this time he''s going too far!!¡± Eric shouted out until theentire tavern could hear him. Under normal circumstances, they''d all try and stop Eric from making a scene, lest they got involved in his antics and Karzek caught wind of their slandering. This time, however, no one bothered stopping him. After all, similar thoughts were occupying their minds.


    ¡°And what''s with this shitty excuse for a drink!? I want Aien''s ale, damn it!¡± Eric threw the mug filled with red wine into the air until it splattered against a wall, where it gathered with about a dozen half-empty cups. Each was filled with a different kind of booze, yet none was able to satisfy their palate that had tasted ''the drink of Gods.''


    ¡°It''s the best we''ve got. To think that this pisswater was taken off a noble''s secret carriage to evade taxes... What''s so good about this stuff? Sigh...¡± Erwin answered and poured the contents of his own mug next to the table, onto the ground. At this point, italso took them double their usual amount of drinking to get drunk from the regular alcohol they were served.


    ¡°You know that his last batch got ruined by the storm we had last week.¡± Warren shook his head with a pained expression as he followed suit in emptying his mug. And these three weren''t the only ones. Basically, anyone in their bandit group couldn''t do without Aien''s ale anymore.


    ¡°Yeah? That''s just what he tells us!¡± Eric continued, the amount of alcohol eventually getting to his head despite the ''pisswater'' it was supposed to be.


    ¡°Have you heard about that rumor? Apparently, that damned Karzek forbade him from brewing any more. I''m sure that bastard just wants to keep all of it to himself! Poor Aien got himself caught up and has to obey that tyrant.¡±


    ¡°You know what!?¡± Erwin suddenly got fired up himself and stood up as he slammed his hands onto the table. Whether it was the alcohol or Karzek''s recent treatment of them, dissatisfaction was welling up within him. And he knew he wasn''t alone.


    ¡°Aien should be our boss! He may not be the strongest, but he always knows what''s best for us! I''m sure no one would dislike the idea!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Eric chimed in eagerly as if it was something he''d come up with himself. Their voices were loud enough to travel to the adjourning tables, and without exception,everyone starred at the table of the three with mixed expressions. Each bandit was feeling conflicted,involving disbelief that someone had just dared to utter these words, to hesitation and what they should do.In the end, no one came to stop their drivel. Instead, the nearby people soon followed suit in their proclamations until the entire tavern was filled with the shouts and songs that worshiped Aien as their true leader.


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, the man himself was busy within his own building as per usual. It was the middle of the night, yet he was working himself to the bone. Whether it be studying or creating medicine, there was always something he was busy with. Rarely was a minute of his time spent on leisure or relaxation.


    He stared down at the twoflasks in front of him.Long glass tubesfilled witha tiny amount of blood-redliquid. Aien took out the brown pouch he was given by Erwin some time ago and carefully opened it to reveal its contents. It was filled to the brim with grey dust, looking like something you''d find lying around any casual household. Carefully,he put the tiniest amount he was capable of onto one of his hands. He continued to rinse it through his hands until he felt like he only held a single grain in his hands. Then, after taking an arm''s length of distance, he let the grain drop into one of the vials. Nothing happened.


    He repeated the earlier process and droppedanother grain into the other flask. This time, he immediately gained some distance between himself and the flask as the grain fell down. Directly after the grain made contact with the liquid, an explosion occurred. The entireflask was shattered into tiny pieces, and on the wooden table a small hole, the size of a fist, had appeared.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Aien brushed off the few pieces of glass on his clothing. Whenever he did some experiments or handled messy plants, he chose to wear a dark cloak that covered his entire body. Through the year the cloak had been stained far too often, but the black color was able to hidemost of the mess. Slowly, he lowered the arm he''d used to guard his face that was turned into a frown.


    ¡°So it needs to get into contact with Aer to create a reaction...¡± He muttered to himself with a slight tone of disappointment. Aien looked at the two remains of theflask which hadcontained his own and Erwin''s blood. He''d found the answers to his questions, but it wasn''t the one he''d hoped for. Then again, this outcome was to be expected.


    Deciding it was time for a short break, he stepped out of the room to gaze at the moonlight shining down. If the weather was right, the light reflected by the three moons could almost illuminate the night like day. From a distance, he heard the disturbance caused by the festivities of the bandits. Hegave them only ashort glance before turning to look at the place Karzek resided in. If everything went right, then soon... he might taste freedom for the first time. Or lose his chance to do so forever.


    Putting these matters aside, for now, he headed towards Erwin''s house that was several minutes away from his own.


    <hr>


    More than three weekspassed by and the mood within the village continued to worsen. ''Doomsday'' came closer and Karzek didn''t show any signs that he''d changed his mind, causing the minds of the bandits to gradually be filled with distress. They began shivering and mumbling to themselves regularly by now, some even drifting between illusions and reality. Most of their time was spent drinking, but the effect became more negligible as time went on. Eventually, they no longer found any solace in drinking and the mood hit an all-time low.


    That''s when a ray of hope shone upon their unfortunate lives in the form of Aien. Three days before the departure Aien announced that he''d finished a new batch of his Ale. The news spread like wildfire andnot long after his entire house was surrounded by every single bandit. Eagerly they waited for the man to step out of his home as they cheered his name to the skies, causing an uproar in this bandit village as never before.


    Eventually, Aien stepped out to receive his admirers. Instantly, all noise ceased from existence as they listened attentively for the man to speak up as if he was an envoy from the Gods.


    ¡°Everyone, I''m very sorry for the delay!¡± Aien raised his voice.


    ¡°Within minutes the last batch will be finished and I''ll assure you there is enough for anyone present here!¡±


    ¡°Aien! Aien! Aien! Aien!¡±


    The entire crowd erupted into another uproar, their combined voices almost shaking the earth. Even after Aien had returned into the building, the cheers of admiration didn''t stop. Inside the building, Aien went into the room where he''d stored the barrels of ale and did most of his experiments. He walked to the table filled with various flasks, that contained all kinds of different liquids. Some were gathered from plants, others from wild animals as well as many blood donations from his fellow bandits. After taking one of the flasks, he walked over toa barrel and opened it. Looking down into it, he added the liquid into the ale.


    ¡°That''s enough of your nonsense, Michael.¡±


    A sudden voice originated from behind him. He''d never heard anyone step inor the sound of the door being opened. Aien didn''t need to turn around to recognize to whom it belonged to.


    ¡°Boss, you''re here? What can I help you with?¡± He asked astonished as if he was truly surprised to find out why Karzek had appeared here personally.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Karzek didn''t care any longer about the act Aien was putting up. He gave the man one last penetrating look before evicting him from his mind. He''d been quite interested in what Michael was up to, but he didn''t care any longer. He''d let these antics go on long enough, hoping to gain some entertainment out of them. From the way it looked like, that had just been a waste of his time.


    Aien knew the crucial moment had arrived and there was no more time for hesitation or delay. Before Karzek acted, he had to do something. Thankfully, he''d already expected the man to appear before him one day and prepared himself accordingly. Without turning around, Aien took out anotherflask that was hidden inside the jacket he was wearing. It was filled to the brim with blood and with a decisiveness that could shatter stone, he commenced his plan.


    Theflask was crushed in his hand, which he then swung horizontally to scatter the blood around the entire room.


    Whether Karzek was caught by surprise or simply didn''t think of Aien as a serious threat didn''t actually matter. Regardless, the man didn''t react immediately to Aien''s actions, but he didn''t give him any time to be careless either. As soon as the vial was shattered, Aien felt the temperature within his body rising with blinding speed.Like a fire that was lit within him, he felt as if his whole blood had begun boiling. His skin turned a yellowish red, surrounded by a heat that distorted the air around him. A scene he''d witnessed several times before Karzek had turned men into short-lived torches.


    However, before he erupted in flames, the blood had splattered across the floor and walls. With the sound of a deafening explosion, the entire room shattered and created a shockwave that sent Aien flying through the nearby window into the outside. Behind him, a chain-eruption of explosions occurred, seemingly without end. It had begun in the room he''d been in and continued on across the entirebasement of the building. As a result, the whole foundation of the building was destroyed. Together with a blazing fire, the building collapsed into itselfwith rumbling shockwavestravelingthrough the grounds. Pieces of wood and stone were sent flying through the air with such might that made them almost impossible to dodge. Some of the nearby bandits were injured while the unfortunate ones were effortlessly killed. With impeccable ease, the flying debris had crushed their heads into a pulp.


    The building had just finished collapsing, and the tremors began to cease when suddenly another enormous explosion originated from within the rubble. An explosion incomparable to the previous ones, sent some of the ruins flying while completely evaporating the rest. This time far more bandits were caught in the blazing ball of fire that engulfed everything in its surroundings. Within mere moments the building had disappeared together with a few hundreds of the bandits. In its place was a crater, twice the size of the previous building. A pitch-black hole within the ground filled with ash and debris.


    Aien had watched this spectacle behind a hollowed ground. He''d approximately calculated the force of the explosion, and for the price of a burned back, he''d catapulted himself into some space he''d prepared beforehand. The clothes were burned off his back, revealing the searing burn wound he''d suffered. Together with a sprained ankle and a few broken ribs, he''d paid a lot for this. Despite that, there was not a trace of discomfort on his face as he thoroughlystudiedthe crater.


    Surrounding it were the shocked bandits who didn''t know up from down anymore. Several dozens of charred bodies lay within the crater, no longer recognizable to whom they''d belonged while others had vanished entirely within the explosion, not leaving a trace of their existence behind. Other bandits had lost limbs and suffered severe burns as they cried out in anguish after being sent through the air in far worse conditions than Aien.


    But he didn''t care about any of that. Instead, he focused all of his attention on the center of the crater. The dust created by the wood and the smoke of the remaining fire slowly settled, revealing the target of his explosion.


    When he saw the man, he couldn''t suppress a wry chuckle.He''dexpected this possible outcome, but It did make him wonder.


    What the hell was amagus?


    Within the crater, the man stood seemingly unfazed by this explosion that had killed hundreds and reduced an entire building to dust and ashes. Not even his clothes showed so much as a sign of being burnt or any trace of the events that had just taken place. Even without his armor,Karzek had not only survived the explosion but was casually standing in the middle of it.


    The only change from before and after was the unyielding rage on Karzek''s face that had slightly become paler. Like an enraged bull, his eyes had turned entirely bloodshot as they darted around to search for his victim.

 Chapter 9

    <u>Chapter 9 ¨C Endurance</u>


    Aien already had a profound impression of Karzek¡¯s prowess from their past endeavors. The man had never been hurt in any significant way and was almost invincible in the eyes of the bandits. Nevertheless, Aien would forever remember the appearance of the enraged bull walking through his minions while leaving a mountain of corpses in his wake. Those were the fortunate ones with remains left to bury and not the ones that had been evaporated the second they got too close to Karzek. Everyone within a ten-meter diameter was incinerated from within their bodies in an instant. There wereclues on how to stop this from happening. Once you got too close, there was only death waiting for you.


    Yet, despite the incarnation oftheir nightmares walkingtowards them, the bandits did not falter. As if all their fear had left them, theystood valiantly between Karzek and his target.


    ¡°You¡¯d throw away your lives for him!?¡±


    This was his last warning as the range of his ¡®torch-making¡¯ increased. Within one breath two-hundred more bandits were incinerated on the spot they¡¯d stood, dwindling down the total number of Karezek¡¯s bandits to half. Together with the previous explosions caused by Aien, the formidable troupe of bandits, feared by everyone in this region, had lost half its members. Cries of anguish filled the surroundings as two hundred torches rolled on the ground, trying to extinguish the fire that came from within to no avail.


    Karzek thought that this would teach them a lesson and rekindle the fear within them, but he¡¯d thought wrong. Nothing had changed, and without exception, the rest of the bandits continued to block his way towards Aien.


    ¡°What have you done to them!?¡± Karzek shouted at Aien, who was watching from a distance. Unease began to fill the man as well as astonishment. This was...


    ¡°Protect, Aien!¡± The men shouted in unison, nothing indicating that they¡¯d back down, no matter how many of them died. Not a trace of fear could be found within their voices that usually broke down the moment Karzek was in front of them.


    Finally, Karzek was forced to stop in his tracks as his face turned even paler. But the furious red in his eyes shone brightly in contrast as helocked his gaze ontoAien. No matter how you looked at it, this was too unnatural. No amount of charisma or loyalty, especially from these men, could explain what was happening.


    ¡°Suggestions or some would call it hypnosis,¡± Aien answered calmly. The facade he¡¯d put up over the year disappeared without a trace, revealing his true nature. His expression was neither cold and heartless or excited and filled with anger at his past treatment. Instead, he wore an emotionless expression like the ones you could find on the face of a statue that spectated the events of the world without a care.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite easy if you find the right ingredients and weak-minded targets.¡± He continued, not caring about time. It was Karzek, who was pressed for time and Aien simply indulged in answering his questions.


    ¡°You think my men are that weak!? No, what exactly did you do, Michael!?¡± Karzek shouted, resuming his onslaught. Not one of the bandits was able to touch him before they died, but slowly the time required to kill his men was going up. The range of incinerating the humans in his vicinity became smaller as time went on and gradually Karzek began exhausting himself. As mighty as the man was, almost a thousand men seemed too much for him to handle. Especially since they didn¡¯t care about their own safety.


    ¡°No, but drug addicts are.¡± Aien continuedand slowly backed off.


    ¡°I call it the Seven Clouds Beyond¡­ I have to admit it¡¯s some scary stuff. I¡¯d never expected the effects to work out to this extent.¡±


    It was the truth. When Aien had first conducted his experiments on some bandits or random captives, he was even more astonished than Karzek. The withdrawal symptoms were intense and with some thoughtful suggestions, it wouldn''t be much different from actual mind-control magic - if that existed. All that he''d used were a mixture of several hallucinogen plants. Their primary purpose was to create a high that would make its victims addicted to it. The suggestions afterwards were simply an idea he''d played around with, which turned out to be surprisingly effective even though he''d neverlearned any profound skills regarding this subject.


    Karzek thought this wasn¡¯t all of it. He couldn¡¯t believe a poison like this existed in the world; something that could possibly control someone to this extent, but hehad more pressing concerns. There were still several hundreds of bandits left, and instead of just blocking his way, they began actively attacking. A simple snap of Aien¡¯s fingers was enough to make them willingly jump into their impending doom. This further filled Karzek with confusion at his current predicament, but he put those stray thoughts aside. Struggle and hesitation appeared on his face, but when the first bandit had closed into an arm¡¯s length of distance before he died, all doubts disappeared. With a pained expression, Karzek reached out into his jacket to pull out a crystal. A violet crystal with a very uneven surface made of several sharp edges. In the middle of it, there seemed to be a red fire burning. Like a moving picture of a miniature campfire that was trapped in time, it flickered within the crystal.


    With one last look at the crystal, he turned to stare at Aien with an expression that bordered on madness and crushed the crystal with his hand.


    ¡°Once I get you in my grasps, I will let you suffer a fate that would make you wish you were never born!!¡±


    The moment the crystal was crushed, a shockwave devoid of any sound traveled through the surroundings. Immediately after, a sea of purple flames washed over the remaining bandits, engulfing every last of them. Not a single one was able to escape the silent wave that traveled at the speed of sound. Then, the purple flames transformed into a sort of smoke that invaded the orifices of everyone present. Seconds later, the first results revealed themselves. Without omitting any sounds, the bandits began collapsing to the ground. Soon, every single one of them lay on the ground, with all signs of life extinguished. Their eyes had been burned to smithereens, revealing their hollow sockets and their deaths had come as quickly as the sudden appearance of the shockwave. There was no time for them to feel any pain as they met their demise. There was no time for them to regret and think about what had possessed them to make them act as they had done.


    In the center of the shockwave, Karzek dropped to one of his knees with a face as white as a sheet. After a few heavy heaves, he looked into the direction where the man who''d caused all of this had stood. Begrudgingly Karzek began pursuing Aien, but there was no immediate rush. He could sense whereAien had fled to and he was clearly incapacitated. This gave Karzek some time to reflect before closing in on his target.


    For the first time in a long while, Karzek felt a sort of regret. He had to admit this was outside of his expectations. Never would he have imagined that the little fish he''d caught at the river about a year ago would cause him this much trouble. There were some previous signs that Michael had behaved suspiciously, but he didn''t pay them any heed. He''d thought that no matter what it was, there was nothing that could harm him. Even if that was still true, his losses today were apparent. But more than his loss of minions or the crystal, he felt humiliated. His sense of pride in being a superior being as a magus was being questioned. That some ant-like creature had dared question his authority like this was unacceptable.


    <hr>


    During his short explanation, Aien had already begun stumbling away from the fight. There was no reason for him to witness the outcome. He expected that Karzek was not that easy to deal with. With no way for him to outrun the man even if he was exhausted, Aien headed towards the building that was once Erwin''s house. There was no tremor or sound, but the sudden blast of wind had told him that the onslaught was over. In other words, Karzek would soon pursue him in a fit of rage.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Aien knew there were very few ways for him to win against the man, regardless of his methods. As if his ''torch-making'' wasn''t convincing enough, Karzek''s physique was just as inhuman. Possessing the strength of a dozen man, and regenerative abilities he didn''t know the full extent of, made the man seem invincible to any mere mortal. If he had any weakness, then it was his lack of speed, something that Aien made full use of at the moment.


    The door to Erwin''s home stood wide open when Aien arrived in front of it. With no hesitation, he stumbled through the entrance and into the living room to arrive at a wall made of stone. He pressed the lever within the wall that allowed him to push opena hidden door. As it was to be expected of stone, the door was weighty and challenging for Aien to push open with his current condition. He carefully adjusted his body several times while pushing it against the door, lest he would pierce his own lungs with his broken ribs.


    After an enormous effort, the door was opened to the size of a slit thatallowed Aien to barely squeeze through. He didn''t bother closing the door as he headed down the flight of stairs into the basement. It wasn''t particularly big. Several bookshelves almost filled the entire room, leaving only a small space for walking. This was Erwin''s secret he''d confided Aien in. The former didn''t know how well Karzek would react when he found out that one of his minions studied ancient history covering devils anddemons. Thus, he created this small cellar over the years. Slowly, Aien stumbled to the end of the room and sunk to the ground with his back against the wall. He hadn''t winced once at the pain but knowing how to endure it, didn''t make it less painful or exhausting. Gradually, his frail body would meet its limits, regardless of how tough his mind was.


    There wasn''t much time for Aien to relax, however. The door he''d barely opened with all of his strength was blasted open with a single swing of an arm. The rubble was sent flying through the room, destroying several bookshelves but missing Aien. Instead of a furious rush, Karzek slowly descended down the stairs, stifling the atmosphere with his imposing manner. As if everything was within his control, he looked down at the man that had defied and cost him a fortune his meager life would never be able to repay.


    ¡°Erwin was afraid I would take away his little toys? How meaningless...¡±


    Karzek said in a calm voice as he stared down at Aien, not leaving him out of his sight for a single moment.


    ¡°So, what now little pup? Summoning a devil?¡± The fury within his eyes was a strange contrast to the wide grin on his face. He had to admit, despite its enormous inconveniences, this had turned out into a rather entertaining hunt. Regardless, he''d make thisfool suffer a fate worse than death.


    ¡°Can''t say that thought didn''t cross my mind,¡± Aien answered just as calm. He slowly raised himself up, looking directly into Karzek''s eyes. No longer did he look at the man with eyes that were filled with terror. Instead, he seemed to believe just as much as Karzek that everything was within his control. His stature radiating confidence and strength that his previous selves had lacked severely.


    ¡°I''ll admit. You are superior. I would have never imagined for a single human to be able to attain this much strength.¡± Aien continued despite Karzek slowly closing in on him. The latter didn''t care much for flattery, especially at this point. The only thing on his mind was to get his grasps on Aien. That''s when Aien gathered his remaining strength and took one last breath before he proceeded with what he was about to do. He steeled his mind and pressed the lever behind him.


    All calmness within Aien''s eyes disappeared in an instant, replaced by a gaze only fit to be described as insane. Karzek halted in his tracks as he felt an unease rising within him. Even the suicidal bandits'' appearances couldn''t compare to the expression of the man in front of him who suddenly had a look thatlost all sense of reason. No, never before had he seen a man with such a gaze that would send shivers down his spine.


    A chilling snicker escaped Aien''s lips. Something you''d never expect from the kind man that was once the doctor of the bandit group. Before Karzek could recover from the sudden dread appearing within him, fierce gusts of wind blew through the cracks of the stone wall together with a cloud of dark smoke that filled the entire cellar. Despite the open door, the room was filled within seconds until the smoke obstructed all of their vision. Only the sound of two men coughing in a fit remained. Karzek decided to end this nonsensical effort of an escape attempt and walked forwards. He dispersed the doubts that had surfaced in his mind, but just as soon as he''d resumed walking, he stopped again.


    Then, all of a sudden, Karzek cried out in an agonizing voice that echoed within the small cellar while at the same time a mad cackling erupted from Aien. The smoke had invaded both of their bodies and what they felt was a suffering that could not be made justice with words alone.


    Karzek felt overwhelmed, unable to hold back his cries that had begun revealing a trace of fear. An onslaught of stimulationsassaulted him and made him lose track of everything in his surroundings. He felt as if his blood had been replaced by an atrocious acid that circulated through his veins, trying to erode his body from within. His lungs burned up, seemingly breathing a scorching fire instead of air. Yet, his entire skin, on which several black spots of different sizes appeared, was covered in goosebumps while his body shivered uncontrollably. He''d never felt so cold before yet he''d never felt so hot before. The training he''d went through should have prevented either from happening,but it became all meaningless in thissituation. If it was only the pain, it might have been bearable. If it was only the different temperatures, he might have been able to ignore it. He might have been able to press forward. But that wasn''t all of it.


    His own nerves were robbing him of his sanity. An unbearable itch that no human could endure originated from his nerves across his entire body. As if along each strand of his nerves, an uncountable number of tiny ants were crawling, they screamed in a desire to be scratched. Deep within his body, where nothing that could lessen the torment could reach it. This feeling aloneslowly drove Karzek to insanity. He clawed madly at his own chest, gushing open wounds and almost shredding it entirely into pieces. Yet, it wouldn''t relieve him of this terrible itch.


    A sound was filling his eardrums. A high-pitched squeak that on its own wouldn''t be much of a problem. But in combination with the other symptoms, it only added to the insanity as it came and went at a steadyrhythm,changing its volume. Furthermore, his sight had almost entirely disappeared while his eyeballs seemed to be eroding from their own fluids. There was not a single place within his body that wasn''t in excruciatingpain. He felt like his body was melting and that death would reach him soon, but there was no apparent end tothis.


    ¡°Mi...MI-ChAe-L!!!¡± An almost indistinguishable voice erupted from Karzek''s angry shout that further revealed the hint of fear he felt. Whatever was happening at the moment was something even he would never wish to his worst enemies.


    ¡°Ant-i-do-te~~!!!¡± He wailed, grasping at the air like his last straw. The last trace of reason within his mind knew the cause was the poisonous smoke he''d inhaled. A venom that must have originated from the depths of hell itself. But when the smoke slowly lessened and revealed Aien who stood in front of him, he was no longer able to suppress the terror within him.


    What Karzek saw made him lose all hope as the pain and despair consumed him.He was only barely able to make out the shadow of the deformed figure in front of him. Several black spots were covering his body from which a disgustingly smelling ooze dripped out of. A similar black liquid streamed down his eyes in place of tears, and an unstoppable stream of blood erupted fromthe figure''smouth.


    Despite that.


    Despite all of that.


    The figure stood there calmly with a smile that would frighten Devils and Gods alike.


    ¡°Antidote? I don''t have that sort of stuff.¡± Karzek felt his world falling apart when the words fell on his semi-defected ears.


    Aien continued, not once ceasing his light chuckle. There was nothing. While his body was decomposing worse than a corpse ever could, the man stood calmly without flinching once. He smiled calmly almost as if...


    ¡°It''s enjoyable, isn''t it? Why don''t we see which of us can endure longer?¡±


    In response, all sanity left Karzek''s mind. He stormed towards Aien with the rest of his strength, trying to disperse all of the thoughts and feelings rising within him. Why was he here, again? How had it come to this? None of that mattered as he charged mindlessly to try and forget the suffering.


    But this wasn''t something you could just go insane and be done with. The pain wouldn''t disappear. Neither would the chill and the scorch within him. Neither would this terrible itch that still made him want to claw at himself.


    Theconclusionneedn''t be mentioned. A mindless rush was something Aien was able to deal with and the outcome was obvious. Despite his injuries, that were laughable compared to the suffering they both went through, he evaded the exhausted bull''s last charge as he crumbled into exhaustion.


    ¡°F-Fin...ally...¡±


    Karzek stammered to himself in his last breath as he welcomed the darkness that relieved him of this suffering. But before he could fully embrace the comfortable blanket of darkness, the quiet whisper of a devil accompanied him into his slumber.


    ¡°You think this is the end, but it''s only the beginning...¡±

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10 - The Knowledge of a lifetime


    When Karzek came to himself again, he found himself in a very familiar hall. He was bound to the same throne he had once used to look down upon his underlings. Slowly, he regained his bearings only to find out that he was entirely incapable of movement. A burning pain came from almost every joint and tendon he possessed. Small blades salvaged from fragments impaled him throughout his body. The regeneration of his own body had healed his flesh around the fragments, but it was too weak to destroy the pieces itself. Thus, his own body had become his prison.


    In a panic, he tried to gather some scraps of Aer within him that should have accumulated over time, but a sudden exhaustion overwhelmed him. Bordering between consciousness and unconsciousness, he noticed the drops of blood dripping from his fingers. Consistently, at a set rhythm, it dropped out of his body. The man who had condemned him to this fate and brought his downfall stood silently next to him. With a needle in his hand and at a set interval, he''d prick him at the same spot, reopening the small wound from which the blood flowed out. Helplessly he watched the man performing several tests with his body. What tools could pierce what? Which place was too soft or too hard? Karzek watched on ashamed and filled with fury, but this was no time to erupt in a rage. And even if he wanted to, his body would be far too weak to do so anyway.


    But then, he came to a sudden realization. His body was already on the verge of death. Only the tiny amount of Aer that was passively accumulating within him was able to keep him alive. All of his Aer was being used to repair his body, forced to recreate the loss of blood. That''s when he realized the godlike skills needed to keep him exhausted, on the verge of death and yet alive.


    His supply of Aer would never be enough to allow him to regain the strength needed to shatter this prison. Yet, it would never be too little to allow him to pass onto death. With a dread that eclipsed even the torment he''d felt before, his mind fell into chaos.


    What skill did this take? How well did you have to understand a human body to be able to do this? No matter a doctor, it would take a god to be able to control life to this extent! There wasn''t much time to come to terms with his new situation. With his body imprisoned, he was at the mercy of the man who had become aware of his awakening. No words were spoken. The actions that followed conveyed Aien''s intent far more clearly than any words ever could.


    Because what followed was the prelude of hell.


    A duet of agonizing madness and laughter intertwined with itself and filled the entire hall. There was no reason behind his actions. No meaning. It was torture solely for the sake of torturing. One laughed out in enjoyment while indulging in his acts. One cried out in anguish for the treatment he was receiving. Both bordering on their own sanity, stepping infinitely close to insanity.


    Both unable to believe what had become of them.


    Time lost its meaning in the face of such torment. Whether days or years had passed didn''t matter; Karzek was on the verge of losing his mind. Whenever Aien steps closed in on him, to continue the torture, he didn''t see the face ofa man. In his eyes, this being had become something his darkest nightmares wouldn''t ever be able to create. Even within the Abyssal Prison or past the Seven Gates of Hell, you wouldn''t be able to find such an existence.


    M o n s t e r


    There weren''t any questions. That would have given Karzek something to hold on to. But not once had the monster probed him for information. It''d never talked. Only tortured. Revealing parts of his bodies, he didn''t believe existed before. Even with the use of simple instruments, the monster was able to create untold amounts of suffering in ways he didn''t dare imagine possible.


    What did it take for a being to gain this kind of knowledge?


    More time passed, yet Karzek could never fully immerse himself in his lunacy and escape this brutal reality. The monster knew too well about that. About the last defense of the human mind ¨C Insanity. How a mind would escape reality and abandon its physical body to find salvation. The monster knew when to stop. When it would go too far. How to make him relax even if he didn''t want to. How to make him return to a reality he, oh so, dreaded.


    How could it understand a human so well, when it couldn''t possibly be one?


    He remembered what the monster had once told him a long time ago. A distant past, he''d almost forgotten. ¡°This was only the beginning¡± It had said. It did not lie.


    He remembered his days as a slave. How he had been tortured during those days. How enjoyable those days were compared to the present.


    He remembered when he had escaped. How he had slaughtered his way out. How his mind was filled with revenge.


    He remembered when he had joined the academy. How he had triumphed over his peers at the peak of his life. How he had built his own empire.


    But the monster didn''t let him continue to do so. It didn''t let him escape into his dreamful paradise. Continuously. Endlessly. It made him return to the vicious reality his life had become.


    Until. One. Day. Finally.


    ¡°How about you answer some of my questions?¡±


    At long last, the monster had spoken its first words, which became his sound of salvation. As if the monster had spoken a divine decree, he would surely obey any and all demands so it could finally get its mercy.


    <hr>


    It had taken Aien quite some effort to find the sweet spot, but he had plenty of time with Karzek still suffering from the poison. Eventually, he''d grown familiar with a magus'' body and how Karzek''s recovery had worked. Day after day he''d made the man endure torture until Aien was confident that he''d get the answers he needed.


    The might of a magus had left a deep impression on him. He''d finally gained his freedom for the first time but who knew how long that would last? If he didn''t attain sufficient strength, he''d never be in control of his own life and fate. Thus, he''d pay any price to achieve it. In his eyes, strength was synonymous to becoming a magus. That meant obtaining the necessary knowledge to overcome his own shackles.


    ¡°Yes, my lord. Of course, my lord. Anything, my lord.¡± Karzek spat out hastily, afraid that he''d otherwise lose this chance.


    Aien frowned, wondering if he''d gone too far, but considering the man was able to talk, it shouldn''t be much of a problem. Thus, he began unveiling the curtain that was this new world.


    ¡°What is a magus? Tell me everything you know.¡± The first and most crucial question on Aien''s mind. The image of a weakly spellcaster that hid behind the frontline, as it was told in stories, had been quickly replaced by the man before him.


    ¡°A Magecraft User, my lord.¡±


    Seeing the impatient look on Aien''s face, Karzek hurriedly continued with far more details, rather explaining too much than not enough.


    ¡°A human magus is someone who controls the five elements that were bestowed upon us by The Benevolent, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Enough with the ''lord.''¡± Aien gazed threateningly, causing Karzek to immediately shut his mouth.


    Aien thought about what he knew about the five elements. Fire, Water, Wind, Lightning, and Earth. They were only one of many parts that made up the foundation of this world. If he remembered correctly, then the Dwarves were in control of space while the Eledyn were in control of light, and its absence darkness. Interestingly enough, one stood at the peak of the races while the other was at the very bottom, barely surviving. The Dwarves were utterly incapable of Magecraft or any other form of Magic. They were able to craft some handy tools that ensured their survival, but that was about it.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Aien put those thoughts aside and gestured Karzek to continue.


    ¡°Human Magi are most often separated into two fields. Inner Focus and Outer Focus. This lowly one dares to call himself a magus at the second Step in the Inner Focus: Fire. The difference between the Foci lies in the art of crafting. Inner Focus Magi strive to craft their bodies into a weapon, an artifact, or whatever they desire. This lowly one''s body, for example, is forged and tempered through the Fire Element. This lowly one is also able to control the temperature within other living beings because he''s able to control his own temperature. This is also part of the Inner Focus and often makes them superior in single combat. An Outer Focus magus, however, is far more valuable in actual warfare. They strive to craft external weapons and artifacts usually with far more power but at the cost of a weaker body. They are also more similar to spellcasters than Inner Focus Magi.


    There are some talented that strive to become a paragon within one field, wielding every element. More likely, however, are those that strive to become a master at one element within one or both fields. Then there is the title of Archmage, which is only reserved for those who can attain mastery of all elements within both fields. Throughout history, there have only been very few in existence, and in our current world, there is no one who is allowed to call himself an Archmage.


    In its essence, a magus is a crafter of Mana. That''s the only thing we humans are allowed to do.¡±


    Aien digested the new information and combined it with his own previous knowledge he''d gained from Mother Catherine, before asking his next question.


    ¡°Then, what is the difference between Magecraft and Magic?¡±


    ¡°Some races have the privilege to use Mana with the use of their natural bodies alone, shaping it in all possible ways. There is no need for crafting external help or carefully crafting the body so it can endure more Mana. What my lord needs to know is that Mana in its raw form is very destructive when concentrated. It is freely abundant within our world and found everywhere. But to use it for Magic, every species has to compress it, revealing its true destructive and wild nature. Thus, it needs to be split into its subparts. While humans have to carefully control the weakest and tamest form of Mana ¨C Aer ¨C other races can use the more powerful subparts. The Rykul don''t need to prepare their bodies in any way, unlike us humans who had to create an entire discipline of Magic for that sole purpose. Thus we are considered one of the minor races... If my lord wishes to attain more detailed knowledge, this lowly one advises him to study at the academy.¡±


    ¡°What was that shockwave you used to kill the bandits?¡±


    ¡°An essence crystal crafted meticulously with the utmost care. It is filled withone''s own essence, unique in its existence. Every essence crystal takes a different shape, depending on the magus and can be used for different things. It''s the most valuable and most guarded artifact in a magus'' possession. However, it can only be used by the magus who created it. The Rank of a magus is equivalent to the steps accomplished towards crafting your personal Prime Construct.¡±


    Aien raised an eyebrow indicating Karzek to explain further.


    ¡°There are seven steps to create your Prime Construct, after which you are qualified to claim yourself as a Master in your choice of studies. Each Prime Construct is built upon the accumulation of the artifacts you create after reaching each Step as a magus. The higher the Rank of the magus, the closer he is to completing his Prime Construct. Thus Magi are divided between the seven steps which represent their might and status.¡±


    Aien asked for some more details, which could be useful in the far future. But for now he''d gathered all the information he needed in due time, so he asked his last question.


    ¡°How far away are we from Telaris?¡±


    ¡°If my lord travels towards the east on foot, he should arrive within three months.¡±


    Silence filled the hall. There was a lot on Aien''s mind. He had a lot of information to process properly, but a plan had already begun forming itself in his mind. After arranging his thoughts, he gave Karzek one last penetrating look. As a response, the former tyrant shivered uncontrollably and tears he''d thought he could no longer shed began flowing down his blood-stained cheeks.


    ¡°I''ve told my lord everything I know! I beg you, please! Please... stop... Please... have mercy...¡±


    Aien got everything that he needed from the man. There was no point in asking him any more questions or keeping him around.


    Thus, he showed him mercy and granted him a quick descent into eternal slumber.


    He stepped out of the hall into the fresh air. It''d been weeks since he could relax and look at the clouded sky like this. It was around noon, but no sunrays could pierce through the roof of clouds that announced the beginning of a storm. The sound of thunder drummed within his ears, and drops of rain fell down to the ground. His first steps of freedom were accompanied by the distant flash of lightning as he walked eastwards.


    Time to return ''home.''


    <hr>


    Telaris was the village closest to the orphanage Michael had grown up in. There was nothing worth mentioning about it. It wasn''t particularly big with its populace of less than a hundred people, but they got by just fine. Trade was thriving in the villages close to the larger cities and it was no exception for this one. When Aien had arrived here after a month of travel, he realized that nothing much had changed on the surface.


    Switching between carriages from traveling merchants it didn''t take him too long to arrive back at the place he had once considered home. Back then, he had rarely been to the village at all, and the most vivid memory he had was when he passed through here on the carriage that took him to the mine.


    Thus, he didn''t spend much time looking around. However, he couldn''t avoid the attention he attracted. Aien wore a loose dark robe with a hood to cover his head if ever necessary. Beneath it, he was still wearing some parts of the dark-leather armor he used as a bandit. As useful as they were during the night, he attracted several gazes from the villagers who would spot suspicious outsiders immediately.


    Aien didn''t bother much about them and continued on, leaving the village behind. He walked uphill until a familiar church revealed itself in front of him. Without stepping further, he starred at the building as scenes of the past flew by. He thought about the warmth he''d found here that was deprived of his past life. He thought about the cheerful girl that had gotten on his nerves more often than not. He thought about the mother he never had.


    ¡°...M...Michael?¡±


    A far too familiar voice that was filled with kindness came from behind him. The voice alone sent more shivers down his body than any terror ever could. Slowly, while trying to hide his unease, he turned around to look at the person who had called out to him.


    ¡°Michael! It''s really you!¡±


    Mother Catherine exclaimed in as much disbelief as happiness. The basket filled with dried rations dropped to the ground as she pulled him into a warm and loving embrace. He wanted to indulge in it and let himself reminisce about the past. This feeling of happiness was something he had always wanted for himself. But that wasn''t something he was allowed to do anymore.


    Hesitation crept onto his face, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come. With a swift motion, he pushed Mother Catherine away from him and stared at her shocked face. Years had passed, but nothing had changed about her appearance. The kind, loving smile of an elderly was still there hidden within her astonished expression. Truly nothing had changed about her. But he couldn''t say the same about himself.


    ¡°I have come today just for one thing." Aien''s emotionless voice left his mouth, without a trace of compassion at their reunion.


    ¡°Answer me this, Catherine. Why did you let me live!?¡± This apathy was soon replaced by anger that welled up from deep within him, trying to hide the sadness he wouldn''t show to anyone else but the person in front of him. Why had she not abandoned him when he was still a child? As a defective human being his fate should have been clear. Instead, he got this. His hopes and dreams built up again and rekindling his beliefs in his ideals. Only to have all of it shatter again. And again. And again.


    What was the point of all of this? Nothing. Therefore, he shouldn''t have been reborn, to begin with. To be reborn, only to sin.


    Mother Catherine looked with shock at the man she had to reluctantly let go all those years ago. She didn''t answer immediately and looked deeply into Michael''s eyes, waiting for him to vent his pent up frustration.


    ¡°I have killed! Dozens! Hundreds! Thousands of innocent people died through my actions! And what was it all for!? Just so I could live!! But if I hadn''t thrown away everything, I would be dead. AGAIN!¡± Aien let out everything that he had held back so desperately. The few parts his hatred had yet to consume.


    Mother Catherine regained her calmness and looked at the lost lamb before her. Instead of saying something, she held him in her embrace again, despite his resistance. For minutes, neither of them spoke, and silence filled the lonely hill in front of the church.


    ¡°I''m sorry, Michael.¡± She eventually said. ¡°You must have gone through a lot... I don''t know exactly what happened but be sure to know this. No matter what I''m glad you came back safe.¡±


    Mother Catherine''s reassuring words fell onto his ears like a lullaby, but it also brought him back to reality. He released himself from her embrace and stared at her once more, waiting for her to answer his question.


    ¡°Everyone deserves to live.¡± She said.


    Wrong, Catherine. This was a life you should not have saved.


    Aien brought himself under control again and resumed his indifferent appearance. This was not what he wanted to hear. Then, as if nothing had transpired, he gave Mother Catherine one last gaze and asked.


    ¡°So, no matter what, you will never regret having saved my life?¡± He asked, his voice as emotionless as it had been at first.


    ¡°Of course not, my dear child! How could you ask me that?¡± Mother Catherine answered dissatisfied, affronted by his thoughts alone.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Aien responded calmly for the last time and turned around to leave. There was no going back for him. He had chosen his path and no matter what he would travel it. At any cost.


    His lonely back walked down the hill, no longer looking at the past.


    ¡°Wait, Michael!¡± Mother Catherine shouted and hurried after. She pulled on his cloak but was unable to force him to turn around.


    ¡°Take this.¡±


    She said and took off the necklace she had always worn. A diagonal sword surrounded by a circle. The symbol of Ryeka, the God of Judgement.


    Since Aien neither turned around nor made any attempts to receive it, she simply put it into one of his pockets.


    ¡°Remember, Michael. No matter what, I will always be there for you. If nothing else, then this is a truth that will never change.¡±


    With these last words, Aien departed from the church, on his way to gain the strength he sought.


    End of Arc 0 ¨C The Beginning

 Chapter 11

    <u>Chapter 11 ¨C Making first acquaintances</u>


    Year 2371 ATTB. (After The Third Beginning) Levestein.


    If one had to name the most populated city in Ethena, then it wouldn''t be the capital city Hayden, but the City of Magecraft.


    The first thing one wouldsee, whenarriving at the city, was that the closer one got to the center of it, the taller thebuildings would become. The structures of magi around the center would tower over the regular buildings, while ''The Academy'' rose to the tallest parts reachable by humans. With towers almost able to scrape the clouds, it stood majestically within the center of the city, admired by any who could catch a glimpse of it even from the farthest of distances.


    This city itself was divided into three major districts. The outer ring was accessible to the entire public. There you could find anything you''d see in any other regular city, albeit in a far greater quantity. Due to its constant influx of people, this district kept expanding as the city bounds grew with each passing day.


    The inner district was only accessible to magi. Unless you had learned the very basics of Magecraft, you were incapable of passing through the invisible dome that surrounded the district. The common people could only longingly gaze from the outside, at a dream so close, yet not within their reach.


    And the central district was the enormous academy itself. At any given time, one could see a steady stream of people passing in and out of its gates. Considering it was the only public Magecraft academy of the empire, the number of people gathered here could be imagined. Levestein had become a hub of the ingenuity of human Magecraft and a gathering place for all human magi over the entire empire. Instead of a family crest, as they were usually found on private academies, the symbol of Ryeka wasspread across the whole academy. It could be seenon the various statues of heroes past, and the flags that flattered proudly within the wind. Even the occasional bush was shaped to represent the symbol and doctrine of the academy.


    While private academies favored nobles to an unfair extent, The Royal Court of Magecraft, more commonly referred to as ''The Academy'', was without discrimination. Anyone who passed the examinations could enroll in the academy regardless of their background, something that was almost preposterous in current times. Unique to this city was, therefore, the utter lack of any presence of noble houses.


    Most noble houses stemmed from a family background made up of Magi. That''s how they had attained their unshakeable status and foundation within the empire. Not even the crown itself could ignore the various accumulation of magi and eventually had to endowthe mightier families with noble status. Over time their dominance had grown to such an extent that they''d tried to restrict the knowledge of Magecraft to the public. Not only did they have various resources and experiences over generations at their disposal, they even wanted to try and prevent the rise of independent magi who could dispute their power. There wasn''t much that could be done until one magus had deserted from a noble house and created The Royal Court of Magecraft with the support from the crown.


    While the noble houses were obviously displeased by its rise to power, there weren''t any convenient methods at their disposal to deal withit. Disregarding its popularity with the public, the current headmaster wasn''t someone to be easily trifled with. Soon, the rise of the academy attracted not only want-to-be magi but many other people of different backgrounds. Eventually, this started a chain of events until this city became the goalfor many migrants.That, which had started out as a small gathering for magi and their disciples, wasexpanded and built into the central-hub of the country for merchants and magi alike.


    It wasn''t called the City of Magecraft just because of the academy. No matter where you went, even in the outer district, you would findconstructs of Magecraft that took care of mundane chores. A delivery system of sentient-like letters was only one of many conveniences that Magecraft brought with it. Buildings could look small from the outside, but once one stepped inside, the size was exponentially bigger than it should have been possible. Sentries - made of tiny crystals and formed into lengthy diamonds - flew around, making regular security guards mostly redundant. Anything that caught their eye would be transmitted to the few remaining guard stations with visuals and sound. Cleaning the city wasn''t necessary either due to the constant magical breeze that traveled across the ground. Neither were sewages, considering the import of spatial transportation devices made possible by Dwarven inventions. And those were only the fewconstructs visible to the public.


    <hr>


    Across the busy streets in the outer circle of the city, two young men were strolling around. Both of them wore the uniform anyone could recognize even from a distance. A white robe that would never be stained and the golden embroidery of Ryeka''s symbol stitched across the chest would unmistakenly indicate the status of those who wore it. The streets were as hectic as usual, yet there would always be people who gazed over in admiration and envy. They were blinded so much by the uniform alone, that they couldn''t recognize the unsightly frown across the faces of the two who wore them.


    ¡°Ugh... That stupid wench...¡±


    One of them moaned just loud enough so his companion could hear him. The other almost jumped up in fright and quickly looked around for something. After having reassured himself, he shot a glance at the idiot who had thoughtlessly opened his mouth like that.


    ¡°Are you crazy, Yasim!? What if somebody heard you? Hell, even a sentry would do!¡±


    The man called Yasim just realized how reckless he''d been and shut his mouth. He still felt indignant, but it wasn''t wise to question their teacher''sauthority and whether she had access to the footage of the sentries or not. Considering her, it wasn''t entirely unlikely...


    ¡°Sigh... How many days has it been now? We''ve been looking for a week for that stupid cat! Do you know how many lectures we''ve missed? Like the interesting ones? What''s the point of having a private tutor when it turns out you actually lose out on learning the useful stuff! I mean, come on, Serak, you know I''m right!¡± Yasim continued more discreetly but still giving vent to his emotions.


    ¡°I know you are.¡± Serak leaned in and quietly whispered in his ear with his hand covering his mouth. ¡°That doesn''t mean you should takestupid chances. I mean you had to open your mouth like that. Way to make a first impression...¡±


    ¡°120 years is old!¡± Yasim shouted out with rekindled injustice. ¡°I don''t care if she looks like she''s in her twenties, that woman is still acting like my grandma''s grandma!¡±


    Serak sighed and gave up talking. If his friend dared to ignite their teacher''s fury any further, he would simply cuthis ties with him. Their simple friendship wasn''t worth that much. Putting those thoughts aside, he continued scanning their surroundings, looking for a black cat. However, that turned out to be quite troublesome. While the cat had been used in countless experiments, there wasn''t anything special about it. Just your average run of the mill housecat you could find anywhere... Well, that was if you ignored its apparent hatred for humans.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    If they didn''t have a method to locate its roundabout location, they''d have long guessed that it fled from the city. Thatwould have at least given them a reason to abandon their mission and return to the academy. Instead, they were forced to continue circling around the city for the dozenth time and grew more annoyed as each day passed by.


    ¡°I don''t believe you!!¡±


    The two looked at the tavern, where the sudden exclamation of disbelief had originated from. Out of boredom, and considering their chances of actually finding the cat, they decided to turn around and take a look at the commotion.Thus, they entered the crowded tavern for some much-needed distraction. The tables themselves were unusually empty, and instead, most of the people were gathered around the bar at the back.The crowd was focused on the barkeeper who was handling some kind of flasks that couldn''t possibly be used for drinking beverages. These flasks were shaped into long tubes and filled with different colored liquids. Almost all the colors of a rainbow were present as the barkeeper mixed them into a bigger flask, seemingly at random.


    ¡°What''s this uproar about?¡± Serak asked one of the onlookers.


    ¡°That barkeeper claims he can use Magic.¡± He answered, too entranced to notice to whom he was actually talking to. This piqued the interest of Serak and Yasim. They chose to look from a distance and wait for the barkeeper to perform his ''Magic.''


    Said barkeeper continued mixing the flasks into a black sludge and occasionally added a herb or two from underneath the counter. Most people could recognize the herbs that were commonly used for cold medicines and didn''t find anything special about them. Eventually, the barkeeper finished his mixture and took out a wooden spoon, with which he swirled the liquid until it began emitting a faint light.


    Cries of astonishment filled thetavern as the light continuously changed its color. One by one, the colors from the separate liquids had reappeared and shone brightly for a short time before the next one appeared, accompanied by a calming scent that relaxed the built-up tension from a hard day''s work. To the uneducated eye, it seemed rather marvelous, but the two magi let out a small chuckle.


    A few people turned around and finally noticed who had joined them. Far more turmoil than the ''Magic'' had caused filled the tavern, and within the time of a breath, the gathered men had dispersed, allowing the magi to pass through unhindered. With a wry smile, the two magi shrugged their shoulders and closed in on the only person who had remained calm.


    ¡°Nice Magic. Where have you learned it?¡± Yasim said, and despite his choice of words, it didn''t sound particularly demeaning. In his opinion, there wasn''t any harm done in fooling people as long as it was kept within bounds.


    ¡°It''s just a simple parlor trick. A little hobby of mine that helps pass the time.¡± The barkeeper said. Now that they stood in front of him, they could take a closer look at his appearance. It was somewhat unusual to see such short hair around here, but it wasn''t frowned upon or anything like that.


    ¡°It also helps increase business. I hope the two honored magi don''t mind my fooling around.¡±


    ¡°Of course not, do as you please,¡± Serak said with a slight smile on his face. He had just met the man, but he quite liked his attitude. Usually, the commoners could barely hold a conversation or believed themselves to be so inferior that they made it hard to interact. This barkeeper, however, didn''t show any signs of that, a pleasant change to the usual treatment they received. Especially over the recent days, where they''d spent a lot of time around the outer district and grew even more numb to the constant admiration.


    ¡°The two of you seem troubled.¡± The barkeepernoticed with a keen eye. ¡°Might I convince you to try some of my home-brewed ale?¡±


    ¡°Sure enough, we have the time,¡± Yasim said and the two of them sat down at the bar. It didn''t take long until two mugs of freshly tapped ale stood in front of them. After a quick toast they tried the ale and much to their surprise it didn''t taste too bad. They''d tried a lot of different alcohol after attending numerous noble occasions. Ever since then, it was rare for some brew to satisfy their palate. However, it still paled in comparison to what theywere used to.


    ¡°Have you seen a black cat around?¡± Sarek asked, nothoping for much. He thought there was no actual point in asking, but the man was likable enough to spend some time for idle chit-chat.


    ¡°Well, yes...¡± The barkeeper answered a little awkward before Sarek realized his mistake.


    ¡°Of course you have... There are hundreds of these creatures around here...¡± Sarek sighedwithtiredness that was gradually impacting his judgment.


    ¡°So I take it you are looking for a particular cat?¡± The barkeeper asked for clarification. Sarek nodded in response before continuing.


    ¡°It escaped from our... ''teacher'' and went missing. I guess it isn''t particularly eager to return and we just can''t find it.¡±


    ¡°Can you differentiate it even when it''s mixed in with other cats?¡± The barkeeper continued asking. Sarek guessed he was just making the usual idle talk that was expected of a barkeeper''s company and indulged in answering him.


    ¡°We can see and feel the marker it was imprinted with. As long as we get close enough to it, we can tell it apart with a hundred-percent accuracy.¡± Sarek said, wondering if he would get a reaction from the barkeeper, who had been relatively down to earth until now. Staying true to his steadfast nature, the barkeeper didn''t react much and seemed to ponder about something.


    ¡°Excuse me for a minute.¡± He said and left into the backroom. The two magi looked at each other, wondering what he was doing. Did he actually have a solution to their predicament? They couldn''t actually believe it, but at this point, they''d listen to any suggestions. Not much later, the barkeeper returned with a map of the city and a small brown pouch.


    ¡°Take this.¡± The barkeeper handed over the pouch to Sarek, before unrolling the map on the counter.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Yasim asked a little more interested in the conversation now. Even after opening the pouch, they couldn''t define its contents. It was a scentless green powder - It could be anything, really.


    ¡°A sort of catnip.¡± The barkeeper answered.


    ¡°So we just spray this stuff around and the cat will come around?¡±


    ¡°It''s not that strong.¡± The barkeeper proceeded to guidetheir attentionto the map he''d brought. From beneath thecounter, hereached for a feather pen and crisscrossed a few spotson the map that were spread throughout the outer district.


    ¡°I don''t have enough of this stuff to throw it around randomly, but if you scatter it on these places," he addedthe last cross on the map, "the winds on the ground will carry it through the entire city and center around thisspot.¡± He pointed to the northern outer district, where he''d drawn a circle.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± The two magi looked a little dumbfounded at the map. They''d never thought the wind-system could be used in such a way. More importantly, they didn''t know that there was any regular pattern to it at all. But afterponderingover it, they realized it wasn''t impossible.They just had never bothered thinking about it.


    ¡°Absolutely.¡± The barkeeper answered with utmost confidence.


    ¡°Why do you have something like that around?¡± Yasim asked with some skepticism as he looked at the brown pouch.


    ¡°It''spart of my hobby.Studying herbs and mixing them together to create various effects. That''s also how I got into brewing my own alcohol. Over the years, I have created all sorts of stuff I never intended to, but it sometimes comes in handy.¡± The barkeeper answered without a shred of deceit, as far as the two could tell at least.


    The twothought over the matter for a while anddecided that it couldn''t hurt trying it out. Anything dangerous was filtered out by the system itself, so there wasn''t any problem in assuming that this was indeed catnip. The barkeeper also didn''t seem to have any obvious bad intentions, so they chose to try their luck. The two departed and left the tavern whenSerak realized something andturned around to the barkeeper once more.


    ¡°I forgot thatwe didn''t even introduce ourselves. I''m Serak Kerays. This is my friend, Yasim Norwich.¡±


    ¡°It''s a pleasure to meet the two of you.You can just call me Aien.¡± He answered and bid the two goodbyes.

 Chapter 12

    <u>Chapter 12 ¨C Unpleasant Meeting</u>


    After Aien had arrived in Levestein, he proceeded to commence his plan and gather more information about the academy. As it turned out, the best place was a tavern, where all sorts of rumors circulated. Therefore, he''d taken a job as a temporary worker. It didn''t take him long to convince the tavern owner of his skills, and soon he was even allowed to sell his own brew after it had gone through several taste tests. Naturally, Aien didn''t dare mix in anything funny this time. It would only be a matter of time until he''d be busted within this city filled with magi of all caliber. His only goal had been to gain more information and earn some money for living expenses.


    It was just another day within the tavern and he held a conversation with a man as usual. That''s when two men entered and attracted the attention of the entire crowd. The new arrivals had only been in here once before, but the regulars of this place would never forget the Magi, who had blessed this shabby tavern on the outskirts of town with their presence.


    The seats directly in front of Aien''s bar were quickly vacated, except for the person who was still talking with Aien. Serak and Yasim didn''t bother with any form of courtesy and unceremoniously sunk down onto the chairs with a foul mood.


    ¡°Woah! What happened Serak?¡± The man who hadn''t left asked. Serak''s and Yasim''s appearance was a stark contrast to the usual dignified appearance of a magus. Their faces were filled with scratch marks and even their fortified uniforms had some spots of torn fabric.


    ¡°This guy,¡± Serak grunted, a little surprised, wondering what Zoris was doing here. He wasn''t even wearing his standard magus robe; instead, he dressed himself in casual attire. A pair of brown trousers with a few loose ends and a jacket that most commoners could afford in these parts.


    Zoris took a closer look at the unconscious cat in Serak''s hand, before looking back at Zoris and Yasim. Shortly after, he burst out in laughter, very much enjoying the distraught appearance of his two friends.


    Both Yasim and Serak mumbled something inaudible before ordering some alcohol to relieve themselves of the stress. Aien''s plan had worked out well, but... They should have put some more thought into it. If they hadn''t been so exhausted, they might have noticed the glaring problem. At first, they''d blamed Aien for it, but after calming down, this was obviously their own fault for being thoughtless. They couldn''t blame the man who, at the end of it, had helped them out tremendously.


    ¡°Two aspiring magi getting their asses handed to them by a cat. How funny is that?¡± Zoris continued teasing them, still not get bored of making fun of them.


    ¡°Must have been one hell of a mutant cat.¡±


    ¡°Yes... a cat.¡± Yasim sighed before he proceeded to empty his entire mug in a single sitting.


    ¡°Did you know that there are over two thousand cats in this damned city?¡±


    Zoris'' amusement only increased as he listened to the explanation of his two friends. After following Aien''s plan, they waited at the spot with some of the catnip still in their possession. That''s when a literal wave of cats stormed at them out of every corner in the streets, causing an enormous commotion. The biggest problem was that they weren''t allowed to use any sort of Magecraft outside the Magus District. Thus, they had to endure the onslaught of cat scratches until the sentries notified the unusual incident to the closest city guards, who were still dealing with this mess. They had hastily made up some bad excuses before grabbing the right cat and left the guards to deal with this matter. Their status as students from the academy clearly helped them in avoiding serious investigations, but the whole incident was an utter chaos. Undoubtedly, rumors would soon spread across the entire city.


    ¡°Times like these make me wonder whether I should have chosen to study the Inner Focus...¡± Serak sighed in exasperation. The scratches still hurt and with their unsightly appearance they''d surely become a laughing stock once they returned the academy.


    ¡°Oh? Is there a particular reason you didn''t do so?¡± Aien had decided to join in on the conversation. Not like there was anyone else to whom he could talk to as everyone had cleared some distance to give the esteemed magi their space.


    Sarek raised an eyebrow at the man, who had come up with that brilliant idea. But he knew he couldn''t be mad at him. Although he did wonder, whether Aien had known of this possible outcome.


    ¡°It just isn''t worth it when you can become an Outer Focus Magi.¡± Zoris was the one who responded.


    ¡°Really? To me, it sounds like one would prefer to study the Inner Focus than the Outer Focus. I''d rather want to strengthen my personal body, for safety reasons alone than depend on outside sources.¡±


    Zoris knew that Aien had some more advanced knowledge about Magecraft. However, the other two didn''t and they looked at the man in a new light. It wasn''t the kind of knowledge that was restricted, but unless an actual magus was willing to indulge in talking or teaching you, you would hardly come across this kind of knowledge. Then again, here they were, three magi indulging in talking to a regular, slightly young barkeeper.


    ¡°While that''s true, their statuses are simply too different. An Outer Focus Magus will always be regarded much more highly than an Inner Focus one. Most of us at the academy strive to join a noble house or the military. It''s as simple as that. Society values one more, thus its worth goes up.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of Magi.¡± Serak chimed in, changing the topic and looking at Zoris. ¡°How come, you of all people is sitting around here, having a casual conversation with a barkeeper in the middle of the day? Shouldn''t you be at the academy, tutoring first years?¡±


    When Zoris chose to ignore the question and refused to give an answer after several more inquiries, his friend knew what was going on.


    ¡°... Are you serious, Zoris? Ms. Elritch will kill you when you return.¡±


    ¡°That''s why I''m not returning,¡± Zoris answered, obliviously ignoring the fact of how irrational that sounded.


    ¡°Looks like someone''s getting more than a little slap on the wrist,¡± Yasim said enthusiastically while gloating at Zoris'' misfortune as much as he had done earlier.


    ¡°Shut up! You go and try to teach those imbeciles they let inside the academy, without going crazy!¡± Zoris erupted in a fit, throwing his hands onto the counter and causing his half-empty mug to fall over.


    ¡°Day after day, week after week, I have to explain the same stuff! Over and over again! For an entire year, until the next batch of idiots arrive, who are just as clueless!¡±


    ¡°It''s a fair exchange to avoid the mandatory military service.¡± Serak sighed, slightly bummed out when he thought about his own situation. In the past, it had seemed so distant, but the time was eventually coming closer.


    Zoris quietly cursed to himself some more but didn''t argue about this matter any further. Times like these really made him appreciate and hate the background he had. But he had to admit, it was better than the mandatory military service. For a magus, this was probably the most dangerous time of their lifetime. The three made some more small talk with Aien before two of them headed out to report their mission''s success. Zoris still refused to return to the academy and hung around Aien''s bar who didn''t mind keeping him company.


    ¡°So... I don''t know how to say this... I''ll just put it bluntly. Is there any chance for me to join the academy without becoming a magus?¡± Aien asked as he was wiping over the tables and cleaning up the tavern. It was now past closing time, but Zoris still didn''t seem to leave any time soon.


    ¡°Difficult...¡± Zoris said with a frown. The two of them had met some time ago. At first, just like his friends, he was similarly intrigued by the display of Aien''s ''Magic tricks'' as well as his own search for refuge. After some drinking, the two grew to know each other better and Zoris had ranted about his problems to Aien. The latter eventually offered him to help him hide for as long as he wanted and their relationship only grew closer ever since that day. Zoris knew about Aien''s passion for Magecraft as well as his utter lack of talent. He couldn''t believe that Aien didn''t possess any talent, but even he, a certified First Step Magus, couldn''t find anything when investigating him personally.


    ¡°I can help you somewhat, but it would definitely help more if you could prove your worth somehow. You said you were proficient in medicine? Is there something else?¡±


    ¡°Only Medicine and Botanics.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°...Ahh!¡± Zoris moaned with annoyance, trying to think about how to find a solution. He really wanted to help Aien out after all he had done for him. A few words from him would be enough to get most accepted as a student, but this wasn''t possible in Aien''s case. Instead, he had to find a spot that Aien could fill and bring merit to the academy. However, most of the mundane tasks that didn''t concern Magecraft were handled by automated constructs that barely needed any maintenance nowadays.


    ¡°If you only had bad talent, this wouldn''t be as much of a problem... Why do you want to learn Magecraft anyways? It''s not like you can do anything with it, even if you get the knowledge.¡±


    ¡°I''m just mesmerized by it,¡± Aien answered in a longing tone as his eyes sparkled with unending curiosity. ¡°Sentient winds that keep cities clean and envelopes that fly to their receiver on their own? What''s there not to like? Even if I can''t use it personally, I would be satisfied with knowing how it all works.¡±


    Zoris nodded, understanding where Aien was coming from. For many commoners, even the most casual artifacts and constructs could captivate them, and cases like Aien''s interest were actually quite common.


    ¡°I''ll see what I can do,¡± Zoris said, trying to sound reassuring. These words alone were enough to lit up the hope within Aien''s eyes.


    ¡°Thanks, Zoris! I can''t repay you enough! If you ever need somewhere to hide again, you can count on me!¡±


    ¡°Haha! It''s fine. It''s not like it takes up much of my time. Heck, when I can think of a useful position for you, I might even get excused from Ms. Elritch''s wrath... Wait, that''s it! I''ll need to figure this out one way or another!" Zoris said much more fired up now that he found a hint to solve his own predicament as well.


    ¡°Alright, I''ll sneak back into the academy while it''s still night out. Next month, the academy holds another recruitment event. I''ll meet you there. Until then, you might wanna check out the church. No matter how you look at it, your lack of Aer is really bizarre. I don''t wanna scare you, but maybe you are cursed? Or something like that... Anyways letting a priest check you out, shouldn''t hurt. See you!¡±


    After bidding his goodbye, Zoris disappeared within the night. Aien noticed that there was not a single trace of sound when the man moved with incredible speed, something he attributed to his Magecraft.


    He thought over Zoris'' last words and considered whether he should heed his advice. He felt some apprehension about visiting a church but coming to the conclusion that it wasn''t that bad of an idea for his problem, Aien decided to bite the bullet.


    <hr>


    There were a total of four churches in the city and Aien had chosen to visit the southern one.


    During his walk there, Aien thought about how everything had worked out so far. As he had planned, he was able to make some connections. If his ''parlor tricks,'' wild statements and boasting hadn''t worked out, he would have thought about other methods to reel in some bored magi into his tavern. There were enough of them in the city anyways.


    After that, it wasn''t too difficult for him to strengthen these connections, but he was surprised about how lucky he''d been with his first few catches. His observation skills told him that Zoris seemed quite promising. You couldn''t hide the years of education invested into a noble child. No matter how much Zoris tried to play peasant or dress up like one, it would always seep through. The youth clearly had some sort of background, and with some more luck, Aien would be able to join the academy sooner than he''d thought.


    He put these matters aside for the moment as he arrived in front of the church. From the outside, it looked similar to the one he had grown up in. Far too similar. The only difference being that it was not as run-down. A wide-open front gate that welcomed any visitors and spires that rose into the sky. The whole point of the architecture in this city seemed to mimic Ryeka''s follower''s desire to get closer to the heavens. As far as Aien knew, they believed in providing fairer judgment from a place that could watch over the world.


    When Aien stood in front of its steps, he stopped his movements. He felt unusually uptight and memories about the past also filled his mind. There was something about the church that filled him with unrest as a familiar face of an old woman appeared in his mind.


    Suddenly a hand grasped him on the shoulder, making him return to reality and realize how much he''d spaced out. So much so that he didn''t even notice the stranger behind him. Displeased at his own defenselessness and the man''s sudden appearance he turned around. He hid these unpleasant feelings as usual, and with a kind smile, he confronted the man...


    ¡°May I help you?¡± The gentle voice of a girl traveled out from behind the veil that was hiding her face. Her hand contained a strength he wouldn''t have attributed to a woman, so he''d initially judged wrong. Furthermore, her timid appearance was another stark contrast to the strength hidden in her arm. Even worse than that, she wore the uniform of a nun similar to Mother Catherine''s, which seemed to worsen the unwell feeling in his chest. Silence fell between the two of them while Aien tried to recover and put his thoughts in order. There was a reason he hadn''t visited the church earlier and it turned out he was right not to do so.


    Meanwhile, the veiled woman took his silence as the indication for trouble and her gaze fell onto his neck. She could see traces of a chain made of gold protruding out from behind the shirt he was wearing. She reached out her hand to reach the chain, but that''s when Aien recovered from his stupor and prevented her from doing so. He grasped her arm that tried to touch his necklace, but when he had reached it, he felt an unexplainable sensation of pain. A burning unlike any other he''d felt before, one that could not be compared to the heat of a fire.


    ¡°I''m sorry!¡± The young woman quickly loosened her arm from his grip with surprising ease and hurriedly bowed her head in meekly fashion because of what she had just done.


    ¡°I didn''t want to offend you. I apologize if I have done so in any way.¡± The girl continued, her voice filled with much regret. She appeared to be sincerely worried that she had wronged him as she waited for his reaction.


    ¡°No, of course not. I have to excuse my own behavior. I was a little startled by your sudden appearance.¡±


    An awkward silence fell between them once more. It was rare for Aien not to know what to say, but the girl resumed the conversation on her own after she had taken a few calming breaths.


    ¡°I''m sorry to tell you this, but this necklace is a fake.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Aien asked startled. His necklace?


    ¡°I wasn''t sure earlier, but I''m almost certain now.¡± The woman resumed and Aien could almost feel her penetrating gaze from behind the veil. Despite the veil blocking the view, he felt more uncomfortable the longer she looked at him. As if she could look into the depths of his soul and reveal secrets, he wasn''t even aware of himself. It made him remember a story he had once heard from Mother Catherine. That those that carried Ryeka''s will were bestowed upon with eyes that could see through any facade and thus pass a fair judgment.


    ¡°You carry a supposed ward against evil in the form of Ryeka''s Divine Symbol. Unfortunately, it''s not made of actual gold and it hasn''t received a blessing either. Or maybe its effects have dwindled over time.¡±


    Her gentle voice was devoid of any malice. The very presence of her voice brought with it the feeling that she was someone who could never hold any harmful intentions. Untainted by the world and filled with innocence, she must have been someone who believed in the goodness of all men. At least that was the impression Aien got from her.


    ¡°If you want to, I can ask the High Priest to perform a blessing on my behalf.¡±


    ¡°It''s not necessary. It''s just a... memento. And I guess it''d usually be quite expensive, no?¡± Aien dispersed the surfacing thoughts about Mother Catherine. The young woman had nothing in common with her despite her clothing, but her sincere worries for a stranger made him reminisce.


    ¡°Of someone dear?¡± She asked, her head slightly tilted and ignoring the matter of money he had pointed out.


    ¡°I guess you could say so... This ''ward against evil,'' what do you mean by that?¡± Aien hoped to change her attention to something else.


    ¡°A ward against evil, depicting the God of Judgement''s symbol, would bring its bearer fairness. Some devils hide, scheme and manipulate within the boundary, away from all sight. But those who bear Ryeka''s symbol will be able to discern them, bringing fairness to the contract made between the participants.¡±


    The woman answered dutifully. It wasn''t an answer she had thought of her own, that much Aien could tell. Instead, it was merely reciting what she must have been taught countless times over the years of her life. On a side note, Aien remembered that he shouldn''t judge people''s age by their appearance alone. While it was a complicated process to reverse age, from what he''d heard, it was popular among women for obvious reasons. But upholding a youthful outward appearance certainly wasn''t the only use of this magic...


    ¡°Fairness of the contract? Don''t tell me Ryeka''s church approves of devils?¡± Aien focused on the topic at hand. Hearing that Ryeka''s church wasn''t outright out to hunt devils as their sworn enemies left him a little surprised.


    ¡°We carry Ryeka''s will to bring fairness to the world. How humans proceed to act upon the fairness is for each individual to decide. We will judge the devil''s actions. Nothing more and nothing less. We are not those who enforce Retribution. While we will relay acts of evil that threaten the fairness of the world, we won''t act on our own.¡±


    Once more, another passage she cited from out of her mind. A mind that was filled with quotes, ready to be used for any necessity. This was enough for Aien. While this was some interesting information, he didn''t care much about the rambling from churches at the moment. He turned around to leave, but the young woman spoke up again.


    ¡°Didn''t you come here because you were troubled?¡±


    ¡°Not really. I have been in the city for quite some time and just remembered I haven''t visited the church yet.¡± Aien planned to postpone his actual reason for coming, still unnerved by the existence of the veiled nun. Then, he thought about how foolish this was and stopped in his tracks. Since he was already here, he should get it over with and ask her. She appeared to be quite knowledgeable after all.


    ¡°But that reminds me. I do have a question if you don''t mind.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I''d be happy to help.


    ¡°Do curses exist?¡±


    ¡°If by curses, you mean the malicious use of magic, then yes, they do exist.¡±


    ¡°Then,¡± He rephrased his question, ¡°does a magic exist that could rid a human of all of their Aer?¡±


    He wasn''t quite sure why he thought this random nun would be able to provide him with an answer. But there was more than one reason for the lousy vibe he got from her. His gut feeling told him that she wasn''t just an ordinary nun. There was also the earlier sensation of touching her as well as the veil that hid her face.


    The girl fell silent. There was no indication that she felt suspicious or anything so Aien guessed that she was seriously pondering the matter.


    ¡°None that I know of...¡± She eventually provided him with an answer that didn''t get him any further.


    ¡°But that doesn''t mean one doesn''t exist. Considering the ''ordinary'' magic of the higher races which seem like miracles to us humans, I''d expect for anything in this world to be possible.¡±


    Much to Aien''s relief, the woman didn''t press the matter further or questioned why he had asked something like that. He didn''t want tocontinue talking to her anymore and ended their conversation.


    ¡°I see... Thank you anyways, you saved me some trouble.¡±


    ¡°I''m glad I could help. May Ryeka''s judgment be righteous with you.¡±


    And with that, the two parted ways.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13 - Ahead Of Schedule


    Two weeks had passed since Zoris returned to the academy and nothing much had changed for Aien since then. Spending his time conversing with the regular folks, he learned more about the state of affairs and the conflict with the 4<sup>th</sup> magus that tried to rise to power.


    At present, the world of humanscontinued to be in a stalemate. The three empires couldn''t come to an agreement while the magus had become surprisingly low-profile, leaving only meaningless rumors and wild speculations. From his sudden death through assassination to an all-out war that brewed on the horizon, everything was there.


    A slight problem for Aien, since that turned out to be the only thing people talked about nowadays. The circulating rumors didn''t help with their anxiety, and no matter how Aien tried to steer away from the topic, the thoughts of the public were all focused on their uncertain future.


    Aien could only imagine how flustered the people in the other cities must have been, considering how these people acted in the most fortified city of Ethena.


    During his breaks, Aien spent his time strolling through the city and studying everything within his sights. If something intrigued him, he would play around with it at random or perform some miscellaneous tests. He''d once tried to grab one of the flying envelopes, only to realize that there was an invisible barrier surrounding them. That was after all the effort he went through chasing them for hours.


    On a day like any other, he''d decided to do something he''d wanted to do for quite some time. After some walking around, he arrived in front of a building that weirdly stood out from the rest of the city. Instead of trying to reach into the sky, it was built into the ground more horizontally. The roof was shaped into a triangle with sharp edges,while the entrance piercedthrough the low ceiling. It was apparent that the building was not usually designed with an entrance of that height, yet it only barely allowed humans to pass through after lowering their heads. On the roof, the letters ''Spacial Storage'' were carved into the stone, indicating the building that housed the only other race found in this city.


    Two dwarves stood in front of the entrance, clothed in heavy plate armor. Not a trace of their skin could be seen, and their race could only be differentiated by their small but vast stature. To the human eye, it looked almost comical how bulky the dwarves were despite their lack of height.


    Afterentering the building and descending a stairway, Aien found himself in a wide hall that was made of blinding-white marble. The insides weren''t decorated with any furniture or the likes, but numerous carvings could be seen within the walls. Especially eye-catching was the family crest on the ceiling. Dwarven crests most commonly depictedsomething resembling a shovel that was decorated with various different embroideries, depending on the family it represented. This particular crest was ashovel that stood upright on its head with a handle that was twisted into a circle and intertwined with itself.


    After Aien lost interest in studying the various other carvings that depicted some sort of dwarven story or myth, he proceeded to the counter. Separated by a wall of stone, there was no way to see the appearance of the dwarves on the other side and only a few small slits in the wall allowed for their voices to pass through.


    ¡°How can I help you?¡± An incredibly deep voice that couldn''t possibly have been made by a human came out from behind the wall.


    ¡°I want to register for a Spacial Pouch,¡± Aien stated his inquiry. He''d found out that it recently became prevalent to carry around a pouch that was invented by the dwarves. Despite its tiny size, it could house objects that were exponentially bigger than itself. A convenient item that was beloved by magi and the public alike. The only method to acquire one was to register at one of the dwarven banks that could be found throughout the entire empire and beyond. Overnight the invention had taken the world by storm and the first signs of their impact could be seen. Their relatively low price allowed almost anyone to purchase one. That''s how within the last year aloneduring which the first Spatial Pouches were distributed, the banks of dwarves sprouted out across the empire like weeds.


    ¡°Please press your hand against the light.¡± The voice answered emotionlessly. In response, a place in the wall lit up in the form of a handprint. To prevent theft, the Spacial Pouches were bound to each owner and to accomplish this, humans and dwarves had to work togetherto combine their Magecraft with the inventions of the dwarves.


    However, when Aien pressed his hands against the light for several minutes, there were still no signs of the process having finished.


    ¡°I''m sorry, but we can''t create an imprint for you.¡± The voice eventually said. Despite its lack of emotion, a trace of confusion could be found within as it pondered over the matter.


    ¡°...Does that mean I can''t get a Spatial Pouch?¡± Aien asked, slightly annoyed. Not at the dwarf but at himself, since he could guess what the problem involved.


    ¡°We can still make you a pouch. But we can''t restrict its access only to you.¡±


    ¡°That''s fine then,¡± Aien said with some relief. The pouch was too useful to find another solution. As long as it was only the imprint that didn''t work, it would be fine for him. Because of the well-known existence of the imprint, most people didn''t try to steal them anyway. The process didn''t take long, and soon a small pouch appeared ina shute below. Without further words, Aien took the pouch and left. The dwarves weren''t particularly fond of conversation, so after he left a few gold coins, the transaction was over.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    On his way back, Aien fiddled with the pouch and marveledat the mysterious invention. He''d already held one before from one of his customers and wondered how something like this was even possible. While the amount fit into one pouch wasn''t infinite, it was practically speaking close to it. Even a merchant would never have to carry around an entire carriage of goods anymore.


    Almost anything could be placed within, and most importantly, the weight didn''t increase. Aien was sure that over the next year as the use of the pouches spread, the world would change tremendously. It left many others wondering as well how all of this worked. Naturally, the dwarves wouldn''t expose their secrets that drastically improved the worth and standing of their entire race. While themethod of spacial housing was quite convenient¡äand profitable, it couldn''t compare to this.Since they had anagreement with the humans, no other race would force them to reveal said secrets either. At least for the time being.


    Aien arrived back at the tavern and proceeded to store his few belongings in the pouch when suddenly excited shouts from Zoris could be heard from the outside. Aien wondered why he''d come this soon again, but from the looks of it, he brought good news.


    ¡°What are you doing here so early? Need someplace to hide again?¡± Aien greeted him with a casual smile of his.


    ¡°Haha! My friend, this time I''m here to take you away!¡± Zoris said, excited. It had taken him two weeks of talking to various authorities but he''d eventually gotten the permission.


    ¡°Don''t tell me... you succeeded?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I did it! An acquaintance of mine told me there is a perfect opening for you. You still have to agree to her conditions, but I''m sure it isn''t anything terrible.¡±


    As if struck by lightning, Aien didn''t react to the news at first. But soon tears leaked out from his eyes, and with trembling excitement, he flung himself into Zoris arms to embrace him in a big bear hug.


    ¡°Thank you, Zoris! Thank you so much!¡± Aien said, his voice struggling to form the right words. Embarrassed Zoris released himself from Aien''s sudden explosion of emotions and coughed slightly.


    ¡°Don''t be so emotional, Aien.¡± He didn''t know that it meant that much forAien to enter the academy. A slight feeling of happiness welled up within him as he thought about the good deed he had done.


    ¡°Pack your things. We''ll get going right away.¡±


    Aiennodded and went to see the tavern owner. He had already gathered all of his necessary belongings and the only thing left to do was quit his job. The owner was somewhat reluctant to let this diligent worker, who was very popular among his customers, go. But when he''d heard that Aien was about to join the academy, his attitude did a complete change. He''d wished him well and even gave him an entire salary worth twice the work Aien had done. After some back and forth, Aien reluctantly accepted the kind gesture and left with Zoris towards the Inner District.


    ¡°Take this and hang onto it. Without it, you won''t be able to enter or leave the Magus District.¡± Zoris handed over a small medallion that depicted the symbol of Ryeka. It was made of some sort of metal that resembled bronze. Whatever it was, Aien barely felt any weight from it when he heldit in his hands.


    It didn''t take them long to reach the boundary that divided the districts. You could always see some people pressing their hands against the air as they stared at the white-robed men and women on the other side. At first glance, Aien couldn''t see much difference behind the line that separated two different worlds. The buildings were slightly taller, and all of the people wore the same uniform. Except for the occasional fumes that came out of the various buildings,it seemed the same as the Outer District.


    Aien had once probed this boundary before, on one of his strolls. Back then it''d seemed like an invisible brick wall that no amount of strength could ever move. But with the possession of the medallion, there was nothing. All resistance disappeared, and consequently, he didn''t feel anything different when he passed through the barrier. The only noticeable change was the gazes of admirers who staredwith curiosityand envy at the man who could enter their land of dreams.


    Zoris realized that Aienseemed quite excited nonetheless and chuckled at his behavior in amusement. The man seemed almost too calm and perfect most of the time. Thus, his earlier reaction, and his reaction now, thatresembled a curious child, was a nice change of pace. Usually, Aien seemed always so serious and down to earth that it was almost scary. Always knowing the right way to behave or what to say. Sometimes he wondered how a young man at the age of twenty-three could have such a steadfast nature. As if he was trying to become a perfect human without defects. His current reaction, which was more similar toa commoner, finally made him seem more humane.


    ¡°These medals are usually reserved for the few non-magus nobles. There aren''t many of them, but for rare political reasons, we sometimes have to welcome them to the academy.¡±


    Zoris and Aien made some idle talk as they closed in on the academy. Now that Aien was actually inside the Magus District, he realized that it was far bigger than he''d assumed. With the distance they''d already traveled, they should have already arrived outside the city bounds.


    ¡°Why is this place restricted anyways?¡±


    ¡°It''s mostly for the safety of the public,¡± Zoris explained. ¡°Magecraft is the accumulation of experience. In other words, a lot of experiments. Each construct created by the magus is unique to himself, after all. There is no proper, one way or method that you follow to become a magus. Whichspells a lot of trouble... You''ll soon find out for yourself.There isn''t a single boring day here, where experiments of all kinds go haywire. We have tons of defense mechanisms, but in the worst-case scenarios, most Magi could defend themselves as well. After all, a big part of our training is to prepare us for war.That''s why you should remembernot to stroll around by yourself.¡±


    Fitting to the end of Zoris'' explanation, a tremor ran through the ground accompanied by a distant sound of an explosion. That''s when Aien realized that the barrier really was separating two different worlds. There never were any signs of disturbances to be found within the Outer District.


    ¡°Oh, that reminds me. If you ever hear a siren, follow the sentries to the closest shelter.¡±


    ¡°Why? What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°A sirene means that a construct at the Fith Step or above is out of control. It rarely happens, since there aren''t many Magi of that caliber here, but when it happens, hope that you are at a nearby shelter. I have told you before the path of a magus is dangerous. I know that won''t change your mind but beware that now that you have chosen to associate yourself with Magecraft, its dangers will follow.¡±


    Aien nodded in understanding. He obviously knew there was no safe path for him to get what he wanted. Sometimes you needed to take risks. The only thing you could try and do was to reduce them, but it was impossible to completely avoidany kind of risk.


    ¡°We are here,¡± Zoris said. They had walked up a long set of stairs for several minutes until they arrived at the academy, where they stood in front ofits gates that reached into the skies and out of their sights. Behind, they revealed the third world hidden within the city, and the place Aien had longed for.

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14 - New Job


    The courtyard was filled with groups of eagerly conversing magithat occasionally erupted in a heated argument.Some wouldtinker around with all different kinds of constructs in their hands. For example, one magus held a rod made up of materials Aien could not identify.He was performing some sort of test as he tried to keep controlover his construct.


    At the will of the magus, the rod transformed itself into one of the five elements. The straight rod he had held in his hands turned into a ring of fire that circled around him, then shaping into all different kinds of forms within his vicinity.


    Another Magus was holding a small pearl on his opened hand. Even fromthis distance, Aien could tell that its surface seemed to be impossibly smooth as it reflected the sunshine. When it began moving, it seemed as if it could roll on the air surrounding it and within the fraction of second, it disappeared with such speed that Aien lost track of it.


    ¡°They are both talented students here.¡± Zoris noticed Aien''s curious gaze and explained what had caught his attention.


    ¡°It looks like they are giving their constructs the last polish before taking the test to become a certified First Step Magus.¡±


    Aien looked at Zoris with some bewilderment.


    Zoris knew what Aien was thinking about and continued. ¡°Don''t be mislead by its easy-sounding name, but a First Step Magus is quite an accomplishment that can take years of hard work. They are the most common Magi, and with each step, the number of human magi in the world drops tremendously. Most teachers here are between the Third andFifth Step and our headmaster, who is renown through all human lands, is also at the Fith Step. But don''t let that fool you either. There is a big difference between the field of studies a magus chooses. You can''t judge them simply by the Step they are at alone.¡±


    Aien thought about what he had heard of the headmaster of this academy. Zeristin Wezlak. Stories and rumors about him had traveled the entire world. More importantly, he was theman believed to be closest to the title of Archmagus, bearing the hope of humanity to usher a Golden Age for Ethena and the entire human race.


    It had only been half a day, and Aien had already gained moreunderstanding than an entire month worth of conversations. Seeing was believing after all. A lot could be told with words but experiencing it with your own eyes was entirely different.


    The two continued standing at the gate hinge, while Aien studied his surroundings. Only by standing in front of the academy wouldone realize how tall it actually was. That also made Aien reminisce about a distant image of the past, where numerous buildings had touched the sky. Zoris didn''t urge Aien and let him enjoy the feeling of seeing everything for the first time. The decorations were similar to what Aien expected, but it wasinteresting to see everything colored in a golden-yellow. The buildings in the distance, the flags, most of the stuff around here was gold-colored. He guessed that even the distant peak of the towers werecolored in the same color.


    ¡°Is that him?¡±


    A sudden voice came from above them. While Zoris had expected for her to arrive soon, Aien looked quite flabbergasted at the woman who casually stood midair as if it was the ground. Her dark hair that fluttered in the wind contained a tint of green, similar to her emerald eyes that had threateningly locked onto Aien. Instead of a white uniform, she wore a green one, and the embroidery of Ryeka was appended with a symbol that Aien couldn''t recognize at first. But the answer soon showed itself as he felt the symbol imprinting itself into his mind, telling him of its meaning. Three. Originating from one pointand spreadinginto three lines, it depicted her status as a Magus, using the Divine Language.


    Aien''s face was covered in astonishment and just the right amount of fear as he met thelook of the fierce tigress. He could almost feel her piercing gaze, trying to slice him into pieces. But the fear on his face was soon replaced by an unyielding determinationthat would not succumb to anything. He returned the gaze to the woman, telling her that she was unableto intimidate him. Aien had thought thoroughly about what kind of attitude he should display and had already decided on his course of action and conduct. As expected the woman let out a faint sound of surprise as she continued studying Aien from head to toe.


    ¡°Is there a reason to put on such airs, Lea?¡±


    Finally, Zoris pulled Aien behind him and looked at the woman above. All of a sudden, her threatening gesturesdisappeared as she landed gracefully on the ground, with one foot after the other. Her oppressive expression was replaced by a sweet smile that could melt the hearts of men, and her gentle voice filled the surroundings. Strangely enough, her voice soundedunusuallyclose when she talked as if she was standing right beside you.


    ¡°I''m sorry about that, Aien. Zoris told me a lot about you.¡± She gave said Zorisone of her threatening gazes that clearly contained some annoyance. ¡°He just wouldn''t shut up about how great you are... You can''t blame for putting you on the spot a little.¡±


    She returned to look at Aien with her transformed behavior as she put him in the focus of her enchanting eyes.


    Aien took all of this in stride as he furtherpondered how to respond and conduct himself, regarding her. Indignant or unbothered? Cold or caring? Indifferent or... charming? Aien guessed that he would surely come into contact with her a lot in the future; therefore, an excellent first impression was necessary.


    ¡°Of course not, Miss...?¡±


    ¡°You can just call me, Lea, short for Leathe.¡±


    ¡°It''s a pleasure to meet you, Lea. You already know my name, but let me introduce myself nonetheless. I''m Aien. Recently I''ve come to refer to myself more as an apothecary as you''re surely aware of.¡±


    Aien reached out his arm to give her a firm handshake. He didn''t let it show on his face, but he was very shocked when he squeezed her hand. It was soft... No, not quite. It was as if he had tried to grasp the wind, but it eluded his touch. Almost touching nothing, yet a softness out of this world enveloped his hand. There were no other words than to describe her hand as if it had become the tenderness of wind itself.


    The handshake didn''t last long. Aien gave her an absurdly confident impression when she met his eyes. They were focused, devoid of all distractions as they stared deeply into her own. Together with a charming smile that didn''t contain any shallowness they made for quite an impression.She could tell that smile that wasn''t for the sake of politeness alone, instead it beamed with cheerfulness as if he was truly thrilled to have met her.


    Zoris, in turn, raised an eyebrow of Aien. The image of an impossibly impeccable person resurfaced in his mind. He''d never met a person that remained this collected when touching her skin for the first time. He didn''t expect Aien to drool all over her, but most couldn''t help losing themselves a little in the magical feeling that her touch provided. It wasn''t a secret that she was somewhat unique, after all.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Lea didn''t react out of the ordinary and continued to study Aien, who was a stark contrast to herself; there was nothing special about him. Wearing casual attire, the man simply waited for her to speak up without any signs of nervousness or discomfort.


    ¡°Zoris here told me about your special circumstances.¡± She eventually said. They had measured each other up for over a minute, the conclusions only known to themselves.


    ¡°It turns out, youmight be quite helpful to me. However, I have to warn you that it can be perilous and I can''t guarantee your safety. Are you still fine with this?¡± She asked, but it was merely obligatory.


    ¡°Of course not. Associating with Magecraft, danger is to be expected, and I''m fine with that.¡± Aien said without a shred of fear. His words filled withcertainty, containing not a singlestrenuous soundthat tried to hide some kind of fear.


    ¡°Alright.¡± She nodded in approval and another wide smilecovered her face. Aien noticed that this time, it wasn''t one solely for the sake of politeness as her eyes stretched into a more relaxed and comfortable position.


    <hr>


    After walking through halls with ceilings Aien couldn''t see the end of, they ended the tour in front of a door with an inscription.


    - DANGER -


    Only authorized personnel


    - DANGER -


    He''d been shownaround the academy before they''d decided totellhim about the job he was supposed to do. For that, they''d led him into this room, where only very few were authorized toenter. Not because it was valuable, but because its dangers were beyond anything else that was found within the academy. Or so he''d been told.


    "Don''t leave my side," Lea told not only Aien but Zoris as well, in a tone that left no room for discussion. Zoris seemed unusually serious as he took out a disc fromunder his uniform. It had hundreds of tiny openings the size of which would only allow ants to barely crawl through. With the thickness of a finger and in an oval-shaped form, it was easy to hold onto it with his hand. Aien guessed correctly that it was Zoris'' First Step construct but quickly put his curiosity aside. Since he''d pulled out his construct, which was only allowed within few places in the academy, Aien knew he had to focus on the matter at hand. He did take notice, however, that Lea didn''t make any preparations that were visible to him. It merely looked like she grasped onto the air as if she was holding a handle. Something he''d have to ask Zoris about later.


    "Alright Aien, this will decide whether you can enter the academy or not."


    In response, Aien took a closer look at his surroundings. The sun had already begun setting, but within this dome, the ''sun'' was still at his highest point within the sky. At least that was how it looked like. The dome was made of some kind of milky glass, and the source of light behind it must have been some kind of magecraft. His entire surroundings were filled with wild greenery, resembling a jungle of plants he''d never seen before. Trees of different colors were separated into their own territories and the same could be said about the various flowers.


    The varioustrees'' twigsmoved despite the lack of any wind,crossing with each other at a speed that should have been impossible. It gave Aien the image that the trees of different speciesseemed to be... fighting each other. He became certain when he saw the plants below, that were far more obvious in their acts. Flowers with petals shaped like razor teeth bit at each other as they fought for no apparent reason. Those that lost were forced to uproot themselves and find a different spot, where the fighting resumed with other plants. This entire dome turned out to be one huge zoo of wild plants going at each other.


    "Zoris go ahead and get some Cuelae. Aien you watch carefully." Lea ordered after they had found a higher spot that let them view everything in its entirety.


    Zoris was startled at first before he cursed something inaudible. Reluctantly, he steppedinto the direction ofone of the trees that was preoccupied with fighting another. On it hung asingle oval-shaped fruit that AIen had never seen before. With an intense violet color that most would deem poisonous and stay away from, it hung low enough to be easily grasped. Zoris, however, didn''t just casually go over and grab it. He held his construct in front ofhim and after a short pause disappeared from Aien''s sight. The unexpected acceleration was not something Aien could track, but the targeted tree most certainly could as it soon showed.


    In a split second, the tree abortedits contest and took notice of the thief who closed in on it. Suddenly roots from underground shot up to try and catch Zoris but to no avail. As if he knew where each root would sprout up from beforehand, he evaded every thrust and was soon within the distance of grabbing the fruit. The tree was anything but pleased about that and as a result became far more aggressive. The twigs joined in, to pincer Zoris from all sides, closing off all paths of escape or advance. Realizing that the situation had turned for the worse, he pressed into the middle of his construct. A fierce wind erupted from the holes, and what AIen deemed to be blades of wind, cut through the incoming twigs and roots. This went on for a short while and the tree showed no signs of stopping any time soon. Zoris, on the other hand, slowly ran out of mana and became more mentally fatigued as a single misstep could end fatally. Deciding he could no longer keep this up, he focused his attacks to retreat back to Lea and Aien. Fortunately, after noticing his retreat, the tree relented in its attacks andchose to rest.


    With a pale face and exhausting pants, Zoris shot Lea a fierce glance. He knew that she must have known how this would end, yet he''d still ordered him to go try and embarrass himself in front of Aien.


    Aien was mostly confused about the current events.On the other hand,he was quiteintrigued to find out about the existence of sentientand possibly magical plants.


    "As you can see, these plants are quite protective of their fruits and territories," Lea explained to him, ignoring Zoris who was still indignant about being used as an example.


    "It becomes quite a pain to take care of and harvest them. Usually, we need a group of experienced magi every other month to harvest everything we need. But that might change..." She looked expectantly at Aien who was still somewhat at a loss.


    "Plants do not have eyes or ears..." Lea chuckled a little as she realized how obvious that sounded. "Well, to keep it simple they detect other beings through their senses that can detect mana. Since you don''t have any, I''m sure you can see where I''m going with this."


    Aien soon understood what his job was supposed to be. There was some hesitation about the truth of her words but there was no reason for her to lie to him.


    "Go ahead and try it out." Lea eventually said after giving him some time to think. Without any other options available, Aien decided to comply. He didn''t just walk in and try to grab the fruit, however. At first, he took out some empty vials which he threw as hard as he could to the nearby plants. The sound of them being shattered filled the dome, but there was no reaction from any of the plants. Thus, Aien carefully closed in on the fruit, each step on full alert, ready to jump away at any moment if necessary.


    Meanwhile, Zoris was recovering on the ground as he watched Aien who was mostly ignored by the plants until now. He looked over at Lea, and unlike Aien, he could see how the air behaved differently in her presence. In both her hands, she held onto wind-madedaggers. The rest of the wind gathered around her feet, ready to intervene at any given time. Given Lea''s speed, that he was well aware of, he knew that Aien wasn''t under any serious danger. Relaxed he watched Aien getting closer and closer to the fruit without any interference from the tree that had given him such a hard time.


    The closer Aien got, the slower he moved. But eventually, he realized that the tree took no notice of him. It wasstill resting from its early actions and was casually rooted on the spot like any regular tree. AfterAien arrived in front of it, he simply plucked the fruit from the tree. That''s when the tree finally realized that something waswrong as each twig wiggled through the air, trying to find out what had just happened. However, the tree couldn''t find anything as the twigs seemingly trembled in confusion. Without much trouble, Aien returned to the two and handed over the fruit to Lea who was exuberantly celebratinghis success.


    "Yes!"She exclaimed with cheerful laughter. "This was always such a meddlesome task that took away so much of my time!"


    She then realized how she''d presented herself in front of the two and quickly resumed her calmness. With a small cough, she hid her embarrassment before turning to Aien.


    ¡°Congratulations, Aien!" She said with a beaming smile. "From today onwards, you are a student of this academy as well as my personal assistant!¡±

 Chapter 15

    <u>Chapter 15 - Problems</u>


    It took two weeks until Aien realized that his lucky streak had come to an end. Although Lea had said otherwise, he wasn''t exactly considered an official student of the academy, but rather a guest listener. Shortly after his enrollment, the circumstances about how he''d gotten admitted quickly spread around, and the students didn''t take it very well.


    Many remembered how difficult it had been for them to get accepted by the academy, which made Aien quite unpopular among his fellow students. No amount of approach on his side was changing that any time soon. It didn''t matter much to him; however, there was yet another, more significant problem. The teachers had the same attitude.


    In their minds, they considered teaching Aien a waste of their time. Thus, when he''d tried to ask them questions, outside of lectures, they didn''t bother much with him. That had lead to the third and final problem.


    Regular lectures were focused only on the practical knowledge of Magecraft. This wasn''t bad by itself, but what Aien sought was knowledge about the origin of talent. If he disregarded the possibility of being ''cursed,'' then the other option was that there was something fundamentally wrong with his body.


    However, it seemed that no one had bothered researching this particular subject. Lea explained to him that since the world was never at peace, magi focused more on the teaching of already existing talent. Studying the origin of talent could change things in the longterm for the better of humanity, but with the way things were, it just wouldn''t happen. It was rather early for him to conclude this matter, but he became quite certain about the usefulness of the lectures.


    Therefore, Aien was almost entirely on his own in studying a field that no one else bothered with. While he had planned to do so from the beginning, it did set him back a lot. At this point, he basically didn''t go to the lectures anymore that mostly focused on practical experimentation and creating your first constructs. They were all focused on how to turn a human, with existing talent, into a magus- A natural course of action from the academy that was supported by the empire. All of their efforts were focused on thefastest way to turn a magus into an assetfor the empire.


    In the end, Aien realized the limits of his options and decided to spend his time in the library. There was no point in attending lectures that didn''t adhere to him. Thankfully, the knowledge stored in the library was more than enough. It consisted of an entire tower that was filled with bookshelves, reaching so far that one couldn''t see the end of it. He only needed to say the words out loud, and the appropriate books would fly into his hands by themselves.


    On one of those days, Aien studied in a quiet corner he''d found for himself. His table was filled with books about thehistory of Magecraft. How it had come to be and how humans have become aware of the existence of magic. But the quiet wouldn''t last long as he noticed three familiar men approaching him. Serak and Yasim were unusually happy, and with a wide grin, they sat next to Aien uninvited.


    ¡°Hey, bookworm! We got great news!¡± Serak declared cheerfully with a smile that nothing could wipe off his face.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Aien asked, slightly annoyed inside. The two had been a great help, but since he had direct access to the library, their usefulness dwindled. Despite that, he kept up his usual polite smile. In case they came in handy, it would be better to maintain good relationships.


    ¡°Serak and I will be sent to the Northern Garrison!¡± Yasim exclaimed without regard to upholding the quiet within the library.


    This statement stopped Aien from his reading as he looked up. While he did look at Yasim, his thoughts wandered off and didn''t focus on the conversation anymore.


    ¡°It''s the best place to be sent to for your military conscription!¡± Yasim explained further, guessing that Aien was confused about what was so exciting about the matter. It still took some time for Aien to stop daydreaming before he addressed the nuisance.


    ¡°That''s great for you guys! Though I bet, Zoris had something to do with that.¡± Aien looked at the man who remained taciturn. Until this point, Zoris still refused to tell Aien more about his background, but from what he could gather, it made him quite an important person in the academy. What Aien did know was that Zoris descended from a noble house and came to the academy not only for the sake of studying. He was likely on a sort of diplomatic mission that tried to close the chasm between the two parties. Since Zoris didn''t want to tell him more, he had put the not-so-important matter aside.


    ¡°We are celebrating tonight! Drinks are on us, how about it, Aien?¡± Serak asked. The usually calmer of the two was just as excited. The whole ordeal seemed like a massive deal to the two of them.


    ¡°I''m afraid I won''t go,¡± Aien said with just the right amount of hesitation in his voice. ¡°You aren''t leaving any time soon, right? I''ll think of a nice parting gift for the two of you.¡±


    ¡°We''ll leave in about a year,¡± Serak said, not too bothered by Aien''s rejection. Ever sincehe had buried himself in his books over the last week, he grew more and more isolated. They were somewhat bummed out about that, but they could also understand how he felt so they didn''t hold it against him. Thus, after bidding their goodbyes, the three guys headed out for drinks, leaving Aien alone with his castle of books. However, he could no longer concentrate on his studies as his thoughts were continuously drifting to The Northern Garrison...


    ...


    What would she think of him?


    <hr>


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I couldn''t study anymore, ¡± Aien saidnonchalantly despite her slightly displeased tone.


    ¡°I''m sorry, I must have been too quiet. I asked, what are you doing here, Aien?¡± Lea was at a loss and didn''t know how to feel about the matter of him invading her privacy. She was annoyed that he''d come here without permission, but at the same time, she felt guilty about his situation and didn''t know how to interact with Aien because of that.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°I knew you weren''t in your office, so I took this chance to sneak outside.¡± He said bluntly.


    The two wereat the peak of one of the towers of the academy. Aien relaxed on the floor of the vast terraceunder the gaze ofthe countless stars in the sky. Meanwhile, from above, Leastared menacingly at Aien, whomether enchanting eyes without flinching.This was her favorite spot in the academy that could only be accessed through the backdoor in her office, which made it for areclusive haven of peace to counteract the stress ofan exhausting day. It was unexpected to find Aien here after she''d returned from her workshop.


    ¡°Ugh... Fine, do what you want.¡±Lea relented. She sat down some distance away from him as theyboth stared at the night sky.


    ¡°...I''m sorry about this, Aien.¡±The uncomfortable silence had continued for a while until Lea couldn''t endure it any longer.


    ¡°Sorry? Whatdo you have to feel sorry about?¡±


    ¡°You''ve been a great help to me. I really appreciate that... But I know about how the other students and teachers are treating you.¡± Lea said, crest-fallen with a hint of anger. They were the academy that prided itself on its fairness, yet thosepeople forgot their roots and began looking down on others.


    ¡°It''s fine. You don''t have to worry about that.¡±


    ¡°I know... It''s difficult, and I can''t really blame them either. After attending the academy for some time, their attitude naturally began changing. Whenever they go out to the Outer District, they are being stared at like they are the Gods themselves. Most are still youths, and it''s bound to get to their heads eventually...¡±


    Lea regretfully admitted how powerless she was about the discrimination. She, more than anyone, hoped for the doctrine of the academy to one day be upheld by all humans. Yet, she couldn''t even prevent the rise of such thinking in her own academy.


    An awkward silence filled the surroundings once more. It left her a little restless for reasons she didn''t know, and she desperately searched for another topic of conversation. That''s when she realized the scroll of paper that lay next to Aien.


    ¡°What is that?¡± She asked as she pointed to it.


    ¡°It''s a map of the city,¡± Aien answered. From this spot, it was very easy to see the city in its entirety, as well as the sentries that darted around in the middle of the night. They became easier to recognize as they shone with a faint red light that resembled an eye.Aien guessed that it was necessary to make footage in the middle of the night.They were spread around the entire Magus District, creating one coherent net of surveillance.


    Again, the conversation grew to a halt. Just when Lea decided to no longer endure it and leave, Aien spoke up.


    ¡°So I met this nun the other day...¡± Aien raised himself into a sitting position. He told her everything about the meeting he had. It was a sudden change to an unrelated topic, but she desperately went with it. Anything was better than the stifling silence. It was strange, really... Why was sheunusuallyanxious in his presence?


    ¡°Was she telling the truth? How is the conduct with devils?¡± Aien asked.


    ¡°You know how it is with those things,¡± Lea said after thinking about the matter for a while. ¡°Some are blind fanatics, others bend the rules a little. There are plenty of followers from Ryeka''s church that would hunt devils on sight, regardless of a fair judgment. It is a contrast to their teachings, but they''ve always been a little vague.¡±


    ¡°But wouldn''t you say devils deserve a fair treatment if that is what the doctrine is about?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so interested in this?¡± Lea asked with a frown. Then she proceeded to give him a fair warning, lest he''d one day do something stupid.


    ¡°Nothing good comes from interacting with devils. Even if you properly judge each devil before retribution, you wouldn''t find a single one not guilty. You couldn''t. That''s why let me remind you, Aien. Don''t ever make a deal with a devil.¡±


    Lea turned out to be more serious about the matter than Aien had initially thought. He didn''t intend to escalate the issue any further nor defend the lawful rights of devils. It was none of his business, nor did he care to get involved with some fanatics. But their slight dispute, if you could call it that, helped Lea calm herself in his presence. It reminded her that Aien was still new to the world of Magic.


    "Don''t worry, I get it.But I have to ask, what do devils get from this?"


    "You can find this stuff in the library you have been frequenting lately, so I guess there is no harm in telling you." Lea thought about how to keep the matter simple before answering. "You can think of it this way. Everything in this world belongs to theworld itself. That means the mana we use is never truly ours. The minor races that are capable of Magic are simply borrowing it, before returning it to the world. Even ifwhat we have borrowed and return differs in its form, it all boils down to a zero-sum game. Devils are more privileged regarding this matter. If they fulfill a contract, they will be rewarded with mana by the world, that theycan keep for themselves. We don''t know much about the details, but technically, any contract they make has at least three participants, which must include thedevil and the world."


    Lea arrived at the end of her explanation when she added something she''d just thought of.


    "Since we are at it, I might as well tell yousomethingabout demons. They exist outside the rules of this world - Outside its laws. Demons simply steal everything they need from the world without ever returning it. They threaten the balance, and that''s why they''ve been imprisoned ever since the Third Beginning."


    Aien listened with much interest as he thought about the matter for himself. From the way Lea presented it, and her attitude, it was apparent she wanted to scare him away from these subjects. Feeling more comfortable after assuming a teacher-like position, Lea then proceeded to change the topic.


    ¡°I wanted to wait before giving you this, but I guess now''s a time as good as any.¡±


    From within her robe, she took out a lengthy container that could easily be held in one''s hand.


    ¡°I asked a friend of mine to make them.¡± She said, and handed over her gift. Without much fanfare, Aien accepted and opened the container, where he found a pair of glasses.


    ¡°Put them on.¡±


    Aien did as he was told, and in the blink of an eye, his view of the world had changed. In between him and the sky, he saw a translucent ceiling in the shape of an enormous violet dome that covered the Magus District in its entirety. But more astonishing than that was the change in the night sky. Seven stars changed in color, shining brightly onto the earth, rivaling the moonlights in its brightness. To a magus, there was barely any difference between day anda cloudless night. He soon realized why the city was obsessed with the color of gold as he saw the Star of Judgment. Each shining brighter than the other, the seven stars aligned themselves, watching over the world of mortals from above.


    ¡°This is...?¡±


    ¡°It mimics The Sight we magi have. Surely you''ve heard of it by now.¡±


    ''The Sight'' and ''The Seventh Sense of Magi'' were the first basics a magus had to learn. Without them, they''d be unable to craft their constructs as they were necessary to guide mana in the way they needed it to. It was one of the reasons that made it impossible for Aien to ever create a construct of his own.


    ¡°Unfortunately, this only solves the lesser problem of the two,¡± Lea said, and Aien knew she was right. To create a construct that could allow him to actually feel mana was far more complicated and with current knowledge considered impossible. This feeling was based on a comparison with the Aer inside the person and the wild mana in the world.


    ¡°I...I don''t know what to say... Thank you, Lea.¡± Aien said with a sincere voice and flashed her beaming smile, full of gratefulness.


    ¡°It''s nothing...¡± She answered hurriedly, avoiding his gaze. ¡°You don''t need to pay me back or anything. It''s the least I could do after all you''ve done to help me out.¡±


    ¡°But I can''t just accept this... That''s right!¡± Aien exclaimed as if he''d come up with the best idea in the world.


    ¡°How about I take you out for dinner some time? It might not compare to the cuisine of nobles, but I know a few great places in the Outer District!¡±

 Chapter 16

    <u>Chapter 16 ¨C The Dance</u>


    ¡°What''s all this commotion about?¡± Aien asked.


    ¡°I''ll tell you later, focus on the matter at hand,¡± Lea answered without looking at him, her attention pinned to the table in front of her. On it lay a hollow tube,about an arm''s size and made up entirely of iron. It seemed ordinary from the outside, but if you looked through it, you could see numerous carvings on its interior. Line after line that connected and spread from each other with no apparent musterfor an uneducated eyeto make out. Like a bunch of intertwining tree twigs, they ran down the inner surface, condensing at the bottom opening.


    Aien ignored the hurrying people and flying utensils he could see outside and did as he was told. Wearing his glasses, he didn''t let the construct out of his sight as Lea made the last tweaks. With a twisted needle, covered in a faint layer of wind, she resumed carving into the construct. Throughout the process, Aien memorized all of the pathways she created. It took an entire hour of uninterrupted concentration before Lea placed down theconstruct with anexasperated sigh.


    ¡°Try it out.¡± She said and handed Aien the result of hours of work. It felt as you''d expect tube-shaped iron to be ¨C slightly heavy in his hands with asmoothsurface. He pressed the button in the middle that you couldn''t make out unless you knew where it was, and... nothing happened.


    ¡°Another bust...¡± Lea sighed, albeit slightly happy that it didn''t explode this time. Not that it wouldendanger her much, but it did ruffle her appearance, something she''d paid more attention to lately.


    Aien frowned as he held the tube in his hand. The idea behind the latest experiments was to create a construct that he could use by himself. One that was self-sufficient and wouldn''t need any interaction from a magus. Under normal circumstances, no matter how independentthe constructs in the city looked like, there was always some magus who had to initialize them. They could never be used by a regular person without a magus'' aid. Therefore, theywanted to figure out a method for the construct to absorb the mana in its surroundings on its own, and guide it through the pathways to create the desired result. This tube was supposed to be a simple ''wind-blower'' that didn''t have a particular use. Despite that, they''d been unsuccessful so far.


    It was an idea that the crown had also been very interested in. If the non-magus soldiers could use Magecraft constructs, it would increase their military might tremendously. However, after two years of research andbarely any results, they went back to their roots, focusing on education, like they always did as they dropped promisingprospects.


    Lea was kind enough to spend some of her free time, supporting Aien developing such a construct. It was also beneficial that she covered their expenses. Without direct support from the academy, that Aien would never get, Magecraft turned out to be very expensive. This had been their third try at replicating previous experiments, and they had already spent enough money to buy a small house on the outskirts of the city. The iron itself wasn''t expensive, but the tools used most definitely were. Even if they were protected by Lea''s wind, they would have to be replaced eventually. Though they did resolve this issue slightly by focusing on minor gadgets that could barely be called a construct like this ''wind-blowing pipe'' while they focused on refining the principle behind it.


    The finished product could never compare to a First Step''s construct that contained an essence crystal. It would lack a lot more things, but that didn''t matter to Aien, who couldn''t create an essence crystal, to begin with. Whilethese crystals were necessary to build the constructs of each step, and making them unique to the owneras well as building the foundation of their Prime Construct, they could be disregarded for constructs of general and minor purposes.


    ¡°Don''t be too sad. We''ll figure something out eventually.¡± Lea gave her condolences. Realizing it didn''t cheer Aien up, she switched her attention to the hurrying people outside. Her workshop was located in the same tower her office above was, somewhere around its mid-height, making the people look like slightly bigger ants.


    ¡°The Royal Family is paying us a visit soon, as well as... others,¡± She explained to him with a severe lack of enthusiasm.


    ¡°We will hold a banquet and a dance in the entrance hall. It''s stuff like this that grows the chasm between magi and commoners...¡±


    She said with a down-trodden expression as she looked at the decorations flying about. Chandeliers, decorated with jewelry that could feed a man for life,flew around in abundance, and the expensive carpets made out of silk from distant lands, depicted the family crest of noble houses.


    ¡°They are invited as well?¡± Aien asked as he pointed at the crests.


    ¡°Mere formalities, but yes... Not all choose to come, but some do send figureheads to uphold a good impression on the public.¡±


    Aien hummed in response, pondering about something she couldn''t decipher. Asamiable as the man was, she felt that he closed himself off around anyone close to him. But that didn''t lessen the pounding in herchestas he confronted her with a sudden question.


    ¡°So, a dance, huh? I take it the academy''s Fairy Princess, already has a date?¡± Aien asked with a slight chuckle as he looked at her face that had turned a bright red.


    ¡°Who is-!? I-...I swear those brats spew out only nonsense when I''m not around!¡±


    ¡°In fact!¡± She tried to regain her calmness as she turned to Aien but avoiding his gaze by looking at his eyebrows instead. ¡°I want you to come with me!¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± He asked, the surprise written on his face, but a trace of happiness glimmered in his eyes as well. ¡°I don''t think a teacher taking a student as a partner to the dance would be quite appropriate...¡±


    ''You keep taking me out for dinner, why worry about that now...'' She muttered, not loud enough for Aien to hear her. She waved her arms around wildly, trying to hide the trembling nervousness, but it didn''t help with her slightly quivering eyes. ¡°Do you want to come, or not?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Aien answered, his eyes glistening with sheer happiness that resembled a small puppy that had just gotten a treat. As a result, Lea returned a beamingsmile of her own.


    ¡°Great! Then it''s decided! I''ll take you to the tailor later, don''t worry about the money!¡±


    <hr>


    This was deadly.


    He had always been quitealluring with his attitude, but Lea certainly realized the meaning of ''clothes make the man'' when she saw him standing in front of her office. The suit he wore made her regret having sent him to the finest tailor in the city.


    ¡°Ready to go?¡± Aien asked with a smile that made her heart skip far too many beats.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°...¡±


    She didn''t give him an answer that he apparentlytook as a cue that he had done something.Seemingly realizing his mistake, he flashed her another smile while not hiding the fact that he checkedher out.


    ¡°You look beautiful, Lea.¡±


    She wore a green dress accentuating her natural appearance. Somewhat unusual, though, was how frilly the dress appeared to be. She usually wore more reserved and gender-neutral clothing if she didn''t have to wear the uniform of the academy.


    ¡°I.. ehh... Thanks... I was forced to wear this. I don''t like it too much, it stands out.¡±


    Aienonly responded with a smileand held out his arm to lead her. With a hesitating gesture, she took him up on the offer, and the two went a long way downstairs to the hall where the dance was held. After arriving at the entrance, Aien took a good look at the festivities. An entire red carpet that hadn''t been there before covered the whole hall that was the size of several houses standing next to each other. Instead of tables, giant plates flew around, carrying various kinds of foods and drinks. He recognizedthe ridiculous amount of appetizers that could feedthe cityfor months. With a few more glances, Aien quickly noticed that the people in the hall were dividedinto various groups. Especially the group that stood beneath the most eye-catching banner was attracting a lot of curious stares.


    ¡°That''s the Royal Entourage,¡± Lea said as shefollowed Aien''s gaze. She gave him an overdue introduction to the man who ruled the country.


    KaemirLorak, the emperor of Ethena. The crest of the Royal Family represented his Prime Construct that became famous during his ascension to the throne. A giant sword put within seven sheathes, surrounded by a tempest of wind and lightning. On the day of his coronation, his rule was disputed by two other magi who had claimed to be the rightful heir to the throne. It was common knowledge that any who had the might could challenge the emperor to the right of the throne as long as he was human. But once he released his Prime Construct and summoned thestrength of a tempest, he shattered his competition to become the undisputedRuler of Ethena.


    Said emperor had yet to arrive, but his entourage was enough to be the topicof discussion in this hall.Each one was more outstanding than the other as they had made a name for themselves before becoming the emperor''s followers.


    Aien considered them to be out of his reach and quickly lost interest. Instead, he invited Lea to a dance, who shyly accepted. He didn''t actually know how to dance, but with Lea splendidly taking the lead, he could pay some attention to his surroundings. He continuously held out an open ear and eye, trying to grasp the various conversations and people in the hall to gain some pointers on how to proceed.


    Eventually, they stopped dancing and took their time enjoying the various foods and drinks they had to offer. At least Aien did since Lea refrained from indulging in such splurging of money.


    ¡°...Huh?¡± Lea suddenly let out a confused sound as she tightly held onto her Spacial Pouch. Regardless of the situation, she and most magi would always carry them around, despite their supposed security features.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Aien asked.


    ¡°It isn''t there...¡± She frowned and thought about when she had misplaced her notes.


    ¡°I''m supposed to give a speech later. I wrote it down on a piece of paper... Well, on the back of my research papers, to be honest, so I wouldn''t forget them.¡±


    Aien didn''t know how to respond to that, so he ignored that particular point.


    ¡°I''ll go get the-¡± But she was interrupted bythe sudden voiceof a man that approached them.


    ¡°Leathe, it''s nice to see you again!" His suit most definitely didn''t lose out to Aien''s, and his beard was carefully tended into a goatee. With his brown hair and features, he resembled a certain young man...


    ¡°Greetings, Marvis von Erestiv!¡± Lea put the previous matter quickly out of her mind as she gave the man a polite smile and curtsy.


    ¡°I apologize that I haven''t come to see you earlier.¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry about that. I see you have company. How about you introduce us?¡±


    ¡°This is Aien, one of our students. Aien, this is Marvis vonErestiv, the current head of the Noble House of Erestiv.¡±


    Aien gave the man a firm handshake before studying him. He couldn''t find a flaw in the man''s appearance and conduct,just like anyone else who was participating in this dance. Neither of them hid the fact of seizing the other up until Lea resumed speaking.


    ¡°I''m sorry, Aien, but could you quickly go and grab my notes? They should be on the desk in my office. I''ll have to accompany Mr. Erestiv for some time, it won''t take long.¡±


    ¡°Sure, take your time."


    ¡°Thanks, see you later.¡±


    Aien watched the two of them until he could no longer see them before averting his gaze. The unexpected appearance of Mr.Erestiv had helped him out as he strolled around the dance, with no intentions to pick up Lea''s notes. They both had an excellent memory, but unlike Lea, he was far more confident in his own. He hadseenher officebefore leaving and was sure that they weren''t there. Even if they were, he would just make up an excuse. But he did trust her in that regard, more so than she would herself. There was no way she''d misplace anything remotely important. While it was an interesting occurrence, he had a morepressing matter to attend tosince he was alone.


    <hr>


    Annoying. That was all that he could think of. He had done one thing wrong, and the house undermined his position for years. Attending minor superficial events like this dance was something to be taken care of by those foreign magi, they accepted from this damned academy. Not for a directfamily member like him.


    ¡°And then he got eaten! Can you imagine that, Jeren?"


    Jeren gave a polite and calculated laugh that was barely enough to convince his counterpart that it had been an interesting story.


    ¡°I''m sorry, but I''ll have to excuse myself to the restroom.¡± With that, Jeren hurriedly fled from the conversation. After staring himself in the mirror and remembering his blunder for the hundredth time, he cursed the Gods for his misfortune. He took a few calming breaths before looking around to see if anyone had seen his minor outburst. That would have been the last he needed.


    ¡°Jeren von Celesta, right?¡±


    After he had walked out of the restroom, a young man approached him. Barely in his twenties, with a mature stature that you would rarely see from people his ages. But Jeren had seen many nobles grow up, and it was no surprise to him to see youths of this caliber. Instead, he focused more on the suit he wore. While it wasvisibly expensive, the crest of Ryeka was stitched onto its jacket, indicating his status as a student.


    ''Great, another one of those.''


    ¡°That''s right, young man.¡± He gave the youth one of his polite smiles that was polished over decades of experiences.


    ¡°But I''m afraid I don''t have much time. If you are interested in joining the Noble House of Celesta, I''d advise you to find me some other day. I''ll be sure to take the time for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I''m not here for such a petty matter.¡± The youth said as he closed in on Jeren, who got somewhat uncomfortable. That gaze the youth gave him made him almost shiver. He felt like that with a single gaze alone, the youth knew everything about him. That even his deepest secrets would lay bare before him, no matter how irrational that seemed.


    ¡°I''m sorry, I really don''t ha-¡±


    ¡°You don''t like being here.¡± The youth interrupted him. They were in a desolate spot, where people only occasionally passed by. But seeing a youth trying to court favor with a Noble House wasn''t anything uncommon, so no onepaid them much attention.


    ¡°You were sent here as punishment, I suppose. A mighty magus and direct descendant fromthe House of Celestasent forsuch a tiresomechore. It''s written all over your face.¡±


    ¡°So, what!?¡± Jeren exclaimed, slightly losing his composure. Even if it weren''t for thisbothersome youth, this topic would always hit a nerve of his.


    ¡°I''d prefer it if you kept your voice down.¡± The youth said with a slight frown. Shooting the man a menacing gaze, he opened his suit to reveal what lay beneath.


    Jeren gasped in shock, for a moment, unable to comprehend what was happening. Around the youth''s waist, a thin vine twirled around his body hundreds of times. It looked like a regular green vine that could be found outside, but anyone that dared to call himself a magus would recognize the danger it presented. It struggled vehemently as it sensed delicious foodall around it, but something kept it back, tightly bound to the youth''s body.


    ¡°What do you want from me? Who are you?¡± Jeren asked with some apprehension. He held onto something within his rope, but he had no intention of putting up a fight. There was no doubt in his rational mind that the youth couldn''t unleash the vine in this place filled with magi and sentries. However, it did make him wonder what the mysterious youth who could tame aBloodlustSnake-Vine wanted from him.


    ¡°I''m Aien.¡± The youth said, closing his suit while replacing his menace with a kind and gentle smile.


    ¡°And I''m here tooffer a deal that could benefit us both.¡±

 Chapter 17

    <u>Chapter 17 ¨C First confrontation</u>


    The festivities had ended earlier than expected. Neither the emperor nor the headmaster had arrived, and from what Aien could gather, both the Royal Entourage and the various teachers were uninformed about their absence. As it was always the case with such events, speculations and rumors spread across the city, and there was no stopping it. In the midst of it, Aien walked around the campus carefree. Whatever happened was outside of their control, and mindlessly spouting nonsense wasn''t very productive. It had supposed to turn into yet another day he''d spent at the library when Lea caught him at the entrance in surprise.


    ¡°Come with me. The headmaster wants to speak with you.¡±


    Not even giving him a proper greeting, she moved ahead, her quickened steps showing how flustered she was. Aien was taken aback, unsure about whatthe headmaster wanted from him. He had paid careful attention to stay out of the watch of sentries before having his conversation with the noble. But with no other choice, he followed closely behind the nervous Lea who didn''t even meet his eyes.


    ¡°What''s the matter?¡± He asked. ¡°Have I done something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No... No, nothing...¡± She said, realizing how her distressed appearance must have made Aien nervous, she continued.


    ¡°You don''t need to worry about anything, Aien. It''s just me... I...¡± She hesitated again, trying to find the right words. ¡°I can''t find my research papers. It''s driving me crazy.¡±


    ¡°That''s...strange. Do you think someone stole them?¡± Aien decided to play along with the half-truth. After all the time he had spent together with her, he could accurately discern her truths from her lies. Especially this time, since she didn''t hide it very well.


    ¡°Stole them?¡± She gave a slight chuckle that somewhat helped her calm down.¡± I''m not the headmaster, do you think anyone wants to steal anything from me? It was just a simple idea to improve transportation... An outdated idea as well since the pouches made it obsolete.¡±


    The two discussed the matter a little further, coming to no result. They were both certain the paper wasn''t something she''d misplaced, neither would anyone have a reason to steal them. It was a dead-end, but there was no reason to worry about the matter this much. As she had said, the paper wasn''t particularly worth something.


    ¡°We are here...¡± Lea sighed in exasperation, despite the flight of stairs posing not the least of a problem for her. They had walked for quite a while until they arrived at the top of the tallest tower in the center of the academy. In front of them was a simple wooden door like any other, albeit wide enough to let several people pass through at a time.


    ¡°You can meet the headmaster inside. I''ll wait here until you''ve finished.¡±


    Aien gave her a nod before organizing his thoughts. Regardless of the reasons he was called here, this was an opportunity. An opportunity to meet a magus whose might allowed him to stand among the top of his race.


    Resuming his usual calmness, he entered the room. It was filled with bookshelves, as were most rooms of magi, and a full circular window allowed for a panorama view that showcased the entire city. On the other side of the room, behind the desk that was filled with paperwork, sat a young man in his chair.


    ¡°You must be Aien, it''s a pleasure to meet you. I have heard a lot about you from Leathe.¡±


    Zeristin Wezlak spoke up. His voice was that of a youth, and so were the features on his face. His eyes, however, contained amaturecalmness that had weathered the passage of time. The longwhite hair on his head was a stark contrast to his youthful appearance. Strangely enough, he combined the essence of a healthy youth inhis prime withthe patience and wisdom of a man who had seen the truth of life thatcould only be found at the end of it.


    In that regard, they appeared quite similar.


    ¡°I''m honored to meet the revered magus and headmaster of this academy, Zeristin Wezlak,¡± Aien said, slightly bowing his head in a manner where one could not find a single fault.


    ¡°No need to stand on formalities, young man.¡± Zeristin gave a slight chuckle to reassure the young man who was slightly nervous about why he was calledto the headmaster''s office.


    ¡°You can relax.¡± He continued and invited him to sit down, but Aien declined. ¡°I merely wanted to meetthe student our academy has accepted despite him unable to become a magus. Don''t worry, I''m not here to question your admission. But I became curious...What brought you here? Why attend this academy?¡± His voice remained calm and amiable, but Aien could almost feel the gaze that tried to pierce through all facades to find out the truth.


    ¡°It''s simple, headmaster.¡± Aien resumed his confident attitude, no longer displaying subservience. ¡°I have a passion for Magecraft, and nothing, not even my lack of talent, will keep me away from it! I realize that it might seem like a fool''s endeavor! That people will laugh at me! Ridicule me! That''s fine, let them look at my foolishness! But also let themwatch when I turn the world they know upside down!¡±


    It was a passionate speech, almost unbelievable that he had come up with it on the spot. Whether Zeristin believed him, however, was not something Aien could make out from his expressions alone. Decades, maybe centuries, of actual life experience was something even Aien couldn''t compare to.


    ¡°Good!¡± Zeristin gave a firm nod of approval with a slight smile. ¡°Unfortunately, ourstudents lack passion like yours. They consider entering the academy the goal when it was only their starting point...¡±It was a topic that had clearly troubled the headmaster for quite some time.


    ¡°That''s everything, for now, Aien." He ended their short meeting. "I''m sorry to have wasted your time, but I wanted to meet you face to face sinceI couldn''ttake the time to attendthe dance.I also want tothank you for what you''ve done. You might not be aware of it, but taking care of the magical plants is a great merit to our academy. There''ve been a few accidents over the years, and thanks to you, we no longer need to worry.¡±


    ¡°I''m glad to be of use. Then, if you''ll excuse me, headmaster.¡± With that, Aien took his leave and stepped outside the office, where Lea was waiting for him. Shewas relievedabout how their conversation went and told him to go ahead without her before entering the office herself.


    ¡°So?¡± She asked, the nervousness yet to leave her.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeristin reclined in his chair, gazingout of the window. Within his mind, he replayed the conversation over and over, looking out for the smallest details to be found in Aien''s actions and tone.


    ¡°He did tell the truth, and there is no trace of any outside influences.¡± Nonetheless, the frown on his face didn''t disappear as he turned to look at Lea. ¡°However, that doesn''t have to mean much. Don''t let him out of your eyes and pay close attention to him. The timing of his arrival is... inconvenient.¡±


    ¡°Yes, headmaster.¡± Lea gave a quick nod before leaving the office. She didn''t follow after Aien immediately as she leaned against the wall outside, her thoughts drifting tohis figure,that wouldn''t leave her mind in peace.


    ¡°I really...¡± She gave a helpless sigh, and with daydreams filling her head went downstairs.


    <hr>


    During his free time, when he wasn''t busy with studying, Aien still made time for himself to scavenge the western forest outside the city for anything that interested him. It had been a year since he was accepted into the academy, and things should''ve been going smoothly at this point. However, it turned out that his time spent there became less and less productive. The answers he''d hoped to find eluded him, and with barely any support, his situation wouldn''t improve in the meantime.


    Therefore, he had decided to change his approach some time ago.


    After one of his regular strolls, Aien visited a shop in the Outer District. Its sign was shaped into a bottle with several bandages that were wrapped around it - A shop he''d been frequenting lately.


    ¡°Hello!? Derek? Are you here?¡± Aien shouted after stepping through the entrance. He was confronted with the familiarscentof medicinal herbsthat drifted out of the door behind the counter. The shop itself was filled with vials of all kinds of colors. Below each, there was a sign that depicted the price, name, and purpose of the contents above. From treating different types of poisons to general injuries, everything was there. At least it was supposed to be there. The most common healing potion that was used for all-around purposes was apparently out of stock.


    ¡°Aien? That you? Give me a minute!¡± Broken words came out from the other room, the person within clearly being busy.


    Aien waited for almost half an hour before the owner of the shop finally appeared. He wore a white gown that was stained with the same colors that could be found within the vials. However,the newest stains were mostly redthat painted over the rest.


    ¡°I got the payment for the last batch,¡± Aien said and handed over a bag filled with herbs. Derek unceremoniously accepted it, and after checking through it once, he stored it in the room behind him before reappearing again.


    ¡°And this...¡± Aien continued as he opened his Spacial Pouch. Several gold coins clinked onto the counter, which Derek responded to with a small gasp of astonishment. It wasn''t the amount of gold but...


    ¡°You want even more, Aien!?¡± Derek could no longer hold back his worries as he thought about the number of potions Aien had bought and pre-ordered over the last month.


    ¡°Is it a problem?¡± Aien asked. ¡°Are you lacking resources or-¡±


    ¡°No! No... it''s none of that, but...¡± Derek didn''t know how to say it but eventually decided to just directly approach the problem.


    ¡°You are buying too many, Aien. I can produce as many health potions as you want, but... What are you doing with them? Who could possibly use that many?¡± Derek gave voice to his doubts with some slight apprehension. He didn''t feel comfortable with the matter, as if he was doing something wrong. The number of potions he''d sold Aien was enough to provide a smallarmy.


    Aien gave an exasperated sigh, shaking his head. With a torn expression, he pondered about the matter. The conflict was very clearly displayed onAien''s face as to whether to tellhim the truth or not. This only caused the anxiety within Derek to increase, making him think he''d stumbled onto something he shouldn''t have.


    ¡°Y-you know what,¡± Derek said hurriedly. ¡°It''s fine, I don''t need to know, Aien. It was a pleasure doing business with you, but I have to ask that you don''t come here anymore. Please don''t hold it against me.¡±


    Even the uniform that indicated that he was a student of the academy was no longer enough to relieve him of his doubts. Something shady was going on.


    ¡°You leave me no choice...¡± Aien said, having made up his mind. In response, Derek lowered his arm beneath the counter, grasping onto something.


    ¡°It''s a secret, and you can''t tell anybody...¡± Aien whispered dreadfully, making Derek regret that he had said something before.


    ¡°I''m making my own potions...¡±


    ¡°Wh...What?¡± All the built-up tension within Derek was relieved at once ashe almost fell to the ground.


    ¡°You know my story, Derek. We''ve made some great business deals, and I consider you enough of a friend to confide you in the secret research I''ve been doing.¡±


    It was not what Derek had expected, but he was very relieved to hear about this, so he listened to what Aien had to say.


    ¡°Even your worst recovery potion is worth twenty-five gold coins. Enough to feed a man for quite some time.¡± Aien stated.


    ¡°It''s worth its price!¡± Derek refuted like he''d been wronged. His potions were the combination of regular herbs and Magecraft. He had to regularly hire a magus toaid him with the construct he was using to create his potions, which increased the cost immensely. That''s how he''d met Aien, who had one day come to his shop, despite unable to help him with the construct.


    ¡°Definitely!¡± Aien agreed with him. ¡°Twenty-Five gold coins to save your life is a catch! No doubt. Nonetheless, too many people can''t afford it. That''s why I''ve come up with this idea...¡±


    Aien explained the research he''d been doing lately. The purpose of the construct Derek used was to create a perfect balance with which the ingredients could be processed. Not only was it essential to maintain the balance, but it also sped up the process tremendously. Drying herbs that would take days could be done within seconds. Handling dangerous and poisonous plants that were harmful before being processed were taken care of by the construct without any dangers. That and many more features that were needed to concoct potions were built into a single construct. In this way, days and even weeks of hard work were reduced to seconds.


    What Aien proposed was a different method of concocting. Instead of creating a potion, his results would turn into small crystals that could be swallowed with ease, creating the same effects. The catch was his method to create them. While the number of ingredients would almost double and triple compared to a potion created by the construct, it needed far less interaction from a magus.


    ¡°I''m still researching whether it''s at all possible these crystals can be formed or not,¡± Aien explained. ¡°That''s why I''m using these potions for now to test my theory. The results have been promising, but unfortunately, the unstable prototype crystals always turn into dust, leading to me wasting this outrageous amount of potions.¡±


    ¡°This... This is brilliant, Aien! If you succeed, then the production costs are cut down by more than seventy percent!¡± Derek almost shouted in excitement. He wasn''t familiar with Magecraft, but even he could tell that there was some promise to the idea, or at least he wanted to believe so. The highest cost was the hiring of the magus to maintain the construct. Ifhe could cut that out of the equation, then... Derek couldn''t hide the hint of greed that became visible in his eyes.


    ¡°Derek, I know you are a smart man, so I believe you know how to keep a secret.¡± Aien continued. ¡°And since we''ve already done this much business together, I hope to continue our cooperation. How about I''ll sell my finished products exclusively to you? I only need a few more batches of health potions until my research is complete.¡±


    Derek pondered the matter for a short while until he realized there were no drawbacks for him. Even if Aien failed, there was no harm done to him. The only thing he had to do was continuously sell him potions.


    ¡°Of course, Aien, my dear friend!" Derek agreed with a wide grin on his face. "Whenever you need something, come to me! I''ll even give you a ten percent discount for the future! Let me quickly grab the newest batch from the back.¡±


    Aien could almost see his eyes turn into gold before he went to the backroom with a skip in his steps. Derek had refused cooperation earlier than expected, but... The greed of men had always been easily manipulatable.


    Derek had yet to return when a sudden gust of wind stormed through the entrance, almost causing all of the vials to fall from the shelves. It took Aien by surprise as he turned around to see a familiar face.


    ¡°Lea!?¡± Aien asked, perplexed. ¡°Why are you using Mag-¡±


    ¡°Serak and Yasim went missing!¡± Sheexclaimed, her hand on her heaving chest that gasped for air.


    ¡°If they aren''t found soon, they''ll be wanted for treachery against the empire!¡±

 Chapter 18

    <u>Chapter 18 - Confusion</u>


    ¡°What do you mean, missing?¡± Aien asked, his voice brimming with concern.


    ¡°Didn''t they leave for military service? How could they be missing?¡±


    ¡°They never arrived at the Northern Garrison...¡± Lea said, worried about how Aien would take the news. She knew they were good friends of his. That''s why when she had heard the news, she''d sprinted with the fastest speed she was capable of to inform Aien as well as Zoris,completely disregarding the rules of the academy.


    ¡°They disappeared into thin air... As if... they tried to desert...¡± She continued hesitantly. ¡°If they don''t report soon and explain their circumstances, they''ll be branded traitors and put on the wanted list.¡±


    In the meantime, Derek had returned to find a Rank 3 magus in his shop, which rekindled his nervousness and regret. He was almost about to spill the beans, thinking they''d done something wrong when Aien gave him a short shake of the head and left with Lea after storing the potions in his pouch.


    ¡°There''ve always been deserters around this time of the year,¡± Lea explained as they walked among the few snowflakes scattered in the wind. It was a cold winter''s day, but neither Aien nor Lea needed to worry about extra clothing.


    ¡°Conscription can be... complicated for some. The casualty rates in certain outposts are famously high, after all, even for magi. That''s why Zoris had worked quite hard to enable the two a safe position in the Northern Garrison. It would beunreasonable for them to defect from the empire after receiving this fortunate blessing.¡±


    Aien listened to her but didn''t raise his head as he looked gloomily at the ground. Just like Lea, he seemed to ponder what could have happened, and all the conclusions he came to didn''t sound good.


    ¡°Regardless, the academy has sent a small scouting party as they do with all possible fugitives. I''m sure we''ll soon hear news about their whereabouts, so don''t worry too much, Aien.¡± She comforted him with reassuring words, but they both knew they were empty condolences. A silence filled the rift between them until Lea decided it was better to change the topic to something less depressive.


    ¡°What are you doing with all those potions?¡± She asked curiously.


    ¡°Trying to make some money.¡± Aien gave a curt response and informed her about his plans. It did lighten the mood, which Leaconsidereda success since Aien seemed to realize that there was no point in worrying about something he couldn''t change.


    The two returned to the academy while chatting about nonsense before they each went their way. Lea promised to inform him about any news as soon as possible, and Aien decided to spend his time inseclusion. But when he arrived in front of his room, it was not so unexpected to see a particular someone waiting for him.


    ¡°There you are!¡±Zoris half-greeted him before Aien invited him to his humble abode. It was a small room with only the necessary accommodations, as per Aien''s request. Lea had tried to convince him to move him into a better place, but the small bed and desk were enough for Aien''s purposes. With all the towers of books and sea of papers that barely allowed the two of them to walk around, the place resembled a storage room more than a private chamber.


    ¡°I don''t understand this!¡± Zoris shouted in a fit as he sat on the only chair available.


    ¡°I did all of this! Pulled so many strings, and now they decide to desert without telling their friend, who worked this hard, anything about it!? Couldn''t they trust me a little bit more!?¡±


    ¡°What if something actually happened to them?¡±Aien asked worryingly, sitting on his bed. ¡°Shouldn''t you be more concerned about them?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please!¡± Zoris grumbled with anger but then realized how he presented himself and began toregain his calm before explaining further.


    ¡°It''s been ages since the last time someone went against Zeristin Wezlak. Don''t you know what happened to the Wezlaks when they tried to prevent the formation of the academy? After he judged them ''guilty'' of treason against the empire''s interest, he single-handedly went on to dismantle the entire House. Up to this day, they''ve yet to recover from their losses, and while they most definitely hold a grudge, they''d never think of going against him again. At least not in a way that would leave traces of their involvement. Kidnapping a pair of students would be out of the question. After all, at this point, his strength and influence are well-known to be almost undisputed. If it wasn''t for the good relationship between the emperor and him, who knew which of the two would rule over the country.¡±


    After a short pause, Zoris continued with his assumptions.


    "I went a bit off track... Anyway, that leaves us with two other options. They either defected from theempire, or they''ve been ambushed by bandits. For the latter to be true, there hasto be some kind of evidence. No matter how organized a group of bandits was, they''d always leave traces behind. It''s the same for any other kind of ambush, and you can''t underestimate Divination Constructs, especially those used by the several churches. You''d need a lot of preparations to deal with them,like the ones that are infamously provided by other empires for deserters. Of course, Ethena has them too.Thisleads to the essential problem the academy''s scouts face. From what I''ve heard, there are no traces of how they''ve disappeared. That''s why Ibelieve they''ve deserted. It''s the only possible option for me."Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Aien had spent a lot of time learning about Divination Constructs in the recent year. There were several limitations to their uses, but they were quite potent nonetheless. As long as there was at least one trace they could follow, they''d always lead to results, unless proper precautions have been made. These countermeasures, however, weren''t easily created. They mostly involved the use of constructs, specially designed for these purposes, and were hard to come byeven for magi due to their restricted access forobvious safety reasons.


    ¡°What ifoutsiders got involved, possibly some other race?¡± Aien continued asking, but Zorisraised an eyebrow in response to his question.


    ¡°What''s wrong, Aien? You are usually so sharp."


    After an awkwardlaugh from Aien, Zoris answered his question. Heassumed that Aien must evidently be disturbed by the news,resulting inhis lack of thought.


    ¡°Why would they get involved with a couple of students? Like the others that went missing,the two are magi sure, but, no offense, they are barely qualified to call themselves as such. Theydon''t have any backing and could be considered fledglings in the world of magic.Forget about taking them hostage or kidnapping them for information."


    "Others?"


    Aien asked, his eyes widening in disbelief. Zoris realized that he''d let something slip and didn''t dwell on the matter any further.He released some more steam before he left Aien alone in his room. It was quite interesting for Aien to know how the current status quo regarding this matterwas. He knew about the problem of deserters, but he hadn''t expected for the consensus to be this strong. They might have had some bad experiences in the past that led them to think this biased...


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, in the office of the headmaster, Zeristin sat in his chair, confronting three teachers of the academy, including Lea, who gave their combined reports.


    ¡°Seven more students disappeared within two weeks. What is the meaning of this?¡± He asked, his voice retaining its calmness, but the teachers could see the paper slightly crumbling in his hands.


    ¡°I''m afraid the number of deserters this year is especially high...¡± One of the teachers answered with drops of sweat dripping down his forehead. He knew this wasn''t the answer, but what else could it be? This was open aggression against the academy that not even the Noble Houses would dare to do in such a manner.


    The headmaster gave a coldsnort before dismissing the teachers from his office, only asking for Lea to stay behind.


    ¡°Leathe, what do you think about this?¡±


    ¡°I.. I''m not sure...¡± She hesitated before continuing with her answer. ¡°Usually, it would be plausible to assume the number of deserters to have increased. But it doesn''t make sense that those sent to the safer outpost are deserting as well. Most have barely reached Rank 1, and all of the missing are Outer Focus Magi. While it''s normal for the Outer Focus Magi deserters to outnumber the Inner Focus Magi, three of the seven haven''t even been fully conscripted yet... There''s also the problem that we can''t find a trace of them. For three of them, nothing indicates that they''ve even left the city. Half of our scouting parties return empty-handed, while the other half returns with the usual results we expect each year.¡±


    She hesitated to say something more before continuing with another report she pulled out fromher pouch.


    ¡°And then there is this...¡± She handed it over to the headmaster, who quickly skimmed it through.


    ¡°You think this is related?¡±


    ¡°Most likely, yes... I believe that this indicates that we aren''t dealing with mere defections. It started four months ago when the first report came in. A merchant went missing. No one thought it was anything out of the ordinary. Their job contains a certain amount of danger, however... More and more regular people went missing. After two months the numbers of missing people peaked in the double digits, and it was only one month ago that the numbers became smaller, yet it didn''t stop entirely. Neither the sentries nor the guards could find anything suspicious, but this was too unnatural. I''m afraid the twoincidents are somehow connected... It might even be possible that the disappearances happen within our city itself and have nothing to do with deserting..."


    The headmaster pinched the bridge on his nose in exhaustion. This was a problem he couldn''t deal with at the moment. There were far more pressing concerns occupying his thoughts.


    ¡°We''ll disregard theseevents for now... Announce to the public that the magi in question have deserted.Doublethe number of sentries and cover it up as a student exercise to keep the panic at a minimum.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°No, buts! More importantly, are you certain you didn''t misplace your paper?¡± The loud voice of the headmaster left no room for discussion, leaving Lea confused as to why he placed far more importance on this seemingly trivial thing. Students of his precious academy, that he''d painfully built up over decades, went missing and yet...


    ¡°I thought I was sure that I had placed them into my pouch... Aien thinks so, too, but we can''t find them anywhere. I gave up looking for them, and we are probably just mistaken...¡±


    Aftergiving him the same answer she had already told him dozens of times, the headmaster dismissedthe still indignant Leafromhis office as he resumed thinking about theissues at hand.


    ¡°How are these matters related...¡± He mumbled to himself.Numerous events began escalating, entirely out of his control. His meeting with the emperor bore fruitless, leading to more questions and problems than answers.


    He sighed heavily, feeling a big headache coming on. Once more, he reached towards his drawer to pull out a stack of papers. Hepicked upthe coverthat was written onto on both sides. One side containing an eloquent speech to be held during the dance. The other containing research notes about the use of wind in transportation with a note, that drastically stood out, stuck onto it.


    Choose carefully.


    Signed, Tristan Stelfort


    "...Are you finally making your move?"

 Chapter 19

    <u>Chapter 19 ¨C Isn''t this enough?</u>


    The matter of disappearing magi and people was swept under the rug, but it didn''t stop some of the information to leak to the public. Everyone agreed that something strange was going on, and as the public learned about the disappearance of even magi, more unrest began to grow. Someone out there wanted to harm the academy, and from the looks of it, the academy seemed powerless. Investigations were going on across the country and beyond to look for any possible signs of outside influences, but there had yet to be any remarkable results.


    During these turbulent times, the students of the academy were naturally filled with unease as well. It was the teachers'' job to ease their worries, but they too needed a break sometimes.


    The bell had just rung eight o''clock in the evening as two people walked out of an alley in the Outer District that was close to the Magus District. It didn''t take long until they attracted many stares and onlookers, not because of their status as magi, but only from their appearances alone.


    The two didn''t wear the famous uniform. Aien had convinced Lea long ago that it was better not to walk around in her magus robe if they didn''t want to be treated special. That didn''t hinder the men from staring her up and down as she walked in her tight-skinned dress. No matter how often she wore it, the faint tint of red on her face didn''t disappear, and it only made her more attractive. Her navy-blue dress hung loosely around her shoulders, the sleeveless dress revealing her slender arms. Her legs were half-hidden behind the lower-part that lightly flattered in the wind. Asight to beholdfor any man, arousing their jealousy towards her companion.


    But that didn''t last long either as her graceful figure was accompanied by a man that was deserving of her. A fine-cut suit, tailored perfectly to his body that accentuated his lean stature. With unmatched dignity and confidence, Aien led his date into the most elegant restaurant they''d been frequenting lately.


    ¡°I''ll never get used to this,¡± Lea mumbled as she held onto Aien''s arm. She was used to being stared at because she was a magus and not because she was a woman. At least that''s what she had always thought.


    ¡°Who can blame them?¡± Aien chuckled slightly and flashed her a loving smile. She quickly averted his gaze as her blush flared up even more. This was something she wasn''t ever getting used to either it seemed.


    The two sat down at the table they reserved beforehand,and Aien mentioned to the waiter tocome back for their orders later.


    ¡°You were right...¡± Lea said, carefully adjusting her dress after sitting down.


    ¡°We have doubled the number of sentries, and yet... there are still blind spots. I can''t believe how many we''ve been missing...¡± She muttered thoughtfully, mostly disappointed in herself. She wasone of the few in charge of sentry duty, and it seemed that she had been severely lacking.


    ¡°Don''t blame yourself too much about this, Lea.¡± Aien comforted her. ¡°In such a peaceful city, it is a good sign for security to be laxwhen there''ve been barely any incidents over the years.¡±


    He said a few more words to cheer her up before providing her some advice regarding the matter.


    ¡°The problem isn''t the number of sentries being used, it''s the sentries themselves. It doesn''t take much to realize their limited vision capabilities.¡±


    ¡°I still can''t believe you figured that out just by looking at them from the outside...¡± Lea said with some astonishment.


    ¡°It''s easy to pick up on during the night,¡± Aien explained. ¡°I suppose, the red light they emit is necessary to record footage, and you can see that the brightness drops as it transcends their cone-like focus. Despite them illuminating everything in a circular area around them, their focus becomes apparent if you know what to look out for. It''s very similar to a construct I''ve seen before coming to this city."


    ¡°You really pick up on the strangest things, Aien.¡± She pointed out but didn''t dwell on it for much longer. ¡°Regardless, I''m glad you mentioned it. It might take up a lot of resources to fix the problem, but we owe it to the people to keep the city safe.¡±


    After finishing their work-related conversation, Aien called over the waiter to make their orders. At least that''s what Lea had thought until she heard Aien whisper something into his ears. Thanks to her natural alignment with the wind element since birth, the words were carried directly into her ears.


    ¡°Don''t forget to put the ring in...¡±


    In response, all of the previous flushes paled in comparison to the tomato-red her face turned into. She quickly used her hands to fan herself, trying to somehow calm down, but to no avail. Various thoughts quickly filled her fantasy, causing her to space out from reality.


    ''Ring? What ring? No... No... This is too early, isn''t it? We haven''t even... But what should I? He is... It''s not like I don''t...''Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°..-a, ...-ea, Lea!!¡± Aien shouted until he finally brought her back to reality.


    ¡°Everything alright? I ordered the usual for you, I hope that''s fine?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes... Everything''s perfect! Yes! The usual is fine! It''s just a little warm in here, that''s all...¡± She wanted to bury her face somewhere that flared up even more as she was unable to properly respond to him. She needed a distraction, or else she felt like she''d go crazy.


    ¡°More people have been reported missing...¡± She eventually succeeded in saying something coherent, but immediately regretted it.


    ¡°Yes...¡± Aien answered her with a saddened expression. Great, why did she have to mention this to him? It was clear that the matter hit him very hard. Ever since Yasim and Serak disappeared, Aien had spent more and more time in the forest. Scavenging the woods to finance his recent research, he''d buried himself in. She guessed that it was his way of coping and didn''t bother him, thinking that he needed some alone time. That''s why she gave him a lot of privacy to handle it since the lack of news on her part didn''t help.


    ¡°Look, our food is here!¡± Lea quickly changed the topic as she always did. The waiter brought what the two of them would always order - Roasted beef with mashed potatoes as a side dish, cooked within a Magecraft Construct. Instead of complaining about why Aien had brought her to a high-class establishment again, she immediately dug in, not waiting for Aien to start. It was her way of trying to deal with the embarrassment and forcing out the matter of the ring from her mind. At least she tried to do so as she desperately ignored the glass of wine next to her.


    ¡°Don''t worry, Aien!¡± She gave him a sort-of thumbs up with a mouth stuffed with food,ignoring her unlady-like appearance.


    ¡°Whoever is responsible will be judged by Ryeka and meet their appropriate punishment. It''s only a matter of time until we know what''s going on.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    However, Aien was unusually quiet. She wondered if her mentioning of the topic was worse than she''d initially thought and tried to lessen the sudden tension in the air. That''s when he spoke up in a voice thatwas in complete contrast tohis usual self - A voice that she hadn''t heard before.


    ¡°...Lea, do you believe justice exists in this world?¡±


    That wasn''t a question she''d expected him to bring up either.


    ¡°That doing good deeds will lead to being rewarded? That karma exists?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Lea said without a doubt in her mind. While she didn''t know the concept of this ''karma,'' she understood his meaning. The conversation had unexpectedly turned severe, but she knew she had to give him an honest answer.


    ¡°Of course you do...¡± Aien gave a slight chuckle that made her feel very uncomfortable.


    ¡°The weak need justice.¡±


    ¡°That''s why the strong have the responsibility to enforce it,¡± Lea answered. ¡°We, who have the power, have to make sure that the world remains fair for everyone.It''s the right thing to do.¡±


    ¡°But that''s not the truth.¡± Aien was no longer talking to her. Instead, he looked outside the window where the increase of snowfall created a small storm together with the sentient wind that kept the streets clean. Looking at his own reflection, he continued.


    ¡°You believe in justice because you are weak. The strong have none of the responsibility you speak of. They can do whatever they want. Because they are strong. Justice is merely a concept created by the weak todeal with this. No one can truly accept that their very own life is out of their control. One can''t accept the fact to be only at the mercy of the strong - of those at the top that rule them. That''s why people delude themselves and cry out for justice. It''s a simple coping mechanism.¡±


    ¡°...What''s wrong with you, Aien?¡± Lea asked, taken aback even more at his sudden change in behavior. She knew about his past, or at least about what Aien had told her. There had been some doubt about his background in her mind. How was a young man able to move to Levestein, when his situation should have left him... ''working.'' Everyone knew of the fate that befell orphans who were unable to become magi, and Lea wasn''t an exception. After learning of his life in the orphanage, she evidentlyasked about the rest of his past. After some careful probing on her part, Aien had eventually told her his story.


    He''d told her about his life in the mines. The dangerous escape that had led him into the hands of an evil magus. Only after laying out a trap to escape his grasps was Aien able to find his luck in this city. A tragic story that left her forlorn.


    But she didn''t even know the half of it.


    ¡°Wouldn''t you believe that after all you have gone through that this world can be fair? Even if it isn''t naturally so, we have to change it ourselves! You have endured so much until you got to where you are today. What more do you want? Isn''t this enough? I mean, you also have... me...¡±


    Aien took a moment to let her words sink in. His recent life had no doubt turned for the better. If it continued like this, the memories of the past would melt like the snow in the springas time would mend all wounds.


    For a moment, he no longer lingered on the past as he imagined how his future could shape out.


    If he played his cards right, his arduous and turbulent life would turn into a peaceful one. He would marry a well-respected magus. With his new status and putting some serious effort to solidify his position in the academy, he could return to Teralis with enormous backing. Together with Lea, who would surely follow him anywhere, he could help out at the orphanage.


    Help out Mother Catherine and truly... return home.


    ¡°But you see, that''s the problem, Lea...¡±


    The image of this possible future was devastated by a raging fire, emerging from unknown causes. With a strength that exceeded his own, it engulfed everything in its surroundings, leavingonly a familiar scene of loss behind.


    Aien turned to look back at her, but she could no longer respond or listen to the words he said. A weakness overwhelmed her as her senses turned numb, cutting her off from the world. With her last strength, she wanted to call out to him, but the words wouldn''t leave her lips. Before she fell into darkness, various thoughts flashed through her mind. The numerous warning signs she had never noticed or chose to ignore suddenly became glaringly obvious.


    There were too many for her to pay attention to all of them,but as she fell unconscious, that one last, coherent thought stood out from the rest.


    When was the last time she''d seen him eating duringtheir ''dates''?


    Asher struggling eyelids gave up resisting,theemotionlessvisage of a man she''d never seen before was branded into her mind as he stared at her like a stranger.


    ¡°Itis never enough.¡±

 Chapter 20

    <u>Chapter 20 ¨C A Different Approach</u>


    Awakening to the foul stench of blood, Lea''sentire body shivered in response and tried to curl itself up. With her limbs tied to a cold, steel-like table, however, she was unable to move a muscle. Anything that could be a Magecraft Construct had been stripped away from her as shewas chained to the table stark naked. Dozens of shackles, each thicker than her arm, kept her in place, and no amount of strugglingcould break her free. Her efforts didn''t last long when she was overwhelmed by a weakness that almost caused her to fall unconscious again. She was barely able to gather her thoughts as she studied the situation she''d found herself in.


    But the shackles around her neck didn''t allow Leato actually scan her surroundings. She soon lost all will to do so anywaywhen she saw that man noticing her awakening.A bundle of emotionseruptedwithin her, overshadowing the feeling of weakness as she was filled with a shortburst of energy.


    ¡°Who are you working for?¡± Lea wanted to shout out, but only a whisper escaped her quivering lips that tried to hold back the tears welling up inside her eyes. While she couldn''t see the entire room, she''d found out more than enough from a few glances. Regardless of her body''s condition, the sight of a magus would always be there. There were no constructs in her view, but the mysterious yet familiar runes on the ceiling revealed their existence. Glowing in a faint light, they cut the dungeon-like room off from the outside world. One rune prevented the use of Divination Constructs to locate her whereabouts, and the other would prevent all sound from leaving this place.


    ¡°The House of Celesta.¡± Aien didn''t mind telling her the truth this time.


    Even at this point, Lea didn''t want to believe the reality that was unfolding before her. The amiable fellow who had followed her around for a year chose to betray her. Thetime she''d spent with the man who''d earned her respect and affection had turned out to be nothing more than afarce.


    ¡°Why...?¡± She stammered with the little strength left in her. In the corner of her eyes, she saw something that caused the rest of the color on her face tovanish. There, behind the small door that led to the dark corridor behind it, thesevered arm of a corpse lay listlessly on the ground. On its finger, she saw a construct in the shape of a ring that was once in possession of one of her students. The truth of everything that had been happening slowly dawned on her as she hysterically asked him once more.


    ¡°Why are you doing this, Aien!? What could they possibly give you to make you do this?¡±


    ¡°Except for this building, they aren''t giving me much more,¡± Aien said, unfazed by her small outburst.


    ¡°Thedisappearance of people was your doing?¡± She asked but already knew the truth as tears finally began flowing down her cheeks.Aien had spent less and less time with her,yet shehadn''t paid the matter any heed. Instead of noticing all of the obvious signs, she had ignorantly listened to his every word, never doubting anything. When had she become this useless? This stupid? Even a fool should have realized his true intentions. An endless amount of regret filled every part of her body, but it was of no use. She couldn''t change the past, and her future was uncertain. The only thing she could do was drown in the guilt of standing by as Aien had murdered dozens of innocent people she could have saved.


    ¡°I needed specimens...¡± Aien continued, but a shriek interrupted him.


    ¡°I don''t care!¡± Lea seemed to find some strength as her voice echoed in the cellar. Whatever he''d wanted from the people, she didn''t want to know. Neither did she want to find out what had happened to them, but the disgusting stench of blood in the darkdungeon only became more intense as the realization dawned on her against her will.


    ¡°You know my body is... defective in some way.¡± Aien continued, nonetheless, enlightening her in his recent research. If it weakened her spirit, it might make what came next easier for him. Therefore, Lea was forced to learn aboutthe fate of the missing people.


    ¡°I figured that something was wrong with my body. Something physical. So I decided to find out what it could be. For that, I needed to learn more about the human body. I''m already quite familiar with my own... But I have yet to study the anatomy of other humans. At first, I focused on regular people. Similar to me, they didn''t have enough talent, but they were not completely devoid of Aer. I wondered, where exactly is Aer stored? Do others have an organ that I do not? Does a system similar to veins exist through which Aer is transported through? As regular people were easier to acquire, I started with them and took them apart piece by piece.¡±


    Lea wanted to shout out defiantly and call him a monster, but her spark of energy was long used up as she was forced tocontinue listening to him talking about humans like they wereexpendable parts to be experimented with.


    ¡°I had to perform a lot of tests...¡± He continued, but while he did so, he didn''t stop moving. Lea couldn''t tell what he was doing, but it seemed that he was carrying a few barrels and adjusting them to the ceiling and floor. A barrel that was as big as Lea was hung right above her, but she couldn''t make out its uses. Was he going to crush her with them? But why go through such trouble just to kill her?


    ¡°I compared the dead and the living by using small amounts of concentrated mana to see if Aer diminishes over time. It takes weeks, but eventually, the Aer returns to the world as it is to be expected. Since I wanted togain a precise understanding ofthe human body, however, Ihad to keepmy subjectsalive while I continued my experiments. It turned out that humans are unexpectedlyfragile if they aren''t strengthened in some way. Therefore, I needed an immense amount of health potions to help them recover during my experiments. There was also the problem of abducting people. Aftera few dozen haddisappeared suspicions and security had risen to analarming degree, so I needed a method to keep each one alive a little while longer.¡±


    ¡°Just stop...¡± Lea whimpered, her eyes no longer capable of producing tears. Against her will, her mind imagined the agonizing torture each of the victims had to go through to satisfy this monster''s curiosity. The cries of his victims echoed within the hall of her imagination, increasing the guilt of having disappointed her citizens and students.


    ¡°In the end...¡± Aien ignored her as he was more focused on recalling all of the experiments he had done,which caused an unsightly frown to creep onto his face.


    ¡°I got nothing. However mana works, it doesn''t involve anything tangible. It fuses with all of the organs of the body and its blood, but the method on how it does so remains unknown to me. How does the body actually split the wild mana in the air into the less harmful and useful Aer so it can be absorbed? One would imagine thatthiswas done byan organ. Like thekidneys that remove unwanted substances, it would follow that mana is processed similarily, but...¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Aienshook his head to disperse the growing irritation. He''d taken a lot of risks totake his research in a new direction, but in the end, it was all pointless. Although the two of them had been working on a solution for his problem before, it was all a facade in which Lea had played along. Aien knew that their efforts were wasted and that it might take decades with their pace to create an actual construct that was independent of magi if that was at all possible. Lea had simply taken pity on him and helped, trying to make him feel slightly better about his situation.


    He thenrealized that research inhuman anatomy was severely lackingso he''d decided to take the matter into his own hands. It made sense for the people of this world to not thoroughly study the human body when Magecraft and the Blessings of priests could cure anything that was curable. While he only had access to the information of the one public academy, the overall attitude regarding the study of Magecraftremained the same. The military interfered with genuine scholarly interests, which had led Aien to believe there was a lot of promise in this kind of researchthat had yet to be fully explored. But, despite his extreme methods,it turned out insufficient.


    ¡°The anatomy of all mysubjects are the same. Nothing indicates why some have a better aptitude regarding mana. Of course, that excludes special cases like you who have a fundamentally different body. You never did tell me why you were born with alignment towards the wind element.¡±


    ¡°So you want to cut me apart too?¡± Lea whispered in adesolate voice.She recovered slightly faster from the shock than Aien had expected and sheslowly came to terms with her fate that came to be through her ownmistakes.


    ¡°I''m more interested in you answering a question of mine,¡± Aien responded. ¡°You see, not only the House of Celesta but also I am very interested in where the blueprints of this city are kept...¡±


    Lea couldn''t hide the shock on her face when he approached a matter she hadn''t expected to hear from him.


    ¡°So, that''s what this is about...¡±She gave him a derisive chuckleaccompanied byherdefyingattitude that would never yield. No matter what there was not the slightest possibility of her divulging this kind of information to her enemies.


    ¡°Then do your worst, scum.¡±


    ¡°They told me that you''d know, and it seemsto be true.¡± Aien didn''t give a response to her taunts as he finished his preparations with the barrels. But before he revealed their purposes, he studied her left arm that was being held open by a makeshift clamp that was made of metal fragments.


    It was the same principle how Aien had kept Karzek on the verge of death, but it turned out to be far more difficult. Even in her weakened state, Aien couldn''t use a single utensil of his to cut open a wound. Contradicting to the appearance of her smooth skin, it was incredibly tough, causing any knife or needle he had to dull withoutcreating anydamage.


    In the end, the only thing he had left to use was the sword that was supposed to be used to summon a devil. After his fight with Karzek, he''d since kept it close to him to study it thoroughly. He didn''t gain much from doing so but he''d assumed that it would one day come in handy.


    There was some reluctance in his decision, but with no other option available, he''d shattered the swords into fragments. After using some creative methodsto destroy the artifact (with the fortified table as a lever), he proceeded to use them to cut open her wrist. After a few more tweaks, he created a sort of clamp to keep the wound open. Unlike in Karzek''s case, there was a constant stream of blood splattering on the floor like a pulsing river that would never run dry.


    With the last few fragments, Aien decided to open a few wounds on her body to study them in case there was something different. He hadn''t expected much, but after the third cut, his hand stopped abruptly. All of his movement ceased as if he was struck by lightning, and only after a few more seconds passed did he resume, entranced by his actions. Again and again, he cut open wounds on various different spots on her body, carefully studying them up close as they flawlessly stitched themselves back together.


    ¡°Interesting...¡± Aien mumbled to himself as a slight smile crept onto his face that he was unable to wipe off.


    Eventually, the last fragment turned dull, and Aien was forced to stop. During this procedure, Lea had not once cried out in pain and barely reacted to what he was doing. She tried to remain indifferent, clearly refusing to answer anything regardless of what torture he''d put her through. Aien threw the last fragment away that became too brittle as whatever strengthwas left in them had been used up.


    "You Inner Focus Magi never cease to amaze me..." Aien thought back to the ridiculous amount of poison he''d fed Lea over the months. He was certain that he would be unable to gather the same amount again in the forest he''d spent most of his time in. This amount would have been enough to cripple a small army, yet Lea had shrugged it off for quite some time until the effects finallyaccumulated.


    "Regardless, this was an unexpected but pleasant surprise... Could it be true?... Haha!" The cellar was filled with the chilling sound of his laughter, and with a twisted smile covering his face, he returned his attention to the barrels he''d prepared. One hung from the ceiling, directly above Lea. Another one was in the corner of the room, where it also hung from the ceiling with another barrel right below it. At a first glance, there was nothing special about them as all three kegs were filled with regular water.


    Using a drill-like utensil, he opened minuscule openings into the two barrelsin the ceiling. Afterward, he made some slight adjustments until he was satisfied with the speed of the water that dropped out of the barrels.


    The drops from the barrel above Lea fell right between her eyes. With each second, one drop fell, and after the third drop fell, there was a slight pause during which a single drop fell from the barrel in the corner. That particular drop fell into the barrel below, creating a small ''splash'' sound that echoed within thedungeon.


    Then, the cycle repeated itself.


    One... Two... Three... SPLASH... One...


    Meanwhile, Lea watched on in ridicule. The water was slightly annoying, but what was his goal?


    ¡°You are crazy.¡± She stated a fact he didn''t deny. ¡°At the end of all of this, what do you hope to achieve?¡±


    ¡°Strength,¡± Aien replied. ¡°A strength that willgiveme freedom. And to gain thatI will become a magus, no matter the cost.¡±


    Lea didn''t askanything more. She clearly had a severe lapse in judgment to not realize what a lunatic she''d acquaintanced herself with. On the other hand, Aien ignored the implications of her question. Whenthe day he''d achieve his goal arrived and become a magus, what would he do then?


    He hated the world - That was a fact.


    But.


    He also still had something left he cherished even if he didn''t want to admit it to himself. Like distant stars in the endless night,they glimmered within the darkness inside of him. As much as he wanted to have an outlet for his hatred, something was keeping him at bay from completely lashing out. It was the lastsparkle of warmth in this dismal world that had yet to be consumed by his wrath. This fragment of anemotion created a conflict within him that he didn''t know how to resolve,sometimes even making himquestion his actions thus far.


    However,he consciously chose to disregard thesedoubts as he always came to the same conclusions.


    Everything could bedecided after he gained the strength he needed.Regardless of what he''d do afterward, this was the one thing that was unquestionably required.


    ¡°I''ll be back in a week. I hope it''s not too late by then. But I''m sure you can last that long.¡±


    With that, Aien left her alone in thedungeon with nothing else but the echoing sound of drops falling onto her face.


    One|Two|Three|SPLASH~

 Chapter 21

    <u>Chapter 21 ¨C A Big Mistake</u>


    It had been three days since Lea disappeared, and the academy was in an uproar like never before. All the previous students'' disappearances seemed utterly insignificant compared to the missing teacher that caused a shockwave that was equal to enforcing martial law. The increase of security was no longer kept low-profile as the academy openly admitted that an outside enemy was threatening them. It made Aien suspicious of what had changed to his previous abductions, but on the other hand, it was the first missing magus that couldn''t be attributed to deserting. On top of that, Lea was a full-fledged Rank 3 Magus, who was accomplished in both the Inner and Outer Focus ¨C someone not to be underestimated.


    Nevertheless, this response exceeded his expectations by far. Therefore hedidn''t act thoughtlessly and carefully calculated each of his moves while internalizing his lies untilhe convinced himself that they were the truth.That being said, he didn''tchange much of his schedule, which includedvisiting the forest from time to time.


    In the evening of the same day, a knock on his door pulled him out of his thoughts. When he opened the door, he found two teachers standing in front of him, both of which were Rank 3 magi who he''d never interacted with before.


    ¡°Come with us.¡± One of them said in a tone that left no room for disobedience. With Aien in the middle, the two led him along a familiar stairway until they arrived in front of the headmaster''s office.


    ¡°Come in.¡± Zeristin''s voicecalled him from behind the door. After nervously fiddlingwith his robe and hands, Aien went inside the office with some slight hesitation while the two teachers waited outside.


    ¡°I''m sorry to have called for you in such a manner again...¡± Zeristin said with his back turned to Aien while he watched the chaotic scenery in the city. From this viewpoint, he could see the more than a thousand sentries swarming the entire city as well as the groups of magi that had banded together to search for any suspicious activities.


    ¡°I''m sure you''reaware that people have begun missing over the recent months.¡± Zeristin continued in a monotone voice, not even looking at Aien.


    ¡°We swept it under the rug... But this time it''s different. A teacher of our academy went missing within the city''s bounds, and you were the last one who was in contact with her. Tell me, where is Lea?¡±


    ¡°Eh-!? Lea?¡± Aien slightly gaspedinsurprisethat slowly turned into horror just as he realized the meaning of the question. There was not the slightest sign of deceit in his actions. Simultaneously he appeared to be a little perplexed as to why the headmaster was asking him this.


    ¡°We lost contact with her since the day the two of you visited the restaurant in the Outer District...¡± Within Zeristin''s voice, there was nothing to be found. Not a trace of emotion or any signs of his objectives as he calmly interrogated the man whoseemed most suspicious.


    ¡°I... We...¡± Aien stuttered at a loss of words. DespiteZeristin turning his back to him and not forcing any pressure on him, he still avoided looking in his direction.


    ¡°Aien... If you don''t tell me everything you know, then... I''m sure you realize what will happen. Since you are the last person who saw her, I hope you understand your position.¡±


    Although Zeristin said so, he was deeply conflicted within. All reason told him there was no possible way for Aien to have maliciously acted against her. Not only was Lea an outstanding magus, who very few in this city could rival, she was also extremely cautious. That was something he was very well aware of.


    ¡°We got into a fight...¡± Aien finally said, his head hung low in shame. ¡°I pushed things too far, and eventually, she stormed out of the back...¡±


    Zeristinclosed his eyes and focused on his connection with the sentries.After a few seconds, he saw the restaurant in his mental landscape as several sentries surrounded it to send him the full scope of the place.


    Afterward, he gathered his focus once more and compared the back alley that led to the north with the present and the past. If he remembered correctly, then the security was indeed lacking in that alleyway. If Lea did storm off as Aien claimed to, it was not at all unlikely for her to not be caught in the footage of the sentries...


    ¡°I see,¡± Zeristin answered him.


    ¡°She''ll be fine, right?¡± Aien asked concerned, his eyes containing a luster created by the tears he desperately held back. ¡°There shouldn''t be anyone who can harm her, right? This... This is all my fault... I hope she didn''t run off too far...¡±


    ¡°I hope so too,¡± Zeristin said without providing him any information. However, he knew that this was notmerely the case of anaggrieving maiden. The tracking device he had on Lea was no longer sending him any signals when he probed for it, and all Divination Constructs in the academy returned without results. This told him that someone with sufficient backing had gotten involved, but that was all of the information he had on his hands.


    ¡°Headmaster,may I ask a question?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I know that Lea is an outstanding teacher and magus. She''s also someone I hold very dearly, but does it warrant this much of a commotion? She''s only been missing for a few days... I''m afraid to have troubled the entire city just because of my inappropriate behavior. Not to mention that as a capable magus, I''m confident that she should be able to take care of herself.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, as long as we have no confirmation of anything serious happening, this reaction might seem a little out of proportion. She might have even just run off by herself to look for the missing students... But you see, the reason for all of this is quite simple.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Zeristin sighed once beforeturning aroundto stare down at Aien. At that point, the latter could see both ofZeristin''s hands that were balled into a fist with such a strength that caused his veins to bulge out as drops of blood stained the floor beneath.His eyes contained the same calmness as always, but deep within, there was a fury restrained to its utmost limits.


    ¡°She is my daughter, after all. As a father, this is the least I have to do.¡±


    Hearing that, Aien''s eyes shrank drastically in response to this revelation. Unable to form the right words, his mouth hung wide open while he processed this suddenturn of events.


    ¡°Y-y-you are...!?¡±


    ¡°I have to ask you to keep this a secret for now. It was for her own safety, but maybe it did the exact opposite.¡± Zeristin gloomily thought about whether this had been a mistake of his. But he quickly dispersed this thought. Regardless, whether it was public or not, the chance of Lea being in danger could be the same. At least, in this case, he hoped to have the strength to rescue her since whoeverwasgoing against him might not know who they were dealing with.


    ¡°What''s wrong, boy?¡± He returned his attention to Aien, who was still rooted on the spot while he realized the implications of this new information.


    ¡°I-I can''t believe I tried to court the daughter of the esteemed Zeristin Wezlak...¡± Aien gave a wry chuckle as he smiled helplessly, accompanied by a slight blush. However, he quickly regained his composure, trying to look more steadfast and appealing with a hint of defiance showing in his eyes. Like a son-in-law that would never give up on his beloved even if her parents stood in their way.


    ¡°I''m sure I have nothing to worry about with Zeristin Wezlak taking matters into his own hands.¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry. I won''t interfere withher relationships, so do try to make up when she is back.¡±


    <hr>


    After a few more exchanges, Aien left the roomcompletely exhausted. The pressure of dealing with Zeristin wasn''t something he could do for long, without leaking any faults in his acting. The two teachers were no longer waiting as Aien walked down the stairs, lost in his own jumble of thoughts.


    This was a fatal mistake. He''d expected Lea to have some kind of backing, but for her father to be Zeristin Wezlak himself was not something he had accounted for. It seemed that even he sometimes took people''s opinions too much at face value without thinking through thepossibledeceptions. Just because he hadn''t found a reason for others to lie, didn''t mean that they wouldn''t.


    Whenever he''d approached the topic of family, Lea gave him only vague answers. Her disdain for the Noble Houses was quite apparent over the year, and with the hints he''d gotten from her, he expected her to have some complicated blood-relationships with some house. It would explain her uncomfortable attitude regarding the matter of keepingher identity a secret.


    Of course, he hadn''t completely ignored the matter of her background. However, he didn''t come to any reasonable conclusions back then. The headmaster''s past achievements were well documented in the library, but there had never been any mentioning of him settling down. There was no plausible way for him to realize the relationship between the two.


    Lastly was Aien''s interactions with the House of Celesta. When they had claimed that Lea knew some secrets, he should have pressed for more information or done some more research on his own. There was no way they wouldn''t be aware of such a crucial factor of their opposition. He could only blame his own naivety, but this was a favor he''d definitely be keeping in mind...


    Aien shook his head to disperse the regrets. What''s done was done, and he couldn''t change that. Instead, he had to focus on how to proceed. He became the personal enemy of Zeristin Wezlak. Whatever he had done before was no reason for the infamous magus tointervene himself. At most, they''d have sent some random magi to chase after him after everything came to light.


    But since he had abducted his daughter, this was no longer the case. The moment Zeristin caught wind and had confirmation that he was the perpetrator, no amount of scheming would help him out.


    There was one silver-lining. Since Zeristin was a follower of Ryeka and abided by the God of Judgment''s teachings, he wouldn''t come after him unless he had proven him guilty with sufficient evidence. It was a quirk of some sort he became well-known for after he had only acted against one of the Noble Houses after they were proven guilty. No matter how others had provoked Zeristin in the past, he had never acted against them with open force.


    With keeping all of that in mind, Aien had to make a decision. The abnormal increase of surveillance made it difficult for him to return to his secret laboratory that was provided by Jeren von Celesta. Even if he was able to circumvent this hindrance, there was another problem.


    Aien looked down at the tattoo on his left hand. He had never seenanything like it before nor read about it in the library.


    Zeristin had gifted him a piece of paper that could be infused into his hand. After it disappeared, it left behind an eye with a pupil that was divided into five separate rings. There had been no way for him to refuse it, as Zeristin had claimed it was there to keep him safe in these dangerous times. It was the least he could do for his daughter''s boyfriend.


    No doubt, it was a tracking device.


    Maybe it actually had some defensive capabilities, but Aien had to expect that from this point on, his every movement was being watched.


    Eventually, Aien thoroughly decided to abandon his laboratory. There was no feasible method for him to stay hidden, and he would no longer take any unnecessary risks. However, this decision caused a slight hesitation towell up within him. His newly acquired source of information was immediately cut off from him without getting any results, and there was also...


    It didn''t matter. The decision was made, and he no longer dwelled on it. All of his thoughts had to be focused on how to survive Zeristin''s imminent wrath and leaving the academy safely.


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, within the dungeon, Lea was still bound to the table. For four days, the water had continuously heeded the call of gravity as the splashingechoed loudly in the room.


    But that wasn''t the onlynoise anymore.


    "I''ll talk! I''ll talk!" She screamed at the top of her lungs or at least as much as her limp body allowed her to.


    "Aien!! Come back, please! I''ll tell you anything, just make this stop!"


    The drops she had deemed ridiculous drove her insane as they unendingly dropped onto her head. Each and every time, she flinched in response, struggling in her chains to break free until all energy left her. Even when the fourth drop didn''t come, in accord to the splashing sound, she flinched as if something was hitting her again. Unable to move for days and even unable to fall unconscious due to her strengthened body, she endured until she could no more.


    "It''s in my father''s office! The headmaster''s office!! Buried into the ground and guarded by constructs to prevent intruders! I can guide you there! I can disarm the traps! Just make this stop!!"


    Only after four days, it had driven her to the point she''d divulge any secrets, and just like Karzek, she cursed thetoughness of her own body that wouldn''t let her escape this psychological torment. As food and sleep were not a priority for her body that could regain energy from her surroundings, she fell less asleep, the morethe drops bothered her, until sleep was no longer possible at all.


    "You want the blueprints!? I''ll give them to you!!" She continued, sincerelybelieving that at any moment, Aien would come out of the dark corridor to release her. Thinking that it wasn''t enough to entice him, she continued. "I''ll tell you another secret! Do you hear me, Aien!? You can find thatblack scroll there!I don''t know what it is, but Father cares deeply about it! I''m sure it will be useful to you!!I don''t care about the academy just, please... Make|This|Stop..."


    Alas, no one would ever hear her pleading.

 Chapter 22

    <u>Chapter 22 ¨C Ghost?</u>


    ¡°Hello? Aien, are you here!?"


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Aien reluctantly opened the door of his room to find the annoyance outside.


    ¡°Finally, I can meet you! Where have you been lately? I barely find you at... home.¡± Zoris said,wondering if this was the right word to describe the room that had turned into a library. Instead of decreasing, the number of books hadmore than doubled over time and there soon wouldn''t be enough room for two peopleto be inside.


    ¡°I just came here to check up on you...¡± Zoris said while making himself as comfortable as it was possible on the wooden chair.


    ¡°It''s been a month since Lea went missing... The search is going nowhere, but...¡± He stopped talking when Aien avoided his gaze with a painful look.


    ¡°At least the disappearances have stopped altogether... Anyway, what are you up to?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much... I keep myself busy withmy research and taking care of the plants.¡±


    ¡°The plants!¡± Zoris exclaimed with a trace of admiration. ¡°I recently took a look at them. I-"


    ¡°Wait.¡± Aien interrupted him and looked him deep into the eyes. ¡°How did you get inside? I thought only me and a few others had the key, no one who would let you inside.¡±


    ¡°Ehh...¡± Zoris was at a loss for words, during which Aien noticed how he avoided his gaze. Even when Zoris resumed looking at him, the position of his pupils had slightly shifted, presumably focusing on his eyebrows instead.


    ¡°The door was open.¡± He eventually continued. ¡°I didn''t think it was supposed to be locked, but I guess it makes sense that it would usually be so. I have to say, I''m amazed, Aien! I know a thing or two about these plants, and the way you are keeping them contained is incredible! I wondered why the academy no longer puts out requests for the Rank 2 student magi to help contain the wildlife, but it seems that it isn''t necessary anymore with you around. From what I''ve seen, the overall population didn''t change at all.¡±


    The door to the room crawling with literally walking, carnivorous plants was left open? Yeah, right...


    ¡°Well, if there''s anything that my ''curse'' is good for, then it''s this." Aien decided against pressing the matter further. "Even if I root the plants up, they don''t realize anything that''s going. They don''t seem to have any senses despite their mana sense, so even touching is no problem. It is slightly amusing to see plants writhe in confusion when they don''t know what''s going on.¡±


    The two laughed and chatted for some time as Aien explained his work. To keep the population to a manageable degree for the academy, he purposely fed the seeds and spores to the respective plants that liked preying on them. After managing them for an entire year, he had naturally grown familiar with the ecosystem, so it wasn''t much of a problem to keep everything at bay.


    ¡°Besides that, I''ve been frequenting the town lately. I absolutely loathe myself for putting it like this, but since I don''t have any support from Lea anymore, I need to worry about income. I can only hope for the best as I pray day and night for her safety, but in the end, I''m powerless. I have enough on my hands worrying about myself, but that makes me feel even more guilty. Her storming off was all my fault...¡±


    At any given time, Aien would never abandon his act. Who knew whether eyes could have ears...


    ¡°Don''t worry about it too much, Aien. Leave it to the authorities I''m sure we''ll hear news about her soon enough.¡± It was the same empty condolences as always, but Aien gladly accepted them before Zoris returned to the previous topic.


    ¡°So, money, huh? You know I can lend you some if you are in dire straits.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Zoris, but I realized I can''t always rely on others. You''ve already brought me into the academy, and that is debt I''ll never be able to repay.¡±


    ¡°How do you plan to earn more? Are those crystals ready to be sold?¡± Aien had once asked him for some advice regarding the acquisition of common mechanical constructs that could help him out, which was why Zoris was aware of the research he had been doing.


    ¡°No, I need to invest some more money before that pays off. That''s why I''ve begun selling my ale around town. It''s not much, but it''s apparently popular enough to be sold in high quantities. I brew it in the several taverns and come to check on it every once in a while. They deduct some of my pay for using their utensils, but it''s still worth it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, your ale... I almost forgot about it, it was quite good. It looks like I''ll have to pay a visit to the Outer District. How about you come along? It''s been quite some time since the two of us went out drinking. If I remember correctly, your ale goesalong greatwith some dried fish.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Zoris, maybe some other time... I''m not in the mood for this.¡±


    ¡°I understand...¡± Zoris sighed before he continued. ¡°By the way, since you are around the city, you''ve surely heard about the recent rumor, right?¡±


    ¡°You mean that nonsense about ghosts?¡± Aien chuckled wrily.


    ¡°I wouldn''t be so quick to dismiss it as nonsense.¡± Zoris refuted quite earnestly. ¡°It''s rare to witness them, but ethereal beings do exist. They are more often found haunting the battlefield or where disaster strikes. You know, around those places where misery and death are most frequent. It takes an enormous amount of anguish, however, for a single ethereal ghost to come into being. But some theories propose that they aren''t created by the agony of countless, but are simply attracted to them. That''s why some magi believe that an entire race is hiding behind them.¡±


    Well, this was some unexpected information for Aien. The existence of something ethereal, whether intelligent or not, was not hard for him to believesince he of all people knew that souls were no longer speculations but reality - Else, he wouldn''t be sitting here. Therefore, he didn''t have any superstitious opinions regarding whether ghosts actually existed or not, but he''d never read anything about this in the library. Then again, the more he learned there, the more he realized how much it was missing regarding knowledge other than human Magecraft.


    At this point, Aien had slowly grown suspicious as it almost seemed that too much knowledge was missing. No matter how much the academy focused on training magi for war, this amount of lack of research in certain fields was too much to be explained by a simple lack of enthusiasm or support. This wasjust another case of this. Why wouldn''t the academy or the empire be interested in learning about said ''Ghosts''?The appearance of a single one seemed more than enough to greatly influence a battlefield. Surely you''d be interested in getting to know the precise conditions of their appearances, no?


    ¡°How do you know about this?¡± Aien asked what intrigued him most.


    ¡°Family secret.¡± Zoris blinked innocently with his eyes, not willing to tell anything more. In response, Aien shrugged with his shoulders. There was no point in forcing it out of Zoris for the time being, and it looked like he wouldn''t easily divulge his sources.


    ¡°The rumored ghost appears in the forest west from here. It''s the one you had been frequenting before, did you ever notice anything?¡±


    ¡°Nothing in particular. Not that I knew what to look out for...¡±


    ¡°Apparently, the wails of a banshee are filling the forest if you stand at a particular spot. I heard a scouting party is being formed, consisting of seven magi who are at least Rank 3. Complete overkill for such a rumor if you ask me, but since one Rank 3 magus already went missing, I guess the academy wants to be cautiouswith anything that sounds suspicious.¡±


    It was too late when Zoris realized that he had brought that matter up againand Aien sighed melancholically.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°I see... Thanks for checking up on me, Zoris, but I''m fine. I''d like to be alone for a while.¡±


    ¡°Of course, sorry to bother you. See you around, Aien! Don''t do anything stupid!¡±


    <hr>


    It was the middle of the night when a pair of eyes scanned through the city from above. High in the sky, a man stood silently on the air, looking for something in particular. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared, shortlyafter reappearingin the back of a tavern that was filled with people. Another moment later, he stood at the same spot he was in before. This time, however, a mug filled with ale hovered silently behind him. He repeated this process several times in different taverns until five cups, and an entire barrel of ale floated alongside the man whose speedallowed him to go unnoticed by anyone.


    With a wave of his hand, the beverages lined themselves in front of him, where he carefully studied each separately. Minutes passed before he mixed the liquids and got rid of the containers as they turned to dust that sprinkled over the city. Eventually, the silver glow in his eyes receded,accompanied by a frown before dispersing the ale into nothingness as well.


    ¡°Am I mistaken...¡± Zeristin muttered to himself.


    ¡°HeHe...¡±A deep laughter filled his surroundings. Despite the lack of walls, it echoed in the air from all sides without revealing where exactly it wasoriginating from.


    ¡°Even an Archmagus is onlya human in the end.¡± The voice laughed loudly, causing the air itself to vibrate, yet no one in the city below seemed to notice. It was a laugh that contained no emotions and merely resembled the sound oflaughter itself as itlacked anyof the meaning behind it.


    ¡°This isn''t your doing, is it?¡± Zeristin asked, looking at nowhere in particular. Still, the tension in his body rose as he exuded a threat with the demeanor of his body. One wrong word or lie would set him off pouncing at the invisible person who appeared in front of him.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± The voice stated plainly. ¡°We wouldn''t use such underhanded methods. I''ve merely been sent to inquire about your decision, Zeristin Wezlak.¡±


    Although Zeristin sincerely doubted that, he didn''t press the matter further, and instead invited the mysterious voice to continue talking in his office. He did believe their non-involvement in his daughter''s case since they''d approached him for a matter of cooperation. There was nothing to gain from forcing him to choose sidesand taking hostages.


    On his way back to his office, he reluctantly forced the thoughts about Lea from his mind. Whoever had abducted her needed her alive. He could at least tell this much from the essence crystal she''d left behind in his care.


    Since it was filled with her existence, it would lose all luster should she die. The first few days had been nerve-wracking as he''d joined the search himself, but as time passed by, he slowly regained his composure. While he still aided in the search, he was mostly preoccupied with the ''missing'' research note that had been sent to him. The matter was too important to ignore and needed all of his attention.


    Despite that it was hisown daughter that was missing, he absolutely had to focus on this matter that went beyond the scope of the academy or the country. Even the fate of humanity''s future could be decided by thechoicehe had to make.


    Zeristin grunted in pain at the situation he was inand turned to the gods for help. He silently prayed for his daughter''s safety and that the perpetrator would soon be brought to justice so he could punish him personally.


    This was all he could do as he attended to the negotiations that began in his office.


    <hr>


    The next day, the search group, consisting of seven magi, departed from the western gate. To not cause another commotion among the citizens, theyleft at the break of dawn, wearing tattered brown robes over their uniforms. It wasn''t visible from the outside, but underneath their robes, they were armed to the teeth. Aside from their personal constructs, they carried various potions and common purpose constructs. Some were used to help them look for traces, while others would provide them general support during combat.


    "Alright, listen up, guys." The person at the front spoke out during their march towards the forest. "We are to investigate the ''Ghost Occurrence'' in this forest. As usual,Rustov and I will take the frontline.The rest of you encircle Iria and protect her, you know the drill."


    The group listened to the orders withoutarguing and quickly assumed their 2-3-2Circle Formation.


    "Captain,"Rustov called out to Izmir, keeping his voice quiet enough for the others not to hear. In the academy, there was no divisionlike military rank, but Rustovstuck with the address for old time''s sake. While they had worked together as an entire group for years, Izmir andRustov knew each other long before. The two would never keep secrets from each other, even if their positions sometimes demanded to do so.


    "We are not actually going to investigate a Silent One, are we?"Rustov sounded slightly apprehensive, thinking about their group''s strength. Six Rank 3 and one Rank 4 magi would allow them to survive any dangerous encounter in these lands but if they met a Silent One, they couldn''t be sure about that anymore. It was not the case of lacking firepower but a lack of preparation. They couldn''t deal with something ethereal with their current line-up, and that was ignoring what kind of ''Ghost'' they''d meet. Since they ranged from disinterested in everything to vengeance-seeking wraiths,Rustov felt a severe lack ofconfidence in taking one on.


    "Don''t worry,"Izmir reassured him. "The Ghost rumors are from the common people, not the magi. They claimed that if you walked towards the west for a half an hour and stood beneath the treeand itsgiant rock, you could hear the wails of a banshee. I doubt we have to deal with any serious threats, but the headmaster insisted on sending us. Mere precautions on his side, I suppose, and after everything that''s been happening, it''s only natural..."


    "How do we find the exact spot?"Rustov inquired after his doubts had been dispersed. "A tree with its rock...?"


    "As long as we walk against the rising sun, we should be able to recognize it when we see it."


    The group continued, not in the least distracted despite their easy mission. Regardless, what their mission contained, they''d always venture with utmost precautions. However, as they''d expected, nothing was getting in their way. Any animal in the vicinity scattered away the second they saw the group of magi, and after thirty dreary minutes, they finally arrived.


    "Yep... can''t mistake this,"Rustov muttered under his breath, standing in front of the rock that climbed into the sky. Within this dense forest, a sole boulder competed with the trees to reach the highest heights. While it barely rose to half of their height, the appearance of a large rock with the thinness ofa human was an unmistaken landmark. Also, a tree coiled itself around it, using it as the foundation to grow, which made it even less likely to be mistaken.


    "It is said thatit had been left behinda long time agoby some elves who were under the protection of the Guardian," Izmir explained to those who seemed interested in the matter. "The academy used to be slightly interested, wondering if there was anythingabnormal about it, but after a year they lost all interest and dropped their research entirely. Nowadays, wanderers and commoners use this stone either as a landmark or deem it as a holy place. No need for us to worry about the latter, it hasn''t been announced as such officially."


    The group rested for a short while, before splitting themselves into individuals. They searched through the vicinity to find thesupposed ''sweet spot''.


    "I-I-Izmir!" Not much time passed until Iria, the only female in the group, suddenly stuttered aghast.


    "What is it!?" Izmir and the others hurried over to the spot she was standing on. At a first glance, they couldn''t tell anything special about it. It seemed to be a random spot that was in the shadow of the lengthy boulder.


    "I-I hear..it..." She continued beforehurriedly stepping away from the spot. Although they''d naturally carried out their mission with all seriousness, they didn''t actually believe in finding something. Rumors like these were nothing new, and if it wasn''t for the headmaster''s personal request and dire times, a small group of students would have been sent to gain some experience.


    O... T... T...


    Izmir''s face turned slightly pale when he first heard the wails of the banshee. They sounded... unnatural. Continuously echoing out from nowhere, they repeated themselves endlessly like a broken record. It also didn''t take a talented musician to recognize the perfect rhythm in which it sounded out. To the beat of a fine-tuned metronome, the chain of sounds never stopped for a single breather.


    After listening to the voice a few more times, he endured thechillsrising up his spine and stepped aside for the other curious people in his group. Instead of dwelling on the origin of the voice, he focused his attention on the boulder. Something about it had caught his eye when he first saw it, but he''d attributed it to itsorigin. He circled around it a few more times until everyone in his group had the chance to satisfy their curiosity, before setting camp. Since they''d found the voice, they had to do something about it. And his hunch was telling him that this boulder was the solution to it.


    But the actual solution turned out to be much simpler.


    "Wahh!" Iria shouted out again, and the group turned around, exasperated.


    "What is it this time, Iri? Did you see another spider again...?"


    "Wha-? No!!" She refuted angrily, her face slightly flushed red,realizing what her teammatesthought of her. "I sat onto the ground over here when it suddenly sunk into the ground..."


    Intrigued by this, the group circled around the deformation. A small circle, the size of an average foot sunk slightly into the ground.


    "Unless you sat exactly on the right spot, you''d never realize this..."Rustov chuckled lightly, not knowing what to make of this matter. But he wouldn''t argue with luck as long as it was on his side.


    "It''s not the only one,"Rustov concluded. "Look around forthe other indentations!"


    Since he now knew whathe was looking for, he realized the several stones in the vicinity. There was nothing eye-catching about them, but they had small signs and scratches of unnatural causes. It didn''t take long until the group found an entire of ten indentations. After placing the last stone on the right spot, nothing seemed to change, but eventually, Izmir noticed somethingnext to the shadow of the boulder.


    A small opening that hadn''t been there before revealed itself with a small ladder that led into the darkness below. They couldn''t see the end of it, but they recognized thewails that poured out much clearer than before.


    One...Two...Three...SPLASH

 Chapter 23

    <u>Chapter 23 ¨C Quarantine</u>


    ¡°Iri... Can''t you do something about this?¡±


    One of the guys complained. They had descended down into the darkness where they walked through a tight corridor. It was barely wide enough for a single person to pass through. The bigger problem, however, was the terrible stench coming from the distance that kept getting worse the further they went.Although most of the grouppinched their noses toendure the unbearable stench, they didn''t think much of it. They merely assumed it to be some kind of sewage that had seeped into the corridorwhere it thrived and rotted over the years.


    Rustov and Izmir, on the other hand, had turned quite serious the second they caught a sniff. Unlike the others, who had never been in a real battle, the two were very familiar with this smell.


    ¡°I could, but I might chop off your nose. Do you still want me to try?¡± Iria quipped, apparently still bothered by the earlier remark. She played around with the bracelet on her fingers, twirling it through the air, whichresulted in a high-pitch sound that was ready to saw through anything it passed through.


    ¡°No... thanks..., I''m fine.¡±


    The man shuddered, just imagining what could happen if Iria used her construct. In hindsight, it was a stupid question of his. As the only Outer Focus Magi in this group, Iria was their main firepower. Naturally, her construct couldn''t be used for something delicate like preventing the air from entering their nostrils.


    ¡°Enough nonsense,¡± Izmir grunted. ¡°Focus and be on your guard. Something is wrong.¡±


    In response, the group instantly ceased their meaningless chatter and sharpened their senses. The damp corridor was clad in darkness, and the only thing that existed within it were the echoes of the wailing banshee. At this point, however, it became painfully clear that it wasn''t one of the Silent Ones but the woes of a pitiful woman.


    Since they had smelled some sort of gas, they couldn''t risk lighting a torch, but with their eyesight as Magi, they could rely on the mana that was imbued into the walls to guide them. They could also see the trail of mana that led down the corridor, where it accumulated in a bright blob. The group eventually arrived at the end, and what they saw left them bewildered.


    ¡°...What is this?¡±


    Instead of a cave as they''d expected, a spacious room was unfolding in front of them that was clearly made by humans. The narrow corridor theyhad gone through spread into the hall that could accommodate hundreds of people. It was created with unaesthetic bricks and otherwise completely empty. There was nothing there, except for seven corridors that led into further darkness.


    ¡°Zaest!¡± Izmir shouted.


    ¡°On it!¡±


    A few minutes passed as the group waited for the man called Zaest to speak up again. His eyes were closed, and from the outside, you couldn''t see what he was doing. Only his bulging veins and the drops of sweat that trailed down his forehead revealed the enormous stress he was under. During his efforts, two small piercings that resembled jewelry shone brightly on his earlobes.


    ¡°I don''t think there is any danger...¡± Zaest finally spoke with ragged breath as the earrings lost their luster, turning into inconspicuous jewelry again.


    ¡°However... something is interfering with my divinations. It''s quitestrong, but I know it''snearby.¡±


    Zaest pointed to the corridor where he expected the interfering construct to be. Meanwhile, Izmir pondered about the new information and how to proceed. Since the divinations mostly worked out, there shouldn''t be any danger. Whatever was interfering would soon lose its function on its own as Zaest was already able to find traces of it. That also meant that whoever owned this place had abandoned it some time ago.


    ¡°I''ll take care of that one.¡± Izmir walked in front of thepassageZaest had pointed to. ¡°Iri go outside and inform the academy. The rest of you split into groups of two and search through the corridors. Rustov, you go alone. Disperse!¡±


    Everyone did as they were told and left for their assignment. There were neither unnecessary disputes or worries. After they had worked together for years, they knew each other''s capabilities very well. Since their leader had deemed splitting their party to be safe, they trusted his judgment.


    Izmir waited until everyone left the hall before turning to the corridor with the ''banshee.'' He felt an unexplainable unease that caused goosebumps on his entire body ¨C something he hadn''t experienced for a long time since he withdrew from the military.


    All reason told him that there was no danger to be found, but his battle-hardened instincts screamed at him that this was a place not fit for the living. If he didn''t know any better, he''d also start to assume that they were dealing with an actual Ghost. He knew that Rustov must have felt some apprehension as well, but there was no doubt in their trust towards each other so he didn''t mention anything.


    Taking one last breath of the foul air, he stepped into thepathwaywith walls of stones that remembered him of the dungeons of the worst prisons he''d visited. Unsanitary walls, filled with dampness as critters hurriedly hushed around. The voice became louder and louder until he arrived at the end of the corridor, and what he saw left him speechless.


    Shouts of horror and sounds of splatterechoed from a distance throughout the entire dungeon, but he ignored them blatantly, too startled by the surreal scenery in front of him.


    There was a beautiful woman bound to a table of fortified steel. It shone brightly in the darkness, and so did the woman as they were filled with an immense amount of mana. Catching a glance in the corner of his eye, he slightly tilted his head to look up where an empty barrel was hanging down from the ceiling. He couldn''t guess what it was used for.


    The floor, he then realized, was covered in water that overflowed from another barrel in the corner. Above it, he saw a second empty barrel withno purpose. After taking note of the failing runes on the ceiling, his gaze focused on the woman again. There was nothing wrong with her. Despite being brutally chained to the table, her skin shone with a mesmerizing green luster that remembered him of grass that tenaciously flattered in the spring wind.


    It left him perplexed as to why such a beauty was chained in this desolate dungeon. Her heavenly appearance andalmost perfect body were too much of a contrast to the eery cell.


    Furthermore, with the amount of mana that she exuded and the lack of any exterior injuries, it should have been easy for her to break the shackles binding her. But instead, she merely lay there, shouting the same thing over and over.


    ¡°One|Two|Three|SPLASH~~¡±


    With each word she uttered, her head twitched and convulsed violently as if she was trying to shake something away. But there was nothing. Accompanied by a manic laughter that turned into quivering whispers, she struggled in the chains that should never be able to hold her back.


    Seconds that felt like hours later, Izmir finally took hold of himself and tried to process what he''d found. Was this another facility of a noble''s sick hobby? No, this was too distant and unsanitary to be the case.


    What else could it be? A prisoner of war? Izmir didn''t come to a conclusion as his thoughts raced through all the possibilities he could think of.


    ¡°I-Izmir...¡±


    A sudden voice ripped him out of his thoughts, and he turned around to find his comrades. Rustov''s face had turned slightly pale, but other than that, he was fine. The rest, on the other hand, were off much worse.


    Without exception, they trembled in fright like newborn deers. All color had drained from their faces, making them appear like the living dead that would fall over at any time. They had already emptied all contents from their stomach, but it wasn''t enough to quell the nausea that assaulted their senses.Their instincts were screaming and pleading to get as far away from here as possible.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°It''s horrible...¡± Rustov said, the only one beside Izmir able to gather his wits. ¡±The missing people... are all here. They are...-


    ¡°I see.¡± Izmir interrupted him. He could guess of their fate without having his teammates relive the images that were sure to be burnt into their minds for eternity.


    ¡°Anyway, I''m glad you sent Iri away.¡± Rustov continued. ¡°It must have been a fluke or ''thank the nonexistent gods'' for all I care, but this wasn''t something she, or anyone for that matter, should see.¡±


    Silence fell among the group, but the hysteric woman didn''t stop. Even to this point, the woman had yet to notice that someone was there. That her saviors had appeared to rescue her.


    Izmir took a few more breaths before commencing his duties. He took out several pieces of paper and activated them by infusing them with some of his mana. The papers depicted a single lock that shone in a bright light before a drawing of chains appeared and surrounded it whole.


    ¡°This is a gag order of the highest degree,¡± Izmir said with renewed calmness and flung his arm to toss the papers. The fivetalismans flew through the air before accurately landing in front of the mouths of anyone else that was present. Whether they were too weak, didn''t care, or were used to the process didn''t matter. No one resisted as the paper that was glued onto their mouths disappeared into their skins.


    ¡°Anything that you have seen or heard in the last hour and until we leave is restricted information that can only be told to either the emperor or me.¡±


    Since the group heard the order of the man who issued the gag-order, they were bound to obey. Anyone would subconsciously think about a topic when it was mentioned by another person. Thus, when someone approached them with the events of today, they would also subconsciously remember the order Izmir had issued. This, in turn, would activate the effects of the talisman and restrict anything they want to say that can be connected to the topic.


    Finishing his duties, Izmir turned to the pitiful woman. He had never met her before, but the compassion he felt for her was equal to that of a close friend. What did it take for her to reach this state? To be this broken? Even when Izmir stood right in front of her and stared her directly in the eyes, she had yet to register his existence.


    Instead, her focus was onthe ceiling with her eyes shot wide open, stammering the same thing without pause.


    He gave her a last, long sigh before separating his emotions from his work.


    ¡°Rustov, I''ll need help with the chains. We have to be careful not to injure her while we break them.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Suddenly a rumbling traveled through the room and before they knew it, a young man stepped through the corridor. No one could contain their shock at the sudden appearance of the man who had seemingly come into existence out of nothingness.


    ¡°H-Headmaster!¡± Izmir shouted as he dropped to his knees. The rest of the group quickly followed suit despite their ragged conditions, each being equally puzzled as to why Zeristin Wezlak had personally appeared here.


    Zeristin completely disregarded their existence. The world around him turned silent when he saw the little girl who was cruelly bound to the table in front of him. He waved his arm once, creating a small tempest that shattered her bindings.They effortlesslypierced into the walls, without leaving any trace of them on her body.


    ¡°Calm down, Lea... Daddy is here to save you.¡± He gently caressed her head before taking her in his embrace. But even with the appearance of her father, nothing changed. The shouting didn''t stop, and neither did she realize that she had been freed. Her mind was already lost in the refuge it sought in itself, without leaving a path for return.


    The woman known as Lea was no longer there.


    With a pain-ridden expression, Zeristin held his daughter in his arms. To release her from her suffering, he put his hand on her neck, causing a jolt to travel through her body. After a few convulsions and incoherent sounds, she sunk into a deep and peaceful sleep, returning to the angel-like being she used to be.


    ¡°No one is to hear of this,¡± Zeristin said, his back turned to the group that hastily nodded with their heads like some screws on their necks got loose.


    Izmir was no exception, as no amount of experience could prepare him for the event that had transpired this day. Without hesitation, dozens of papers flew out of his pouch. They glued themselves onto their mouths, his own being no exception. There was no point in using more than one gag-order, but the group didn''t argue as all reason had already left them at the realization of what they had witnessed.


    Zeristin Wezlak had a daughter! The esteemed magus, closest to becoming an Archmagus, had a family!


    But far more importantly.


    Someone had dared harm this very child of his. There was no telling what repercussions Lea would suffer in the future. It was painfully evident that her mind had been severely damaged. While recovery might be possible to some extent, it was neither guaranteed nor could a full recovery ever be plausible.


    ¡°You can leave now,¡± Zeristin said with disturbing calmness.


    Only a few seconds later, the group had run off, fleeing from the scene as far as possible to leave the father and his child alone in the dungeon.


    After covering his daughter in a robe, Zeristin slowly carried her as he walked back through the passage. Instead of leaving the dungeon immediately, he visited the ends of the othercorridor to see what his thoughtless inactions had resulted in.


    Dissected corpses of men and women alike that were slaughtered like pigs and gutted into individual components.


    Organs lined up into rows to be compared.


    Strings of veins. Sheets of muscle tissues and nerves brutally displayed against the extinguished candle in the corner.


    Familiar faces of students that had cheerfully walked his campus.


    Far more people than had been reported missing. A lot of people who weren''t liked or even hated, so no one would care if they disappeared.


    With each corpse, his heart sunk further and further. This was his fault. He had neglected his responsibilities. These students had come to his academy to pursue the study of Magecraft and grow out from their past shackles that were their background. One day they would have brought honor and glory to him and the academy he had painfully built over the years. It was apparent they could become targets of the envy of the nobles. So the least he could do was keep them safe during the time they attended the academy before they prospered into capable magi that could take care of themselves.


    But he failed. Miserably.


    He thought the fate of humanity as a whole was more important, but he couldn''t even keep those close to him safe.


    Not even his very own, precious daughter who had been reduced to his state.


    Letting loose the painful howl of a parent that griefed about the loss of his child, Zeristin shed tears of regret and guilt amidst the graveyard of his students.


    A regret and guilt that he would never forget was ingrained into the depths of his heart.


    But more so than that...


    Anunyielding rage filled every fiber of his being that rivaled the ire of the Gods.


    <hr>


    When the turmoil outside grew, Aien sat thoughtfully on the chair within his room. He chose to ignore the rampaging students on the campus, but as the uproar grew louder and louder, he decided to step outside to take a look. He realized that everyone was gasping atan event happening in the sky. Thus, like every single person in the city, he looked up to see the cause of this commotion.


    Waves of sentries that he''d grown familiar with over the year stormed through the city. Thousands, maybe tens of thousands, flew out from beneath the city, through entrances no one was aware of. Before anyone understood what was happening, a crystal-like dome had been formed to encapsulate the entire city with all of its districts. From that point on, everyone was trapped in a birdcage made of sentries that stacked together to create this dome.


    No doubt, panic quickly ensued. Without any explanation, the populace grew restless, and even the magi and teachers had no idea of what was happening as bad premonitions welled up inside them.


    Only very few were aware of this function that was displayed before them. The crystalline dome made up of sentries created a barrier that few humans in the world could shatter by themselves. It was the pinnacle of human defense systems designed by non-other than theprevious emperor.


    Levestein - the man-made fortress created for the sole purpose of waging war.


    The magi tried their best to quell the uproar, but no matter what they did, it didn''t help. When panic threatened to turn into utter chaos, the academy sighed an accumulated sigh of relief at the sight of their headmaster who appeared in the sky.


    ¡°There''s no need for panic!!¡± His voice reverberated through the city. The people felt their ears and chest vibrating in accordance with the strength hidden inhis voice. Slowly the panic ceased and with the appearance of the steadfast beacon that was the headmaster, the people felt safer than ever before.


    ¡°There''s no longer any reason to conceal it!¡± Zeristin continued with his booming voice. ¡°The academy is under attack! The strength of the enemy is unknown, but do not fret, we will find and expunge the threat that has dared to infiltrate our home!¡±


    Instead of fear, the people were filled with a sense of solidarity. Soon cries of agreement united within the city, letting theheavens know that they would stand together to defend their home.


    ¡°Until then, the city will be closed off! No one is allowed entry or departure! Please bear with my forceful methods until we can be sure that our city is safe once again!!¡±


    Aien watched all of this unfold with some astonishment. The city indeed turned out to be some sort of war-machine. He wondered whether this was the headmaster''s construct or if he just had the method to control it, but before he could adequately form his thoughts, he felt someonegrabbing him by the collar.


    In a fraction of a moment, his world turned upside down as a nausea attacked his body that couldn''t withstand the force of the speed he was traveling at. Before it caused him any serious harm, however, the forceabruptly came to a halt, which sent himtumbling through the air until he collided with a wall.


    While coughing and ringing for air, Aien shook the confusion out of his head. He didn''t have to look around for long until he realized that he''d been thrown into a prison cell. It wasn''t even close to the appearance of the dungeon he''d used for his experiments. In fact, it was more spacious than the storage room he''d been sleeping in and much more comfortable to boot. Only the bars of steel indicated that this was not a place where one was welcomed.


    ¡°I''m sorry for the rough treatment,¡± Zeristin said, but there wasn''t an ounce of apology in his tone. He left no room for Aien to argue as he continued.


    ¡°Until we know what''s going on, everyone that is suspicious will be imprisoned. Don''t hold it against me, but if you are innocent, you have nothing to fear.¡±

 Chapter 24

    <u>Chapter 24 ¨C Help</u>


    This was a sudden turn of events, but Aien had expected as much. In preparation for being caught off guard by the headmaster, he no longer hid any plants on his body. They could easily incriminate him with minimal effort on Zeristin''s side. But it turned out that he didn''t have to be cautious in that regard since Zeristin barely checked him for any hidden weapons or the like.


    Despite his suspicions, Zeristin seemed to have preconceived notions as to what Aien was capable of. Maybe the famous magus still didn''t want to believe that his daughter could fall at the hands of a regular human.Maybe he thought that Aien was only a petty henchman that leaked information, and therefore, only a small figure in the bigger picture.


    It seemed that he could never imagine that Aien was the sole perpetrator and cause of his daughter''s suffering.


    Regardless, Aien had to first take care of this prison before deciding on how todeal with the dome that wasn''t in his calculations.


    It came to no surprise that before leaving, Zeristin had at least rid Aien of his Spacial Pouch. Since Aien knew that was going to happen, he''d already emptied all of the crucial contents weeks ago, and also prepared his secondary ''storage space.''


    He reached into the back of his mouth and grabbed the sharp razor that was pierced deeply into his gums. It was a small fragment, barely the size of a fingernail, that he pulled out with his fingers. Ignoring the taste of blood, he straightened out his left armand slicedopen a fresh wound of a finger''s length.


    Without wasting any time, he rummaged within the insides of his own arm as if it belonged to another. He didn''t care about damaging his muscles and tendons to lay bare the bone in the upper part of his forearm, close to his hand.


    Afterwards, he walked over to the window that was barred with bars of steel and lodged his arm between them before leaning his body to the side. Following that, with the right amount of force, he violently swung his body to the opposite direction. Using the weight of his entire body, he crushed his arm like a pair of twigs on the ground. The bone-shattering sound that would make anyone shiver in discomfort resounded weakly in the small cell without anyone noticing. His actions weren''t meaningless, as soon after, two tiny bags, that had been hidden within the cavity he''d preparedbeforehand, dropped onto the ground. Since the bone was slightly weakened at this part, Aien was able to break his arm at the rightplace without much trouble.


    When he first came up with this method of storage, Aien ran into a few problems. He couldn''t easily store the bags in his muscle tissues alone, as his body would naturally try to get rid of the foreign element. Fortunately, when he''d first successfully stored something in bone, his body didn''t react much after recovering. The bags fused into the bone, leaving it slightly weakened, but other than that, there wasn''t much trouble. On top of that, Aien was unable to see the traces of mana in the tiny vial that contained a drop of blood, making it the perfect hiding place for his toolstoescape.


    Aien''s body began sweating heavily in response to the abuse it endured. Still, he retained his calmness without a care in the world. He crusheda tiny, red crystal between his fingers, which then turned into a fine powder and fell onto his wound. Slowly, the injury neatly repaired itself. Anything that wasn''t in the right place moved to its respective area as if his muscles had turned sentient. He could also observe layers of tissues that reconstructed themselves on top of each other until not even a scar was left.


    Aien was already able to turn his theory of Health Crystals into reality. However, since it required an enormous amount of effort to create a single crystal that would never reimburse the costs, there weren''t many purposes for them.Althoughthey did come in handy for rare cases like this where their compressed form was quite advantageous.


    After the procedure was over, he didn''t act rashly. First, he had to rest as he wiped off the sweat that covered his entire body. Simply because he was accustomed to pain didn''t mean he didn''t feel any. Also, his body would naturally react as any other and enter a slight state of shock, so he had to wait until he fully recovered.


    After all, he only had one chance to make this work out, and not only did he need the perfect timingas well as some amount of luck, he also had to find the best spot to place his make-shift blasting charge. Thus, for the time being, he relaxed in the bed that was far more comfortable than his previous one and studied the bars in the small window as well as the heavy door.


    <hr>


    Inside the headmaster''s office, Zeristin paced up and down with much agitation, trying tothink of a different solution. Catching the perpetrator, albeit essential to subdue his fury, was only secondary for him. The most important thing was to find a way that would help Lea recover. Afterwards, she could also provide a clue as to who had done all of this, since the Divine Constructs in the academies had yet to present him any leads.


    Unable to bear Lea''s fragile state of mind and watching her meaningless suffering, Zeristin had decided to let her descend into a deep slumber. Unless he helped her, she would be unable to awake from it, and he used this time tothink through all the options he had.


    No doubt, he had to rely on others for help. The mental landscape was unexplored, and few humans were proficient enough to provide assistance. He was no exception. Even those that declared themselves knowledgeable were none that he''d entrust this task to as he didn''t believe that they truly understood the intricacies of the mind.


    Everything else he''d personally done so far showed no effect. He''d asked for the Blessings of priests and used an astonishing amount of precious medicine that could even mend the soul, but nothing helped. All his treasures from distant lands that he''d accumulated over his life proved ineffective - Treasures that could bring back a human at the brink of death were unable to cure the psyche that had shut itself off from the world. Ifher state was caused by magic or any kind of outside influence, there wouldn''t be this much of a problem.Ironically, the fact thather brain itself was left intact was the root of the problem. There were no physical injuries that caused the mental damage; hence, no medicine that he knew could heal her. In the end, he could only think of one surefire solution.


    No matter how much Zeristin thought about the issue, his mind always drifted back to the seemingly only solution he dreaded most. He continued racking his brain, hoping to find another sign of hope, but therewas no other choice for him. He had to reluctantly accept the fact that they were the only ones who could help her, and it filled him with unspeakable sorrow. Of course, there was the slim chance that he''d find a different solution to Lea''s predicament in the future. One day he might find or create something himself that could help her recover.


    But ''one day'' wasn''t enough. There was no guarantee either that hewould ever be able to help her on his own. He also couldn''t let her suffer and waste away the prime of her life simply because of his own selfishness.


    Thus, he made up his mind. This was not about him, and his own feelings shouldn''t interfere in his decision. He had already failed to take proper care of Lea, sohe could consider this the punishment of the Gods he deserved after neglecting his parental duty.


    Perhaps his worries were for naught as nothing was set in stone yet. His fears might prove ungrounded, but part of him knewthat it was a false hope. Regardless, he hung onto the illusion if nothing but for his own sake.


    Finding solace inthese last thoughts, Zeristin set off and disappeared from his office. He had the utmost confidence that no one was able to break through the dome during his short absence, and Lea was placed in the safest place of the academy he could think of.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    <hr>


    Aien idled in his prison for quite some time. By his estimations, and the moonlight shining through the small window above, it should be past midnight. He couldn''t tell for sure that everything from this point on would go smoothly, but this was a risk he had to take. This was the result of his actions, and he had to make the best of it.


    He had decided to blast open the bolt of the door that turned out to be nothing else but a regular heavy door. With the glasses Lea provided him, he could conclude that it wasn''t a construct, which was rather careless of the headmaster. He either underestimated Aien to a greater extent he''d initially thought, or his mind was simply too disturbed to judge his own actions.


    Before he had the time to plant the chargeof concentrated mana, however, he stopped in his thinking when the door gave off sounds of rattling and scratching. Only seconds later, the door swung wide open. Aiencouldn''t hear a single noise or step when a man casually strolled through the entrance.


    ¡°Phew!¡± The man sighed extravagantly. ¡°Oh? Aien!¡±


    Genuinely perplexed, Aien stared at the familiar face in front of him.


    ¡°...Zoris?¡±


    ¡°It really is you!" Zoris chortled in the face of Aien''s confusion. "Haha! Imagine my reaction when I was tasked with helping an accomplice and heard them mentioning your name!¡±


    This was the first time Zoris had gotten a genuine reaction out of the man, and it left him very pleased. It didn''t take long for the cogs within Aien''s head to turn, and he soon realized the facade that had eluded him.


    ¡°Of course... I shouldn''t be surprised that the nobles have someone inside the academy. But who would have guessed it would be you..."


    ¡°You are quick to catch on, as usual, my friend."


    "Itseems the academy sure is lax in the regards of the threat of infiltration.¡±


    "That''s easy for you to say.¡± Zoris sighed heavily, remembering the days past, ¡°Lea was stuck onto me like a leech until you came around.¡±


    Before continuing their conversation, the features on Zoris'' face began changing. It was a smooth process, albeit a bit alien-like, when his youthful appearance changed into that of a middle-aged man.


    ¡°You have met me before, but let me introduce myself again. I''m Marvis von Erestiv.¡±


    It was the exact same person Aien had met during the dance. The student uniform appeared out of place when worn by the middle-aged man in front of him. It was stretched to its limits as following the change of his features, he had also grown in size.


    ¡°Now what?¡± Aien continued, his eyes containing a wary glint. ¡°Are you here to silence me? To cut the loose ties that could lead to the involvement of the nobles that caused this whole charade? I''m sure that you can already spin the events into your favor.¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Marvis responded, sounding as sincere as he could.Though he did hide the fact that it came up for discussion during the meetings between the Noble Houses. Personally, he truly felt it would be a shame to get rid of someone this talented. This person with a lack of Aer was the perfect spy. They had plenty of uses for him as he''d soon explain, but besides that, there was another reason.


    Marvis had lived a long, very long, and weary life. In his youth, he trained the art of camouflage and espionage until his skills allowed him to rise into a higher position within the House of Erestiv. Nowadays, he was overqualified for a simple job like an infiltration, but with the mundane life he''d been living in his office, he wanted a change of pace. He desired to once more feel the old adrenaline rush of being in enemy territory with no one to support him.


    Although the job turned out much simpler and less dangerous than he''d expected, he found this interesting fellow. Their meeting, and him getting Aien into the academy, was all a part of a plan he didn''t even get to use. But putting Aien''s talent for espionage aside, there was something else that intrigued Marvis after he''d spend some time with him. At first, his idea had been to convince Aien to become a spy for the nobles. It was the first thing he''d thought of when he met him. Much to his surprise, however, there was no need for any convincing of his. The man approached them himself! As he watched and followed Aien''s actions over the recent months, he was filled withnewfound excitement.


    The air Aien gave off as well as his covert actions that led to the disappearance of many magi clearly displayed that he was not to be trifled with. He had to agree that Aien had to either be pulled into their camp or be eliminated. Even if he never became a magus, Marvis was confident that Aien would amount to quite something if he was given timeand the proper resources.


    But all of that didn''t matter to him. Having lived a fulfilling life with all that it had to offer, he was only out to find another form of entertainment, and he was certain that Aien would provide him precisely that. Being in the presence of him always left Marvis unguarded and loose-lipped, which was very unusual for the likes of him. Additionally,Aien made his heart race in anticipation of whathe would do next. Marvis knew that this person in front of him would surely rid him of the boredom of the stale political world that had become a mere play of words. After all, under normal circumstances, the Noble Houses were too cowardly to act against Zeristin in this manner. Only with the appearance of AIen, did all of this change, even if the latter didn''tknowthat.


    ¡°I''m sure you have your doubts about our conduct regarding the important information of Leathe Wezlak.¡± Marvis continued. ¡°I can assure you, we had no bad intentions. That''s why I''m here to help you escape. Well, at least that''s part of the reason. Take this.¡±


    He handed over a ball that could be grabbed between three fingers. It was heavy, presumably made out of some kind of bronze metal. Across its surface, it glistered with a golden hue, but aside from that, it looked like an ordinary sphere.


    Not waiting for Aien''s questions, Marvis proceeded to press onto the surface of the sphere. An indentation of the size of a small finger sunk into the middle before the construct transformed itself. It used to have an incredibly smooth surface without any carvings, butwith itsinitialization, it unfolded itself through the many lines that lit up after being infused with mana.


    A short time later,a mechanical construct that resembled a spider wasresting onAien''s palm. With a small core in the middle and eight legs protruding out,itwas ready to be used.


    ¡°This little fellow will crack any lock,¡± Marvis explained to Aien, who was caught in a trance, staring at the construct. The subtlety it took to create something like this was unbelievable to him. From what Aienknew aboutMagecraft, this delicate mechanism should only befound in personal constructs. Even without knowing of its precise capabilities, Aien was left bewildered when he saw the pathways. They were created with the utmost precision that left no room for error, else the construct would immediately collapse. Thousands ofthem were packed into this small lump of metal, and asit rested in his hand, the flow of mana made it almost seem alive, like a real spider. The pathways synchronized perfectly with each other, and he knew fromthis alone that this construct was capable of movement that would make actual spiders lower their heads in shame.


    From the sounds of it,activating it once was enough for anyone to use it.This clearly displayed the difference between the private academies and the public one. Years of heritage were sure to accumulate in better results than starting from the ground up, and this was the proof to Aien. It was aperfect example of the gap that couldn''t be bridged by one magus alone, no matterhow talented he was.


    ¡°We still hope to find the blueprints. They are most likely hidden in Zeristin''s office.¡± Marvis quickly continued when he saw the frown on Aien''s face, who wasasked to enter a lion''s den.


    ¡°You don''t need to worry aboutany traps. With your constitution, none of them will activate, and the construct will take care of the rest. Zeristin, and in fact, no one in the world ever accounted for laying traps for someone like you. We are sure of this as we can speak from personal experience. You simply have to go inside, grab the prints, and leave again. The only problem is-¡±


    ¡°Zeristin himself...¡± Aien grunted.


    ¡°But alright, I''ll do it.¡± Surprisingly Aien agreed on the matter rather quickly, much to Marvis'' delight.


    Hehad already played with the thought of taking a detour to look for the blueprints. Since the Noble Houses were this interested, they naturally held some important secret he was also intrigued by, especially after witnessing the formidable dome of sentries. Initially, he''d dismissed the idea as entirely reckless. Leaving the city safely was his biggest priority. Still, with confirmation of the whereabouts of the blueprints and this construct, he decidedhe would take the risk should events play out in his favor.


    ¡°Great!¡± Marvis gave a loud and heartful laughter, not caring the slightest about anyone hearing him. Even more than accomplishing his meaningless mission, he was excited to see how all of this played out. ¡°That''s how youths should be! Ipromise you, you''ll be greatly rewarded when we meet again. I''ll keep up contact with you through the construct and notify you of Zerestin''s whereabouts. It seems that he just left the academy in a hurry, but don''t expect him to be gone for long. Oh, and before I forget, let me take care of this annoying little tracker.¡±


    With that, Marvis silently disappeared from Aien''s sight after transforming back into Zoris. The tattoo on Aien''s hand had been easily removed with a construct resembling a tweezer.He stood calmly within his prison cell with a door that was swung wide open, organizing his thoughts. Everything had to be executed smoothly. Either way, with the assistanceof the nobles, who were surely spectating the events from afar and ready to jump should the opportunity arise, he wasreasonably confident in his success.

 Chapter 25

    <u>Chapter 25 - No longer</u>


    From a distance, you could see the staircase of whirlwinds that led Zeristin higher into the sky. The wind heededhis call and gathered where he willed for it. It accumulated into small swirls that resembled miniature whirlwinds, which Zeristin used as stepping stones to push himself through the sky. With each step, the respective tornado unfurled itself, creating a small blast of wind that carried him forward.


    The wind wasn''t the only thing accelerating Zeristin''s movements. If one were to pay close attention to his body, one could see thesurfacing lights oflightning. As a master of lightning in the Inner Focus, he was capable of supporting his muscles through electricity. He forced them to contract far faster and stronger than they should be capable of. Only afterarduousdecades of training had he crafted his body into a construct strong enough to endure the enormous amount of stress this method of movement created.


    Combining the two methods of fast travel, Zeristin darted through the sky. He spared no effort to reach the fastest speed he was capable of as he headed further east. It was the middle of the night when Zeristin stopped for the first time since he''d departed from Levestein. Standing on a platform of wind, high above the clouds, he basked in the moonlight of the three moons that shone in their full brilliance among the night sky littered with stars. Except for that breathtaking view, however, there was nothing to be found in these desolate heights.


    Taking a last breath to gather his composure, he reached into his robe to pull out an emerald amulet. Shaped into a translucent circle, the amulet reflected the moonlight into green rays that filled his surroundings. Slowly, the amulet shone brighter the more it absorbed the moonlight, and with it, a sphere grew in size until it fully enveloped him. Zeristin then raised the amulet in front of him, so it completely overlapped with one of the moons in the sky.


    But to his surprise, nothing happened. Whatever was supposed to occur didn''t, and as a sense of worry rose within him, he shouted into the void.


    ¡°I''m Zeristin Wezlak!!I have come in peace, andI promise that I have no malicious intentions!¡±


    There was no one answering him. Zeristin didn''t know what else to say, but he refused to leave without even meeting anyone. He knew that they were well aware of his presence. Time passed, and as Zeristin began to rethink his approach, a voice resonated in his eardrums.


    ¡°Scram!!!¡±


    The voice exploded witha strength thatrattled his mind. Struggling to not lose his focus, Zeristin prevented the wind beneath himfrom dispersing. After enduring the assault,he concentrated hismanaaround his mind to protect himself from the mental attack and continued with his plea.


    ¡°I''m here on account of my daughter! Disaster befell her, and her spirit is severely injured.¡±


    ¡°I said, leave!!¡±


    Out of nowhere, Zeristin felt the force of a mountain clashing against his stomach that sent him flying into the distance. This single strike, hechose not to guard against, churned up his insides, and burned the outside of his robe with effortless ease. The stomach area, that had received the fist strike, lit up in a blinding white light that stuck onto him. It didn''t burn him, and at first glance, seemed harmless, yet it clung onto him without disappearing.


    ¡°Be glad I didn''t erase you from existence the moment you appeared before meand disappear from my sight!¡±


    Zeristin looked up after recovering from thestrike. In the distance, he saw the silhouette of a humanoid shadow that was darker than any black;As if someone had cut out a part of the world.Zeristin knew that the shadowdidn''t claditself indarkness - It was darkness itself.


    ¡°I know full well that I''m not welcome here.¡± Zeristin straightened himself up again, ignoring the pain sprouting through his body from the pit in his stomach.


    ¡°And still, I came here before you. I beg of you to save my daughter Lea. Don''t do it for my sake, but for Stella''s.¡±


    ¡°Don''t you dare disgraceher with that name!!¡± The shadow erupted, its furious shout traveling into the farthest reaches of the sky.A mountain of light appeared behind it and vibrated in accordance withits voice. The light grew in intensity, blinding Zeristin, who didn''t dare to risk averting his gaze. Despite the brilliant light, the shadow remainedas it was before.


    ¡°After all you have done, you come to me for help!? Don''t be conceited, human!!¡±


    The air shuddered as if it trembled in fear. Despite the vast distance between them, the booming shout of the enraged shadow forced Zeristin to take even more steps back. Finally, Zeristin lost his patience. He''d come all this way here, knowing how difficult this encounter would be, but this was outrageous. For Lea, he''d lower and scrape his head on the groundto beg for help, but his opponent didn''t even want to listen to what he had to say.


    ¡°Your blood runs through her veins!¡± The spot of light onZeristin''s stomach was dispersed by the drops of blood that leaked out from his wounds. They mixed themselves into the light before washing it off to reveal the hollow injury thatexposed his organs.


    No longer holding himself back, the wound on Zeristin''s stomach repaired itself. Like the receding winter that made way for the spring wind, the ragged state of his body blossomed into its original strength. No longer displaying subservience, Zeristin changed his approach and let loose the accumulated fury that had broiled within him ever since learning of Lea''s fate. He stood against the imposing might of the shadow and the mountain of light behind it. Compared to it, his own reserves of mana seemed laughable, but this alone wouldn''t make him back down.


    ¡°Even if you don''t want to admit it, she shares your ancestor''s blood that you hold so dearly!!¡±


    In response, the shadow fell silent, but the imposing flood of its aura didn''t relent.


    ¡°I don''t ask you to help me. Help your granddaughter. She has nothing to do with what I have done...¡± Still, there was no answer, and as Zeristin had expected, he had to let go of his ego once again. He had to come forth on his ownto display his good intentions.Although he''d dreaded to do so until this point, this might be for the best.


    ¡°And if you help me rescue her... then I..." He closedhis eyes, trying to suppress the last resistance of his doubts. Without realizing, he''d clutched his empty hands with all of his might, tightly holding ontosomething as if they refused to let go."...will allow her to recognize her ancestral roots.


    There was no response from the shadow, but Zeristin sensed the fluctuations around its ''frame''. The manner of the shadow changed, and it no longer threatened to overwhelm Zeristin with its might. Since the latter had said everything he wanted to, there was nothing else he could do but wait for an answer.


    ¡°Take this.¡±


    Before Zeristin knew it, an inconspicuous seed appeared in front of him. When he first caught sight of it, Zeristin narrowed his eyes in pain. The seed radiated with an incredible amount of mana that was concentrated into its tiny frame.It was the same radiance that resembled the mountain of light that towered behind the shadow into the sky.


    ¡°Have her swallow it. No matter what, she will recover.¡±


    ¡°...Many thanks.¡± Zeristin responded solemnly. He should have felt happy the moment he''d received their help, but his selfish heart couldn''t bring itself to do so. He slightly bowed before the shadow, which gave him a cold snort in response before disappearing from his sight.


    ¡°Don''t forget Zeristin. We will never forgive you for what you have done.¡±


    Zeristin melancholically stood alone in the sky, subduing his body that involuntarily trembled in fear when confronted with the shadow. While holding onto the seed for dear life, he reminisced about the woman who had chosen to follow someone like him. She had supported him in his darkest times, during the lowest points of his life, but what had he ever done for her?


    He''d ripped her away from her home and created a rift between them, he could never mend.


    Away from Zeristin''s sight, the shadow watched him leave, similarily reminiscing about the past. Letting out a heavy sigh, the shadow turned and slowly disappeared as it walked towards a moon.


    <hr>


    When Zeristin arrived back in Levestein, the sun had already risen again. He didn''t take any detours as he directly headed towards the academy. Instead of returning to his office, however, hewalkeddownwardsinside the same tower. Nothing obstructed him as he single-mindedly walked down the stairway that was off-limits to everyone else in the academy. The sign on its door depicted ¨C NO ENTRY ¨C and was the most fortified and restricted place in the entire city.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    After he arrived at the bottom of the long stairway, he stepped through another door that led into a humongous hall. The tower was the center of the city that didn''t only reach into the sky but also into the depths below. It was the sole foundation of the city, and the only way to access this cave of unimaginable size. A spherical cave that was wholly hollowed out, its size equal to the entire city with all of its districts. Right next to the large column, that was the tower, a crystal ball was inserted into the stone ground.


    A cyan crystal that could encompass an entire house. From it, several tunnels crawled through the hollow cave like worms, connecting to the ceiling and the tower. Most striking, however, was the corpse within the crystal that sat on a wooden chair. It wasmaintained in a perfectcondition, appearing to never rot regardless of how much time would pass. If it wasn''t for the slit on its throat, the man could easily be mistaken to be merely asleep. He wore the garment of royalty, and on his head was a crown only fit to be worn by an emperor.


    Within this marveling cave of human craftsmanship, a woman lay on a comfortable bed that appeared entirely out of place. Wearing a nightdress, she peacefully slept like an innocent girl, without any traces of the torment she had endured. Zeristin silently stood in front of her, caressing her head with a fond smile. He struggled to overcome the fear in his heart, but he knew he had to awaken her.


    After he sent a jolt through her neck, Lea slowly opened her eyes. Filled with confusion, they remained unmoving before suddenly tearing wide open in terror. The stammering returned, and she paid no care to the change in her surroundings. Not wasting another second, Zeristin held her still and forced her to swallow the seed.


    Soon after, for the first time in a long while during the time she was awake, Lea calmed down. Her eyes no longer focused on the ceiling, and much to Zeristin''s relieve, the stammering and cries died down as Lea fell into a trance.


    She remained in a state of being half-asleep and half-awake as the energy within the seed filled every fiber of her being. Like the rising sun, a light traveled through her body and grew stronger with each passing minute. The unforgettable memories that had occupied all of her thoughts were slowly replaced bya wonderful feeling of vitality and warmth. Her tired mind indulged in this warmth that reminded her of the mother she''d never met.


    This light continued to embrace her. It lulled her into a state of peacefulness - a paradise where nothing and no one could ever harm her. The wind within her own body carried her through the serene skies of her mind, mending the landscape that had been irreversibly damaged. At first, the wind and the light avoided each other. However, as the light grew stronger, it eventually absorbed the wind element that she was born with.


    Zeristin watched all of this unfold as Lea shone with a bright luster that resembled that of the seed itself. He watched the green tints in her hair turn into blonde before containing traces of white. It made him realize that there was no turning back.


    He dreaded it. Since before her birth, he had sought ways to suppress it. WhenLea was born with a mutation that resulted in her alignment with the wind element, he couldn''t have been happier. Being born half-human and half-eledyn, Lea''s more powerful bloodline was diluted. All eledyn were attuned to light, but Lea was half-human. Zeristin had guessedthatshe retained the characteristic of ''having an alignment'' from her eledyn-blood but with a different part of the world because it couldn''t be light. As a human, she was only allowed access to the five elements,and thus she gained her alignment with the wind. At least that was the theory Zeristin had come up with. There weren''t many cases to study since the several racesrarely propagated with another.


    But all of this was coming to an end.


    While Zeristin was occupied with his worries, Lea continued her transformation. At this point, she began resembling the depiction of a holy angel that was the center of light within this little world below. Her skin turned into the purest white that resembled the same light that was contained in the seed. She retained the appearance of a human, but everything else had changed. Within her veins, there would no longer flow the same red blood, and her entire existence was renewedas the humanhalf of her resigned to the flood of light and slowly disappeared. Half an hour later,the reborn Lea opened her eyes that revealed her pupils that shone with the intensity of the sun. She looked around in confusion, but there were no more traces of the earlier damage to her mind.


    ¡°Lea, are you alright?¡± Zeristin said, his eyes containing a slight glimmer of hope.


    ¡°Aien, why didn''t you just kill me...¡± She said the first thing that came to her mind that was in great turmoil. Various thoughts and memories conflicted with each other, ringing for supremity and causing her mind to descend into chaos. Memories of an unforgettable past trauma contradicted with the happy timesshe had withthe person she''d held dearly. On the verge of relapsing into her helpless state of mind that couldn''t confront the torment, a voice echoed through her soul and brought her relief.


    This ethereal voice guided her through the disturbances in her mind. She confrontedeachmemorywith calmness and accepted them as the past that had already happened. A past that she could forget. The gentle voice came from the depths of her soul and connected her with the world at large. She knew she could entrust her everything to it.


    Her surroundings became crystal clear in her mind, and she could make out the smallest of details, no matter how faint they appeared in her vision. No matter where she would be, light would follow her and illuminate her surroundings as she had become light itself.


    ¡°I... I have to go.¡± Lea said, not once turning to look at her father. ¡°I have to return home.¡±


    With that, she stood up and disappeared within a ray of light. The blinding light burned Zeristin''s eyes, but he didn''t avert his gaze. This might be the last time he''d ever see his daughter, and she didn''t even recognize him.


    In that regard, nothing had changed from before her treatment.


    Zeristin watched all of this happening, his heart sinking within his chest. He''d prepared himself for this. He knew this would happen. He knew that the person who would awaken might no longer be Lea. But experiencing it was a different matter altogether.


    He knew it was the only way to save her. She was alive and healthy, and her future was filled with boundless prosperity - that was all that mattered. He repeatedly told himself so. Nonetheless, it left him empty.


    Because he knew.


    He no longer had a child he could call his daughter, and he no longer had a daughter that would recognize him as her father.


    This emptiness was soon filled with the only emotion left that wrecked havoc inside of him.He knew the cause of all of this. The one who was responsible for this. He no longer focused the blame on himself as his wrath was targeted to the concrete image of a young man. The young man who had caused the rest of his small family to fall apart and he''d never forgive him for this.


    Rampaging out of the hollowcave and through the tower, Zeristin stormed to the prison cell he''d thrown Aien in. He ignored the horrified looks of teachers and students that desperately called out to him, as only one thought was on his mind.


    ¡°Where is he!?!?¡± Zeristin howled when he found the empty prison cell. The guards in the hallway had been put out of commission,but Zeristin didn''t bother to check whether they were alive or not.


    ¡°Thank the Gods! Headmaster, you are finally here!!¡± A teacher hurried down into thebasement of the tower after he''d caught a glimpse of the headmaster rushing down.


    ¡°What do you want!?¡± Zeristin lost his composure and had no intention to keep up appearances. The teacher, on the other hand, almost soiled his pants when he was confronted with the blood-shot eyes of the headmaster. He viciouslystared atthe teacher withabloodlust that rivaled demonic beasts.


    ¡°T-T-The... City!! U-Under. Attack!!¡± The teacher was barely able to stutter before sinking to his knees.


    Hearing this shocked Zeristin out of his frenzied state for a moment. Closing his eyes to connect with the dome of sentries, he saw nothing on the outside. But when he turned his vision inside, to look at the entire city, he was left speechless, before his earlier wrath multiplied by tenfold. Ignoring the teacher who had already passed out, Zeristin appeared within the sky of the city that he''d built from the ground up over decades of his life.


    Screams of terror and the painful shouts of agony filled the entire city. The ordinary people ran for their lives, accumulating at the boundary that trapped them inside this hell. The magi were no exception as they valiantly fought and tried to protect the common people. It was to no avail as they kept getting pushed back and were struggling to keep themselves safe.


    Their hands were tied when matched against the flood of magical plants thatravaged through the city.


    ¡°Why are you trapping us!? Let us out!?¡±


    A man of common background shouted terrified, trapped by the very wall that was supposed to protect them. He squirmed and hammered against the sentries, but they didn''t budge an inch. Panicked, he turned around to see the vines slithering on the ground like a snake that closed in on its prey. He had seen what it had done to the others, and it left him terrified to the point where he was rendered motionless.


    The thin vine welcomed its no longer struggling prey. With the thinness of a human hair, it entered an orifice of the man who watched powerlessly as certain death came closer. At long last, he pathetically grabbed after the vine in a vain attempt. But no matter how strong his grip was, it smoothly slithered through as if nothing was in its way.


    Soon terrified cries and begging escaped his lips, his eyes staring at the wall that had trapped him. He couldn''t understand what was happening. Why this was happening. Why was the headmaster trapping them inside? Did he plot to kill all of them? No matter how much he thought about it, it didn''t matter anyway as they were the last thoughts he''d ever have.


    The life drained from his eyes, and his body slowly shriveled up until the vine crawled out in satisfaction. It grew significantly larger, to the size of a finger''s width, before it searched for its next prey.


    Everywhere within this city, people suffered the same fate. The magi were better off, but the regular humans were powerless against this threat. Vines that lusted after their blood. Spores that grew out of their bodies and turned them into their hosts. Walking, carnivorous plants that swallowed humans whole. Regardless of what plant they met, the people were fated to meet a horrible demise. Groups of magi were able to keep the plants at bay in the beginning, but as time passed on, the number of plants only grew more substantial.With each human that nourished them, they grew in size andmultiplied at a speed the magi couldn''t keep up with.


    No one knew where they were coming from or why they had suddenly appeared. The lack of preparation allowed the initial assault enough time to grow, and the missing headmaster, who had seemingly trapped them, was a tremendous blow to their morale as well.


    Zeristin Wezlak watched all of the terror unfolding before him; His mind also unable to process what was happening. Innocent people screamed out his name and cursed him in the name of the Gods. They blamed him for what was happening and prayed for his demise. The city was left intact by the flood of plants, but it overwhelmed the populace with each passing second. And the cause for all of this was...


    ¡°AIIEEEN!!!¡± Zeristin roared with all of his might, his bellow shaking the heavens and the earth. His wrath and pain reaching the utmost limits of what his frail human heart was capable of enduring as he set off to look for the rat who had brought this plague.

 Chapter 26

    <u>Chapter 26 ¨C Obsession</u>


    ¡°Have you figured out who lit that flare yet!?¡± Izmir shouted at his companions as they traveled across the rooftops of the city. No one could give him an answer, and with no more signs of the perpetrator, they could only continue doing what they had done so far.


    As a scouting party of the academy, they could be considered one of the few elite groups of magi that were around in this crisis. They personally had no trouble handling the magical plants, but the students were off worse. Most of them were still wet behind the ears and struggled to keep themselves barely alive.That being said, those magi could at least defend themselves as long as they stuck together, and with teachers coordinating their movements, this whole ordeal would have eventually ended with only a few casualties overall.


    But this city didn''t consist of only magi.


    The plants were surprisingly smart. They had good judgment as to who was their prey and who was too strong for them to feast upon. This led to the magical plants using cunning tactics and ambushes, which created a major headache for Izmir and his group. As one of the strongest group of magi present, they did their best to help out the ordinary people, but it proved challenging to do so.


    They traveled from fight to fight to help out everyone that needed them. But even with that, the number of casualties among the common people didn''t decrease. Each ambush wasn''t a long-lasting fight they could rush to support. Instead, it took only a few seconds for the plants to devour the humans before hiding again.


    There was only one option if they wanted to somewhat prevent the rise of casualties. They had to rely on divinations to arrive at their targets shortly before the ambush happened. It was grossly inefficient, but there was nothing else they could do for the time being.


    ¡°South-west... Larkins'' inn.¡± Zeast huffed withthe last of his strength before collapsing into his partner''s arms.


    Izmir frowned when he saw the state Zaest was in. He couldn''t blame him as he was the sole magus in their group that was capable of divinations. Magi that focused on divination Magecraft were a rare breed to begin with, as their value wasn''t highly regarded unless you were at the top of the crop. Divinations and counter-divinations played a significant role in the military, but it was a role reserved for the high-ranked magi. Only their predictions were worth investing inand precise enough to be used in warfare. Thus, few would try their hands at divination even if they had the rare talent. Unless they had the absolute confidence to reach complete mastery and become a Rank 7 magus, most would choose to become a regular magus.


    In general, divinations worked by becoming one with nature and being in tune with the elements. This specific discipline needed an understanding of particular fields in all of the five elements. Naturally, the Rank 7 divination magi wouldn''t be considered archmagi as they focused only on those small fields of each element.


    These divination magi created constructs thatlistenedto nature. The wind that carried memories of the past. The earth that would never forget what had walked on it. Firesymbolized that no matter how much time passed or what happened, nothingwould completely cease to exist, but merely change form. Water was the river of time. One couldn''t swim against the current, butonce couldsee what lay upstream. Lastly, lightningshowedthe fleeting present that only lasted a single moment.


    Using these mnemonics as guidance, divination magi interpreted the constructs they created and their results. Only a few magi had the talent to truly understand the whispers of nature, and it wasn''t something that could be learned.


    ¡°Rustov take three others and go. The rest will stay behind and guard Zaest until he recovers.¡± They had no other choice than to rely on him. Even if they randomly ran around to help groups that were already fighting, their support would only make a minuscule difference. Those weren''t the ones who really needed their help, after all. Izmir looked up at the dome of sentries that had remained unmoving for the entire hour of this assault. He was just as perplexed as everyone else as to what the headmaster was thinking.


    All of a sudden,a roar filled with ferocity and wrath echoed within the dome, causing everyone to look up to the sky.They all felt relief when they saw theheadmaster standing in the sky. But just as quickly as he''d appeared, he disappeared from their sight again.


    ¡°Where is he!?¡± Zeristin shouted, unexpectedly standing right in front of the group. Confusion and a hint of fear rose within them as they confronted the headmaster whose eyes had turned into a devilish, bloodshot red.


    ¡°H-Headmaster!¡± Izmir was the first to recover. ¡°Who do you mean? And what''s going on? Why is the dome still trapping us inside?¡±


    Zeristin paid no regard to Izmir and focused his gaze solely on Zaest. For a year, Zeristin''s thoughts had been disordered. Too many issues he''d tried to solve all at once caused him to disregard the critical details of each problem. If only he''d paid more attention or investigated more thoroughly, none of this might have happened.


    He wouldn''t make the same mistake twice. As such, there was only one thought on his mind, and that was to catch Aien at any cost. Everything else had to wait.


    ¡°Tell me where he is!¡± Zeristin ordered Zaest as a sentry flew in front of him. Shortly after, the image of a young man in the academy''s uniform was projected for all of them to see.


    ¡°Excuse us, headmaster, we''ve neither seen nor know of this person,¡± Izmir said hesitantly. He was appalled when he realized what the headmaster demanded. After gathering all of his courage, he stepped in between Zeristin and Zaest.


    ¡°And I''m afraid Zaest is too exhausted to perform another divination. As you can see he has to re-¡±


    ¡°I have no business with you!¡± Zeristin waved his arm and with the back of his hand, sent Izmir flying into the nearest house. His body disappeared within the hole of the impact before the entire house began crumbling into itself. The rest of the group watched this happening in utter disbelief. They couldn''t understand what was happening, and soon, a different kind of fear emerged within them.


    Before, they''d been afraid of defying orders or bearing the brunt of the headmaster''s terrible mood, but after this, they were actually afraid for their lives. Whatever had possessed the headmaster, they knew he didn''t hold back the slightest when they saw Izmir stumbling out of the ruins, covered entirely in his own blood.


    ¡°I won''t repeat myself again! Where is he!?!?¡±


    The second shout that was directed at Zeast shocked him out of his stupor. Filled with fear, he proceeded to use his construct to divine the whereabouts of Aien. Soon enough, his face lost all color and turned as white as a sheet. All of the healthiness of his skin seemed to flow out of his mouth in the form of a bloody trail. He exerted himself to his limits, but no matter how much he tried, he couldn''t find a trace of the person the headmaster was looking for.


    ¡°I-I can''t... find... him...¡± Zaest uttered with ragged breath. The veins on the headmaster''s head protruded out in a rage, and the group was sure they''d soon explode if he didn''t calm down.


    ¡°Where is the next outburst of plants!?¡±


    ¡°Headmaster!!!¡± Izmircried out in defiance from below. This was going too far! If Zaest exerted himself any more, who knew what repercussions it could leave. But his shout fell on deaf ears. Zeristin continued to stare at Zaest like a wild beast, and the latter knew he didn''t have another choice. While he still couldn''t believe the headmaster would actually hurt them, he was petrified by the strength oozing out of the magus in front of him, crippling his thoughts. Thus, he obediently proceeded with another divination at the cost of his well-being.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡° South... around...Reisteyn''s... tavern...¡±


    With that, Zaest fell unconscious, blood streaming out of every orifice on his face. One of the group proceeded to use various potions on him, but it didn''t have much of an effect. His divination construct had assaulted him with an enormous amount of information thatoverstrained his mind. The only method of recovery was to let him rest. Whether this would leave any longterm damage, however, wasn''t something they could tell until he woke up again.


    Despite fear filling their bodies, the group looked at the back of the departing headmaster with built-up resentment.


    ¡°What''s wrong with... him!?¡± One of them thought to curse but didn''t dare complete his choice of words.


    ¡°I don''t know.¡± Izmir shook his head, but he thought back to the recent incident. ¡°We''ll wait for Rustov and the others to regroup with us. Rest until then. Iri, some potions, please.¡±


    <hr>


    Zeristin rushed through the chaos of his city with no attempt to help quell the outburst of plants. Only if something was directly in his path would he take the time to eradicate them by using the burst of wind beneath his feet. Aside from propelling him forward, thewind would turn into sabers and cut the plants apart, yet it didn''t do much in the bigger picture.


    His only priority was Aien, and in his quest for vengeance, he lost sight of the people he was supposed to save. The city was not designed with interior defensive capabilities in mind. This was one of the significant flaws in human Magecraft compared to other magic. The purpose had to be predefined and was thus inflexible. That didn''t mean the fortress was entirely incapable of defending its interior. Still, it would mean to use the sentries and collapse the dome. He did allow a few sentries to help out, which created a few holes in the ceiling of the dome. However, that was it. It wasn''t close to enough.


    Zeristinwouldn''t use any more sentries even if that meant more people died. He wouldn''tgiveAien the chance to mix under the people and leave the city as, for whatever reason, no one could track his whereabouts. Maybe there was a different method to approach all of this without letting Aien escape. But Zeristin wouldn''t risk it. The dome had to be kept up under any cost. The image of Lea''s tormentand her transformation into a stranger was ingrained into the depths of his mind,filling him with an unrelenting desire for revenge.


    Regardless of that, Zeristin was incapable of large scale attacks that could discern betweenfriendor foe.Abig problem, considering most plants already stuck close to the struggling victims. The only help he could have provided was torip apart each plant one by one.Although he''d do so with astonishing speed, it would take a lot of time.


    This incident was certain to leave more than just a bad record on the history of the academy, but Zeristin no longer cared. Everything he held dearly was already irreversibly blemished by the rat he''d allowed to infest his home. Like a bull that chased after his red target, Zeristin bloodshot eyes shone with a similar light as the entire dome of sentries, while he scanned the whole city for clues.


    After studying theturmoil in the city, Zeristin realized that there was a pattern to the outburst of plants. It was the only lead he could follow to find Aien. At first, one house would suddenly be infested with plants until soon after dozens of the adjourning houses followed suit.


    It didn''t take long for Zeristin to arrive at the complex of houses, which were supposed to be the next target of an eruption. In an instant, he took note of a hooded person that walked inside the house. Increasing his speed with his last step that shattered the air beneath him, he was about to take hold of the person, but he kept himself at bay.


    He saw the face of the man, and it wasn''t his target. The strange behavior of the man, however, was something Zeristin took note of.


    The hooded man walked inside the house, and Zeristin impatiently followed him.The formertightly held onto a small wooden box. Aside from its magnificent craftsmanship, there was nothing suspicious about it, but Zeristin could see the traces of mana the box stored inside.


    ¡°Finally! Finally! Finally! Finally! Finally!¡± The manrepeated himself over and over while he caressed the box like his most precious possession. He cautiously looked around to see if anyone was following him, but he couldn''t see Zeristin, who was tailing him without creating any sounds.


    ¡°The red light! It finally appeared! Thank the Gods there was still a box left!¡±


    Talking to himself, the man arrived in his room upstairs. It was completely empty. Traces revealed that there used to be some kind of furniture, butit was no longer there. Only the lonely man was left in this desolate and cold place, where he took nonote of the chaos outside.


    Frowning, Zeristin realized that this entire area was unusually devoid of plants. Wherever the man had gone before, it seemed he was quite lucky.


    ¡°The key!¡± The man suddenly shouted and hurriedly raced through his own roomto look for something.


    ¡°Gone! Where is it!? Where did I place it? The drawer? Under the bed?¡± With crazed eyes, the man looked around the room, opening drawers that didn''t exist and looking beneath his bed that was no longer there. Eventually, a key that was hung around his neck rose forth from behind the shirt he was wearing and fell into his sight.


    Relief overwhelmed the man as he rejoiced. With trembling hands, he ripped the rope from his neck and retrieved the key.Following that, he opened the box, and what he found within was...


    A cookie.


    The man''s eyes lit up in delight, and he devoured the pastry in the blink of an eye. Soon after his eyes lost their focus, and with a creepy but satisfied grin, the man sunk to the ground. Inside his own little world, he stared at the ceiling that had become the boundless sky through which he floated along.He reached a state of bliss that detached him so far from reality that he neither realized Zeristin entering into his room, nor the entities that had begun devouring hisbody.


    When Zeristin saw the man, he already knew that he was a lost cause. There was no point in saving him, and he provided him withsome information about the cause of this outbreak. The cookie was filled with dozens of seeds from magical plants. After entering the man''s body, theyprospered with astonishing speed as they feasted upon his insides.


    Zeristin watched the cruel method of simplifying the tough survival of magical plants in their early stages of life. It seemed that Aien was using them as parasites to increase their survival rate and helpspeed up the growth.


    But Zeristin couldn''t understand it.


    What was wrong with this man? His desire after this seemingly inconspicuous cookie was out of this world. He remembered the ale he''d once checked, and it seemed his hunch back then hadn''t been wrong. Alas, his investigation hadn''t been thorough. It seemed, he needed more information.


    <hr>


    In a different house, a woman was coweringin a corner of her room. Her ragged and disheveled appearance only paled in comparison to her twisted face that displayed the struggling emotions within her. Similar to the man, shetightly held onto a small wooden box with all of her might.


    ¡°I don''t need it! I don''t need it! I don''t need it!¡± She desperatelyscreamedat herself. Back when she''d obtained a box from the storage place, she witnessed something unfathomable.


    A man who couldn''t endure until he was home, opened the box the second he''d gotten his hands on it and devoured the piece of dried fish he found within. She saw him enter a state of bliss she enviouslylonged for, but what followed after, left her frozen on the spot in fear. The woman saw how the man was eaten from the inside as several tiny carnivorous plants found their way out. They were about a hand''s size before they proceeded to eat the rest of the corpse. After growing a little more in size, the five plants fought amongst themselves until only one was left.The remaining onerivaled herin height and wandered over to the unknowing preyclosest to it.


    Terrified, she ran back to her home. She didn''t realize she still held onto the damnedbox that contained these terrifyingcreatures. Despite desperatelywanting to throw the box out of the window,she was unable to bring it over herself. Her desire conflicted with her reasons, and the two competed within herself.


    ¡°He told me I needit.No! Don''t open it! That man was just an accident -A coincidence.I don''t want to die!Relax.It will bring you happiness.¡± In the end, she was overwhelmed by her desires. But whenshe was about to open the box, she realized it was no longer in her hands.


    ¡°Where!?¡± Shefrantically turned around to search through her empty room until she found Zeristin standing before her, holding onto the box.


    ¡°Give it back!¡± She shouted while clawing at his arm.


    This was the fifth person he saw. It was incomprehensible to him. How were these people reduced to a state where they would willingly jump into death? He pushed the woman aside, and from within his Spacial Pouch, he pulled out a plant. A twig with leaves that had reddish lines, narrowing into the green surrounding it. Itcaught fire, and the smoke was directed into the nose of the woman. Her hysteric screams, which reminded him of something he really didn''t want to remember, died down, and a tired, glazed gaze replaced the craziness in her eyes. Looking like she was about to fall asleep, the woman stood there withoututtering another sound.


    ¡°Answer my questions. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The woman answered to Zeristin''s relief. Finally, someone who had part of their reasoning left.

 Chapter 27

    <u>Chapter 27 ¨CInterference</u>


    ¡°Where is Aien?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know.¡± The woman replied absentmindedly. Zeristintried not to let the increasing frustration impact him from finding out more answers. But what he got wasn''t all that he''d hoped for.


    ¡°You need fish to stay healthy. If you are healthy, you''ll be happy. That''s common sense, right? Isn''t that something you want?¡±


    Those were the words of Aien when the woman had first met him. Despite them being strangers, the woman had immediately opened up to him andlistened to his every word. Shehadn''t known at the time that she had already fallen prey to the drugged food. After being reminded of it, Zeristin did remember some drivel along those lines he''d initially dismissed as nonsense.


    As for the making of the food, Aien had barely done anything to leave behind traces. From whatZeristin could gather from the woman, Aien had distributed the recipes to numerous tavern owners for a small fee. He''d promised them that their taverns would befilled with customers should they follow his secret recipes. After a few had tried their luck and realized that Aien had told the truth, it didn''t take long for the recipe to spread like wildfire on its own. There had only been one catch.


    A secret ingredient that Aienhadn''t divulged to anyone could only be obtained from him. It hadn''t cost much compared to the increase in business the food brought. So, the tavern ownershadn''tquestioned anything with the prospect of increasing their earnings. Maybe if there had been more time, some magi would have eventually realized that something was going on.


    But, in the end, nothing was giving Aien away in the short-term. He''d talked about daily life and chatted idly with his victims through which he seemed to test the waters. Some of these conversations also came back into Zeristin''s mindfrom the time he''d half-listened in. Eventually, all of this had spiraled into therecent days. The supply of food and the ingredients for the recipes hadsuddenly been cut off.


    Shortly after that, the following rumor had filled the city. ''When the skyis lit up in red, foodwill be provided for free in various houses.'' The people, who had grown accustomed to the consumption of their favorite food, became restless with each passingmoment, eagerly awaiting for that day to arrive. Everyone was trying their damndest to find out which were the houses in question. The rest of the storyended with the whole mess the city had turned into, which was no longer in Aien''s control. He''d merely pushed a few people in the wrong directions, and created a chain reaction that was capable of sustaining itself.


    Thisgist of it from what he could get from the woman.Zeristinleft her to her own devices and headed for one of the storage places. It was a regular building with a small shop that sold clothes for the winter. Again, Zeristin faintly remembered that Aien had visited this place a few times in the past.


    He went inside and walked down the stairs that led into the basement, where he found dozens of boxes neatly lined up. Aside from them, he found a familiar construct in the corner of the room. It had already lost its function since no one reinitialized it. This was a construct used to protect against divinations, the same one he''d found in the hidden basement inside the forest. The light of the rune was no longer shining, leaving behind a dim crystal in the corner.Since there was no possibility of Aien creating it himself,Zeristin soon came to the right conclusion, and it left him somewhat helpless.


    No doubt, this was provided by Aien''s backer, which was mostcertainlya Noble House. The possibility of someoneinfiltrating was something Zeristin was very well aware of. Still, onecouldn''t completely control each person unless you wanted the populace to rise up in dissatisfaction. Everyone needed their privacy, alas, it would lead to situations like these, where the lack of tight surveillance was theroot of the problem.


    Regardless,he''d never thought his lack of security would turn into a problem of this magnitude.Having gained at least some answers, Zeristin left the building after incinerating the entire basement. He connected with the sentries once more to searchfor Aien, but as he''d expected, there were no new clues.


    Fifteen minutes had passed since Zeristin reappeared in the city,until finally, a hint to the answer he was looking for, descended through the ceiling of the dome.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this, Zeristin Wezlak!?¡± The voice of a manresounded for everyone to hear. Even those that were in the midst of their fighting couldn''t ignore the voice that was carried by the wind into every corner of the city.


    ¡°You trapped innocent people inside this dome of suffering and still refuse to let them out! What you are doing is inhumane, and there is no excuse forthe anguish you have caused!! Open up the dome at once, and come forth to meet the proper punishment you deserve!¡±


    Zeristin nonchalantly looked up at the group of four who stood in the middle of the sky. Of course, Aien was not the sole cause of this attack. Zeristin thoroughly realized that, and naturally, the nobles would seek this chance to weaken hisstanding and influence.


    But what the nobles hadn''t accounted for was that Zeristin no longer cared about things like that.


    Without a word, the ring on one of Zeristin''s fingers glowed, signifying the release ofthe first stage of his Outer Focus construct. As the glowing intensified, the ring grew in size until it transformed into a gauntlet. Layers of stainless steel overlapped each other, tightly adjusting to the form of his right arm. Clad in a fiery red-aura that surrounded the gauntlet, it emitted a screeching sound as steam burst out of the gaps of the layering metal. Together with the constant influx of wind, it created the illusion of a living metal that breathed to sustain itself.


    The noble who had held his little speech noticed the sudden outburst of mana and turned over to look in the direction of Zeristin.


    However, it was too late, and there was no time for regrets.


    Zeristin showed no restraint. He wordlessly shot through the air, in the shortest path possible, completely catching his target off guard. The lightning in his body made his muscles contract to their utmost limits. Both of his legs jumped off the whirlwinds to gain momentum, and the reddish aura increased in intensity, rising to a smoldering heat thatrefracted the air in its surroundings.


    ¡°Zer-!!¡±


    His victim didn''t have the time to talk. Neither did he have the time to properlyprepare himself. The only thing he could do was to watch petrified as a bloodthirsty bullrushed towards him.


    Human magi, especially Outer Focus magi like this particular noble, were helpless without their construct. Another flaw of human Magecraft, as each stage of their Prime Construct took time to prepare. A rank 7 magus couldn''t simply unleash the fullmight of his construct at once.


    The group of magi hadn''tcome here to start a fight. Although they had come prepared for an emergency, they had no intention of ever starting one. What they''d hoped to achieve was to gain the advantage through discussion and undermineZeristin''s authority. They''d wanted to play the heroes, who''d come to the people''s rescue and turn Zeristin into the villain, who was the sole cause of this tragedy.


    For Zeristin to drop all pretense and attacking them in public while the city was under attackwas unimaginable for them.


    The moment Zeristin''s fist connected with the noble''s face, all of the accumulated might inside the gauntlet combined with the momentum of his body. The resulting explosion deafened the ears of anyone present. They were forced to gain some distance as Zeristin''s construct let loose all of its energy into a single point.


    The noble futilely braced himself as much as possible for the strike that sent him through the skies. Swatted away like a fly, he crashed into the dome of sentries that didn''t budge an inch against the impact. The rest of the three nobles looked on in disbelief as they watched their companion being turned into a human projectile. The entire city was filled with the hollow sound of a dampened bellas if announcing the death of their fallen comrade.


    Thankfully for them, it didn''t come that far. There was no telling how injured theman falling from the sky was, but they could hearsome faint breathing amongst the coughing stream of blood. He was still alive, but he might as wellbe deadwhen he crashed into the ground where he remained unresponsive.


    ¡°Seryl, Tyres, stop gawking, and prepare yourselves!¡± The man who was in the most dangerous position gathered his wits first. That noble was a Rank 7 Outer Focus magus just like him. Getting caught off guard was unacceptable for a human magus, so they could only blame themselves for acting rashly. Still, they couldn''t believe that Zeristin would lash out at them likethat.


    Seryl and Tyres did as they were told and prepared themselves. As Inner Focus magi, there wasn''t much they had to do, and instead, vigilantly focused on Zeristin''s next movements. To their surprise, however, Zeristin remained where he was, instead of continuing his assault. The noble who had given the ordersprepared himself as well and took hold of his own construct. He tore away the necklace with the seven emeralds on his neck while infusing them with mana.


    Directly afterwards, a ring of fierce wind encircled him in its center. Traveling at astonishing speeds, the current became visible to the naked eye as it threatened to tear through anything that approached it. While continuing with the activation of his construct, he tried to reason with Zeristin, who had seemingly lost his mind.


    ¡°Don''t make this any worse than it already is, Zeristin! Back down, or don''t you care what happens to the city!?¡± Naturally, he sill augmented his voice so that it could be heard by everyone that was trapped inside this city. ¡°Don''t do something that will make you regret your actions of this day!¡±


    ¡°Regret?¡±


    In response, a peal of chilling laughter that had lost all reason escaped from his lips. There were no traces left of the previous headmaster who fondly cared for this city he''d painfully built up. Within moments, his gauntlet grew into a metal skeleton that built the foundation of the pieces of armor that appeared next. Contrarily to his opponent,Zeristin released his constructfar faster ashe clad himself in the battle-armor that was his construct. It didn''t even take more than a few seconds until a second gauntlet appeared, and soon,a pair of boots followed, ending with the appearance of the leg armor. Donned in five pieces of armor that signified the release of the fifth stage of his construct, Zeristin stood opposite to them.


    ¡°What is there to regret? I have nothing left. Congratulations, you vicious bastards. You succeeded. The days ofmy academy are over just as you''ve wished for it.¡±


    What followed next, left the three nobles reeling. Although theywere certain thatfive pieces should have been the limit, the living metal on Zeristin''s body continued growing. It only subsided after a breastplate appeared that connected each part of his armor into one entity.


    ¡°The breastplate!? You finished it!?¡± The noble magi almost couldn''t form the words that sounded far too ridiculous and unreal to him once they actually left his mouth. The meaning behind that was too unfathomable for him to believe.


    ¡°This is impossible!! Absolutely impossible!!!¡±


    Zeristin''s path as a magus was to create a construct that would support the strength of his body. His Prime Construct would become thesupplement to his Inner Focus, turning him into a one-man army. A simple yet effective approach. As such, it was well-known that Zeristin had always reached an advancement in the Inner Focus before he did so with the Outer Focus. In other words, the appearance of the breastplate meant that Zeristin had fully reached the sixth steptowards becoming an Archmagus.


    ¡°You were onlyseventy-sixyearsold when you reached the 5<sup>th</sup> Rank.¡± The man uttered more to himself than to Zeristin. This was no longer a matter of talent. No matter how hard Zeristin worked or how talented he was, reaching this rankbefore he turneda century old was impossible. The fact that Zeristin was already atthe 5th Rank on his path to becoming an Archmagus was a once in a millennia talent. The last Archmagus in recorded history had needed more thantwo centuries before reaching the 6th Rank, and he was already an exception to the previous Archmagi.


    ¡°Unless...¡± A thought flashed through his mind that had gone through every possibility to explain this sudden turn of events.His eyes widened when the scales fell from his eyes as only a single idea seemed plausible. ¡°You didn''t!¡±


    Aghast, he stared at Zeristin before looking over at thecentral tower of the city. If his guess was right then... a secret, that would render the matter of the blueprints utterly meaningless, was hidden in Zeristin''s treasury. But even if his hunch was right, it left too many questions open. What could have possibly been enough toattain this sort of strength?Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°We have to stop him!¡± At first, he''d thought of retreating. After all, with the conversation that had already transpired, they reached their goal. They came as a group of four magi to prepare for the worst-case scenario, but one was already incapacitated, and Zeristin''s might exceeded their calculations. Yet, theconceit within him obstructed his reasoning when he saw victory in his grasps.


    ''Buy him some time, and the rise of our houses will be assured for years to come!''


    ¡°So, that''s where he is!!¡± Zeristin connected the dots. He was unable to hear the noble''s voice, but it didn''t matter when he saw their reactions. Their ploy had been to keep him busy by restraining him through openly denouncing him in public, so Aien could sneak inside his treasury.


    His construct began operating. One day this heroic figure would have written history as he led humanity into a new age of prosperity against the other races. But on this very day, the battle-armor of the future Archmagus solely prepared itself for a manhunt. The air surrounding Zeristin crackled, heralding the beginning of a storm that would devastate anything in its way. His armor turned into an engine of war as steam left through its openings, accumulating fiery energy to its utmost limits.


    Theconstruct was made of metal that was condensed to its utmost limits. Several times smaller than its original size,the metal became an impeccable defense with the earth element as its foundation.It weighed multiple times his own weight,resultinginthe usual lack of speed that was characteristic of the earth element. However, this was counteracted by the lightning and wind element that accompanied each ofZeristin''s movements.


    On top of that, the immense fire energy within would no longeroverheat as the water element supported it, enabling the continueduse ofthe fire element atits full might. Even if, by some miracle, the noblescould damage the construct, it would surely recover with the properties of wind and water. All flaws that were attributed to each elementcomplemented the otheras the construct came full circle.


    Seryl and Tyres gulped audibly when they thought about confronting the monstrosity in front of them. They knew there was nothing they could do tostand in its way. The 6th step of the Prime Construct seemed to increasethe entirestrengthof the construct far more than the other parts, as the breastplate became the connection between them.


    Considering all that, they only had one chance, and that was to target the head that was missing its helmet. However, Zeristin would never give them the opening.


    Becoming the embodiment of a tempest of the elements, Zeristin set off. Unfortunately for thenobles, Zeristin didn''t just want to pass through. For this short period, his wrath had switched its focus from Aien to the three nobles who each stemmed from a different Noble House. They were just as guilty in causing Lea''s misfortune as was Aien.


    Turning into an arrow of lightning, Zeristin targeted the noble who was the last Outer Focus magus among their group.The two others were unable to react in time as they watched their companion facing the entire might of Zeristin alone.


    The recipient noble swallowed the desire to curse the Gods as fear overwhelmed him. He had underestimated the power difference that was created through Zeristin reaching the 6<sup>th</sup> Rank. Earlier, he''d thought that the worst-case scenario was failing to stall Zeristin long enough, forcing them to give up on unraveling his secrets.


    Butthat didn''t matter anymore, because at that moment he was staring death in the face.


    His own construct was stuck in the4<sup>th</sup> release and confronted with the towering bloodlust that Zeristin exuded, he lost all hope. The four rings of wind posed no threat to Zeristin, who reached out his arm. Supported by the elemental might and his strengthened body, he lashed out at the walking-deadman in front of him.


    ¡°Enough!!!¡±


    For the third time, a voice interrupted the chaos in the city. This time, the eyes of the common people and magi alike lit up in hope as they recognized who the voice belonged to. Standing on top of the dome was Kaemir Lorak, the emperor himself. His gown flattered in the wind as hesteadily swung his sword, gathering the wind in its surroundings.It had already circled once above his head, removing the first sheath.A second swing followed after that before his time had run out, and he thrust his sword into the dome.


    Nothing hindered the sword that was still sheathed five times as it traveled through the barrier without resistance. Following that, he activated his construct.


    Electricity rushed in between Zeristin and his target in the blink of an eye, creating a tree of lightning that spread out into numerable branches. Immediately after that, the wind in its surroundings gathered in between the net of lightning to form a shield that split the city in half.


    Zeristin didn''t intend to stop his attack, but as he heard the familiar voice echoing within the city, he sighed heavily in his heart. His momentum couldn''t be stopped entirely, but he still forced himself to reduce most of his strength. The fist strike connected with thetree of lightning and wind, shattering it with effortless ease. Behind that, the noble was sent flying into the distance by the impact of thedestroyed shield. Aside from a few shallow wounds, he remained mostly intact.


    ¡°Zeristin Wezlak, cease your actions at once!¡± The decree of the emperor traveled through the city. Those that had the spare time to follow the aggressions between Zeristin and the nobles breathed out in relief. Regardless of who was right or what was going on, this wasn''t the time for enmities. People were still dying in the city while Zeristin and the nobles were having a seemingly petty argument. It leftthe populace more than justoutraged attheir conduct, but there was nothing they could do.


    ''What''s gotten into you, my friend?'' The worried voice of the emperor was silently carried by the wind into Zeristin''s ears. In front of the eyes of the public, he wasn''t allowed to take a stance. Especially since Zeristin had become a suspicious figure, almost an enemy. He had to remain impartial, but that didn''t mean he wouldn''t care for his friend.However, even if he cared forthe well-being of his friend, he couldn''t allow for the might of his empire to take another hit. One Rank 7 magus was already incapacitated for an unknown amount of time. If they lost three more magi, especially if they died, the other countries would surely take action toseize the advantage of their internal turmoil.


    With the appearance of the emperor, Zeristin controlled his bloodlust. He closed his eyes in deep thought before opening them again to watch the turmoil in the city. Naturally, the people were stillsuffering in the streets. The defense was unorganized and could barely hold itself together from collapsing entirely. Meanwhile, the plant infestation showed no signs of stopping, instead, growing with each passing second.


    Having calmed himself slightly down, Zeristin deactivated his construct. The pieces of armor folded themselves together before turning back into a regular ring.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± The noble who caught the brunt of their clash came back. He tried to ignore the cold sweat running down his back after surviving what he''d thought was certain death and began complaining.


    ¡°Zeristin has betrayed our people! Not only has he shirked from his duties in defending the people of our country, but he also raised his sword against those that had come to help! He even raised his sword against YourMajesty himself! This can not go unpunished!¡±


    ¡°I said, that''s enough!¡±


    The emperor shot a fierce glance at the noble, forcing him to take a few steps back and shutting his mouth. Zeristin had already briefly toldLorak what was going on, and it left him furious. But he had to keep his position in mind. He was the emperor, and thus, he had to actlike one.


    ¡°Who will be punished or not, is not for you to decide! Much less should you argue about such worthless matters when the people of the city are still in danger! Put your petty conflict aside and work together to quell this turmoil at once! Zeristin that goes for you as well!¡±


    Zeristin gave one last exasperated sigh before the dome of sentries opened up. Without any hindrance left, the people stormed out of the city, trying to gain as much distance from this infestation as possible. And among them, there would surely be Aien.


    But Zeristin knew he''d already gone too far. The unbridled fury remained, but with the appearance of a dear friend, some clarity flowed back into his disturbed mind. When he looked at the fleeing people, he not only saw faces filled with fear butwith scorn. Hateful gazes that were directed at him. Regret welled up within him due to his rash actions but not for long. All of the blame, the cause of suffering, and everything else that had happened was the fault of Aien and the nobles.


    ''I''ll leave the rest to you.'' Zeristin said to the emperor.


    ''Are you sure you want to let him leave? We can order for the people to be searched through thoroughly.''


    ''Don''t bother. After all, that''s happened, we can''t put the trust of the people even more at risk, and I doubt he''ll get caught that easily. In a sense, you can consider all of the remaining people his hostages... You don''t need to worry about me. No matter what, you have to take a stance against me in this matter. Regardless, the academy is done for.''


    The emperorscowled and was filled with a sense of helplessness and foreboding. What Zeristin said was true. There was no way for him to spin the matters in his favor. Disregarding that, the reputation of the academy was irreversibly damaged and its future unknown. News of this would travel far and wide, possibly starting aseries of events he didn''t want to imagine.


    ''What are you going to do now?'' The emperor asked, his voice filled with concern. He''d never seen Zeristin this disturbed before.


    ''I''ll borrow your observatory.''


    With these last words, Zeristin headed towards the south, leaving the chaos in the city for the emperor and nobles to handle. Although the divinations of the magi he''d forced to inquire about Aien couldn''t find him,he didn''t completely give up on that approach.


    Divinations for Aien himself had born fruitless, but the same couldn''t be said for his belongings. For that, he''d use the strongest divination construct in the country. If that didn''t work, he''d never cease trying until he got his revenge on everyone that was involved. Zeristin no longer cared about anything else. To hell with the city. To hell with his secret. Let them all know for all he cared. Let that fool Tristan ignorantly drag down humanity with him.What did it matter to him...


    Because once more, he''d lost everything dear to him.


    <hr>


    Minutes before the outbreak.


    Thanks to the spider construct, Aien knew about the headmaster''s whereabouts.Itused its legs tocommunicate by carving simple words into the ground, letting him know when the right time had come.


    After leaving his prison, he first headed towards the room that housed the magical plants. Using the construct, the lock was quickly broken. Following that, Aien left the door wide open to cause chaos before igniting the flare he''d hidden in one of the plants beforehand.


    As the turmoil ensued andZeristin closed off the city, Aien headed towards the headmaster''s office.


    The nobleshadn''t lied when no traps could recognize his existence, and the rest was all taken care of by the spider construct. Itdidn''t take long for it to reveal the cavity behind the bookshelves. There wasn''t much inside it. Aien could recognize some of the constructs which were taken apart by the spider that wobbled its head, apparently very satisfied with the work it had done.


    But Aienignoredit as all of his attention was focused onto something else. He didn''t even care when the spider took a stack of papers and swallowedthem whole into its tiny head without letting him take a look at it. Shortly after, the spider disappeared from the room, leaving Aien alone with what had grasped his attention.


    Hung into the back of the cavity was a piece of paper. It was blood-red, shining in a luster that made hisblood boil in excitement. Aien was unable to suppress his desire to reach out. When he was about to touch the paper, however, his hand merely passed through. No matter how much he tried, he was unable to grasp it. A strange feeling within him told him beforehand that he couldn''t touch it, yet he still continued trying.


    Slowly, Aien awakened from his trance and quickly pulled his hand back. This was reckless of him. There was no reassurance that the spider had successfully disarmed all traps or that there was indeed nothing capable of recognizing him. Despite fearing that, for that single moment, Aien was unable to suppress the longing in his heart and lost himself within it.


    Anyone had a wish. Regardless of what it was, it would always be there, deep within the heart where it cried out in a desire to be heard. This paper in front of him amplified this shouting desire. Aien''s eyes widened with shock as he realized what it was. At the same time, as the realization hit him, the words written in white shone brightly, imprinting themselves into Aien''s mind. He almost couldn''t endure the assault and sunk to the ground as the words translated themselves from the Divine Language.


    Contract


    I, Seri Taer Lya Alyu, will hereby offer my soul. In exchange, I demand assistance to my love, Zeristin Wezlak, so that he may walk the path of ahuman Archmagus. I demand that he shall attain the strength he needs to overcome that which stands in his way. I demand that he shall regain the past glory of humanity''s lost brilliance.


    The worldacknowledged your plea.


    To grant what you desire, I was born as Ygsyl, a devil under theLaw of Power. I will heed the world''s call to take it upon myself to honor the contract.


    The devil was born, and the contract was made.


    I have receivedyour offering, and therefore, I will uphold my part of the deal.


    Your wish shall be fulfilled.


    After taking a few heavy breaths, Aien regained his calmness and looked at the paper indisbelief. The implications were obvious. But he didn''t dwell on them too much as a different realization hit him.


    Humans could not help him.


    Aienknew of this option beforehand, but he was too wary of the associated and unknown dangers. That''s why he''d spent his time studying Magecraft to find a more reliable method. Even so, it was futile. The possibly only solution was right in front of him, and the living proof was right outside this building, hunting him down. Next to the paper, there was a single book, covered in a white cloth that hid its cover. Without hesitation, Aien grabbed the bookafter skimming through its contents and leftthe office.


    <hr>


    Among the escaping river of people, there was a single man who resisted the upward stream that led away from the city. A brown coat was draped over his shoulders, and a hood covered most of his face. He looked down aroundhis neck with a slightly disturbed expression. During some point of his apprehension,his necklace must have come off due to the force of the speed. He hadn''t noticed that until the whole ordeal was over. Aside from that, however, everythinghad turned out surprisingly smooth for Aien.


    Thinking back to his stay at the academy and the way things turned out, Aien had doubts, regrets even. A lot of things went out of his control. He hadn''t accounted for most of this in the beginning, when he''d first come to the academy. Regardless, he''d steeled his mind and made his decision, yet he had to admit that he couldn''t forget the days he''d spent in peace. The figure of Lea, who had accompanied him for a year, occasionally flashed through his mind against his will. He didn''t know what had become of her. He''d never intended to escalate her imprisonment to this degree.


    But these tiny doubts in his heart were crushed by his iron-will that desired for strength. He would not let himself be held back by his morals or his conscience. Thanks to that, he was one step closer to his goal. At least, that''s what he had repeatedly told himself.


    This was the path he''d chosen. This was what he''d wished for. There was no turning back.


    But even so, the whole time, a tiny voice in the back of his mind was asking.


    Was this the right thing to do?


    Therefore, before doing anything else, there was one last matter he had to attend to. Bearing these thoughts, Aien headed towards the north.

 Chapter 28

    <u>Chapter 28 ¨C A shattered heart can still be broken</u>


    - Time changes people -


    That was something Aien was very well aware of, more than anyone else.Even so,he''d never have expected that their meetingwouldbe like this.


    After leaving Levestein behind withoutany troubles, Aien had intended to head towards the Northern Garrison to meet an old friend. Since the capital, Hayden was on the way, however, Aien had thought that he''d save himselfsome time if he looked there first. It turned out, he was right to do so.


    Outside of the city, he stood atop a distant hill from which he could see the full brilliance of the capital. Compared to the city of Magecraft, there were none of the mysterious constructs that filled the city with wonder. Instead, it was home to the most important Noble Houses that divided the control of the city among themselves. This was clearly displayed by the four districts that separatedthe city withbanners belonging to each Noble House. At the time of Aien''s arrival, some kind of festival mixed the four districts together, merging the city back into a single entity. However, who precisely the noble families were, or what was going on, wasn''t something Aien cared about.


    He silently watched the people from afar as they went about their lives without any care or worries about the events transpiring in the world. Although the rumors about the academy had already spreadthroughout the empire over the last several days, the people didn''t seem to let it bother them too much.They shrugged off thedisasters that were too far away to reach them andcontinued with their blissful lives. They remained ignorant of the dreadful future thatcould await them as well. Itlooked likethe officials had successfullyupheld public order by restricting critical pieces of information from circulating. From what Aien could gather, the officials seemed to be far more efficient than in Levestein.


    Aien was lost in his thoughts until he noticed acouple approaching him from behind. They walked along the plastered road that led to the peak of the hill where they stopped some distance away from him.


    ¡°I... I wasn''t wrong.¡±The quiet gasp of awomansounded in surprise when she saw his back. Aien briefly turned around totake note of the two before continuing to stare into the distance.He faintly remembered the voice he had almost forgotten about from the peaceful days he''d spent in the orphanage.


    ¡°Michael...?¡±


    Hepretended not to hear her. For a day in the middle of winter, the sky was very clear, and thewarm sunlightraised the temperature to a comfortable degree, unusual for this season. A pleasant weather, perfect for enjoying the festivities in the city and spending the dayidling around.


    It was always on days like these...


    The young woman looked towards her companion for assistance, but he remained silent, equally as stunned as her.She didn''t know what to say as she nervously looked around her surroundings before finally gathering her courage to speak up.


    ¡°I''m sorry... that you had to find it out like this.¡± She looked at his feeble backandhis shoulders that listlessly hung down. None of Aien''s usual confident demeanor was present as his body lacked any signs of strength. As if the calm breeze on this tiny hill was enough to blow him away, he almost seemed to fade awayinto the background of the scenery.


    ¡°How did you find me here?¡± Aien asked, his voice remained as calm as it always was.


    ¡°Warren heard about a personloitering around the residence of the Regea''s... That''s when we saw you heading out of the city...¡± There was some hesitation before she continued. His distraughtappearance when she first saw himhurrying out of the city flashed through her mind.The person in front of her didn''t let any of it show, but she knew how he must have felt when he had found it out.


    ¡°You remember Warren, don''t you?¡±


    ¡°...Of course.¡± Aien answered seemingly unbothered.


    ¡°I''ll be honest with you.¡± Her companion, Warren said,not knowing how to act inthis situation. ¡°I''d never expected to see you again.¡±


    He wasn''t particularly close to Michael during their time in their orphanage. But he knew what fate had awaited him. Naturally, he''d thought that Michael would spend the rest of his life wasting away inside one of the mines. In a sense, he''d already signed him off as a dead person the moment they left the orphanage.


    ¡°We both only found out later what was behind the facade of the work camps... I''m glad you could overcome those hardships.¡± Whether there was some truth in his words or not ¨C Aien didn''t even pretend to care as he remained silent.


    ¡°...¡±


    The pair felt more uncomfortable, and thestifling atmosphere began weighing on their hearts. It wasn''t just that either. They couldn''t tell what it was, but Michael''s demeanor had tremendously changed over the years they hadn''t seen him. It left them restless, and if they hadn''t caught sight of his face in the city, they''d have never recognized him as the same person from all those years ago. There were no traces left of the jubilant youth who they had lived with for so many years.


    ¡°Come.. let''s go.¡±Warren held his partnerin his embrace,helping her to calm down.


    ¡°I know why you are here...¡± Butthe young woman gathered her courage once more and turned towards Aien. ¡°I''m sorry. This is all my fault... I''m so sorry, I shouldn''t have-¡±


    ¡°Your fault?¡± Aien let out a dry and empty chuckle devoid of any emotions that would indicate how he felt. ¡°No, it''s not your fault. It''s mine. I shouldn''t have expected anything. I should have known this would happen."


    Aien''s chillingly calm response made the pair even more uncomfortable until they decided to leave him alone for good.


    ¡°You are a liar, Alice...¡±


    Aien remembered her words on the day they parted ways as hestaredat the clear sky. It didn''t stop there as he reminisced aboutthe peaceful days he''d spent with the giddy girl who''d chosen to always stick around him.


    "You, who was perfect, had looked after me, the defective human being. You, who had everything, thought that it was your responsibility to look out for those who didn''t."


    But Aien knew the truth, and sohad Michael from back then. Behind the facade of her gentle and friendly smile, she had looked at him with pity.That wasn''t kindness. It was her egoistic and selfish feeling of superiority that hid behind the mask she called helping. To make herself feel better, she had taken care of Michael, whoappeared like a helpless puppy before her. In her eyes, she probably had never considered the two of them on the same level.


    "I should loathe you for that. To be patronized with such self-righteousness for no one''s sake but for your own. And yet..." Finally, Aien couldn''t hold himself together anymore as his lips faintly trembled.


    ¡°I was quite fond of that,¡± He muttered with a sad smile. In this alien world he''d found himself in, she was one of the first persons to open up to him. He''d never cared aboutAlice''s reasons. The results of her actions were far more important than her motivation.


    His face twisted, on the verge of crying, but the tears wouldn''t flow out. For that, too, wasn''t something he was allowed to do anymore. This human-like privilege of relieving pent-up emotions and pain through crying was undeserving of the person he''d become.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°You are one of the very lastpeoplewhom I trusted and have never betrayed me...¡±


    ¡°So why...?¡± He looked at the inscription on the small stone in front of him.


    Alicia von Regea


    2349-2370?


    May her soul rest in peace.


    ¡°Did you have to die?¡±


    Alicia von Regea had died two years ago during her stay at the Northern Garrison. An accident had led to her unfortunate demise. However, thanks to her heroic sacrifice, her friend Lyra was able to survive the tragic incident. Aien couldn''t help but let out a cynical chuckle when he thought about that. Surely, the events at the academy were also just an accident.


    At this point, more than ever,Aien became aware of the important place Alice held in his heart - His last and only friend.


    Somewhere in his heart that had grown cold from his actions and the misery he''d lived through, Aien had hoped for Alice to stop him. He imagined how he would have told her the truth about all of his deeds and receive her judgment. A part of him hadhoped shewould have toldhim that he was wrong and scorn him for what he''d done. Tell him that there was a different way. Tell him to repent for these sins and choose a different path - a path of redemption. She was one of the last persons who could have changed what he''d become. At least that''s what that tiny part of him had hoped for. What the last traces of Michaelwished for.


    But he''d never be able to hear those words. Alice was dead, and nothing would change that. Was this his punishment for what he''d done? Did the gods decide that he was not worthy of another human''s judgment? That he was not allowed to find solace in confession andrepent?


    He didn''t know. He didn''t want to know or think about it. Only one thing became clear that day as an uneasy feeling, overwhelmed him with a sense of foreboding and dread.


    Fate was not done toying with him yet.


    The small light in the darkness within him dimmed, leaving behind a weakened glimmer that had yet to extinguish completely. Lost within the wind like a leaf with nowhere to go, Aien forced himself ontothe road that led further to the north.


    <hr>


    On the same day of the infestation, Zeristin arrived in front of a large tower in the middle of nowhere. It had a solid androbust foundation that became thinner, thecloser it got to the sky. Its longneedle-like peak was hidden behind the clouds where it stood tall without bending to themighty gustsof wind.


    ¡°Who is there!?¡± Abooming shout thundered across the sky. At the same time, the wind in the surroundings began circulating with the tower at its center. Before the brewing tornado could display its full might, Zeristin spoke up to calm the person inside the tower.


    ¡°Calm down, Leizy, it''s me.¡±


    The building tornado abruptly stopped before calmness returned to the surroundings. Following that, a young woman slowly stepped out of a hidden door that was built around half-way to the top of the tower. Her appearance was unkempt, wearing a shirt that was clearly too large for her. She carefully looked at Zeristin withtraces of cold sweatcovering her entire body.


    ¡°Don''t scare me like that, Zeri.¡± She said, her shoulders sinking in relief when she sawthe face of afriend. Her timid voice was nothing like the booming shout that made the air tremble.


    "What? You didn''tseeme coming?" Zeristin joked habitually but abruptly stopped himself. It wasn''t the time fortheir usual antics.


    ¡°I need your help with something.¡± Before she could say anything, Zeristin already stepped through the door without waiting for her permission. She realized that something was off about Zeristin. He''d neither teased her about being a scaredy-cat nor did he correct her about his nickname like he usually did.


    ¡°What''s wrong? It''s rare to see you this worked up.¡±Leizy asked with sincere concern. Compared to him, she was only half his height, but it was perfect for the small room in the tower. Zeristin, on the other hand, was forced to bend over just to barely fit inside and not hit his head on the ceiling.


    ¡°You''ll find out soon enough. Do me a favor and find me the owner of this necklace.¡± Zeristin unceremoniously handed her a gold-covered necklace. She glanced at it several times, but there was nothing out of the ordinary, at least as far as she could tell. Realizing that Zeristinwas clearlyimpatient, she hurriedly rushed through the small room with the necklace in her hand.


    It was a messy room, not allowing anyone to walk through unless they stepped on either open books or different pieces of clothing that were spread across the floor. Zeristin paid no attention to it as he watched her place the necklace into a small cavity in the wall. After closing the cover, she placed her hands on it and closed her eyes in concentration. There were no signs of any exasperation on her face. The only thing indicating that she was making a divination was the immense amount of mana that rose from the bottom of the tower all the way to its fine, needle-like peak.


    ¡°...Teralis.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No... not exactly... A church? On the outskirts...¡±


    ¡°Stop, Leizy. That can''t be right.¡± Zeristin interrupted her, and she turned aroundwith a frown on her face.


    ¡°What? You want to say I made a mistake?¡±


    Zeristin didn''t know how to respond at first. Since she''d gotten a result, there was only a very minuscule chance she got it wrong. They knew each other long enough for him to acknowledgethe talentsof thisslothfulwoman,thatwere her onlysaving grace.


    ¡°But that can''t be... Even I would need a few days to travel this farwithout a construct...¡± Zeristin thought the matter over. But as all of his attention was too focused on one single thing, his mind naturally disregarded any other possibilities.


    ¡°Tell me more about this person you are looking for.¡±


    Zeristin gave her a brief explanation of the essentials. He didn''t mention anything about the city or what had happened to Lea, and only gave her the information that was necessary for the divination.


    ¡°Of course, you can''t find him, you idiot!¡± She lashed out at him with her tiny fist, noteven listening to the end. ¡°I can assume you are telling the truth, right? And not just pulling my leg to relieve you of your boredom? A person without Aer or any other form of mana... Does he really exist? Aren''t you mistaking him for a ghost or a dream of some sort?¡±


    When she saw the serious look on Zeristin face, she continued.


    ¡°Suppose a person like that existed. You won''t find him with divinations. You should know that much.¡±


    ¡°You''re... right.¡± Zeristin realized his mistake andscowled in irritation. He really ought to calm himself down lest he''d make another mistake. Why could none of the divination magi find Aien? Because he had no Aer - no mana. The goal that would tie the divination together was missing. If a divination was to show the route between two points, in this case, Aien, and the necklace, then it''d be unable to do so if one of the pointshad no marker. Without any Aer, he might as well not exist in this world, so how was one supposed to find that?To describe him as a ghost was indeed fitting.


    ¡°Why Teralis?¡± Yet, they did get a result.


    ¡°How am I supposed to know!?¡± She became even more irritated. Usually, she wouldn''t have to explain every little thing to him, and she wanted to get back to bed already. Theannoyance from having him interrupt her necessary sleepy-time by startling her with his unannounced visit grew the more time she wasted being awake. ¡°Maybe he bought it there! Maybe someone gifted it to him, who knows? Stop asking me silly questions and think for yourself.¡±


    ¡°A gift...¡± Zeristin closed his eyes to organize his thoughts and came to an obvious conclusion. ¡°Thanks, as always, Leizy.¡± After quickly saying goodbye without explaining anything further, leaving her very dissatisfied and yet relieved, he set off towards his new destination.


    <hr>


    Zeristin activated his entire construct and exerted himself to his utmost limits to arrive at Teralis on the samenight he''d departed from Leizy. It was almost the break of dawn when he walked through the small village. He took the time to recover from his exhaustion as he walked through the village towards thechurch on the outskirts.


    ¡°Oh? A visitor? How rare!¡± An elderly nun greeted him kindly as he stood in front of the gates of the church. She was just about to head outside when shesawZeristin walking towards her. Although there was not a trace of politeness in his behavior, the nun maintained her kind smile and offered him to come inside.


    ¡°It''s quite cold this early in the morning. How about-¡±


    ¡°Do you know a person called Aien?¡± Zeristin cut her off, not interested in exchanging pleasantries.


    ¡°Aien?¡± The nun pondered with a quizzical expression. She wasn''t the least bit bothered byhis sudden interruption and earnestly pondered to help him answer his question. ¡°...I''m sorry. I''m afraid I''ve never heard of this person before.¡±


    Zeristin clutched his hands in frustration. Unless the nun was an exceptional liar, she was telling the truth as far as he could tell. Even after coming all this way, there seemed to be no clue that brought him closer to his target. Everythingappearedto be a dead end.


    ¡°Then!¡± Zeristin shouted agitated while grabbing something out of his robe. ¡°Who does this belong to!?¡±


    The nun was startled by his shout that must have woken up the entire village downhill. After gathering herbearings, she stared at the necklace dangling in front of her as her eyes lit up in a mixture of joy and concern.


    ¡°Oh my... May I ask whereyou found this?¡± Sheasked,surprised whena sudden realization hit her. ¡°Is Michael alright!?¡±


    ¡°Michael?¡± Soon after, Zeristin squinted his eyes, andsomething resembling asmile crept onto his lips. So that''s how it was...


    ¡°What is this Michael to you?¡±


    ¡°A dear child of mine. I hope nothing bad has happened after he left again... Thank you for going through all the trouble of bringing backthis necklace and coming all the way out here. Do you know where he is?¡± There was not a trace ofsuspicionin her elderly and gentle voice that was brimming with motherly concern. She seemed to be completely ignorant of the danger in front of her as Zeristin''s attitude changed dramatically.


    ¡°In other words...¡± He ignored her, and a vicious glint flashed through Zeristin''s eyes as the cold smile on his face grew wider with glee.


    ¡°You are his mother?¡±

 Chapter 29

    <u>Chapter 29 ¨C Good-For-Nothing</u>


    ¡°Symar!!¡±


    A young mansighed heavily when he heard his father calling for him from the other side of the mansion. What had he done this time? Nothing, but whatever this was about, it was still his fault.


    Reluctantly,he walked through the mansion he called his home. It was filled with all the luxuries youcould find inside the homes of people who clearly had far too much money. Pictures at every corner each older than himself or his entire family lineage. A single one of those was probably worth more than he could ever amount to in his life. At least that was his father''s opinion of him was, and Symar started thinking he wasn''t wrong.


    They depicted the glorious acts of humanity''sunforgotten legends. Many of themcentered around Amir, the martyr that had ensured the survival of mankind when the Second End had come about.Any human would recognize his deified appearance as his sword cut through waves of demons that had tyrannized the world.


    Aside from those pictures, there were far too many chandeliers that would never be used in their entirety. It didn''t stop there as an enormous carpet connected the rooms across the entire building. It would be replaced each month by a different one, which led to a staggering amount of wasted money. In their case, however, that simply meantlosing somesmall change.


    Then, Symararrived in the large entrance hall, where astaircase divided the hall into twofloors. It was filled with statues, chiseled by masters of their art, showcasing the family lineage of Ranzes. From his great-great-great-something more-grandfather to the newest pedestal that was being finished. Symar didn''t have to look at the contoursto know who it would soon depict.


    The next head of the house, his dear brother Silyn.


    ¡°There you are, you good-for-nothing!¡± His father, Hammon the 3<sup>rd</sup> von Ranzes, seized him by the neck like you would grip a dog when it had done something wrong. He was already used to this treatment and no longer surprised from where this old man got the strength to lift a broad sixteen-year-old this effortlessly. After all, his life-style left himslightlyheavy for someone his age - not that he cared about that.


    ¡°Do you know what you have done!? No, of course, you don''t! Someone like you wouldn''t understand the troubles he brings to others with your mindless actions!¡± Hammon poured down his rage onto him, and Symar could only sigh helplessly and resign himself to his fate. Over the years, he had become well versed in pretending to listen to others and feign attention. But since there were no other distractions, heinevitablyremembered some of his father''s accusations as well asthe unceasing flood of insults.


    To put it bluntly, it was his fault that the all-importantmarble for his beloved son''s statue was not ''white'' enough. Apparently, Symar was responsible for checking up on the delivery so that something like this wouldn''t happen. First he''d heard of that, really.


    It took an entire two hours before Symar was gracefully allowed to return to his chambers. All the while, he cursed to himself loudly once he was out of earshot. It had become a new, meaningless habit of his to vent the frustration.


    ¡°What have I done to deserve this!? It''s not my fault you knocked up some stupid maid! Don''t blame me for it!!¡±


    That stupid maid who was supposed to be his mother had not once been there in his life. After this scandal became public among the circles of the nobles, Hammon had losta lot of his reputation. Infuriated, he let the maid go, who wasn''t too dissatisfied about her treatment. Since simply dismissing her out of rage was unbecoming of a noble, Hammon had to let her go with some money, much tohis nameless mother''s delight.In spite of that,he chose to keep the child at his mansion.


    After all, Symar carried his blood. He carried the lineage of a proud noble, and if he simply let him wander about, it would bring all sorts of trouble and shame tothe family.


    If Symar had to rot somewhere, it should be within the mansion where he wouldn''tcreate any unaccountedproblems. That''s what his father had decided, and there was nothing he could do about. Hecouldn''t even leave the mansion without some servants following after him. They were trained magi, unlike him, so there was no possibility of him shaking them off. In this entire mansion, he was the only person not practicing Magecraft. It wasn''t a matter of his talents- his father simply wouldn''t allow him to.


    Arriving back in his room, Symar bottled the next load of frustration within him. His capacity for it had long quelled over, but there wasn''t an outlet for it; neither was there any point in doing so. At this point, Symar was confident in his assumption that if the public didn''t know of his existence, he''d have long since been killed by his very own father. A lot of enemies would love to dig up any conspiracies Hammon used to get rid of his useless son and hold it against him in public.


    So, Symarhad slowly and painfully come to accept this fate. There was no purpose in his life. His father would never allow him to leave and make a life of his own. Even if he swore to the gods that he''d abandon his name, nothing would change. His noble blood, the envy of many, was his own prison and his father, the jailor.


    Therefore,he was no different from a luxurious prisoner. With the treatment he got, you could say that his life was, objectively speaking, not too bad. The leftover food he got was better than anything commoners would ever get to eat. His room was filled with a few books to stave off boredom and a comfortable bed to rest. It was by far the smallest room of the mansion, and yet it was as large as an entire apartmentthat most people lived in.


    Additionally, if he behaved correctly, he''d get some women toaccompany him to keep his violent tendencies at a minimum. They were carefully prepared so they could never become pregnant. However these preparations were made; they left most of themvery traumatized, to say the least. Most likely, his father had grown bored with them, which led to the circumstances that birthed him. Something Hammon had repeatedly said was the greatestmistake of his life. Symar agreed.


    But yes, if he behaved correctly, he''d have food, shelter, and women. Everything an animal could ask for, and so long as he was an obedient and good pet, this wouldn''t change. He''d wondered whether all nobles were like his father, but how could he ever know? According to the rumors circulating among the servants, this wasn''t the case, which didn''t make him feelthe least bit better. On the contrary, the fact that his father could possibly be the only shitty person in the worldjust brought him more sorrow.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Some Benevolent he is...¡± For some time, his cursing included the gods in an act of blasphemy. If his father heard of it, then his punishment most definitely wouldn''t end with a mere talking down to. He fell onto his bed in a trained manner, from where he saw the massive snowstorm brewing outside, covering the enormous backyard ina blanket of snow.


    ''Looks likehe won''t get hismarble today...''


    Symar thought before chuckling helplessly. Even in his own room, where he was somewhat free from his grasps, his thoughts drifted towards his father. Nothing would change untilthat man died, at which point his brother would take over the house. In other words, he might have to last an entire century until he could coinflip about Silyn''s choice of treatment. At the moment, his brother was at one of the private academies, studying Magecraft. It left him wondering whether this brother of his was even aware of his existence.


    How shocked wouldSilyn be if he suddenly found out he had a brother for the last several decades. Such meaningless thoughts accompanied him in this meaningless existence. SometimesSymar wondered why he wouldn''t just end everything himself. But would his father even allow him to do so? For a noble''s son to commit suicide would surely bring a disgrace that was unwashable for centuries to come. This thought alone encouraged him to try it out, but he couldn''t bring himself to do it just yet.


    Was this really all there was to his existence? This mansion was his world and his prison alike. Confided like a pet in a cage, was he doomed in here to his last breath? This thought left him shuddering, and he believed that wouldn''t be the case. Eventually, one of his family members would have to come to their senses and allow him to leave.


    But believe and hope could easily mix together to be indistinguishable from one another, inevitably resulting in delusions and wishful thinking.


    ¡°Hm?¡± As he daydreamed about nothing in particular, Symar caught a glance of something lying on top of his desk. It was a book that was cloaked in an unusual cloth. He wondered whether one of the maids or butlers had brought him something to kill some time again. They did take pity on him after all and would occasionally drop by a few things. Nothing that would really help escape his predicament, but he was grateful for their kind gestures nonetheless.


    ¡°Heavy...¡± When Symar picked the book up, he almost let it fall to the ground, its size defyinghis expectations. From the way it looked, it shouldn''t have more than a few hundred pages.


    Carefully, he removed the cloth. He caressed the pitch-black cover with his hand, whichfilled him with a strange feeling. Suddenly, nothing else in the world mattered to him morethan to rip open thebook at once and engulf himself in its contents. With his little life experience, he wasn''t able to suppress this burning desire in his heart, and he opened the first page.


    The book shone brightly,paintinghisroom in a bloody red. He raised his right arm to avoid the light blinding him,but after the red light finallysubsided, the letters glowed in its place. This time he couldn''t avert his gaze from thepiercing light, and soon, the meaning behind the words were imprinted into his mind.


    ¡°Summoning...a devil!?¡± Symarhuffed in exhaustion while staggering several steps back before keeling over. What was a book like this doing here?


    ¡°Devils really exist?¡± He muttered to himself, still unable to steady his bearings. Deep within him, he felt this burning desire urging him to continue reading. Thankfully for him, his body was unable to listen as it was too startled from the shock his mind received.


    Symar took this time to think about what he knew about devils. It wasn''t much. The only teachings he''d received from the different maids that took care of him was to stay away from them. Dealing with them was a fool''s endeavor and would never lead to anything good.


    ¡°A fool, heh...¡± Symar chuckled with derision as he thought about those warnings. The world he knew already treated him as a fool, so why not continue being one? He had nothing to lose. From this short experience, Symar knew this book was the real deal. Even if he didn''t want to listen to the beckoning call, he was certain he would be unable to suppress the longing in his heart for a long enough time to dispose of the book.


    Thus, he embraced it.


    His desire was obvious. It was all he ever wished for, and the solution appearedin front of him.


    For the rest of the day, Symar entered a trance as his eyes didn''t look up from the book once. His hands moved on their own, turning page after pageas theyimprinted themselves into his mind to be never forgotten. The maids occasionally passed by to bring over some food they left outside his door. They couldn''t see the light from the outside,leaving him unbothered in his studies.


    When the sun had already set, Symar finished reading the book. His mind was filled with exhaustion from the seemingly endless stream of information filling it. However, besides that, Symar was filled with a feeling he''d never felt before.


    Hope.


    After resting for an hour, Symar went through the options he''d just learned about. In fact, there was only one option for him. Most summonings required something called an artifact.One had to find a relic whichcould be anything, as long as it had existed in theworld before the Third Beginning. This item could then be crafted into an artifact to use as the foundation of the summoning. To perform the greatest summoning, an artifact from the time before the First End was required, which was basically non-existent in current times.


    Regardless, none of that mattered to him. He had no artifact, and there was definitely no way for him to acquire one. So, he was left with the last option. It barely required any preparation except for the summoning circle that was depicted in the book. As long as it was drawn correctly with the words from the Divine Language, it didn''t matter what was used as the foundation for the circle. Blood, chalk, carving it into stone, anything was possible.


    Since Symar had already decided to take this chance, he didn''t waste any more time. He went outside of his room andgrabbed the dinner that was prepared for him. Using the kitchen-knife, he proceeded to scratch into the carpet that covered the entire room. It was an arduous process, and in the end, hecould only create something that barely resembled a circle. He realized there was no way for him to delicately cut the necessary symbols into the carpet to finish the summoning circle. Distraught, he looked around the room for anything else he could use. But there was nothing.


    Should he look around the rest of the mansion for some ink? Wait until the next day and carefully hint at the maids that he''d like something to use as a drawing utensil?


    ¡°...No.¡± Hespoke to himself to gather his courage. If he didn''t act now, when would he? At long last, he had this chance, and he couldn''t let it slip out of his hands. He no longer knew whether this was his own genuine desire or the book influencing his actions. Regardless,Symar was utterly obsessed with the idea of this summoning ritual. Gritting his teeth, he pointed the knife towards his arm. Afraid to not pull through with his actions at the last moment, herashly cut open his arm while closing his eyes in trepidation. A small cut would have been enough for the time being, but instead, he''d opened a large would from which blood gushed out seemingly without end.


    He suppressed his painful outcry by gritting his teeth with all of his mightto the point he felt like they''d almost shatter. Using the excitement and adrenaline pumping through his body, Symar finished drawing the symbols into the outer rim of the circle.


    The final circle was as wide as both of his arms could stretch out, and the symbols were barely readable. To stop the bleeding, Symar hastily used one of his shirts as a replacement-bandage. The pulsating stream of blood turned out to be not as bad ashe''d thought, and he slowly calmed down.


    The summoning circle was finished, and there was only one thing left to.He hoped it wouldn''t create too much of a commotion. In his excitement, he didn''t think all of this through, but his father should be on the other side of the mansion, so it shouldn''t pose a problem.


    One last time Symar prepared himselfand stepped inside the circle. There was no need touse a drop of blood in his case. Thus,with renewed determination,he shouted out aloud. There were no proper instructions regarding the incantation, so he just went with what seemed appropriate.


    ¡°World, hear of my desire! Make me the greatest magus, unrivaled among my kind, so that I can exact my revenge and gain the freedom I seek!"

 Chapter 30

    <u>Chapter 30 ¨C The Greatest Fool</u>


    ¡°Why isn''t it working!?¡± Symar looked around his room,where nothing had changed. No devil. No mystical summoning effects. Nothing. He alone remained standing within the bloody circle he''d painfully drawn with no results to show.


    He wondered what went wrong and thought the matter over more carefully. There shouldn''t have been any mistakes with the summoning circle itself, at least that was what he hoped. So ignoring that possibility, he eventually realized the crucial part he''d forgotten in his excitement.


    ¡°I need a sacrifice...¡± He muttered quietly to himself. But knowing this didn''t really help him. What was the right sacrifice for a devil? His life? His soul? Obviously, those were out of the question, so what other options were there?


    ¡°I can make do with a few years less of my life...¡± It was the only conclusion he could come to. Devils were infamous for taking the lives of others in all different ways possible. A mixture of rumors and reality Symar hoped.He couldn''t think of anything else and decided to proceed with that. Once more, he called out his made-up incantation with only a slight correction. The goal ¨C becoming an archmagus in exchange for ten years of his life.


    Yet, there still were no changes,and the world ignored his plea. At this point, Symar was certain that he''d used the correct method and wasn''t overlooking anything else, but nothing was happening. Cursing at devils and gods alike, he continued trying all that he could think of to make the summoning would work.


    <hr>


    Outside of the estate, Aien stood in front of a fence that was more than twice his height and adorned with numerous spikes at the top to prevent intruders. He had to be careful to avoid the unbelievable number of guards that were hired for a single family. For better or worse, this Noble House relied more on human resources than constructs, which made things slightly more difficult for Aien. The snowstorm had already subsided, making it easier to observe Symar from this distance, yet at the same time, making it harder for him to hide.


    With too many unknown variables, Aien would never dare to carelessly perform a summoning without testing the waters first. That''s why Symar was the first of many future test subjects he''d guide into a summoning togain more information. However, It had already been hours since Symar tried his first summoning. Aienwas slightly annoyed when he looked at Symar''s antics from afar and wondered whether he''d chosen the wrong person.


    ''He keeps failing... Assuming he isn''t too stupid to follow the instructions means there''s a problem with the sacrifice as expected. Still... Is he too afraid?''


    Aien silently pondered, buried within the snow. Should he look for a different person that was more willing to sacrifice others? After all, the only successful summoning he knew of was Zeristin''s, and it had been done with a living sacrifice... For Aien, Time was a valuable resource he couldn''t waste. Zeristin was certainly still chasing after him, and something told him that he wouldn''t give up easily.


    Still, he was reluctant to give up on Symar that easily. His situation was very appealing, and he barely hesitated at all before his decision to summon a devil. Regardless, quantity was more important than quality in his current situation. Aien needed to watch as many summoning as possible of all different kinds so that he could be confident in his own attempt.


    Keeping all of this in mind, Aien decided to observe Symar a little while longer before changing hisapproach. If he could, he would prefer it much more to see him more up close and guide him in the right direction. His application as a servant was still pending, but he could probably get the position of a gardener if he remained patient. It might also be necessary to retrieve the books afterwards. Sneaking inside oncehad already been a tall hurdle to overcome with all of these watchful eyes that barely slacked on their job.


    But then, everything changed. Whatever he''d planned up to this point didn''t matter anymore. Whatever he''d thought would happen in the future became redundant. Because at that very moment, the world as he knew it, was no more.


    ¡°What the hell is this!?!?¡±


    Aien''s plans for the future or his thoughtful approach - They were all overturned and rendered meaningless by the sudden appearance ofa red light.


    <hr>


    ¡°World, hear of my desire! What I seek is revenge against those that have wronged me! I hope to attain my freedom, and for that, I would sacrifice everything I have!¡±


    Symar stopped counting how many times he''d shouted the same thing over and over. He arrived at a point wherehe didn''t care anymore and even began doubting whether the book was real or not. In his last attempt, before accepting his circle was a defect, he tossed all caution to the wind. Rumors were just that ¨C rumors. Even if they had some truth to them, they''d surely be overexaggerated. Thus, in the heat of the moment, Symar chose the right sacrifice for the summoning to complete. He could later decide what the devil wanted from him, and if it would finally work out, theywould surely come to an agreement.


    The shabby summoning circle beneath him glowed in a faint red before the entire room was filled with lightning. Soundlessly, they tore away at the carpet and scorched everything in their way. Only Symar, who stood at the center of the circle, remained unharmed as thelightning turned his room into ashes. Nothing caught fire, and yet it each spark turned everything it touched into cinders, erasing part of it from existence.


    Symar watched on dumbfounded as the badly-written symbols on the ground transformed into flawless characters.As if shattering the bindings that kept them on the floor, they struggled upwards into the air and began circling around his body. He soon realized that he could no longer move. No matter what Symar did, his body wouldn''t listen, as the floating runes trapped him inside the circle. Their ghastly appearance as they danced around him sent shivers down his spine, finally causing fear to fill his mind when he was confronted with this unknown turn of events.


    Suddenlythe runes stopped in their movements. He didn''t realize it before, but they had appeared to be talking, or rather singing in a language he couldn''t understand. As soon as they stopped moving, they changed their direction, turning towards him. None of them had anything resembling eyes, but Symarcould feel their piercingstares that containeda longing desire to approach him. They struggled against an invisible wall until they were finally granted passage. Following that, each character headed straight towards his right hand, where theyentered his body against his will. One after another, the characters disappeared, and a symbol that resembled an intertwined chainbecame visible on his right hand. The process brought with it an excruciating pain, making him feel like his hand was burning from the inside out. When he could no longer endure and wasabout to pass out, an ethereal voice in his mind kepthim awake again.


    Symar couldn''t make out to whom it belonged to. He had never heard it before in his life, but he instinctively knew that his fate rested in that voice. Every wordit said reverberated throughout his entire body. He graspedhis headwith his trembling palms, trying everything to endure this newassault to his mind. But there was nothing he could do to drown out the voice that sunk into the depths of his consciousness to announce the divine decree that would change his life forever.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Contract


    I, Symar von Ranzes, will herby offer everything I have. In exchange, I demand revenge against those that have wronged me. I demand that I attain the freedom I seek.


    The world acknowledged your plea.


    To grant what you desire, I was born as Aien, a devil under the Law of Death. I will heed the world''s call to take it upon myself to honor the contract.


    The devil was born, and the contract was made.


    Barely able to hold on from completely passing out, Symar slowly opened his eyes after the pain had faded away. A throbbing sensation remained in his right hand as well as a ringing in his head. Still, he''d recovered enough to study his surroundings.


    Out of thin air, and before Symar knew from where he''d come from, a young man appeared in front of him. The two stared at each other without speaking a word. Symar was left bewildered that the devil he''d summoned looked like any other ordinary human. Moreover, he was perplexed when he realized that this devil seemed more astonished than himself about the ongoing events.


    Symar and Aien continued staring at each other, each dealing with their own thoughts. The former was too afraid after going through the painful summoning process. He didn''t know what was going on and decided for his counterpart to open theconversation. But after Aien remained silent for some time, he wondered whether this devil was even capable of human speech. Just because he looked like a human to him, didn''t mean he had to be one. In fact, Symar knew he wasn''t. Additionally, there was also the voice that spoke to him.


    The devil was born.


    Did that mean the devil in front of him was an infant? Because he didn''t have an artifact? Symar soon realized he knew absolutely nothing about what he''d just done, and the surfacing doubts and fear began overwhelming him. It made him regret his rash decision, but it was too late for that.


    On the other hand, Aien, too, had not the least inkling what was going on. He was summoned? As a devil? How? Why? Countless questions were filling his mind with not a single answer in sight. Just like Symar, he''d heard a voice in his mind. But when the contract was formed, Aien''s own opinion was completely ignored. No matter how he refused to accept the contract, the voice had answered and accepted it in hisstead.


    It was difficult for him, but Aien forced himself to calm down. He had to tackle the problem slowly, one issue after the other. However, that''s when he remembered those words again. That voice. He''d heard it once before. In that forgotten transit between two lives.


    ''Do you agree?'' It had asked.


    But his thoughts didn''t stop there. It wasn''t only once, but he''d heard that voice dozens of times, more than he could bother to count after that.


    Slowly, this fragment ofhis suspicion grew into the realization of an undeniable truth that explained everything.


    ¡°N...o...¡± Aien silently muttered in a weak whisper. His body lost all of its strength as he dropped with his knees onto the ground like a puppet that had its strings cut.Pressing his arm against the ground to barely support his upper body, he stared at the floor with his quivering eyes that saw a glimpse of the truth. His mind came to more conclusions against his will, turning his suspicion into a certainty he couldn''t possibly ignore anymore.


    ¡°NO! Stop!¡± He couldn''t bear it anymore and rammed his head against the floor to drown out his own unceasing thoughts. Without caring about anything else, Aien began shouting words in a language, Symar was unable to comprehend. Terrified and frightened, Symar crawled into a corner and made himself as small as possible as he watched this devil seemingly losing his mind.


    ¡°Why!? This can''t- This can''t be real... Don''t let it be real! This has... has to be a dream. Yes... All of this... is just one... long...and cruel... nightmare...¡±


    At that moment, the only thing Aien wished for was for all of this to end. To let him wake up back in that torture chamber and that all of this was just a hallucination. A dream that his mind had created in a delirium in response to the enormous suffering. Even if the endless days of torture were all that awaited him, it would be better than this. Better than to be toyed with in a manner like this.


    Naturally, that prayer fell on deaf ears.


    Through the wide window that revealed the backyard of the mansion, the first rays of moonlight peeked through the clouds. The snowstorm left behind a pearl-white blanket of snow that stretched into the infinite distance. For some reason, none of the servants or the head of the house had noticed the outbursts coming from Symar''s room. This whole world of whiteappeared to be devoid of any souls as the numerous guards were nowhere to be seen. Aien''s eyes remained glued to the ground in disbelief and denial, refusing to accept reality and the conclusion he''d come to when he suddenly caught a glance of a single figure.


    Outside on the white carpet, a person kneed in front of a fountain. The moonlight illuminated their surroundings as the falling water of the fountain echoed within the vicinity, filling it with the splattering sounds of peaceful tranquility. Amid this serene picture, the person offered a prayer to the moons in the sky.


    Their back was turned to the window through which Aien was looking through. He felt his heart sinking into a bottomless pit when he saw the figure outside. He couldn''t, rather didn''t, want to believe his eyes. They frequently blinked, trying to desperately get rid of the tricks his mind played on him. When the person suddenly disappeared from his sight, Aien sighed heavily in relief.


    Nothing of this was real. His brain was making things up, and all of his thoughts were utter nonsense. Those were the thoughts he deluded himself with.


    ¡°That''s where you are, Michael!¡±


    All of a sudden, that familiar, far too familiar voice sounded out from behind him.


    ¡°Oh my... What''s with that look on your face? Aren''t you happy to see me again?¡± The gentle voice of an elderly woman asked him, exuding a warmth that he''d indulged in for years. The strained expression on his face relaxed as he saw Mother Catherine stepping into the room. Her voice lulled him into a trance where he forgot about anything that had happened. He forgot about the crimes he''d committed or anything related to them. At this very moment, hereturned to that orphanage where he had spent his days in peace, accompanied by a blissful ignorance he wouldn''ttrade away for anything else.


    ¡°Don''t cry, my dear!¡± Mother Catherine smiled gently as sheput her arms aroundhiminto a soft embrace and caressed his head likeshe''d used to do to the spoiled brat that had once been him. No tears left his eyes, but the impossible mixture of relief and despair turned his expression into an indescribable sadness.


    ''Another illusion. It has to be.'' He concluded. Even so, he embraced this warmth. He ignored the voice in the back of his mind that reminded him that this was far too real for it to be adream. But he refused to accept that. Instead, he chose to flee from that reality, no longer thinking about what should be or what was. All of that had to be wrong. And this had to be fake. It had to be.


    Because if not...


    ¡°That''s right, you go by the name of Aien now?¡±Mother Catherine asked with a slight tone of disapproval in her kind voice. ¡°What an ungrateful child you are... To discard the name your mother gave you, I didn''t raise you like that."


    But asAien knew from an enormous wealth of experience, reality wouldn''t turn out to be that kind to him. In response to her remark, Aien felt his heart skipping all of its beats as his mind slowly returned to the reality he utterly dreaded.


    "I... I... This isn''t..."


    ¡°If you want to change names that badly...¡± Catherine ignored him and stareddirectly into the eyes. He couldn''t avoid her gaze that pierced into the depths of his soul, accompanied bythat faint flickering red behind her pupils. It was then that he realized what had tipped him off since the beginning of their reunion.


    Since when did she speak that language he hadn''t heard in over eighty years?


    ¡°Why not go with your old one?¡±


    Those last words, sent him into a spiral of despair, he''d never have thought could go any deeper. He''d believed that at some point, he had alreadyreached the bottom and that it could only go up from there.


    ¡°Mentor, right?¡±


    But he was wrong.


    Oh, so terribly wrong.

 Chapter 31

    <u>Chapter 31 ¨C The strings of Fate</u>


    Teralis at dusk.


    The first signs of a snowstorm coming from the north were already on the horizon. In spite of that, the family of three casually strolled around the surroundings of the empty fields that had been reduced to a land of frozen earth.


    ¡°Don''t run too far!¡±


    The young girl that ran into the distance ignored her father''s call. In response,the surprisingly youngmancould only shake his head helplessly.


    ¡°That little brat...¡±


    ¡°Hehe!¡±


    Behind him, the figure of a beautiful young woman chuckled contentedly as she grasped his right arm between her own. Her blond hair resembled that of the child in the distance, and anyone could tell the two were related by their facial features alone. The mother would have undoubtedly been a stunning beauty with her sapphire-blue eyes that shone with a brilliant luster if it wasn''t for the ugly scar that tore through her delicate face. Even her slender figure that would make men turn their head more than twice couldn''t mend this fault in her appearance. Yet, the one man that mattered most to her would pay no heed to such matters. For this was the woman, he truly loved from the bottom of his heart.


    ¡°She never listens to you, does she, Zeri?¡± She chirped in a gentle voice. Despite the oncoming storm and the coldness in their surroundings, she was filled withthe uniquewarmth that could only be found in the arms of her small family.


    ¡°I don''t know what to do with her.¡± Zeristin chuckled heartfully before mischievously pullingher into his embrace. ¡°I wonder if she got that from her mother?¡±


    This is wrong.


    ¡°Me?¡± The woman pouted slightly, trying to hide the blush underneath her scars before breaking out in a burst of cheerful laughter again. She let him pamper her until her frail heart was satisfied. When she changed the topic back to their daughter, however, she assumed the appearance of a stern mother that looked out for the well-being of her child above all else.


    ¡°Lea is alreadyten years old. It''s time for us to make a decision.¡±


    ¡°Stella... Are you sure?¡± Zeristin lost his own cheerfulness as he thought about the matter she''d raised earlier this day. Should they send her to the academy? Lately, there had been some nasty rumors, and its future remained uncertain. However, the traveling magus they''d met mentioned that their daughter was very talentedand should pursue the study of Magecraft.


    Don''t let her fool you.


    ¡°I''m sure mother would be happy to hear about this.¡± Stella continued, trying to convince her husband about the idea. After all, they were talking about their daughter becoming a magus! Surely this meant that she would have a prosperous future ahead of her if she could really succeed in becoming one.


    ¡°Mother...¡±


    When Stella mentioned her, Zeristin felt a small headache coming on. Every time they talked about her, he had that weird feeling at the back of his head. It was strange, and he couldn''t really explain what it meant. He liked her ¨C he really did. But this feeling didn''t let him rest easy.


    This is not real.


    Zeristin shook his head wildly to clear his thoughts. There was nothing wrong ¨C it was just his imagination.


    ¡°Alright, Stella...¡± In the end, Zeristin agreed reluctantly, surrendering to his lover. He didn''t even know why he was so opposed to the idea initially. For their daughter to become a magus would bring unimaginable advantages as well as honor and riches to their impoverished family. If one day they could see her standing on an equal footing to those nobles, they could be very proud of that.


    Even so, despite him agreeing, this slight itch didn''t leave him in peace.


    Remember the truth, Zeristin Wezlak!


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    But when he saw that cheerful little girl running towards him as shealmost stumbled several times in her haste, Zeristin felt his tired heart being filled with an endless warmth that eclipsed the nagging voice. That''s right. Nothing mattered more than his family, and he had to do his best to provide for them. What else did he have to worry about?


    <hr>


    ¡°Be a dear and make us some tea, darling.¡±


    Within the mansion of Ranzes, Catherine made herself comfortable on the large bed. Ever since her appearance, Aien remained unmoving on the same spot she''d first hugged him. With his head hung low,he stared at the floor without daring to meet her eyes anymore. Whatever was going on in his mind that was left in utter turmoil ¨C no one could tell.


    ¡°Yes, mother!¡±


    Symar nodded obediently in an ecstatic voice before leaving the room. How couldn''t he be happy? After all this time, his mother had finally returned! Naturally, he''d do his best to meet her needs.


    ¡°I''m sure you have a lot of questions.¡±


    Catherine spoke up, but Aien seemed to ignore her. She didn''t mind that at all as she began answering all of his questions without him needing to ask.


    ¡°You''re a devil. My devil.¡± She began with a slight snicker that was unusual for the appearance of the elderly. She kept up the act of a caring mother, but deep within her eyes, one could see her deceitful nature if one wasn''t enchanted by them beforehand.


    ¡°Mentor... No, Michael? Or Aien, which do you prefer?¡± She merely shrugged her shoulders indifferently when she got no answer. ¡°Oh well, Michael it is then. It''s the name I''ve chosen carefully after all. A devil with the name of an angel, how beautifully ironic... You should be grateful to me. Without me, you would have lost everything and returned to the cycle of reincarnation. Your soul would have remained but wiped clean of its memories. That''s the same as disappearing into nothingness forever, my dear.¡±


    ¡°Show me the contract,¡± Aien muttered in a slight whisper that Catherine couldn''t make out. Even so, in front of Aien, a piece of paper appeared, floating in mid-air. It wasn''t accompanied by the usual red light. It instead appeared to be like any other piece of paper if it wasn''t for its enormous length. As one of the participants, he had every right to take a look at it whenever he wanted, even if that was the only right left to him.


    The contract itself could be summarized as followed.


    Contract


    I will not harm Cath Z. Yslazeth in any form or manner.


    I will obey her every word and abide by her will.


    I will offer up my soul to her.


    If any of these clauses are broken, I accept that the world will erase my existence.


    In exchange, Imay be reborn as a devil.


    Signed, Mentor.


    It was different. A lot different from the contract that Aien had seen. At the bottom of it, he found a blue-white dot that was inexplicably familiar to him. The connection between him and this symbol was one of utmost familiarity, and Aien knew that whatever it was, it once was a part of him. When he looked at the contents of the contract, he felt nothing. Everything was as he''d suspected by this point. Naturally, a contract created by an actual devil would leave no openings or mistakes to exploit.


    In the meantime, Symar entered the room again, holding a tablet with a kettle and two cups. After placing them in front of Catherine, he obediently left them alone aftershe had ordered him to do so. Without any haste, Catherine poured herself some tea made from the finest herbs in the region while studying Aien. Up to this point, there had yet to be any other reaction from him after their initial reunion.Unfortunate, since she somewhat enjoyed seeing his little antics.


    ¡°It was quite troublesome, you know.¡±Catherine eventually continued. ¡°It''s not easy to deal with that old hag Ayla or get a hold of a Primal Contract. We had to spend a lot of resources to attain the right to proceed as well.¡±


    Ayla, the Goddess of Life. So the gods did exist. Not that he could bother caring about them at that moment.


    ¡°Have you never suspected anything?¡±She asked while watching him with that usual smile of hers. It had taken almost twenty years to raise him, so she would indulge in her shenanigans a littleafter her work was finally done.


    Aien remained unresponsive, but the cogs in his head turned without pause. In hindsight, all of this shouldn''t have come as much of a surprise to him. She had paid a lot of individual attention to him. His innocent self of the past had thought she liked him more than the others. That he was a special child ¨C unique to that newfound mother of his. But just like his own past victims, he had never willingly suspected anything. Simply because he didn''t want to. He''d never considered this possibility to begin with. Therefore, he never scrutinized the reasons behind her treatment or why he was that unique talentless child in that orphanage filled with potential magi.


    It was painful to admit. Still, he, Michael, had always thought that her reasons were that mystical and elusive feeling he''d often heard of in fairy tales.


    Love.


    ¡°Don''t be like that, Michael. Here, have some tea.¡±


    Catherine said as he chose to keep ignoring her questions. When those words left her mouth,Aien could no longer ignore her bidding. He felt the two forces pulling inside of him, influencing all of his actions and decisions. The first was her gentle voice, which alone made it almost impossible for him to refuse.It belonged to that of an endearing mother that made a plea no one could ignore. Aien was familiar with her enchanting words thatremoved all will of disobedience. But If he''d forced himself, he could have overcome their pull after the recent events.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    However, that othertugging force was far more dangerous. He knew he had no real choice - No freedom. If he ever disobeyed her words,it was an absolute certainty that his life would end on the spot. At all times, her words were accompanied by a sword that hung directly above his head, leaving only oneultimatum.


    Obey or die.


    Thus, Aien reluctantly grabbed himself a chair and sat in front of the woman he called his mother and drank the tea she poured him.


    ¡°I spent a lot more effort than that.¡± She continued again, calmly sipping at her tea. This time she had a better seat to appreciate her years of work.


    ¡°Do you know how hard it was to find someone named Reynold that was also a captain? It took me a few years in advance tofind one just for you. It was all worth it in the end, though. The look on your face when I introduced him to you was delightful.¡±


    Aien struggled to hold up his indifferent facade, but his brows betrayed him as they twitched in reaction to her words. On the other hand, Catherine chuckled gleefully as she reminisced about the events of that day. It was just one of her silly pastimes, in which she''d probably put far too much effort in.


    ¡°That reminds me...¡± She pulled out a familiar necklace that Aien had thought he''d never see again and put it onto the table. ¡°Remember to thank that friend of yours for bringing it back. What a kind fellow, indeed. I hope he is doing well.¡±


    ¡°How...¡± Aien chose to ask his first question, but there was no need to as she interrupted him.


    ¡°...did no one notice you were a devil? That friend of yours who was looking for you should have realized it immediately, no? You see, that''s the whole point of this little experiment.¡±


    When he heard that, Aien couldn''t help but feel the fragmented remains of his heart being ruthlessly squeezed once more. Naturally, Catherine happily took note of his reaction.


    ¡°How much do you know about the First World?¡± She asked rhetorically. There wasn''t much information about the time before the First End. When she continued, her gentle voice finally changed for the first time as they contained some spite in them. ¡°It was otherwise known as the World of Devils. A completely different time. Nowadays, all you find are those feeble mortals. Back then, we used to roam the world in the same manner you do, until...¡±


    She stopped herself before speaking up again. From that point on, her words contained a hatred like none other, and if it wasn''t necessary, she didn''t want to relive those long-forgottenmemories.


    ¡°During that time, we owned physical bodies. We were part of the divine and yet no different from mortals as we ruled the world. After the World of Devils came to an end, most of us lost our right to own our bodies. Thus, we were forced to hide in our ethereal realm as specks of our former glory. Currently, most of us can only leave that realm as the world watches over us and assigns us the duty of fulfilling contracts.¡±


    Her words contained a lot of information Aien would never be able to get, but it was hard for him to pay much attention to them. Regardless, Catherine continued her duty to explain their ancient glory as he''d become one of them.


    ¡°Ever since, devils are no longer allowed to procreate. Only the world can birth us, which makes us none other than its servants. Few of the archdevil of the past remain, and most of our newer forces can barely compete with the lower races. To regain our rights, this isn''t enough... That''s when I proposed this idea. Your soul was part of that other world. It was the perfect opportunity to birth a new kind of devil. However...¡±


    All of a sudden, the way she looked at him changed. Instead of glee at his ridiculous circumstances, she looked at Michael with some kind of disgust. Like some dirt, she had to scrape off her shoes, her gaze contained nothing else but disappointment.


    ¡°Your birth was... extraordinary. Your entire existence was. At first, I thought your lack of mana was due toturning into a devil, but that didn''t make sense. Every devil was born with some extent ofmana to the extent of fulfilling their first contract. That was what brought me hope. You were different from ordinary devils. You teetered between death and life. No doubt, you existed in front of my eyes, and yet, in a sense, you didn''t. Devoid of any form of mana, by all means, you should have died or never been born.Still, you lived. At that point, the experiment was a success."


    Catherine remembered the excitement she felt when she first caught sight of him. His mindhad beena mess from his past trauma, but other than that, he was perfect. Since his existence was an unknown occurrence, his possibility was endless.


    "You gained some of my characteristics of a devil and remained human at the same time. Did you never wonder how you made all those people do your bidding? Those silly drugs you used? Don''t make me laugh. That was my power that you attained. Your birth was similar to how the world operates when it births devils but slightly different and tweaked by myself. As a matter of fact, you are my biological son, which might have also played a role in your charismatic skills as you think of them. It''s been a long time since the last devil gave birth... All of that went so smoothly and yet...¡°


    She paused and poured herself some more tea before continuing her explanation.Catherine didn''t mind wasting this time, seeing how, with each word, Aien lost his remaining hope as hismind further lost itself within the turmoil of this charade. If nothing else,this failed experiment should make a good servant.And as a servant, he needed no thoughts of his own, and it was better to root outanything troublesome that remained within him.


    ¡°But I was wrong. In a sense, you were never born. I have to rethink my approach regarding that in my next experiment. Still, your dealing with contracts was definitely a mistake. I wanted to continue watching, but it seems the world somehow took advantage of that. At that very moment, the contract pulled you in, and you were officially born into this world. Go ahead and feel it. You have it now. That what you so desperately desired. Our tainted Mana ¨C that damned Yzra.¡°


    As soon as Catherine mentioned it, Aien instinctively knew what she was talking about. Throughout his whole body, he could feel a river that hadn''t existed. It was almost dried up. Yet, it undoubtedly existed,filling himwith a vitality that slightly refreshed him with each passing cycle. Maybe it was thanks to its existence that he hadn''t completely crumbled yet.


    Once more, Catherine sighed in disappointment when she looked at him. The experiment was a failure, but she got some decent information out of it.Aien was now born by the world like any other devil. Whatever had made him special before was no longer there, and hisworth dwindled rapidly. Naturally, she held no regard for him simply because he was biologically speaking her son. She was a devil, not a human. Throughout nature, the relationship between offspring and their parents was as variable as they come. She had not the slightest feelings of connection between them. He was merely like any other lower devil, disgraced by the world because of their past mistakes ¨C a far cry from the devils of origin.


    On the other hand, Aien felt not the slightest relief when he felt the mana traveling through his body. He had finally attained it - A path to power. But at what cost? And for what reason?


    "That''s it, then.¡° Catherine stood up after talking to herself, no longer taking Aien into her sight. The time for fun was over.


    ¡°As for you...¡°


    No longer did her voice contain that sweet and intoxicating kindness or that caring tone of a mother. Instead, she treated him like her servant, not even turning around to talk to him - Indifferent, without an ounce of kindness or thought for him.


    "Make yourself useful and become a little stronger. You should know how. After all, you are a full-fledged devil by now. Don''t disappoint me.¡° She said so, but her words were completely empty as they were directed at this failure. It was time for her to get back to work and improve her approach for the next experiment.


    "Yes, mother.¡° For the first time, Aien coherently responded in a calm voice. He seemed to have recovered from the immense shock and respectfully stood behind her back, giving her a slight bow. She gave him a cold snort and disappeared from the room the same way she''d come.


    Finally, Aien was left alone. Outside, the snowstorm had already begun once again, raging with the boundless might of nature, further tugging the world intoa deathly-silencewithits white blanket. The heavy wind pressed against the building as the echo of lost souls wailed through the cracks in the window. The rumbling of the glass thundered within the room, threatening to break at any moment, as it helplessly resigned itself to the might of the wind crashing against it.


    Alone and cut off from the entire world outside, Aien sunk onto the bed where the woman he''d called his mother had just sat. The warmth of her body remained, making him remember the gentle days of the past for the last time. Unmoving, almost devoid of any signs of life, he digested the recent events in his thoughts. The matter of him being a devil was irrelevant to him. Human or not - it was all the same. But as for Mother Catherine and the contract...


    If...


    ...she hadcome to kill him for what he''d done ¨C That would have been fine. No, he would have even welcomed her judgment and disappointment in the child she''d painfully raised.


    ...she hadcome to punish him and straightened him onto the right path ¨C Nothing would have been better than that.


    ...she had come pleading and begging for him to stop ¨C He would have considered it.


    ...she haddone anything else ¨C He would have gladlywelcomed it more than this.


    Because this... this... was far too cruel of a truth for him to accept. He''d always made a fool of others before,but now, he was the victim.


    Every action has a reaction. The law of causality existed in any world. As he''d done so often before,for the last time, he wondered whether all of this was the punishment he deserved. Was this the result of what he''d done?


    His victims that were buried underneath theearth after meeting their painful demise at his hands would no doubt agree in spitefulness. Of course, he deserved this. Of course,this was the natural result of his action. You reap what you sow - This was karma, the law of nature.


    But they would be wrong.It was nothing like that. A law like this didn''t exist anywhere. None of this had anything to do with his actions. Had he remained innocent or even become a savior of the people, nothing would have changed.


    Regardless, this world would have still condemned him to this fate. He would have still been that devil chained by a contract to be a slave for the rest of his pitiful andpointless existence. Even if he had done absolutely nothing, this outcome would have still been the same.


    Everything was a lie. Everything. He''d never had a mother or any person dear to him. Alice, too, merely had not enough time to betray his expectations.


    On that day among the carnage of mutilated bodies, Aien had thought he''d attained his first step towards freedom. He''d thought that he was no longer restrained by his conscience or morals. After having shattered the last chains of Karzek''s slavery, he would eventually gain true freedom after achieving the sufficient strength he needed.


    But what a fool he was to believe such.


    Not once, in either of his lives of suffering, had he ever been free. That was his fate. Since the beginning of his life - since before his second life had even started - His fate was that of a slave. Hisdestiny was that of a puppet that danced in the hands of others. At first, he had danced to the tune of his superiors. He then hopped to the tune of those stronger than him. And now, even the beings of the divine made use of his strings that fate had placed on him as he danced for their enjoyment and curiosity. No matter who it was, he would always be dancing and dancing until he could no more. Until his owners finally broke his strings for good.


    That was the sole fate of the man known as Mentor.


    That was the binding Michael could not escape.


    And the chains Aien did not see.


    ?...Ha......Haha!¡°


    Watching the snowstorm outside, Aien finally released his repressed emotionsin a faint chuckleof derision as he thought about his own existence. Self-deprecating, he came to this realization, and he couldn''t help but erupt in wild laughter. That laughter turned into a manic frenzy, containing his endless despair and hatred for anything that existed in this world. For the last time, the memories of his past flashed by. He vividly relived the interminable amount of torturing that had broken his mind into pieces. Why had he ever tried to fix them together? They were only destined to shatter again.


    The laughter of a mad man, who had lost everything, yet never had anything, to begin with,continued erupting outfrom within him. It traveled out of the mansion into the lonely and cold world of death. The fragmented pieces of his past self were beyond repair and utterly broken by the playful hands of the world.


    Fate and the divine. The devils and the people that lived in this world. They would all toy with him until he was crushed. And they would continue to do so...


    For he was the world''sjester.


    "In that case..."


    Through hisinsane laughter, he hissed the words with a boundless conviction that contained all of his hatred. He wouldn''t just keel over and die. Every suffering he''d endured and any injustice he''d experienced fueled this hatred into the sworn oath he made to himself. At the same time, he shed that last teardrop that contained all of the remaining humanity within him and the last remaining doubts. Silently it fell to the ground, dispersing into nothingness for the rest of eternity like the snow once summer came.


    ?...this entire world should cease to exist."

 Chapter 32

    <u>Chapter 32 ¨C You reap what you sow</u>


    In the capital city, Hayden, the people were recovering from the recent festivities that had been going on for an extended period. But even if they weren''t preoccupied with such mundane matters, none of the residents, whether they be magi or not, would have known about the events transpiring above their heads.


    Through the use of Magecraft, a shallow disc, the size of a mansion floated among the clouds directly above the city. Using the currents of the wind, the platform created itself, it was able to float without any pillars needed for support. This inconspicuous yet enormous platform was currently used as the gathering place of the most influential people in the Empire of Ethena. The political structure in Ethena was straightforward, at least on the surface. At the top was the emperor whose might surmounted everyone else as he ruled the Empire. He was advised by the four Noble Houses that were second only to him in their combat prowess. Beneath them in the hierarchy were the rest of the nobles that were responsible for handling the actual regulations of the country.


    Representatives of each major Noble House knelt in a large semicircle around the emperor who remained seated on the sole object on this platform. From his throne that rose above them, Kaemir Lorak addressed his ''loyal'' subjects as he waited for the last person to fly up through their different uses of Magecraft. Next to him was his trusted Prime Construct as he exuded the air of royalty and looked down at the group that had demanded this audience.


    On the outside, he kept up the act of a lofty emperor, but inside he was at an utter loss; he could never reveal to his subjects.


    ¡°Your Majesty, we have called for this urgent audience to discuss the events that have transpired in Levestein.¡±


    With his head hung low and kneeling on the ground in subservience, one of the men spoke up. His voice was filled with the utmost respect, waiting for the emperor to adequately address him.


    ¡°You may speak, Orvin von Celesta.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty. I''m afraid that Zeristin Wezlak''s actions can no longer be ignored.¡±


    Orvin spoke as he raised himself up. He was filled with righteousness as he walked around the floor to talk to the surrounding people as if he was putting on a show.


    ¡°Not only has he rebelled against our glorious Empire, but he also attacked the Emperor himself! This absolutely can not go unpunished! His whereabouts remain unknown, but...¡±


    The heated speech continued for a while until Kaemir could no longer endure.


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    His voice traveled through the air as he raised his hand to silence this tasteless actor in front of him.


    ¡°The matter regarding Zeristin Wezlak is for me to decide. I''ve already told you so. No one else is to interfere, and no one has to worry any more about it. I assure his punishment will be properly dealt with.¡±


    The four representatives obediently bowed their heads without making a fuss as this was within their expectations. They had no delusional hopes that Kaemir would sincerely confront Zeristin about the matter. At most, Zeristin would get a slap on the wrist in front of the public. It was wishful thinking that they could deal with him, and the academy in one fell swoop. On the surface, however, none of these people present would reveal this sentiment.


    ¡°I do not doubt the Emperor''s judgment and believe that Your Majesty will deliver him the proper punishment. However...¡±


    At this point, Orvin further straightened his tired body that hid the wear of old age despite his youthful appearance. He continued in a solemn tone that carried a trace of pain as he was out for revenge for the injustice they had suffered.


    ¡°We can no longer ignore the leaking of Magecraft to the public!¡±


    Everything that followed next was as Kaemir has expected. Their agenda and the main reason for this charade they called an audience was this. Hidden within in his heart, Kaemir sighed heavily after hearing Orvin von Celesta taking this next step. While watching this meaningless act of politics, he glanced over at the small crystal ball that was recording the current events for the public, using the subtle properties of light that were hidden in the element of fire. While only a few would have access to the actual footage, this audience would, without a doubt, reach the ear of every citizen.


    ¡°That monster Aien stemmed from a lower class! He was the sole reason for this terrible tragedy that had befallen the city, leaving tens of thousands of people dead in the streets! It pains me to say, but I regret to admit that this our fault!!¡±


    While continuing his heartfelt speech, Orvin took note of not only addressing the Emperor but also the future public.


    ¡°We can not continue to allow anyone to access the dangerous secrets of Magecraft! What would this world come to if we allow anyone to study such might! We have to properly regulate who should be allowed to wield the reserved might of humanity! As such, I demand the immediate closure of the academy! We can not succumb to Zeristin''s whims that will no doubt lead us to the next tragedy at any moment!¡±


    It was a bunch of nonsense, and everyone present knew that. Under normal circumstances, Kaemir would never agree to this obvious move of power that would strengthen the position of the nobles. But there was a critical problem.


    The public was on their side.


    The terrifying events in Levestein had changed people''s minds about Magecraft. Aien''s name became known almost anywhere where humans dwelled, and his devilish deeds were just as infamous. A human of lower birth that abused his newfound power. The public realized that, indeed, anyone with some talent could learn this dangerous art.


    Thus, ordinary people began to fear this tremendous weapon called Magecraft that was used in a never-before-seen act of terrorism. The nobles used this excellent opportunity for their propaganda. Therefore, there wasn''t much Kaemir could do. This matter was already decided without his opinion. He could enforce his will on the people and go against the nobles, but he wasn''t almighty.


    Compared to singular individuals, he no doubt stood among the top of humanity. Still, if the nobles continued to fan the flames and gather the support of the citizens, he would fall into some trouble eventually. He wasn''t Zeristin or the Emperor of Ryst, whose might was pretty much indisputable. Even if Kaemir could do what he wanted without anyone hindering him, what was the point of such tyranny?


    ''What''s the point indeed...'' Kaemir silently thought to himself.


    Among the four representatives, Marvis von Erestiv looked at Orvin with disappointment. If he could go through with his own will, he would have gone strictly against this. In fact, it came to a vehement argument between him and the elders in his house, but in the end, he was overruled. Furthermore, there was also the alliance between the four houses until the academy and Zeristin were dealt with. Evidently, his opinion would have been overruled by them as well.


    ''This is a mistake.''


    Marvis thought for the dozenth of time since this decision had been made amongst them. He didn''t want to antagonize Aien. He wasn''t sure how much Aien would be offended by this, but it would create a rift that wouldn''t allow Marvis to pull him to their side.


    When he raised his opinion, the influential elders in his house dismissed his nonsense in derision. What could a single boy do? Marvis, too, didn''t know, but his instincts that had been honed over the years of his life told him that he was extraordinary. One day this boy would do something unbelievable, and he wanted to witness it. Alas, because of this meaningless world of politics, he wouldn''t get a front seat to watch the events. He''d have to make do with the back row for the time being.


    ¡°I agree that something has to be done.¡±


    Eventually, Kaemir spoke up, unable to hide the tiredness in his voice that revealed his desire to get this matter over with as fast as possible. This predefined event had merely to be done officially.


    ¡°Henceforth, I declare the Royal Court of Magecraft to be closed indefinitely! Any distribution of unauthorized Magecraft is strictly forbidden, and any who do not abide by this rule will be dealt with strict punishment!¡±


    Below him, the representatives agreed in a low voice as they lowered their heads, hiding the glint of victory in their eyes.


    ¡°You may take handling the matter of raising future magi into your own hands.¡± Kaemir put the final nail in the coffin.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°Since Your Majesty deems us worth, we will not disappoint Your Majesty''s trust.¡±


    Finally, the meeting was dispersed, and the nobles went their own ways, leaving Kaemir alone on the platform. Supporting his head on one of his hands in an undignified manner, Kaemir cursed into the void once everyone was out of earshot.


    All of this was a huge mess.


    Why had he ever bothered becoming emperor to begin with? What use was the glory of his title and the superficial respect of his subjects that plotted behind his back at every opportunity they got? He''d once thought that reaching this position was his goal in life. Still, ever since he''d attained it, all that was left was bureaucracies and the pointless talking in a language he was uncomfortable with.


    ¡°Zeristin was right... To hell with all of this! He was wise to refuse back then... Did that bastard see all of this coming and remained silent just to watch me suffer!?¡±


    It was time to end this charade of being stuck up all the time.


    They wanted power? - Let them have it!


    With that spur of the moment decision, Kaemir left the disc without any baggage dragging him down any longer. Before he did so, he left one particular message at the backrest of his throne that announced his retirement.


    I quit!


    Yours truly, Kaemir von Lorak.


    Oh, and...


    The Republic of Ashos, the Empire of Ryst, and Tristan declared war.


    Have fun with that!


    When Kaemir thought about what was bound to happen in the future, he couldn''t help himself and burst out in wild gloating laughter that filled the entire sky. Those short-sighted fools hadn''t realized anything in their struggles for power among themselves. They were simply too ignorant of the deterrent Zeristin had posed to the other empires. In the end, there would only be one party suffering the immense consequences of their actions. It was indeed a good thing they got rid of their most valuable assets, a close-to-be archmagus who was still missing, as well as the academy that was an immense increase to their military might.


    Ignoring all of that, there was mostly Kaemir''s personal grudge at play here. Zeristin was one of his dearest friends left, and the nobles pulled out all the stops to deal with him. As an emperor, he had to abide by the superficial rules, but that was no longer the case. Leaving behind a huge mess for them to clean up was just about right.


    Responsibilities? - Screw that. He had already had enough of that for the rest of his life.


    Kaemir didn''t care whether the land he lived in and was born on was called Ethena or something else. In fact, if he wanted to, he could have changed the name as he wished at any given time. He merely never bothered with something so tiresome. The people might be dissatisfied with the invasion, but eventually, all would settle in. In his predictions, the populace would mostly remain unharmed for the time being, and if that weren''t the case, he would still stick around somewhere to help out if things got to their worst.


    But all of that was no longer something he had to bother about. With his newfound freedom, Kaemir wondered what he should do. As his first order of business, it seemed he had to find his old friend and slap some sense back into him. Unfettered by the political bindings, he headed towards the south to meet Leizy, leaving the ignorant nobles behind in their short-lasting bubbles of dreams.


    <hr>


    In the farthest northern reaches of the Empire of Ethena, there existed numerable small, nameless villages. Although they were technically part of the empire, they barely interacted with each other. No royalty or nobles ever bothered with a wasteland this far north. The little manpower or meager resources that were to be found here would never be worth the trouble of collecting taxes.


    As it was often the case in these lands, a massive snowstorm was raging that barely allowed one to see the person right in front of them. Amidst this force of nature, a line of people was carefully treading forwards, holding onto a rope to not lose track of each other. Among them was one particular young youth that had barely come of age. Despite his tender age, he carried the same amount of wood on his back as anyone else as he struggled to traverse through the snow that reached up to his knees.


    ¡°Hang in there, Rukk! Fifteen Ropes!¡±


    One of the men shouted from the front. His broken voice was distorted and almost drowned out by the blasting gusts of wind, but the young man called Rukk found a new spark of energy in those words. The distance of fifteen ropes meant they would soon reach their home, declaring his survival if he held on a little longer. His hopes weren''t betrayed as soon after they reached a small village made of badly-stacked stone huts. After finishing their headcount, the group dispersed into their own homes where they could find some solace from the freezing cold outside.


    Although the houses looked brittle from the outside, they provided decent warmth after some adjustment was made to their interior. Numerous hides and pelts of dead animals of all sorts were weaved together and plastered against the walls. Along with stacks of hay, the people were able to create living conditions that allowed them to survive these harsh winters every year.


    Rukk looked around to see that no one else was home yet. Taking this time to slack off, he walked over to a stack of hay in the corner. He barely bothered to take his outer layer of clothes off that were made of similar animal hides as the wall. The house was left in darkness as they were no windows that would be pointless at this time of the year anyway. Tired and almost dozing off, Rukk stared at the remaining cinders in their fireplace next to the stack of wood he''d just risked his life for.


    This boy had one simple dream. Just like many other youths in this complex of villages, he dreamed of leaving this wasteland of white behind and travel towards the southern part of this country. Not a day would pass where he wouldn''t think about the stories of the very rare traveling merchants that came in ''summer.'' Occasionally they would tell him stories about the world that was filled with lush greenery and boundless warmth to the extent it would be too hot. That concept alone was unbelievable to him and made him more excited as he fantasized about these distant lands. Alas, very few would ever be able to get the chance to personally visit them.


    He''d often asked his parents why they had never moved away from this cold hell he hated so much. Back when his parents first heard of that, they were surprised his dislike for this village wasn''t just the mere whim of a boy in pubescence boredom. His parents had repeatedly told him life wasn''t bad here. Events like today were a rare occurrence where he had to risk his life for some wood because of a miscalculation earlier this year. Other than that, he should be happy to be here.


    Rukk couldn''t understand it. None of the youths could, but all of their parents told them about that fortunate blessing to be born here. Their ancestors had apparently overcome severe hardship to leave their homeland in the south. Here they were free from the greed of humans and their desire for power. No one, including the other races, would care about them this far up north, which was evidently shown by the lack of bandits and intruders.


    Regardless, Rukk couldn''t understand it, and he was sure he never would. But if he wanted to leave by himself, he needed money. An outrageous amount of money in his eyes. Merchants were very fickle and wouldn''t take any risks to their payload because of some stranger for free. On the other hand, as long as there was enough money involved, one day, a merchant might take him along. However, this was only a pipe dream. If his sources weren''t lying, he''d need the money of every person that lived in this village, maybe even more. That meant selling all of their belongings, including dozens of those rare blue-ice crystals the merchants sought primarily. But even in his wildest dreams, he could never imagine that this ''large'' sum of money was only considered a little income for commoners in the central area of Ethena.


    Absentmindedly staring into the remaining cinders in the fireplace, Rukk''s mind began drifting off. Struggling to keep his eyes open his headed bopped up and down. Not realizing when, or why, he was startled awake by a sudden light blinding his eyes.


    Astonished, he looked at his surroundings that had changed entirely. Around him was the landscape of yellow fields filled with grains and fruits he''d always dreamed of. The beautiful weather around him filled him with a warmth that sunk deep into his marrow. Such a pleasant feeling could never be attained by staying around a mere fire. Only a place that had constant exposure to the warm light of life could ever possess such a comfortable feeling.


    However, before he could lose himself in this blissful warmth of his surroundings, this land of his dreams turned into the nightmare of his everyday life. In the blink of an eye, the bountiful land turned into a cold world of death as a massive snowstorm snuffed out all of the life that had thrived just moments ago.


    Rukk found himself all alone in this world of endless white that could drive any man to insanity. It was a world where the living were not permitted to reside. As his entire body shivered to its core, he wandered about mindlessly, trying to look for the lost warmth in the world before this one. But no matter how much he walked, there were only the sharp gusts of icy winds that slowly robbed him of his life and drained all of his remaining energy. He struggled to keep walking with every ounce of strength left in him as he was so used to do. But eventually, his tired body reached its limits, and he sunk into the cold blanket beneath him that was about to tug him into the endless night.


    ''Is this it?''


    He thought to himself in his last moments. Rukk didn''t understand how he''d ended up here or why he was about to die in the middle of nowhere. But then, all of a sudden, he caught a glimpse of light in the distance. At first, it was a faint glimmer of red before it stretched out and covered his entire vision. In an instant, the world of white was swallowed up and replaced by that ghastly, bloody-red. No matter where he looked, all he saw was this world of red without end where he couldn''t tell which way was up or down.


    Fear gripped his heart, but it was quickly overshadowed by the warmth this world brought him. Even the first world of his dreams couldn''t compare to it.


    ¡°What do you desire?¡±


    A voice announced its presence in this world, reverberating in his ears, through which it entered into the depths of his soul.


    It was a stupid question. Even the voice must have surely known that, but it was an obligation it had to abide by.


    There was only one thing Rukk wished for, and there was no need to put it into words for the voice to understand.


    ¡°What are you willing to sacrifice?¡±


    When the voice filled the surroundings a second time, Rukk felt his vision changing. On one side, he found the cold reality he was very familiar with. On the other side, he found the world he so desperately desired. Both were within his grasp if he only slightly reached out to it.


    Something inside him was telling him to be careful, but the moment he hesitated, he noticed the warmth fading into the distance. If he didn''t choose, there could only be one result. Without thinking anything through, he instinctively reached out towards the warmth he''d always sought while uttering the words in his sleep.


    ¡°Everything.¡±


    Moments ago, Rukk was still tossing and turning in his sleep, scattering about the hay he was sleeping on. His expression was filled with pain as if he was having the worst nightmare of his life before it slowly turned into a satisfied smile that contained pure happiness. In his peaceful sleep, he was completely unaware of the hooded man standing right next to him.


    ¡°The contract has been established.¡±


    Flicking his wrist, the red contract in the man''s hand dispersed into the air as if it was burned into ashes. Afterwards, he turned around to leave, leaving Rukk alone to continue enjoying his dreams that might soon become a reality.


    This was the eleventh contract.

 Chapter 33

    <u>Chapter 33 ¨C This is for the best</u>


    In Teralis, the first signs of the end of winter arrived. The temperature slowly rose to a more comfortable degree, and the frozen earth began melting, leaving behind the sticky swamps of spring. At this time of the year, everyone in the small village helped out with the preparationsfor the coming sowing. That included Zeristin, who was one of the more busy men.


    ¡°Thanks a lot as always, Zeristin! Man, you are as strong as a bear! Where are you hiding all that strength?¡±


    The man who had tasked Zeristin to help him carry some sacks of dung sighed in admiration. This young man in front of him was seemingly never exhausted, regardless of how many arduousjobs hecarried out each day.


    Zeristin chuckled politely, slightly embarrassed by the man''s sincere praise. He never thought of himself as special as the other villagers made him out to be. Instead, he was much more grateful to their kindness in treating an outsider like him without discrimination. One reason for that was no doubt his useful strength. Still, one couldn''t argue the family-like atmosphere that was present among the villagers played a considerable role as well. This closeness between unrelated people was what made Zeristin very fond of the villagehe''d only spent a short amount of time in.


    ¡°Look out!!¡±


    From a distance, someone cried out in alarm. Zeristin was able to turn around in time to realize what was about to happen. Beneath one house, a little child was playing around when a large pot filled with clay dropped from the rooftops. Startled, the little boy looked up aghast, not knowing what to do, and in his fear, he remained rooted on the spot.


    Thereshould have been nothing Zeristin could do to help. Despite that, he instinctively moved without hesitation. To his surprise, time seemed to slow down as his feet darted off the ground, sending him through the air with inhuman speed. Long before the pot crashed onto the child, Zeristin grabbed him by the collar on his neck. With this unexpected increase in speed, that Zeristin had no control of, he had no other way to slow down other than to tumble to the ground, letting the law of gravity and inertia do its work.


    The sound of the shattering pot startled the nearby villagers out of their stupor. Immediately afterwards, they went to look for the boy as they prayed for his well-being. Only the man who was a few house corners away knew what had just happened. In utter disbelief, he rubbed his eyes fervently, wondering which Zeristin was the real one. Had he been talking to an illusion? Or did he, in his wishful thinking, create the illusion of the child being saved? No matter which one it was, he should lay off the bottle for a while...


    Eventually, the villagers found Zeristin lying on the ground some distance away. The young boy in his arms remained completely unharmed. After a short examination, they concluded he''d merely passed out from fear. No one exactly knew what had happened; nonetheless, everyone was very thankful to Zeristin, who had prevented this crisis. He gratefully accepted their sincere thanks and baskets of expensive fruits from distant lands.


    Like that, another day had come to an end as Zeristin was on his way to return home. A short distance into the forest, there was a clearingamidst the sea of trees. It wasn''t of natural cause, as evidenced by the stump of trees surrounding the small wooden hut. Compared to the cleanly felled trees andthe neatly stacked logs at the side, the house was built with less expertise. The shabby construction looked like it would topple over from a mere breeze. Still, contrarily to its appearance, it had weathered the last months of winter with only minor repairs needed.


    A heartful smile bloomed onto Zeristin''s face when he saw a lovely womanstepping outside to welcome him.


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Behind the woman, a little girl ran out in excitement, jumping into her father''s arm. As a result, Zeristin laughedjoyfully and whirledher around in circles before returning to his home, where his loving wife was watching them with a warm smile.


    <hr>


    ¡°How was work today?¡±


    Stella asked him, not once stopping her hand that was stirring the hot pot. While waiting for dinner to finish, Lea sat on her father''s lap, whosat on the very fewhandcrafted furniture. Although these chairs and tables appeared rather crude, they were stable in their foundationand able to support all that wasasked of them.


    Zeristin gave a brief recap of the day''s events, leaving out the matter of the child he''dhelped out. Except for that, it wasn''t much different than usual. The villagers attributed his incredible strength to the blessings of The Benevolent,something hedidn''t care much about. He was more focused on helpingout anywhere he could. In that regard, his tasks weren''t much different from a horse or a mule. Nevertheless, he was delighted with thisway of life, where he was able to help those around him in their need.


    So altogether, it wasn''t much he did. Regardless he was needed and welcomed around here, and he also had a great family that needed him as well. What more could he want? Wishing for anything more would be foolish greed and only cause thewrath of the gods for his conceitful desires.


    ¡°Today, I helped Mommy with cooking dinner!¡±


    Sitting on her father''s lap, Lea swung her legs back and forth while straining her neck to look up into her father''s eyes that contained half of her world. Naturally, the rest of her world was made up of her mother.


    ¡°Really? Then I can''t wait to eat all of it!¡±


    Lea''s eyes shone in a radiant light in response to her father''s words, eagerly anticipating the dinner preparations to finish. Meanwhile, at the back of the small room, Stella released a light chuckle. Her husband didn''t know what he''d signed himself up for.


    When the first bowls were eventually prepared, Zeristin dug in with much enthusiasm. Although he''d been working all day, he wasn''t particularly hungry. He was used to this strange feeling of limitless energy, but since his daughter had personally helped out, he would do as he''d said.


    But after the first spoon entered his mouth, he abruptly stopped in his actions. In his excitement, he hadn''t paid attention to the chunks flowing in the soup. Taking a proper glance down, with the spoon still in his mouth, he saw the familiar fruits he''d been gifted the day before, floating in a broth together with some chicken meat. Next to him, Lea looked at him, the light of expectation glittering in her small eyes, waiting for her father''sopinion.


    ¡°Delicious!¡±


    Forcing himself to swallow the sickeningly sweet soup in his mouth, Zeristin strained a smile on his face that was enough to deceive his daughter, who giggled with glee. However, that didn''t last long as she took a mouthful of the soup herself and quickly realized the problem. She was a smart kid and immediately understood the act her father had put up for her sake.


    ¡°I''m sorry...¡±


    She quietly muttered, hanging her head low to hide the tears welling up in her eyes. Earlier this day, she had insisted on ''helping'' her mother, demanding her to include these delicious fruits. She full-heartedly believed it was a good idea. When Stella finally gave in to her unceasing demands,Leahad been laughing triumphantly in her ignorance. Looking at their heartbroken child, Stella stifled her laughter and looked at Zeristin expectantly. The latter lamented his fate, and with big gulps, wolfed down the rest of the soup.


    ¡°More, my dear.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Stella happily answered, not taking his quivering eyes into account that pleaded for this torture to stop. Alas, he''d already made a promise he was bound to keep...


    Incredulous, Lea looked at her father that ate bowl after bowl until there was nothing left in the pot. Wondering if her initial impression was wrong, she''d taken another mouthful of the sweet soup herself, only to grimace shortly afterwards. She''d even walked over and sat back on her father''s lap to take a taste of his freshly-poured soup, wondering if there was a difference. But the scowl on her face told the same story. Confused, she looked up at her father, waiting for an explanation.


    ¡°You shouldn''t waste food.¡± His hand that was as big as a bear paw tussled her comparably small head. ¡°One never knows when dire times arrive, so you should eat when you can and be grateful for what you''ve gotten.¡±


    Although he said so, he also made sure for her to understand the difference between bad-tasting food and harmful-food. In response to her father''s lecture, Lea wiped away the last remaining tears from her face and went back to her seat. Staring at the soup in front of her likeher sworn enemy, she gathered all of her little courage and downed the soup in large gulps as her father had done. When she was finally finished, the expression on her face told the story ofthat day''s family events.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Thanks... for the... food.¡± She forced herself to say politely. Next to her, her mother swallowed the rest of her own soup without any changes in her expressions. From the look on her face, this meal seemed nothing like the catastrophe it tasted like, and instead, appeared to be rather delicious and nutritious. But only its victims knew the true colors of the dreadful dish that had been cooked by their little devil.


    The family of three spent the rest of the time talking about nothing in particular. Lealeaned into her mother''s arms, where she fell soundly asleep. Zeristin watched his wife slowly caressing the strands of her disheveled hair. On her face was the expression of a mother that tightly held onto the sole meaning of her life.


    Watching this picture of a mother and her child, Zeristin felt incomparable happiness.


    But all of a sudden, he was ripped out of this serenity when someone knocked on their door. The loud echo traveled through their small home, waking up their daughter. Wondering who would come this late into the night, Zeristin walked towards the entrance with apprehension.


    ¡°Who is there?¡± He asked without opening the door.


    ¡°It''s me.¡±


    Zeristin was puzzled. He''d never heard this voice before. Even more on guard this time, Zeristin leaned himself against the door, barricading it with his body instead of opening it.


    ¡°Open up, Zeristin! Is that how you greet an old friend?¡±


    This previously unknown voice slightly tugged the strings in his heart. He still couldn''t tell to whom it belonged, but his gut told him that this person shouldn''t have any harmful intentions. So, he slowly opened the door to meet their visitor.


    ¡°Excuse me, but have we met before?¡±


    When Kaemir Lorak saw Zeristin timidly opening the door, he was at a loss for words. All traces of the mighty magus were gone, leaving only an apprehensive man in his place. Ever since arriving in this village, Kaemir hadn''t had the slightest idea of what was going on. For some time, he''d been watching Zeristin from a distance, whose behavior was utterly unexplainable. Deciding it was time to meet personally, Kaemir went to confront him, but...


    ¡°Zeristin... Do you really not recognize me?¡±


    This wasn''t just an act, Kaemir was sure of that much. But the silent response he got, made his heart sink in trepidation.


    ¡°What happened? Who did this to you!?¡±


    Kaemir''s voice grew more frantic, containing a hint of anger at the unknown assailant that had harmed his friend. He blindly ignored the fact that someone who could reduce Zeristin to this state definitely wasn''t someone he could confront. His heated emotions rose out of control, turning into the pressure of a magus. Without realizing what he was doing, the wind centered around him, making Zeristin look at himin fear.


    Zeristin himself still had no idea who this person in front of him was. But the scenery of the wind heeding this mysterious man''s call left him stupefied. This was no doubt, a magus, and he had come for him. His mind entered a state of panic when he heard the rustling and moving of chairs behind him. Turning his head slightly, he saw his wife and daughter that had come to see what was going on.


    ¡°Go back!¡±


    Zeristin shouted at them, but they remained unmoving. The two were too frightened by the gusts of wind as the slight pressure in the air forced them to their knees. Grasping at her remaining wits, Stellasheltered her daughter within her arms.


    ¡°Who is this!?¡±


    Kaemir shouted as he lost more of his composure at the sudden appearance of the woman and child behind Zeristin. He forgot that he was in the presence of non-magi, and the wind became the embodiment of the turmoil in his heart, ravaging their surroundings. The small wooden hut crumbled beneath the onslaught of wind, almost yielding toits fierceness at every passing moment.


    ¡°Is this the wench that bewitched you!?¡±


    Closing her eyes in prayer, Stella continued shielding her child beneath her while her body shivered like a stack of leaves in the wind. Lea, on the other hand, remained unresponsive when confronted with the sudden threat that could destroy her life. Instead, her gaze was fixed onto her father that courageously stood in front of them as he weathered the mighty storm. With his arms stretched out behind him, he braced himself against the gusts of wind, trying to shield his family. She could see his trembling legs that urged him to run away. Yet, despite the insurmountable difference of might between them, her father remained rooted on the spot like a mountain that would forever provide shelter for the people behind it.


    With her wide round eyes, she stared unblinking at this scene before her. The appearance of her heroic father would forever be ingrained into the depths of her mind as he confronted the seemingly almighty forces of nature.


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Hearing his daughter''s call, Zeristin snapped out of his own fear. Gritting his teeth, he defiantly looked at Kaemir, his gaze containing the fierceness of a wounded animal that had no path of retreat.


    ¡°I don''t know who you are, and I don''t know what you want from me.¡± The fierce gaze that was directed at Kaemir made him realized how much he''d lost himself. Other than that, he remembered scenes of a past long ago. That sole gaze of Zeristin''s contained far too many memories for him.


    ¡°If you want to take me, then fine, but I dare you to harm just a single hair of my family, and I swear by the gods, you will regret this decision for the rest of your life!¡±


    Zeristin''s chilling threat should contain nothing but boasts. Yet Kaemir, more than anyone else, knew the man in front of him wasn''t lying. He may have forgotten his own identity as a magus and his past, but the man behind the famous magus known as Zeristin Wezlak was the same.


    No doubt, this was the man he''d always known. The man who loved his small family, unwilling to make the same mistakes again.


    ¡°I''m sorry for my behavior.¡± The wind around Kaemir died down. As soon as tranquillity returned to the surroundings, Zeristin felt immense relief as he took note of the cold sweat on his back that was stuck to his shirt. With the disappearance of the pressure and tensionin his body, his legs finally gave out beneath him. In his mind, he''d just survived with a brush of death.


    ¡°Take care, my friend. From the bottom of my heart, I wish that the rest of your days may remain as peaceful as these.¡±


    ''Even if you will never recognize any of us ever again.''


    With those last words, Kaemir turned around to leave the family of three alone.


    <hr>


    Kaemir could have never imagined that the perpetrator that had caused his friend''s circumstances was only a short distance away, observing him.


    ¡°Would he make a good seed...?¡±


    Catherine sat on top of the roof of the church, quietly talking to herself as she pondered various matters.


    ¡°But I probably shouldn''t use another human again...Hm?¡±


    In the most distant reaches of the horizon, she saw the sight of lightning striking the ground. No sound would travel to her ears, but the unmistaken red flash was a familiar sight, only visible to her.


    ¡°The thirtieth one... He seems hard at work, my little boy.¡±


    However, her interest in her servant''s action didn''t last long. Since she had already gone through all of the trouble of using a Primal Contract, there was no need to pay too much attention to his actions. Therefore, she was much moreconcerned with the selection of a new seed.


    <hr>


    Ever since Aien became a devil, he instinctivelygained a basic understanding of how the world functioned.Everything necessary to govern the world and its foundations was decided by the laws of the gods when the world was created.


    Why did gravity work the way it did? Who decided things had to fall down or attract each other? These fundamental laws and many more werewritten in the Primal Contracts that had existed since each beginning. In Mentor''s world, these would be called the laws of physics. All of them had been written in stone, unchangeable for as long as the world existed.


    The contracts of devils were similarly another foundational law that had existed since the Second and Third Beginning. The world rendered punishmentto those that disobeyed and rewarded those that followed the rules. Because such were the regulations that had been decided.


    All of these lawshadto exist and couldnever be broken. Because if they were...


    The world would fall into turmoil, as a broken law would lose all of its meaning.In that case,all of the other laws also would lose their meaning, inviting chaos and a lawless world to take over. In such a world, nothing but the gods could continue to exist.


    Thus, the world itself made sure these laws were upheld under any circumstances. Above anything else, it would enforce that which was written in the Primal Contracts.


    Aien didn''t know what had spurred Catherine to use such a drastic method to bind him. Although he had no details, he was sure these Primal Contracts were definitely a limited resource. Especially those that could be configured for personal uses like in his case. He knew without a doubt, any trivial form of harm could never befall her by his actions. Aien would never be able to harm her, the same way an apple could not ignore the call of gravity without the use of energy. The single action of him trying to harm her would arise the ire and judgment of the world. For this, too, had become a new law that governed this world.


    With this knowledge in his mind, Aien continued his journey like an unceasing machine without pause, somewhere in the remote reaches of the distant north.


    <hr>


    ¡°Everything.¡±


    A man uttered in his sleep before a satisfied smile broke out onto his face. But it didn''t last long as his sweet dreams were interrupted by the loud crackling of the fireplace next to him. Still dozing off and barely awake, the young man rubbed his eyes.


    ¡°A... dream?¡±


    He sighed disappointedly. However, at the same time, as he dismissed his fantasies, an image popped into his mind. It was a picture of a red piece of paper that was far clearer than the rest of his dreams. Astrange premonition told him that no matter what happened, he would never forget this single piece of paper.


    Contract


    You desire the love of a woman named Ann Luye. In exchange, you, Synn Uruk, will sacrifice everything.


    The world acknowledged this plea.


    To grant your wish, I, Aien, a devil under the Law of Death, will abide by the rules to take it upon myself to honor the contract.


    Additional Clause:


    The devil, Aien, has to complete the contract, before the 4<sup>th</sup> day of Alir, 2374(attb.)


    The contract was made.


    ¡°Man... That was intense.¡±


    As he remembered the contents of the contract, he also remembered more of the dream he''d just had. Closing his eyes, he tried to grasp the surreal feeling that had almost been too real as his hands clasped at the air while a lewd smile covered his face.


    ¡°Too bad...¡±


    Savoring the last remaining touches of his dream, the man thoroughly woke up and got to work. Naturally, he dismissed the ''contract'' as the meaningless remains of his blissful dream that might, however, soon become a reality.


    This was the five-hundred-twenty-sixth contract.

 Chapter 34

    <u>Chapter 34 ¨C Diplomacy</u>


    A year had passed since Kaemir Lorak''s ''retirement,''and as soon as the nobility had realized that this wasn''t just a bad joke, the shifting of blame began in full throttle. It didn''t take long for the already fragile alliance between the Houses to break into shambles. To begin with, its sole purpose had been to unite against Zeristin and his academy. Therefore,its collapse wasn''t too much of a surprisefor those involved.


    Regardless, Ethena was left severely weakened, without a ruler to guide the empire. In spite of that, the war had yet to progress to a critical stage. Throughout the western border, small skirmishes occurred, but none of them had yet to escalate to an unmanageable degree.


    During these chaotic times, Marvis von Erestiv sat inside his office, where he watched the hurrying servants in his courtyard through the window. On his desk were stacks of paperwork that never seemed to decrease despite him working without pause. Since there wasn''ta proper form of any kind of government, each Noble House took control of individual conflicts, trying to somehow keep them at bay. For the time being, they succeeded, but whether that was an actual attribution to their management or not was a question no one wanted to think about.


    All of that small fighting already posed an enormous problem to their ''government,'' and the coming future could be easily imagined. Naturally, the public was kept in the darkabout the sudden disappearance of their emperor. But it was only a matter of time until the news would spread, inevitably robbing the entire country of its morale. Regardless, the Noble Houses refused to surrender without trying everything they had in their assets.


    ¡°What if...?¡±


    Marvis muttered to himself, slightly amused by his own thoughts. Kaemir''s retirement always brought a smile on his face, and he couldn''t deny that there were some distinct advantages in doing the same. But, in the end, after carefully weighing all of the points, he didn''t choose to abandon his House just yet.


    ¡°Try to contact Tristan Stelfort!¡±


    He shouted out, and in response, a pair of footsteps hurried away from the entrance of his office, following the orders they had received. Since certain events were bound to unfold, it was time to choose a side and ensure the existence of the House of Erestiv. Above him, the shouts of the elders of this Noble House traveled to every corner of the mansion. Marvis wondered for some time whether all of this was worth the trouble, but he immediately dispersed these thoughts. This was about his own future, and he shouldn''t let his emotions influence his actions. As much as he wanted to see those haughty old codgers fall flat on their noses, he had other interests to pursue.


    <hr>


    All across the continent, that belonged to humanity, people prepared for the great battle thatcould arrive at any time. For many, this had long been an event that was bound to happen eventually. However, very few were aware of the missing Zeristin Wezlak and Kaemir Lorak,who had led to the escalation of this previous stalemate.


    As far as the common populace of the Empire of Ryst and the Republic of Ashos was concerned,none of them knew about the disappearance of these prominent figures.Seemingly, the invasion was still put on holdbecause of the carefulness of the involved parties.Although there was a non-aggression treatment between Ryst and Ashos, it didn''t count for much. Thus, thiswas a three-way conflict, where neither country could mindlessly charge in and took hold of Ethenaas the other party surely wouldn''t only stand by and watch.


    That wasthe status quo of thisconflict.


    Somewhere to the west of Ethena, there was a mountain range that functioned as a natural border between the three countries. Above the clouds of thesemountains that stretched into the distance like a scar that covered the ground, a group of three people traveled through the air, each using their own forms of Magecraft as support. Eventually, they landed on the tallest peak of the mountain range, which was covered in a faint blanket of snow, where another two waited for their arrival.


    A large man that resembled the boulder he was standing on more than any regular human, waited impatiently with his arms crossed. In a steady rhythm, one of his fingers tapped onto the brimming muscles of his arms, as an annoyingglint flashed through his eyeswhen he saw the latest arrivals coming closers.


    His flamboyant red clothes exaggerated his riches in every manner possible, lacking any form of protection despite being formed in the image of a heavy breastplate. Behind him, his similarly fiery-red cape fluttered in the wind that was adjusted to his wide shoulder pads that depicted the heads of roaring lions. Their ridiculous size would make it hard for the person wearing them to pass through any regular doors. On his face,old scarsappearedlike ravines on the ground that had been torn apart by the forces of the earth itself.


    At last, his finger stopped in its unceasing activity as the group landed in front of him. He turned his head towards them as his crimson hair scattered in the wind, accentuatinghis wild nature in every one of his movements. When he finally spoke up, his deep voice quaked throughout themountain they stood on, creating the illusion of the earth taking on the duty of speaking for him.


    ¡°You''re not only late as always, but also dressed as unnerving.¡±


    ¡°Excuse our late arrival, Emperor of Ryst. I sincerely apologize, but we had urgent matters to attend to prior to our important meeting.¡±


    The Emperor of Ryst snorted heavily in response to the woman speaking up. It was always the same with their stuck-up attitude - he absolutely loathed dealing with them.


    The woman who had responded bowed slightly along her waist-line before straightening herself up again in a perfectly trained motion. Her unflinching gaze met the Emperor''sferocious eyes, while her own contained a calmness of unmatched tranquility. Yet, this Emperor knew that this calmness could flare up into aturbulent storm at any moment thatwould no longer restrain her feisty temper.


    Honestly speaking, he liked dealing with her more when she lost control of her emotions. This act of looking through the countless layers ofdeceitand putting them uponeself wasn''t exactly his forte, nor was he ever fond of playing along with that. That was probably most of the reason their last meeting had ended in such a fashion that left a bad after-taste in the mouths of those involved, albeit for entirely different reasons.


    In stark contrast to the Emperor of Ryst, the woman wore a black suit that was perfectly tailored to her slim proportions. An uncommon outfit, and much too restricting for the Emperor''s taste. Especially these black ''neckties'' were something he''d never understand. Why would anyone carry their death-sentence and own noose around the neck?


    The woman in front was accompanied by another woman, that was the spitting image of her. Wearing the same kind of suit and tie, she appeared more like a mirror image than an individual. There was not the slightest difference in their long blonde hair that was bound into ponytails, reaching down to the bottom of their buttocks. Both contained a maturity that was unlikely for the appearance of young women their age.


    If there were a single difference between them, it would be the different color distribution in their eyes. While the woman in front had an unusual pair of emerald-green and sapphire-blue eyes, the woman next to her had the same pair but placed the other way around. They brought with them a surrealdisplay of asymmetric beauty that could be rarely found.


    The remainingperson among their group was an old man that stood silently to their side. With his white gloves, he appeared to be nothing more than their servant or butler. His hair had already turned into a grey-white, yet, behind the wrinkles, his face contained a healthy vitality, making onequestion if his outside appearance was even real.


    ¡°Don''t be like that, Esten. It''s not proper to hurry a lady.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    The other person that had waited on the mountain spoke up. Compared to the Emperor of Ryst, he was much less eye-catching. Donning a simple magus-robe, that had apparently been stitched by simple methods several times, he chuckled heartily as he looked at the irritated man next to him. The brownish robe had been stained by so much dirt that it was almost impossible to recognize the initial color it used to have. His face was much more gentle, almost resembling the present women more than the hard-cut curvatures of the Emperor next to him. Just l¨ªke his entire attitude exuded, his black hair fluttered freely in the wind as if living a life of its own.


    ¡°Don''t get me started on you, Tristan!!¡±


    Esten Ryst growled as he changed his focus from the group of three. He wasn''t usually this easy toaggravate, but the kind of people he had been forced to meet with over the recent months left him helpless. They were just too difficult to deal with. One party didn''t take matters seriously while the other took them far too seriously.


    ¡°Excuse me again...¡±


    The woman in the front of the group, coughed slightly toproperly open the conversation.


    ¡°How do these two gentlemen prefer to handle this now? I believe each of us had enough time to think matters through after our last meeting that went... slightly unproductive.¡±


    When speaking of their last meeting, the usually calm and collective tone of the woman lost some of its confidence and contained an underlying sigh of exhaustion. She turned her head to the side, where various mountains were rising from the ground like weeds - Except for one spot.


    Like a knife that had cut through butter, one mountain was cleanly cut off from the base, leaving behind a blank slate of earth that was smoother than any crafted floor. The whereabouts of the remaining stone that had made up the mountain where nowhere to be seen. Their last meeting had not only ended in disagreement and was unfruitful, but it had also led to heavy fighting amongst two parties.


    ¡°What do you think we should do, Lynnden?¡± Esten Ryst asked, instead of answering her.


    ¡°The Republic of Ashos,¡± She corrected him with a strained voice that tried to ignore the events of the past. ¡°...has not changed its opinion. We believe that all of this can be handled peacefully. The Empire of Ethena is guaranteed to have no future and is unable to put up a proper resistance. I believe that Ryst and Ashos can come to a peaceful agreement on how to divide the country and its resources.¡±


    Without taking a step back, she met Esten''s gaze as if leaving no room for disagreement. The latter frowned in response to her attitude, but in truth, since their last fight had turned into a stalemate, he held some respect for the group from Ashos. Thus, he was more willing to listen to them this time.


    ¡°As for Tristan, however,... I believe this is a matter for the two countries to decide. A man like you has no place here, nor do your words hold any worth.¡±


    Lynnden looked over at Tristan, who remained unbothered by her insulting words. While she tried to seize up this unknown man that had risen to fame, Tristan himself didn''t seem bothered by it and met her scrutiny with a calm smile.


    Seeing his indifference rekindledher remaining cinders of fury from their last meeting. Tristan hadacted exactly the same after her group, and Estenended up in a confrontation that was resolved through the use of force. Calmly watching from the sidelines, as if none of this had anything to do with him, and yet, he still appeared in their meetings like he was supposed to be here.


    ¡°Now... Now...¡±


    Esten Ryst stepped inbetween the two with his raised hands, trying to mediate. Her proposal was no doubt reasonable and something he could agree to. He wasn''t necessarily stepping up for Tristan. Still, he couldn''t let this upstart woman take control of the negotiations just like that. Dealing with this pair of twins had been quite a headache, so it was only fair he returned their favor.


    ¡°I don''t think Tristan deserves to be treated like that.¡± He turned towards the group of three, standing next to Tristan and taking his side.


    ¡°You can no longer ignore him like that, missy.¡±His words definitely hit a nerve, but before Lynnden could speak up in protest, Esten continued. ¡°I''m afraid if he and I were to exchange blows, I would come up only slightly ahead of him.¡±


    Whether this was true or not, it left Lynnden frustrated regardless. If Esten Ryst was going to behave like this, their negotiations would get nowhere.


    Meanwhile, although Esten had been erupting in a burst of laughter while he said so, his gaze contained some seriousness as he glanced at Tristan. It was apparent Esten was confident in his own strength, but this Tristan who had one day come out of nowhere and made incredible, almost impossible, progress, wasn''t someone he could ignore anymore.


    Audibly clicking her tongue inannoyance, more loudly than she had wanted to, Lynnden watched the two men who left her in this stalemate they call ''negotiations,'' without any form of progress while wasting her time.


    ¡°So, what does Mr. Tristan Stelfort have to say?¡±


    ¡°It''s about time you asked,¡± Tristan answered with a smile. ¡°You know, if you had asked mefrom the beginning, we could have saved ourselves quite some time. After all, it is somewhat... inappropriate... for me to raise this topic myself.¡±


    With these words, Tristan clearly raised the interest of anyone present, and regardless of whether they agreed withhis nonsense or not, they listened earnestly.


    ¡°What you''veproposedso far, sounds great and all... but I don''t agree.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you propose?¡± Esten spoke up first, more intrigued than annoyed by his antics.


    ¡°Since you disagree, you must have a notion of your own,¡± Lyndenn added, contrarily to Esten, refusing toplay along with thischarade any longer ifhis words contained nothing substantial.


    ¡°Since Zeristin Wezlak refuses to cooperate, there is only one thing left to do...¡±


    Tristan''svoice no longer contained its underlying playfulness as he uttered his next words that included not a trace of irony.


    "With your assistance, I will become the official Emperor of Humanity, and under my guidance, I will lead all of us to regain our former glory that was lost in the forgotten past."


    WhenTristan Stelfortdeclared the ridiculous, he didn''t look at the people in front of himorwaitedfor their answer. Instead, he stared into the distance, taking no note of the incredulous gazes of ridicule or their remarks. No, his eyes were already fixed onto the future where the fate of humanity lay. Because, in his mind, this matter was already done with. Since Zeristin Wezlak refused, Tristan Stelfort would be declared the first Emperor of Humanity after the Third Beginning. Such was the history that was written that day.


    <hr>


    The three countries were about equal in size. The people living in them, however, were somewhat different from one another. It wasn''t the case of contrastingappearances that made them different. Those could be found anywhere in the three countries without a particular distinction in location. But the government that formed the living conditions were vastly different.


    Ethena and Ryst were somewhat similar on the surface as each country had its major cities with small numeral villages spread throughout the land. There was one big difference, however. Ryst was ruled bythe single party that belonged to the Emperor. Nosigns of other nobilityremained, leaving behind the monarch that had full control over the country.


    No one that lived in Ryst was dissatisfied with that or believed their emperor was a tyrant. The class system was no more, allowing for many people to prosper without anything shackling them. Conspiracies and criminals were still abundant, but nothing could be absolutely perfect. So that being said, the living standards in Ryst were, objectively speaking, very good and considered the best by most.


    The Republic of Ashos wasvery different compared to the other two countries. Most people on the outside didn''t even know much about this country as entry wasprohibited for a long time. Tradinghad been and still was strictly regulated, and any information about the country barely spread outside. The few scraps of information that had made it to the public created an even bigger mystery around it. Stories were told about monstrous buildings that breathed foul air into the sky, thatwere nothing like the tower of magi. Most villages were no more, andalmost all of the people were living in the few major cities, creating the image of a small populace that could barely sustain itself.


    To the peopleoutside the Republic, the image of this forbidden country slowly turned into a land of nightmares. The rumbling sounds thattraveled through the earth around its borders were attributed tothe existence of an enraged dragon beneath the surface that raised humans in captivity to feed upon them. This wasmerely one of the countless rumors thatdriftedaround the other countries fora long time.


    Only since recent years did the country began interacting more openly and conducting a proper foreign policy. Slowly the veil of this mysterious country was lifted.But most information was still hidden behind that curtain, mixed together with the truthin the rumor mill. There was, however, a single rumor that arose the interest of everyone, regardless of where they lived.


    Apparently, in the Republic of Ashos, one was able to practice Magecraft, without needing any form of talent. Whether your sense and control of mana was high or not, didn''t matter. All one needed was a properly functioning brain, and the doors to the world of Magecraft stood wide open.


    To the traveling devil, none of this was important. Not once had he rested, the new energy in his body, allowing him to continue his unceasing work. For a year, he had traveled to every corner of Ethena and parts of Ryst. For the following year, he would continue to do so, including the Republic, where entry was strictly controlled. Nothing would make him pause. Not the breath-taking site of nature or the humans that changed the world with every passing moment. He would take no note of the ongoing chain of events that would change the fate of humanity. Although they''d started because of him, he didn''t care the least about them.


    Not until he would break these shackles at any cost. After that...


    On the 6<sup>th</sup> day of Reka, 2373 (attb.), the eight-thousand-six-hundred-thirty-forth contract was made, as a young boy wished for the attention of his parents.

 Chapter 35

    <u>Chapter 35 - The Law of Death</u>


    When Esten opened his eyes again, he saw thedark sky stretching into the distance above him. He didn''t know when it had happened, but what had just been the middle of the day turned into the night. Stars darted around wildly as if they''d been let loose by whatever had constricted them in their places before.


    ¡°...Wh-¡±


    Confronted with this strange sight, Esten wanted to give voice to his confusion, but instead ofwords, only heaps of dirt left through his airway. Slowly the confusion in his mind cleared up, and so did the appearance of the stars. In their place, a ringing in his head grew louder by the moment until he realizedwhere he was.He tried to move his body that was restricted by the solid earth surrounding him, and what he''d thought was the night, in truth, was the lack of light beneath the surface.


    On top of him were stacks of loose rubble, weighing down on his body that was still recovering the strength it had lost. After the ringingin his head slightly subsided, Esten rose himself up.Unimpeded by the massive rocks,he looked around the small confinement that was a hole in the depths of the ground he''d previously stood on.


    His drowsy mind remembered the events that had unfolded to his disbelief. What felt like ages, had happenedjust a moment ago.


    Wearily, he gathered the scraps of strength left in him topush himself off the ground. With each jump, protrusions rose forth from the walls surrounding him, that he likewise used to propel him further into the air. After dozens of exhausting jumps that made him further remember the pain wreaking havoc in his body, he finally saw a glimmer of light.


    At last, he arrived at the opening just when his body had reached its limits once again. The pain surged forth from every corner of his body, reminding him that this wasn''t a dream or an illusion. Crawling out of the hole, Esten sprawled onto the ground, basking in the light of the sun as he greedily sucked in the fresh air. As a result, the coughing intensified, but his body didn''t seem to care asit was in dire need of air.


    In the corner of his eyes, he could see the tall mountain he''d stood on mere moments ago. There was no trace of the other people that had been with him until he saw a small dot in the distant sky. The dot grew larger the closer it came to the ground until it formed into a humanoid shape. To his astonishment, it was the familiar pair of twins that raced towards the ground at breakneck speed without showing any signs of slowing down.


    When the two were about to hit the ground, however, they abruptly stopped in mid-air. As if time itself had stopped moving, they lost all of their momentum within an instant, defying the laws of physics.


    The two were now close enough for Esten to see the state they were in. One of them had fallen unconscious, presumably the slightly younger one of the two. On the other hand, Lynnden hadturned around her sister to shield her from the impact that didn''t arrive. On her face was an unwilling expression that refused to accept the reality that had led to this turn of events. But, other than that, there was also a trace of utter disbelief hidden within the pupils of her eyes as she stared at the man that was out of Esten''s sight.


    Hehimself could very well understand her conflicted emotions. After all,it was the same for him.


    ¡°Excuse my rough treatment, ladies.¡±


    Esten rose up from the ground, dusting off the dirt that had stained his clothes. They had already lost all of their brilliant lusters, beginning toresemble the attire ofa jester more than any emperor.


    ¡°And Esten, of course.¡± Tristan smiled lightly, casually hiding his arms behind his back.


    ¡°You-¡± Lynnden was about to burst out, giving relief to the pent-upfrustration that had been fanned by the flames of confusion. However, Esten was a step ahead of her.


    ¡°Are you human!?¡±


    Despite his ragged appearance, Esten rose his arms in an attempt to guard himself as well as preparing for a fight. Thecolor of his skin turned into a mixture of a faint red and brown that resembled the earth he''d just crawled out of.Aside from his display of defiance, Esten knew he couldn''t hide the shadow of despair that was welling up within him. It was apparent that even together, they were no match for Tristan that had barely lifted his hand to make short work of them. The Republic had two incapacitated fighters, one of them with unknown whereabouts. Even if Tristan was an archmagus,Esten refused to believe that their combined force would be this powerless against one. So all of this led to only one reasonable conclusion.


    ¡°Of course, I am.¡± But the answer he got from Tristan wasn''t the same he''d expected.


    ¡°More than any of you.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°What should we do?¡±


    Lynnden and her companions had regrouped after their meeting was finally concluded. Instead of flying above the clouds, they walkedthrough the forest on foot until they fully recovered. Her sister had already regained consciousness, and after picking up their remaining companion from his grave-like hole, theymade their way back home.


    ¡°Does it matter?¡±


    After recovering from the initial shock of witnessing the impossible, Lynnden didn''t appear to be particularly dissatisfied with Tristan any longer. She''d regained her calm and confident demeanor as if nothing out of the ordinary had transpired. But her companion realized that she was much more flustered than she appeared to be.


    ¡°Leave him be for now,¡± Lynnden said after ordering her thoughts. ¡°It will take some time until he can convince the public, but it will inevitably happen. As much as he likes to fool around, he appears to have his own plans. Esten must think the same and is already inclined to become one of his followers.¡±


    At this point, Lynnden paused before resumingto voice her thoughts.


    ¡°If he wants to play the hero, we can wait until he gets tired. More importantly, Aryn. I think this needn''t be said, but make sure to cover up as much aswe can. Move all of the critical technology to the north, as far north as the instruments can handle. We can''t hide our secrets forever... But we have to try to delay it as long as possibleand use the time we have now. It''s... just a little... a little while longer...¡±


    <hr>


    3<sup>rd</sup> day of Alir, 2734(attb.), Teralis.


    Catherine casually went about her business in the orphanage. Ever since she had first made it her home, she became quite fond of her new hobby. Raising the few discarded children that other humans had forsaken, she found a way to pass the time. It was no different than raising pets that existed solely for her entertainment. Knowing what different futures awaited them, she silently stood by and smiled gently while becoming the most important person in their lives. Whether they were sent to work or to the military for the nobles'' uses, she didn''t particularly care. Regardless of what would happen to them, these children would never forget her gratitude. They''d never see past the facade their mother put up, and even if someone told them, they''d vehemently refuse to believeit.


    Onthis night like any other, Catherine strolled around the gates of her church while her mind was occupied with various thoughts about her experiments. But no matter how much thinking she did, it wouldn''t change the fact that they were based on the passage of time. It would take years until she could reap the fruits of her next research.


    In her boredom, her whims had reached towards Teralis decades ago, turning it into her own little playground of dolls she''d gathered over the years. In this little haven of serenity, humans from all over the world played house according to her rules. If she wanted to, with the snap of a finger, she could turn their heaven into a hell filled with endless enmity. This final experience of joy would be a reward for herself once she was finally done with her tedious job.


    But regardless of what she was doing, Cath Z. Yslazeth would never entirely get rid of her boredom. She accepted that reluctantly as it was a meager price to pay for what she could attain. Anything had yet to happen when, she turned her gaze towards the bottom of the small hill. After a few more minutes, she saw a figure entirely cloaked in dark, heading towards the church. She didn''t need to wait for him to come closer to realize who it was, and with a brilliant smile, she went to welcome back her child.


    ¡°Two years have passed... I guess after such a long time, you missed your mommy?¡±


    In contrast to her gentle smile, Cath''s voicewas filled with derision and ridicule. From what she could see, Aien hadn''t changed much over the years.


    ¡°Two hundred contracts...¡±


    When she saw the new strength he possessed, her attitude remained indifferent. The amount of mana Aien had attained from these contracts was an enormous change to his previous fleeting reservoir. No doubt, he''d become stronger, but it was laughable compared to the world at large.


    ¡°So, what do you want? I suppose you have a reason to come here?¡±


    She asked rhetorically, hiding herpremonitionbehind that faint laughter of hers. She couldn''t read his mind, but the contract between them revealed his intentions, so Cath knew about his hostility.Even so, there was not a trace of worry on her mind.


    ¡°I.. I.. can''t... do this anymore!!¡±


    Aien stammered at first before glaring at her defiantly. Instead of being intimidated by his outburst, she took note of the fear hiding behind his false courage as he confronted her.


    ¡°N-No longer! I won''t be your slave anymore!¡±


    With each word, Aien seemed to find another speck of courage to confront his master. From within his robe, he pulled out a long dagger that shimmered within the bright moonlight. But apart from its spectacular craft, it was no different from any other piece of metal.


    ¡°I''d rather die than obey you any longer!!¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Grasping this dagger with all of his might, Aien attempted to take a step forward. However, he couldn''t do so. The moment his hostility reached its peak and focused on attacking Cath, his body involuntarily trembled in fear. At this moment, hedreadfully remembered what would happen if he continued.


    The world''s sword was raised above his head, ready to strike down at any moment. Even a single step towards attempting to harm his master would mean the end of his life. His eyes quivered in fear, refusing to succumb to it. On the other hand, Cath enjoyed watching this scene playing out in front of her from afar. Her little servant had come all the way to put up a meaningless but splendid show for her. In some weird way, she was touched.


    ¡°Come here, my boy, and hand over that dangerous toy.¡±


    A gentle voice from the past traveled into Aien''s ears, trying to lull him into a peaceful dream. While struggling against the fear emerging from the depths of his heart, Aien found refuge in her illusive kindness. He appeared to refuse her demand as his lips struggled to form the defiant words. But they couldn''t utter a single sound as the tension left his body the moment he surrendered to her demand.


    As if the fear had overwhelmed him, his arm that held the dagger sunk down before he walked towards her. He hung his head in shame of his own actions that couldn''t go through with his conviction. After dozens of steps that echoed on the silent hill withtwice the weight of his body and conscience, Aien arrived in front of her. He reached out his hand to follow her order, dropping the dagger onto her open palm.


    ¡°Good child. Now go and become stronger. This isn''t enough to satisfy my needs.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mother.¡±


    It was then when Aien dropped his act. Whether Cath had seen through it and simply didn''t care, or not, didn''t matter. Regardless, she didn''t take him seriously with the contract binding him.


    It was then, when Aien''s hand formed into an open palm, resembling the head of a spear. Without the need to reach back for momentum, he intended to thrust his hand into her defenseless chest that was wide open. But even as his intentions became clear, Cath didn''t seem to realize what was happening.


    It was then, at that exact moment, when Aien''s intention was unleashed, the world delivered its punishment. In an instant, before his hand had even moved, a bolt of white lightning came crushing from the sky. With its booming thunder that replaced every sound in existence, it struck Aien at a speed that was too fast for the human eye to catch.


    It was then when the world declared the end of his existence, for he''d disregarded the laws of this world. In a brilliant-white light, his body was burning away in a manner that wouldn''t even leave his ashes behind. If the world was a zero-sum game where nothing could cease to exist but only change form, this was the sole exception,as every part of him was about to be erasedfor eternity.


    But it was also then...


    When thebell struck midnight.


    <hr>


    Hours before midnight on the same day.


    In the distant north, a wild snowstorm was ravaging through its surroundings. For the people living here, it was a winter''s day like any other. Except for one difference.


    To say, ''the people lived here'' was no longer true.


    Amidst this massive storm, a pair ofyouths were struggling side by side as they passed through the endless white. A man and a woman, stumbled on the white blanket, barely making any progress as they moved forward. Every other step, the woman fell down in exhaustion, but no matter what happened, the man waited for her and supported her with all of his might. To their relief, after traversing for an unknown amount of time, they finally found a small cavern that could shelter them for the night.


    After settling inside, their situation didn''t improve much. They couldn''t light a fire to weather the cold or gather more resources for their survival. They might survive this night, but their fate for the remaining days of winter was left to the mercy of the gods.Since there wasnothing to keep them warm, they only had one option. The young man blushed despite the cold, but after his short hesitation, he embraced her in his arms, trying to give as much of his warmth as it was possible.


    The young woman did not refuse the awkward embrace of the youth, and for the first time for hours, she released a faint chuckle. However, this short-burst of happiness didn''t last long as she broke out in tears once the tension in her body had left her.


    ¡°How... How could this be?¡± She sobbed, her cries echoing in the small cave. ¡°What happened? Why did this happen? Tell me, Synn! ¡±


    ¡°I don''t know, Ann...¡±


    The youth couldn''t answer her. The day before, they''d struggled to survive the winter with the entire village working together as one big family. But, in an instant, that all of that was lost.


    When Synn thought back to what had happened, he likewise was left clueless. Without warning, the people had begun collapsing. At first, most had assumed they merely overworked themselves. But this collapse spread faster than any wildfire, and the people eventually realized the victims weren''t just unconscious but dead.


    Before panic could spread throughout the village, the villagers already fell over at the drop of a hat. No amount of praying was able to help them. They''d begged for forgiveness from the gods for whatever sins they''d supposedly committed. All of that was for nothing. As the epidemic unfolded itself, Synn had watched as his family and friends died around him. Terrified, he''d waited for his own turn to come,but it hadn''t. Everyone besides him had died, leaving him alone to wallow in his despair. To this point, he still didn''t know whether he should be happy about his survival.


    When he had heard the faint sobbing sounds from a distant house, he''d raced towards it in a panic, hoping he wasn''t the only one left. As it''d turned out, he found the woman, Ann, he''d always admired in his heart. She had accompanied him in the dreams of countless nights, but in reality, shehad been too far out of his reach. Compared to the youths around his age, he was much shorter than them. It didn''t help that he was younger than her and weaker than most of the other youths. Sofor her to pay attention to him, was only a reality within his vivid dreams.


    When he saw her as the sole remaining survivor, he''d sighed heavily in relief. But her reaction had been drastically different. While she had also been relieved to see someone else who had survived this tragic disaster, it wasn''t the same. Just as Synn had always suspected, Ann wasn''t particularly fond of him. She hadn''t hated him either, but he had never been on her mind before.


    All of that began changing in such a short amount of time neither of them could have believed it before.


    Instead of leaving her alone, Synn took her with him. Instead of abandoning her to increase his own survival, he took it upon himself to carry the burden that was a helpless woman, who was too frightened to move. Together they left the village, afraid of the mysterious plague.Even taking food with them was out of the question as they had realized what allowed their survival. For the same reasons, each of them had offered theiryounger siblings their own food, much to their dismay. It had been weeks since either of them ate any of the rare meat that made it up this far north. This guilt was bound to stay with them for life, but for the time being, they couldfocus their attention on their survival.


    In the cavern, Synn looked at the woman in his arms. He''d thought he''d never see her this up-close. Her body heaved up and down in accordance with her faint breathing. With her closed eyes, she snuck up her face and trembling body into his to escape the cold around them.


    ¡°Leave me behind.¡±


    She eventually said in a faint whisper. Her voice was weak, lacking all of the usual energy and temperament he was used to seeing back in the village.


    ¡°Never!¡±


    Synn shouted in response, far louder and much more severe than he''d intended to. He quickly realized what he''d just said and looked away in embarrassment, not daring to meet her eyes. In response, Ann chuckled faintly once more, wondering how Synn could worry about such matters in their current situation. While trying to rest, she thought about her past inside the village. She was absolutely devastated about the events, there was no arguing about that. But she''d never been too fond of the small place where she was confined to the same kind of people.


    Ann wasn''t too shy to admit that everyone agreed she wasthe most outstanding beauty in the village. But that brought with it a particular kind of loneliness. Did they like her solely because of her looks? Was there something else worth mentioning about her? In such a manner, she''d always questioned the seriousness of her admirers.


    It was only at this point when she realized the warmth that could be foundfrom the caring intentionsof Synn. When she watched him supporting her through the storm, sherealized that without a doubt, hewould never abandon her. It wasn''t hard for her to tell that he''d fallen for her. She didn''t quite know how she felt aboutthat and put such thoughts aside. There were more important things to worry about.


    However, there was one thing she had to admit.


    In this despairing scenario, where their survival was unsure and left for the whims of fate to decide, she was somewhat happy. She feltthat unique happinessshe''dnever known before,aware that she was next to the person whosincerely cared for her more than anyone else.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    When Ann opened her eyes, Synn noticed something different in them. In his rose-colored view of the world, he immediately thought that she''d fallen in love with him. Although he quickly reprimanded himself for thinking like that, the ridiculous thought, that might be closer to the truth he would ever realize, didn''t leave his mind.


    ¡°Mmh.¡±


    Reaching his arm around her shoulders, he shyly hummed as a response, further sheltering her from the cold. Holding each other in an embrace, the two fell asleep from their exhaustion, entering the land of dreams that could never compare to the reality of their wishes being realized.


    She, who had wished for happiness, found that very happiness in the man who single-mindedly cared for her well-being at the cost of his own.


    He, who had wished for this woman''s love, found that love in her gaze that could unmistakenly be describedas such.


    At that moment, the contracts were fulfilled as thebells around the continent struck midnight.Together their love would span an eternity, promising to accompany each other until the day they grew old.Even if that eternity lasted only a flickering instant, as that day became their imminent reality.


    <hr>


    On the human continent, Alliza, on the 3<sup>rd</sup> day of Alir, 2374(attb.), an epidemic spread across the land as it had never been seen before. From the distant north to the Republic, across Ryst and Ethena, people died in all kinds of mysterious ways. No country was spared as the victims collapsed to the ground without any prior warnings. Whether it was poison, a new illness, or something entirely different, only a few could tell. But this epidemic that spanned the entire continent appeared to have no connection that would lead to its origin.


    There was, however, those few cases among the sea of corpses that caught the attention of many. Individuals appeared as if they had rapidly aged into death. The few witnesses reported that even young children aged into senile midgets. Regular healthy men and women weren''t spared either from the terrifying plague within the epidemic. Only a few would know the cause of the depleting life force of these humans, as the entirety of humanity was thrown into turmoil.


    Those few knew that without a doubt, this was the work of a devil. How no one had realized his existence to such a large degree remained unknown. Neither could anyone guess what the point of this was or whether there was a larger plot that targeted humanity as a whole. There was only one thing clear.


    On this day, thousands, if not tens of thousands of contracts, were concluded as the population of mankind suffered in the wake of this chaos.


    <hr>


    One wished for the love of a woman.


    Therefore, those around them will die, so there was only one choice left.


    One wished to attain wealth.


    Therefore, those around them will die, so they could take what they desired.


    One wished for revenge.


    Naturally, the method to fulfill that wish was to kill.


    For the devil under the Law of Death, Aien, this was the only method he knew of to fulfill his contracts. No matter what wish was asked of him, he''d find a way to fulfill them through the death of others. That was what a devil like him was created for.


    This was the Law of Death.


    Anything that lives, one day, has to die.


    Thus, for a devil to kill, was only natural.


    In fact,


    For any living being, to kill another was only natural.


    For it was natural,


    It was the law.


    A devil under the Law of Death decided who should die and who shouldn''t.


    To fulfill this purpose, they were created for, they attained the power to control death.


    That too,


    was a(n unbreakable) law.


    But for Aien.


    The hidden meaning behind that was far more important.


    For the power to control death meant


    To have the power to control life.

 Chapter 36

    <u>Chapter 36 ¨C Gamble</u>


    Moments before the bell struck midnight, the sky in Teralis had changed dramatically. Heeding the call of an invisible force, clouds formed and traveled from the distance, converging into a dark tempest that blotted out part of the night with its foreboding grey.


    After the first lightning bolt had struck Aien, it didn''t end with that single white lightning. Immediately afterwards, without the slightest delay, a torrent of red followed.


    What should have been just a brief flash of red lightning turned into an unceasing flood that rained onto a single target. Accompanied by waves of thunder that traveled far beyond the small village, the world abided by its laws, granting the reward the devil deserved for completing its contract.


    After Aien had officially been reborn as a devil, he understood his own power on an instinctive level. His entire existence was meant to guide death. He would know when a regular person died from old age. He would know how long a poison needed to circulate through that person''s body until it ended their life.


    This new power allowed Aien to control death. Using this, he converged all of his contracts to be fulfilled at this very moment. He used this method because what he needed was not power or mana itself. It was a constant influx of it ¨C an unending stream of new mana.


    Since Aien was able to control the death of others, it was only natural, he could control his own. More than anyone else, he knew what could kill him. Thus, he also knew what was necessary to ensure his survival. Those years of experience of a lifetime would never be forgotten and supported the instincts he''d gained.


    As the fire from the heavens continued to burn away at his flesh to erase him from existence, he rebelled against it with all of his might. His mana was used to reconstruct the parts of his body that were burned away. That was part of his power he gained as a devil to control his own death.


    However, those reconstructed parts were once more turned into nothingness within an instant.


    This created a loop of destruction and reconstruction that raged a devastating war within Aien''s body. Naturally, his mana would eventually run out as the eternal fire continued its duty. That flame could never be extinguished. On this day, he was already fated ¨C judged by the world ¨C to die. His death sentence had already been delivered.


    And yet, Aien struggled against it, taking control of his death himself. He endured the outrageous amount of suffering of being burned from within by a fire that was fiercer than any other. He controlled the mana to reconstruct what was needed. Endlessly. Without pause, he persevered.


    And for next minute, he''d never run out of mana as one lightning followed after the other.


    The world had to provide it to him. With each fulfilled contract, his container for mana was increased as the world granted it to him. Even if it had already announced his inevitable death, it could not refuse to abide by these rules.


    Because such was the law of this world. The devil had to be rewarded. Disregarding the unavoidable punishment, his reward was just as inevitable.


    With this, Aien used the laws that chained the world itself to his advantage. That was his gamble. Whether this would work out as he''d planned it out, or whether this minute was enough, he couldn''t know. But it was his only chance. He couldn''t depend on Cath''s whims to stay alive a little while longer. There was no telling when she would kill without batting an eyelash.


    Therefore, his preparations amounted to a meager two years with over fifteen-thousand contracts. All of this would amount to a window of a single minute before his life was fated to end.


    That was his only path. To continue living under Cath''s mercy wasn''t a choice. So, he would instead take this chance and fight for his freedom, even if it could lead to his death.


    Cath was taken off-guard as Aien had hoped for. When she saw the white lightning, she''d already evicted him from her mind as a maddened man that was sick of living as a slave. A case like this wasn''t too far fetched. But the flashes of red that had followed after left her bewildered. In an instant, she understood what was about to happen and realized his plans, but it was too late.


    Aien''s palm headed straight towards her chest. Directly below the ribs, a natural weak-point he knew like the back of his hand. Effortlessly, his hand tore apart her lungs and were about to take hold of her heart that was pounding in trepidation. At thatmoment, however, Aien''s movement slowed down.


    No matter how good Aien could control the death of people, every single contract couldn''t be fulfilled as they were meant to be. Thus, some of them would bring with them another round of punishment that fanned the white flames inside of him, tearing his body to pieces. It was something he''d willingly accounted for. It was another way to bring chaos to the world that was governed by these contracts whose punishment was supposed to be instant death.


    In spite of being prepared, Aien cursed at himself for flinching at the unexpected increase in pain even he found hard to endure. On top of that, he had to account for the short lack of energy that was needed to keep his body intact, even if that was only a mere instant until the next reward arrived.


    Obviously, Cath used this moment to gain some distance between them. Her body was no different from a human''s, and if her heart was crushed, she would die. Unlike Aien, she wasn''t a devil under the Law of Death, and it was hard for her to reconstruct in the same manner he did.


    When she saw the crazy man that was engulfed in a white ball of fire that seeped into the depths of his body, she felt another wave of fear wash over her body. It was unimaginable for her, who had lived thousands of years, to understand how the man in front of her was still alive, much less able to move.


    There was no need to mention his clothes, as parts of his body were already missing, unable to be reconstructed in time. Hair, lips, finger-tips, and toes were only the minor things missing from the burning corpse staring at her.


    ¡°Wa-!¡±


    Her short words were interrupted by the acceleration of the flaming ballcharging towards her. When Aien pushed himself off the ground, his leg that was used couldn''t endure the impact. But as fast as it was destroyed, it reappeared and was set aflame again. All the while, the waterfall of lightning followed his movements in a mix of red and white, intertwining punishment and reward. His nerves were needed to guide his movements. Still, Aien was no longer restricted by the additional pain as he fixated his mind of steel on his target.


    Even after gathering her wits, Cath was on the retreat. She kicked the ground to jump back, trying to increase the distance. Her forte wasn''t fighting but deciding matters before they broke out into the use of force. Any form of her charms had no effect on a person under constant suffering that provided a lifeline for Aien to connect himself to reality. But in the end, time was on her side. As long as she survived his assault, Aien would undoubtedly die.


    After several large lunges, Aien caught up to the fleeing devil. Reaching out his arm, he used the remaining parts of his hand to form half of what resembled a fist and struck her. But when his fist reached her, it passed through without resistance. With no time to waste, Aien looked around him and saw dozens of Cath''s fleeing in various directions. There was no telling which was real in the short frame of time he had.


    Taking one last breath to fill his body with this necessity, his lungs were erased from existence. Then, a red light flashed within his eye-sockets, creating a gust of wind that passed through the surroundings. It took only the time of a breath before the illusions around him ceased to exist, leaving behind a single coughing woman in the direction of the church.


    Since he was supposed to control and induce death, the world naturally granted him the means to do so. For his primary method had been to use poisons, accordingly, the world had given himafittingability hat was strengthened with each passing contract.


    There was no longer any need for Aien to concoct poison. The air itself was as poisonous as everything else when certain elements were removed or its components disproportionally increased.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Cath continued to flee, no longer taking in any air, but the damage was already hindering her own abilities. She sought refuge in the church that had once been his home. Aien followed after her, continuing to teeter on the verge between life and death as he was used to doing. Finally,he closed in on her again within the halls of the church. Approaching the back of the fleeing nun, his third strike was no longer as accurate and swift. The muscles in his body began failing as his reconstruction slowly lagged behind the fire. Still, the fist found its target.


    Cath turned around ina haste, using one of her arms to block his attack.That arm was crushed with a bone-shattering sound, dangling off her shoulder and no longer responding to her calls. As Aien thoroughly harmed her a second time, the fire increased in its might, making Aien howl out in an agonizing roar that was devoid of any sound.


    From their rooms, children walked out to see the commotion together with their caretakers. Terrified, they watched the monstrosity that invaded their home, hunting after their dearest and injured mother. As they watched the lightning piercing through the ceiling of the church, theysaw the incarnation of their worst nightmares among the falling rubble.


    They wanted to cry out to their mother, but a sudden weakness overwhelmed them. Together with the fear taking root in their bodies, they fell on their behindsand remained unmoving.


    ¡°Help me!¡±


    A desperate cry of help echoed within the hall that carried the gentle plea of a mother. In response, all luster that resembled life vanished from their eyes as they began charging towards the lightning monstrosity. Caretakers and children alike flung themselves inbetween the hunter and the hunted, but it was devoid of any meaning. The lightning alone was enough to end the existence of these bystanders that had been forced to intervene.


    They posed no threat to Aien, and neither did they make him hesitate in his movements. Regardless of the innocent victims, Aien continued chasing without any form of remorse.


    With a sweep of his leg that headed towards her head, Aien sent Cath flying against the walls of the church that crumbled beneath the impact. She had used her remaining arm in time to protect her head, but it was rendered useless after a single use. Again, the firescorched Aien''s insides as he continued to break the contract that was not meant to be broken. But Aien endured as the lightning that provided him with the necessary means to stay alive had yet to cease.


    Outside, a flood of people rushed from the village towards the church. But as they closed in on thegates without regard for their well-being, they collapsed to the ground before reaching the entrance. The poison in the air had already been increased in response to these Cath''s helpers. In exchange for that,Aien lost the energy to keep one of his arms intact, and more organs that weren''t necessary for his immediate survival ceased to exist.


    Paying no heed to that, Aien closed in on Cath, who was struggling to stand up.


    ¡°Mother!¡±


    All of a sudden, Zeristin Wezlak stormed through the walls of the church. He seemed to ignore the poison in the air, and after taking a short glance, directly headed towards Aien. When Zeristin noticed him, an unbridled hatred and rage erupted within him that had nothing to do with the mother that was in danger.


    Aien took note of the unexpected appearance of Zeristin but ignored his charge. It was outside of his calculations, but fortunately, Zeristin had yet to initialize his construct. Taking that into account, Aien rushed towards Cath that leaned against the wall in a coughing fit. Both of her arms dangled uselessly from her shoulders. Her lungs functioned to harm her instead of sustaining her, leaving her in a state of powerlessness.


    She could only watch as Aien charged towards her, Zeristin directly behind him. Before Zeristin could reach him; for a second time, Aien''s hand pierced into her chest, taking hold of her heart.


    At that moment, the world trembled in a seething rage. As if space itself raged against the shackles of itself, the tremors spread across the entire world. Every being from every corner of this planet could feel as the ground and air quivered restlessly. The mortals watched in fear as the unknown vibrations increased dramatically, shaking the very foundation of this world.


    ¡°Michael! Please stop, my dear!!¡±


    Mother Catherine had enough time to utter those last pleading words, trying to tug at the strings of his heart. But that human heart was long no more, even before Zeristin had arrived to crush it with his hands. That heart was no longer needed, neither for his survival nor his future. As a result, Zeristin was forced to step backwards as his hand caught on fire as the white flames burned away at his own existence.


    On the other hand, Aien''s disfigured body barely stood tall as he watched the pleading mother in front of him. Without lungs to give voice to his thoughts, he flashed her a cold smile that told everything that was needed.


    ¡°You! You!! You will regret this!!!¡±


    Realizing her pleas fell on deaf ears, her desperate words changed into threats.


    ¡°They will not stand by and watch! They won''t allow your existenceand the entire world will refuse to accept you!¡±


    In response to her threats that appeared meaningless to him, Aien remained undisturbed. Instead, he enjoyed the burning sensation that desperately tried to wash away his existence. He reveled in her folly that had yet to realize what she''d caused.And he relishedin watching the impotent world trembling as it wasleftto watch the events unfold without being capable of changing anything.


    ''Then let them come!''


    The illusion of his impossible laughter resonated with the thunder in the sky, basking in the ridiculousness of it all. The laughter in his heart seethed into the world that refused to accept his existence. The same world that had treated him as a mere jester. Together with the last remaining strikes of lightning, his hand that had taken hold of her heart was about to crush it without mercy.


    This was the greatest harm to any living being. As he was about to break the contract in the mostharmful way, the worldcould no longer delay the inevitable.


    This could not happen. Under any circumstances, the contract absolutely couldn''t be broken.


    Thus, it had come to the point where there was only one option left. Its last resort. Above anything else, the world would enforce that which stood in the Primal Contracts. Therefore, as Aien was without a doubt about to extinguish Cath''s life, one last lightning strike fell from the sky. This pitch-black lightning dispersed the remaining clouds, and at that moment, it appeared as if the worldhad been torn apart by this bolt that came from the farthest reaches of the void.


    When the lightning hit Aien, he could feel the fire within him being extinguished. At the same time, he lost his connection to his mana. All of the accumulated Yzra he''d gained over the two years and had made him stronger disappeared without a trace. With it disappeared his connection to the Law of Death and the powers that came with it.


    Aien returned to the powerless state he''d found himself in as a human. But as the Yzra disappeared from within him, his body returned to normal. One by one, the missing limbs and organs reappeared asthe lightning repaired his body.From the outside, it appeared as if nothing had happened. But Aien had changed in a way that hadn''t been seen for millennia.


    The pupils in his eyes had been shattered into smithereens, appearing like the countless stars in the nightsky. Within his eyes, they made up a world of their ownand as Aien took the first breath with his newly formed lungs, he was filled with a sense of strength that shouldn''t exist anymore.It was then when herealized that with each passing breath, his body was being filled with additional power.


    When he''d further studied the interior of his bodywhile it had been reconstructed, Aien realized that almost everything was back to where itbelonged, without leaving any flaws behind. But there was one difference - no longer did he have a beating heart.


    In its place, there was a black vortex that rotated around its axis, greedily absorbing the mana that entered throughevery orifice of his body.


    AroundAien, the mana of the world that held together the structure in its surroundings disappeared, devoured by himself. The ground Aien stood on, lost its consistency, making him appear as if he floated in the air. It turned into an indistinguishable mixture of liquid gas, yet being solid at the same time, andwith each breath he took, the air became slightly thinner.


    That''s when Aien realized, that from that point on, he was truly free.


    With no other option left, the world had evicted him. He was no longer a part of this world. Not a devil or any other being. Therefore, he no longer had to abide by its laws. Consequently, it was no longer a contradiction for him to have killed Cath.


    Becausehe was reborn as a demon.


    Free from the laws that governed this world, he could break them as he wished without destroying the structure and the principles behind them. In such a manner, the paradox of what shouldn''t have happened was solved.


    But as a result, Aien could take awayanything he wanted and never return it. The mana he''d accumulated as a devil was able to escape him in his transformation, but for the future that would no longer be the case. What others needed to earn or borrow, he could simply take for his own. Each breath he took, made him all so slightly stronger and if one day the time arrived whenhe died, themana he''d accumulated wouldn''t return to the world as it was usually the case. Together with him, it would disappear into nothingness, weakening the world forever.


    His existence was no different from a tumor ¨C a parasite that robbed from its host withoutpaying attention to its well-being.


    Achieving this goal,which plan had been a gamble based on a children''s rhyme, Aienhowled out in a burst of crazed laughter. With the countless stars glittering within his eyes, he looked around his surroundings. He indifferentlystudied the ruins of the place that had once been his home. There was no trace of Zeristin, and only Cath''s corpse remained on the side.


    They will not stand by and watch!


    Aien didn''t care about the meaning behind her words. In hismanic laughter that heralded the impending apocalypse, he remembered the sworn oath he''d made to himself ¨C His sole obsession.


    Whether it was the gods that would come for retribution.


    The devils that would come for revenge.


    The mortals that would come to protect their home.


    ¡°They will all realize that there is nothing they can do to prevent the inevitable.¡±


    On this day, through avow that was filled with eternal hatred, the world received itsFinal Judgment by the demon. He, who would become known as the demon Ai''En, wouldn''t stop at anything until he reached his goal ¨C Even if that was the last thing he''d do.


    End of Arc 1 ¨C The Beginning of The End

 Chapter 37

    <u>Chapter 37 - The World Responses</u>


    Her surroundings were filled with the vast greenery of a natural jungle, where it would have been easy to get lost if she didn''t exactly know what to look for. Despite only a few rays of sunshine passing through the ceiling made of leaves, the humid and moisty air turned her trivial task into an insufferable trip. It led her throughthis hot-pot in the middle of nowhere. She made her way through the enormous leaves and bushes protruding from all around her while silently cursing to herself. Any place would have been better than this. Even the freezing cold in the north was a better environment to be in. At least there she could have tucked herself in layers of clothing to endure the cold.


    But in this heat, there was nothing she could do to relieve herself any further. Her already meager amount of clothing would leave her ashamed if anyone saw her in public, but at this point, she was already far beyond caring about any of that. A breeze regularly covered her body to guard her against the buzzing insects that thirsted after her blood. Although the breeze was sufficient to keep these nasty and illness-ridden insects at bay, it barely helped against the heat itself.


    However, this was what she''d signed up for. She knew very well an environment like this was part of her job, so she could only suck it up and continue performing her duty.


    ¡°Armin! Armin! Damn it, where are you!?¡±


    The young woman paid no heed to keep her whereabouts hidden. She could tell that this jungle was filled with wildlife, gathering all different kinds of species that could be harmful regardless of which race they encountered. Yet, despite them warily lurking in the shadows of the trees, not a single animal dared to pounce on this unsuspecting prey.


    ¡°Over here, Aiyla!¡±


    At last, the voice of a man answered her unceasing shouts, much to her relief. After passing through another layer of bushes that barred her way, she arrived where the voice had originated from. In front of her was an unusually large clearing. Every plant that had previously resided here was rooted outin an unnaturalway. But Aiyla didn''t pay much attention tothesesurroundings as a waft of foul air filled her nostrils. An atrocious stench that turned her annoyed frown into a furrow of disgust. Yet, the nausea welling up inside her wasn''t enough for her to keel over or lose her bearings from the shock. Itsimply took a few short breaths to calm herself down.


    It wasdifficult for her to tell whether it was a good or a bad thing that she''d gotten used to the stenchof bloody corpses rotting in this natural oven beneath the sun.


    ¡°You know I hate it when you run off like that.¡±


    Aiyla complained, not in the least interested in hiding her annoyance. She confronted the man who sat atop a tiny mountain, where he longingly looked at the sky as if he could see through the layers of leaves blocking his sight from the heavens.


    Still not getting an answer from him, she crossed her arms, restlessly tapping with one of her feet on the ground. If she didn''t know any better, she''d would have thought that the man hadn''t even noticed her arrival.


    To her eyes,he appeared as a human male, who wore a plain dark shirt, together with a shabby pair of trousers that tightly clung onto the brimming muscles beneath his body. There was not a single place where his muscles weren''t exuding their explosive strength within them, yet, he wasn''t burly to the point of them hindering his mobility. Instead, his lean stature was crafted into the perfect balance needed for what he''d task of them. With his slightly bend back, hesat on the mountain beneath him as his arms loosely rested on his legs, taking a short break in this humid heat. His untended hair was bound to the back of his head so it wouldn''t disturb his vision, further revealing his expressionless face that was hardened by the hammer of the different experienceslife had to offer.


    ¡°And you know, I hate it when you call me that.¡± He answered her irritated.


    ¡°Yes, yes, I know. We all know! I''m sure the entire country and this goddamn jungle knows! Give it up already! Now, can we return home?¡±


    Aiyla''s exhaustion gradually reached its peak, and she was sure if she remained here any longer than it was necessary, she''d fully turn crazy.


    But instead of answering her plea, the man stood up, ignoring her entirely. As a result, one of the boulders rolled down the mountain, makingAiylarealize what she hadn''t entirely taken notice of before. If the smell wasn''t enough to display the events that had unfolded here, the lifeless eyes of the corpse staring her directly into the eyes most certainly were. The human boulders were clothed in uniform dark robes that covered their entire bodies, thus it was harder for her to tell earlier. This mountain that towered in front of her, with a sizedozens of times taller than her, was a stack of corpses. Piled upon each other like dirtbags, they resembled a crude throne for the man who triumphed over them.


    ¡°Armin? Armin! Hey, Ashton!!¡± Aiyla put the matter of the corpses in front of her aside as she felt another bad premonition.


    ¡°Seriously!? Again!?¡±


    Armin continued to ignore her, leaving Aiyla very frustrated. Since the mountain revealed to her that their job was done without herself lifting a finger once again, she had high hopes that they could leave this place behind. But Armin''s unresponsiveness meant that it likely wouldn''t be the case. Again.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    He muttered to himself before stepping off the pile of corpses. Instead of falling, he slowly descended through the air like a feather, arriving directly in front of Aiyla.


    ¡°New orders, Aiyla. We have to return home as fast as possible.¡±


    ¡°Ah... yes, yes...¡± At first, she nodded reluctantly while giving herself up to her fate.


    ¡°Wait... Home? Home?¡±


    ¡°What? Are you deaf? There is an emergency, and we have to hurry to Rydenna.They found the cause for the quaking.¡±


    ¡°Then what are we waiting for? Let''s go!¡±


    Ever since the quaking happened, thetwo were moving from place to place without pause. For reasons unknown, as if the quaking signaled the beginning of chaos, throughout the world, incidents ensued. Criminal activities more than doubled, and people that had gone missing for years suddenly returned. Most of them had seemingly lost their sanity and caused suffering wherever they went.Cults like this one they''dcome to stop were only one of many that had resurfaced, further sowing chaos as humanity was already weakened by the epidemic. This was no doubt one of the worst crises humanity ever had to overcome.


    ¡°Not so fast.¡±


    Armin shattered her fleeting hopes with a single sentence. But instead of being annoyed, she realized that she''d forgotten why they''d come here in the first place and started to look around.


    ¡°It''s over there.¡±


    He eventually said after a short time and walked around the pile of corpses with Aiyla. Behind that, they saw a small hut that was filled with stacks of brown boxes. When Aiyla was about to head over and see what was inside them, Armin grabbed her by the shoulder and shook his head. Taking the clue, she grimaced and stared at the boxes for a little while longer from a distance. Only after offering a silent prayer did she turn around to focus on the large circle that was drawn in front of the hut.


    Adorned with letters from the Divine Language, it was easy to tell what its use was. Or what it was supposed to be used for. Armin hinted to her to take a few steps back before he walked into the middle of the summoning circle. Raising his leg in a casual motion, it fell back onto the ground with a force that couldn''t possibly be made by the use of his human muscles alone.


    Accompanied by a faint glimmer of golden light, his foottore the ground apart, sending a shockwave throughout the jungle. As a result, dozens of wild animals that had been lured by the scent of blood scurried away in a hurry. After Armin destroyed the summoning circle, the two were about to depart whenhe suddenly stopped in his movements as he felt something inexplicable calling to him. Turning around to see what was making him halt, Aiyla likewise gasped in shock when shetook a closer look at the cavity beneath the earth.


    Behind the rubble, another, smaller circle was drawn into thecave below, and within it, there was a small casket. Inside of it was an infant. To Aiyla, it appeared to be a human baby, and the implications with the circle drawn beneath it were apparent.


    ¡°Bastards!¡±


    This time she couldn''t hold back her trembling lips as she cursed out aloud. Traces of small tears welled up inside her eyes and she sunk to the ground, her trembling legs failing to support her. Seeing the deaths of murderous lunatics could no longer bother her, but this was entirely different. To top it all of, the emotions inside her raged in a fury as she looked at the pile of garbage that had dared to call themselves human.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°For someone who has such strong beliefs, you sure lose hope fast, Aiyla.¡±


    Contrarily to Aiyla, Armin was in a much better condition. He slowly climbed down, heading towards the small casket.Then hereached forward with his right hand, which resulted in a scene that left Aiyla breathless. Armin''s hand shone in a blinding light that revealed a symbol on the back of his hand. Drawn within a circle, the picture of a burning fire was etched into his skin from which the light emerged. Aiyla was forced to avert her eyes as the light enveloped the casket in front of Armin, but the sounds that followed soon after made her heart skip a beat.


    It was the sound of an infant, crying for reasons noperson ever knew. But it was the sound of life andthe sign of healthiness. For an infant, otherwise known, as the sign of its birth.


    ¡°Armin, you...re-...revived him?¡±


    She uttered those words with utter disbelief. Although Aiyla was some distance away from them, she was certain its heart had already stopped beating.


    ¡°Don''t be silly. Come take a closer look.¡±


    Hurrying down the small cavity, she appeared next to Armin as she looked at the child he took into his arms. Realizing Aiyla''s confusion, Armin pointed towards the infant''s hand, which resulted in another gasp of surprise.


    ¡°He is the third one...¡± Armin confirmed her suspicion.


    ¡°I believe...He... is the reason we were sent here.¡±


    Unlike Aiyla, Armin was lessenthusiastic about this turn of events. Sure he was asglad as anyone else, knowing the infant survived. Still, looking down at the infant, he saw a blinding circle etched into its tiny hand. Its inside was empty, but the ring itself shone brightly, not losing out to the light of Armin''s that had begun to recede. Without averting his eyes, he starred at the circle as if trying to make sure of its existence.


    He knew it without a doubt. He had already felt its authenticity and the connection to the Divine. But even so, he starred at it unblinking, hoping it would disappear. Hoping that it was just an illusion.


    Alas, his wish didn''t come true. Unmistakably, this was the third one.


    After releasing a heavy sigh, he grabbed one of Aiyla''s arms and jumped into the air while tightly holding onto the child. Surprised, she released a meek shriek as she furiously stared at Armin while they traveled against the fierce winds brushing past them.


    ¡°What was that for!?¡± She shouted while the necklace around her neck dealt with the pressure of the wind blasting against her.


    ¡°We''ve already lost too much time. I told you we have to return immediately.¡±


    Aiyla reluctantly accepted his explanation not bothering to bicker about whose fault it was they wasted time. Instead, she turned to look at the child in his arms, worrying about itswell-being. Naturally, Armin wouldn''t let any harm come to it because of his movements. Seeing her worried expression, he let out a small chuckle.


    ¡°Why don''t you name him?¡±


    ¡°M-me?¡± Startled, she said, not knowing how to respond to his sudden suggestion.


    ¡°Sure, why not? I doubt we can find his parents and we have to take him with us anyways. So you just might as well name him.¡±


    Instead of finding fault in his wording, Aiyla closed her eyes, wondering if she was right to do as he''d said.


    ¡°Ray.¡±


    She answered eventually. Since it was his idea to begin with, Armin obviously didn''t complain. He carried the three of them towards the north with increased speed, after handing the sleeping Ray over to Aiyla to take care of. Passionately shewatched the peaceful expression that was yet clueless about the world surrounding him.


    <hr>


    ¡°Calm down, everyone!¡±


    Somewhere amid nature, far away from the humid jungle, droves of animals darted around wildly without any order. Surrounded by blooming flowers that likewise swayed in turmoil, every living being lost its composure. From small squirrels to bears and flock of birds that didn''t care about dropping their gorgeous feathers in their hurry, living beings of all kinds were present as utter chaos ensued.


    But those small critters paled in comparison to the giants trembling in agitation. The wingbeats of a feathered creature that towered above the forest almost swept away the animals and see of hurrying trees beneath it. This eagle-like entity dropped all of its pretense and pretentious attitude that it was so fond of displaying to the point of being entitled. Not the slightest composure or its pride remained when the comparably tiny green flickering ball of light had delivered the news.


    Down below, the gentle voice originating from the green light sighed heavily in exasperation. Running out of patience, a shriek erupted from the ball of light traveling through the giant forest. As a result, the panic finally died down, whilethe animals were busy enduring the displeasing sound even plants couldn''t ignore. Likewise returning to its senses, the giant eagle calmed itself down, sinking to the ground where it bowed its head with a slight expression of shame and guilt when it took notice of the critters that had clung themselves to the ground to weather its uneasiness.


    Even the plants had finally regained their calm. What had seemed to be the result of the eagle''s restlessness was also the trembling originating from the sentient flora itself. The news had spread through their territory with the speed of the wind, resulting in every living being rushing towards this conclave to confirm the news. Even if it wasn''t for the news themselves, each and every one of them could feel the connection to their Mother, who began trembling in unceasing agitation ever since recent days.


    ¡°What you all feel, naturally, is the truth, not your imagination. But it''s not Mother''s health you have to worry about.¡±


    The green light answered with a distorted voice that resembled a child''s. It was the sound of a kin of an animal, the sapling of a tree, or the voice of a little girl, depending on whom heard these words spoken with the Divine Language.


    ¡°It all happened when the quaking first appeared. Despite her weakened state, our Mother trembled restlessly. Unfortunately, she currently remains silent, and only her quivering has yet to subside. As you all fear, this a bad omen. Whatever it was, the trembling is connected to something harmful to the world, and a calamity may befall us soon. But do not fret! With the last of her strength, Mother has already made me aware that a visitor willarrive soon and aid us in protecting our home! Thus, believe in Mother Nature and trust her. With her watching over us, we have nothing to worry about.¡±


    Finally, the herd of animals and plants calmed down and relaxed when they heard their Guardian''s proclamation filled with reassurance. One by one, the beings left until only the Guardian remained. The green light remained unmoving until two similar lights appeared byits side, far larger than itself as they rose from beneath the ground. In a short time, these lights transformed themselves into humanoid figures. Their pointy ears and pale skin color resembled the traditional depictions of elves that lived insidethe various forests inhabited by the Guardians.


    ¡°Esteemed Guardian... Are you sure about this?¡± One of them asked, struggling to find the right words.


    ¡°Sure or not, what I said was the truth. A calamity might be imminent. Thus panic won''t get us anywhere. Trust in our Mother. That being said, it should be us children who ought to protect their frail parents. As such, I won''t change my mind. While I''m attending the meeting, I trust the two of you with the protection of our home. In an emergency contact the adjourning Guardian.¡±


    ¡°We understand.¡±


    The two returned into flickering lights of green, leaving the Guardian alone withits thoughts. Closing its eyes,it saw a sapling that was barely as tall as herself. With two leaves sprouting to each side, it swayed gently within the breeze. Yet, the small stem itself, quivered as if it was in a constant state of fear. Seeing this, the lousy premonition inside the Guardian''s mind solidified itself. However, there was nothingit could do. It couldn''t solve a problem itneither knew the existence or extent of, so the only thingitcould do was address matters one at a time.


    <hr>


    While throughout the world, everything was in turmoil, Tristan Stelfort sat on top of his wooden chair he jokingly once called his throne. Above him was the ceiling of the earth that cut him off from the rest of the world as he sat within this dome beneath the surface. In the middle of this dome, there was a large circular tower that connected the ground below with the one above. Next to it, a large crystal connected with several tubes made of stone that rose forth from the walls. Like a web, they connected itself, creating several pathways to the city above.


    Below Levestein, Tristan looked at the foundation of the city, showing no signs of admiration or any other reaction. Casually sipping from a cup made of porcelain, he seemed relaxed, taking no note of his surroundings or paying any attention to the outside world.


    ¡°What''s the point of hiding?¡±


    Eventually, Tristan said in a tired voice. In turn, the little light in front of him that originated from the crystal distorted, revealing a humanoid shadow. Likewise, he said on a wooden chair, relaxing as if it''d arrived at his own home.


    ¡°It''s a pleasure to meet you, Emperor of Humanity.¡± The shadow spoke its words containing an accent from lack of practice that made it difficult to understand.


    ¡°It''s still too early to call me that,¡± Tristan answered unbothered.


    ¡°There''s no need to be humble. For a human, you are quite accomplished.¡± Despite its lack of proficiency in speaking the human language, the mockery hidden within its words wasas clear as the hidden sky.


    ¡°Do you know why I''m here?¡±


    Tristanhad no courtesy to offer to those who didn''t treat him with respect and, as such, ignored what it had to say.


    ¡°I wonder why... is it always you humans? Once more, you have done something we can''t ignore and created this monstrosity. This-¡±


    ¡°The birth of a new demon.¡± It was Tristan who answered to interrupt the shadow before it went on a tangent.


    ¡°You know of it?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.¡±


    ¡°Then, how will you take responsibility?¡±


    ¡°Responsibility? Ha!¡± For the first time, Tristan dropped his uncaring attitude and chuckled coldly as if to provoke it. ¡°Why do I have to take care of it? It''s not our problem.¡±


    In response, the shadow couldn''t deal with Tristan''santics anymore and erupted with a burst of mana that filled the entire cavern. Every trace of light disappeared as Tristan was enveloped in an endless world of darkness, cut off fromthe previous world.


    ¡°Don''t take this lightly, human! This is a calamity you have created, and you willhelp take care of it!Unless you want your pitiful race to be wiped off from existence, you will listen!¡±


    Although there was only darkness, Tristan focused his vision on a single spot in his surroundings. Concentrating his gaze as if he met its eyes, he answered it.


    ¡°We both know you can spare your breath with these meaningless threats. Don''t worry, I will play along and help. But if you had simply asked nicely or shown a little respect, we could have resolved this more peacefully over a cup of tea."


    Finishing his words, Tristan waved his hand. Just like opening up a curtain to the side, in compliance with his hand, the world of darkness disappeared, returning him back to the cavern. The featureless shadow reappeared in its chair, where it remained silent to his response and actions. Still, the faint light flickering forth behind the wall of shadow revealed its astonishment.


    ¡°Tristan Stelfort. Consider this a warning. Know the place that was made for you. Else... it one day might be stripped away.¡±


    With that, the shadowgrew smaller as it folded into itself before vanishing. Resuming to sit backonto his half-broken chair, Tristan tapped with his finger on his cup as he remained in thought.


    ¡°Aien, huh...¡±

 Chapter 38

    <u>Chapter 38 ¨C Wanted</u>


    For a month, Aien found himself fleeing through the woods, constantly changing his direction. Theshining stars in his eyes remained unchanged, along with the phenomenon that accompanied each of his movements. Unceasingly, the mana in his surroundings was drawn towards him, whether he wanted or not, allowing him to forego the need for rest. While running to places unknown, Aien remained in constant thought ever since he''d killed Cath and became a demon. His imminent plans for the future were still undecided. Although his goal became more apparent than ever, Aien remained clueless of what he needed to do, as what he sought wasn''t something done so easily.


    How would one destroy the world?


    ¡°Urgh!!¡±


    All of a sudden, a glimpse of light reflected by the cold steel of a dagger flashed by his vision, ripping him out of his thoughts about the future. With his eyes opened wide in astonishment, Aien reached towards his neck with his hands. His mouth opened and closed like a leverhad been broken, trying to stammer inaudible words he couldn''t properly form. All the while, his hands desperately tried to stop the flood of blood gushing out of the wound that had cut his neck in half, almost entirely separating it from his shoulders.


    Aien''s movements slowed down, stumbling forward with the last of his strength before finally falling towards the ground facefirst. A few steps ahead of him, a man entirely clothed in a mixtureof dark colors watched his demise with cautious eyes. Only after Aien remained unmoving forsome time did he release a sigh of relief, and some of the wariness in his eyes left him.


    ¡°That was surprisingly easy...¡±


    The man muttered, still unsure whether his senses were accurate as he stared at Aien from a distance. However, eventually, he became certain that he couldn''t feel any signs of life from Aien. At last, the man released a chuckle and walked towards the corpse. For a target that was supposed to be avoided at all costs, this turned out into an easy job that would surely be rewarded with a hefty sum. After all, any form of information about this corpse alone was already enough for him to comfortably survive for a year. The man he''d killed must have severely pissed of some high-ranked nobles considering the number of wanted papers flying about the cities.


    But the moment the man took one step too close, he was torn away from his delusional dreams of wealth and brought back into reality.


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    Those were the last words the man uttered before he shriveled up into a corpse like it had beenleftout to dry in the middle of the desert. Around his ankle, Aien had grabbed onto the man, andregardless of his own will, he absorbed everything the man consisted of until he disappeared into nothingness. Not even the construct in the form of his clothes remained.


    ¡°Another one...¡±


    Slowly, Aien raised himself off the ground with a deep frown on his face. This had already been the tenth assassination attempt on him. Once more, he looked back to the path he''d traveled so far. Without the need for his glasses, Aien could clearly see the traces he left behind.


    Wherever he went, hewould absorb the mana from his surroundings. While it did continuously make him slightly stronger, it was far from worth the trouble it brought. The surroundings would eventually return to normal after he''d passed through them, but thattook its time. From his calculations, it would take several days until the rift he left behind was fully restored, removing any signs of him passing by. Until then, the minuscule lack of mana and the subtle changes of his disintegrating surroundings would reveal his location like a flare he lit himself.


    However, there was nothing he could do. Unlike the time when he''d become a devil, Aien was unfamiliar with his newfound strength, to the point, he was even unable to turn off this one aspect of his powers. Not only that, but he also knew next to nothing about demons,leaving him ignorant of the implications his new existence brought.


    Fortunately, those that had dared to attempt an assassination thus far were independent fools blinded by their greed. After the first attempt, Aien took advantage of that and was barely able to fake his no longer existing heartbeat with a pulse of mana. Those who actually knew what kind of existence he was, would never be fooled by this. Still, it was enough to aid him against the unsuspecting assailants.


    The upside to all of this was that this revealed a piece of vital information to Aien.


    The public remained unaware of his existence. For the time being, he was only wanted as Aien, the human lunatic that had turned Levestein into turmoil. The only difference from back thento this day was that the reward for information about him had been increased by more than ten-fold.


    Yet, Aien wasn''t foolish enough to believe that the real and capable scouts couldn''t find him. Those were simply in the know and avoided him while reporting back to their superiors ¨C his yet unknown enemies. That was something Aien couldn''t prevent. Not only was it easy to track him, but those scouts had also been trained for years solely for the purpose of tailing. They followed after him as silent as the dead, their various forms of magic, allowing them to stay out of his insignificant range of detection.


    There were only a few clues that allowed him to uncover the existence of such pursuers. Aside from Human Magecraft, Aien had noticed signs of light bending in a few places, hinting at the presence of eledyn or dwarven pursuers, giving him an additional clue.


    Whoever was after him, wasn''t just a single faction, but a group or organization that worked across the races together.


    This revelation left him all the more troubled, making him think endlessly about his next course of action. He simply hadn''t prepared to garner this amount of attention after his fight with Cath. There were a lot of things he had tolearn about which would take a lot of time - Time he wasn''t allowed to have.


    All of this left only one solution.


    ¡°Co...me...¡±


    Once again, Aien heard that weak, genderless voice in his mind. Ever since he headed south-west of Teralis and entered certain parts of the wild forest, this voice connected with his mind. Aside from that, there was something else that had caught his eye more than once.


    It had been hard to notice in the beginning, but the further he went into the depths of the forest, the more he''d realized it. To Aien, it appeared as if the forest itself was trying to guide him in a particular direction. After making sure it hadn''t been a trick of his mind, Aien naturally was still wary and chose to disregard the path that was made for him.


    However, the more significantproblem remained. At one point or another, if he couldn''t get rid of his pursuers, he''d eventually be forced to confront someone that was explicitly sent with the sufficient means to deal with him. The outcome would be obvious. Regardless, Aien remained highly suspicious. There was, however, one instinct of his that made him more seriously consider heeding the call of that voice. Ever since becoming a demon, Aien could broadly tell which places held more amounts of mana. Whether it was an object or a living being, he could guess its might by his feeling that told him how much stronger it would make him, could he absorb it.


    Thus, on account of the weakness of the voice that couldn''t be faked and his situation, Aien entered the small avenue that was made for him, unbeknownst to what would happen far behind him.


    <hr>


    ¡°Halt your approach, intruders!! You are trespassing on the territory of the Guardians! Advance any further, and I will deem it as an act of aggression!¡±


    The pursuers that had chased after Aien abruptly stopped in their motions when the various different voices echoed within the forest as if originating from the trees themselves. One by one, the members of the several different races revealed themselves. Each of them was covered in black from head to toe, revealing nothing of their appearance except for their noticeable difference in height. From towering giants, thrice as large as most humans to those dwarfing in comparison, they remained silent by the sudden intervention.


    After a few moments of staring at each other, a voice originated from the humanoid shadow that was part of the group of pursuers, trying to explain their reasons.


    ¡°Esteemed Guardian of the Eternal Forest, we beg your pardon. Allow us to apologize for having intruded on your territory, but we assure you we had our reasons. Please-¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Without courtesy, the voice interrupted the shadow, unwilling to listen any further. ¡°Regardless of your reasons, leave at once. If not, then per the will of Nature, I will take action!¡±


    Hearing those words, the group of pursuers lost whatever composure they had and disappeared in an instant towards the opposite direction. Only the giant and the shadow revealed some hesitation but seeing there was no room for discussion, they too left reluctantly with confusion filling their minds.


    Somewhere hidden in the forest, there was a glow of green light that watched the departing individuals return where they''d come from. There was nothing to reveal its emotions, yet it was even more confused than those it had sent away.


    ¡°Was he the prophesized visitor who will aid us in our need? Unfortunately, Phi is out on that meeting...¡± It silently thought to itself.


    ¡°But why was the Order chasing after him?¡±


    No amount of thinking was going to help it come to a conclusion. In the end, it realized it was pointless to waste time thinking about it. Since it had acted on account of their Mother''s wishes, it didn''t need to worry any further and simply abide by what it was ordered to do.


    <hr>


    Still sitting on the same spot ever since his meeting with the nameless eledyn, Tristan Stelfort waited for his real guests to arrive. The first group of arrivals were Esten and Lynnden that had entered through the tower. Shortly after them, a group of three dwarves rose forth from beneath the earth. Using methods unknown to humans, they didn''t leave behind any traces of their entrance as the ground they''d simply passed through remained undamaged.


    To Esten''s surprise, the dwarves had removed the helmets, revealing the features of their faces that usually remained hidden. With their rumbling voices, they had always resembled the earth more than any form of a living being, giving himan impression fitting to their actual appearance.


    Rough features that appeared more cornered, almost squared - a stark contrast to the rounder faces of humans. There were none of the famous beards that were portrayed in the stories made up by humans. In fact, they were devoid of any form of hair, and together with their dark skin color, they truly resembled a walking boulder. Even when taking steps, they appeared slightly rusty, almost as if it was an unusual form of movement for them. To top it all off, there lifeless, white eyes were devoid of any pupils. If Esten didn''t know any better, he''d certainly mistake them for statues that had miraculously gained sentience.


    In his opinion, that was indeed the best way to describe the appearance of the weakest race of this world.


    ¡°That makes everyone then.¡±


    Tristan greeted them with a smile and invited them to sit down on the half-broken chairs made of simple wood. Esten and Lynnden took him up on the offer, while the dwarves remained standing, aligning everyone''s eye height.


    ¡°Tristan. You said. Everyone.¡±


    One of the dwarves spoke up. Esten could hardly tell their appearance apart, but if he had to point something out, then the heavy steel armor the presumable leader wore was slightly darker than the rest.


    ¡°Well... I will talk to the Foren later, and I have neglected to reach out to the Jin because the matter of today doesn''t concern them too much.¡±


    When Tristan spoke, he used the Divine Language to Esten''s and Lynnden''s surprise. It was also then when they realized the dwarf hadalso spoken in that language, albeit not as fluent as Tristan.


    ¡°You ought to learn it as well. Mind you, learning to speak is rather difficult since reading and understanding is different for everyone, and more on an instinctive level.¡± As if reading their thoughts, Tristan pointed them out. ¡°As you can see, Kark is already displaying his sincerity regarding our alliance.¡±


    From what they could gather from the minuscule mimics on the dwarven leader''s face, he seemed quite displeased. It was hard to tell whether the cause for that was the absence of the remaining minor races or their lack of communication skills.


    As Esten and Lynnden hadone day found out, this was Tristan''s attempt at gathering the minor races together into an alliance that would hopefully place them on equal footing with the higher races. This objective wasmuch easier said than done.


    The two of them and Kaemir couldn''t even unite their own race, much less worry about allegiances with the other minor races. Although they had to admit it was a prudent decision with a lot of opportunities, it would be challenging to come to an agreement that would leave all parties satisfied.Even though all the minor races were in the same boat, the focus to first care about themselves was prevalent among every race.


    ¡°I can''t believeYour Majesty got the Foren to agree.¡± To further clarify her doubts, Lynnden spoke up. Displaying sincerity to the dwarves, Tristan would always repeat everything they said to allow for proper communication.


    ¡°They''ve always considered themselves part of the higher races, clearly drawing a line between us.¡± Lynnden continued. ¡°Although they''ve never been acknowledged by the Rykul and the Eledyn, itis true that they are a level above us.¡±


    It wasn''t much of a surprise to Lynnden, or for anyone else that the dwarves were eager to form an alliance. As the weakest, they didn''t have much to lose and would notice the advantages the most. It was much different for the others, especially the Humans and the Jins, considering they were practically equal in their standing and prowess. Either side would have to worry about the future and determine what the end result of this alliance would bring. Naturally, if one side saw itself more advantageous, it would be more eager to join, yet at the same time, the other would realize the same disadvantages for them, ending the negotiations.


    ¡°It''s not a problem for me. And since we are on that topic, I''d like to remind you of something. It would be rather unwise to underestimate what the minor races are capable of.¡±


    There were several implications to Tristan''s words, but Lynndennoticed the lifeless stare Kark gave her. Thankfully, Tristan was around to keep them in check and help smooth things over by repeatedly saying things more often than not didn''t appear as they were.


    ¡°It will still be difficult, but with sincere efforts from all sides, things should work out one way or another. The higher races have oppressed us for too long in ways you can''t possibly imagine. It''s about time we work together to bring change, lest one day, we''ll be leftcompletely powerless as the rift between the races only grows. Putting that aside, there are only two minor matters I want to discuss today.¡±


    Tristan raised himself up, pacing around while he continued.


    ¡°First, Esten and Lynnden. We don''t have to rush any form of unification, it''s enough if we work together behind the scenes. The opportunity to make everything official will eventually present itself. Until then, keep everything as it is. We will later discuss how to recover from the epidemic and deal with the increase of criminals and independent factions. The Order will support us with this.¡±


    Both of them had nothing to say against that. One had already decided to become Tristan''s follower while the other had chosen to play along and follow his orders.


    ¡°Next, Lynnden. Answer me... What is this?¡±


    From his Spacial Pouch, a black object appeared within Tristan''s hand. In response, Lynnden''s eyes widened in surprise as she shot up, throwing over her chair that echoed within the dome.


    ¡°Where did you get this!?¡±


    She instinctively reached towards her own pouch, while losing her composure. But mere moments later, she realized that what she''d searched for was gone. Immediately, she understood the implications and looked over the expressionless dwarves that appeared very curious about the black object.


    ¡°I was careless... So you were already working with the dwarves back then...¡±


    Since she was unfamiliar with the abilities of dwarves, she''d crossed off the miraculous Spacial Pouches as something she simply didn''t have the knowledge about. But she should have known it was impossible to ignore the laws regardless of whatever unknown abilities existed.


    What made the pouches convenient and immensely successful was their lack of increasing weight as items were put inside of it. This was theoretically impossible. Unless the items were no longer inside the pouch, but somewhere else. In other words, it wasn''t a storage place, but a pathway that connected to a warehouse. A warehouse the dwarves evidently had access to.


    Promising convenience that no one could pass up on, Tristan performed the largest heist known to men, allowing him access to a network that would continuously provide him with new information.


    ¡°I''ll repeat myself, Lynnden. What is this?


    Each word Tristant said was accompanied by an underlying threat that gradually lost its patience. The cause of him dropping his carefree attitude was this unknown object he''d never seen before. The fact that something like that existed left him extremely restless and uneasy, demanding immediate answers.


    ¡°It''s a prototype.¡± Lynnden conceded as she was caught red-handed.


    ¡°For a weapon.¡± She quickly added, noticing Tristan''s increasing irritation. The object Tristan held in his hands was colored in a jet-black, appearing slick and very easy to hold in his hand as it was built to be. There were no particular protrusions, only a single opening and a trigger that could be pulled.


    ¡°We call it a gun. It''s a prototype because...¡±


    Lynnden walked over and took the gun out of Tristan''s hand. She continued fiddling around with it in an inexplicable manner until pointing its opening towards her own hand. Following that, she pulled the trigger, which resulted in a loud explosion that echoed within the dome. Apart from the ignition and its accompanying flare, nothing seemed to have happened. Except for a small projectile that had bounced off of Lynnden''s hand that remained unharmed.


    ¡°It''s not particularly useful. Although it can be lethal when used against a regular human, it''s practically pointless against First Step magi and the other races. AsYour Majesty can see, even Outer Focus magi have no problem dealing with this form of attack as long as they have made minor preparations. It could be useful to catch them off guard, but magi have enough of other methods in such cases. That''s why I didn''t deem it necessary to report this failure toYour Majesty. However, I must also admit that the well-being of Ashos is still my top priority.¡±


    While Lynnden performed her demonstration and explanation, Tristan observed her closely. He couldn''t find any faults in her words; nonetheless, he was very displeased with her conduct.


    ¡°In the future, regardless of how necessary or unimportant you deem it, I''d prefer it if you didn''t keep any secrets from me. From this point on, if we don''t work together, we will all suffer in the end.¡±


    "I understand, Your Majesty.¡±


    Tristan had more to say and even more questions but decided to put the matter aside for the time being as it wasn''t of immediate concern. After discussing a few more details, Tristan was about to dismiss their meeting when something caught his attention. He stared at the ceiling as if he could see the man flyingin the skies of Levestein as he headed towards the tallest building in the city.


    ¡°It seems we have yet another visitor.¡±

 Chapter 39

    <u>Chapter 39 ¨C Vision</u>


    ¡°I didn''t believe we''d meet this soon again, Zeristin.¡±


    In the skies of Levestein, Zeristin came to an abrupt halt as he stopped his flight mid-air. Opposite of him stood Tristan, who had appeared without any of his companions. In response to this, Zeristin barely registered his presence before proceeding to move towards his office.


    ¡°Out of the way, Tristan. I will no longer meddle in your business, so I''ll expect you to do the same.¡±


    Zeristin spat out curtly with a trembling voice that was whirling in a mixture of wild emotions he couldn''t contain in himself. Tristan silently studied the man in front of him who appeared like an ordinary traveler with a tattered brown coat draped over his shoulders. Compared to their previous meetings, he realized that there was nothing left that resembled the former head of this academy.


    Also, his demeanor wasn''t the only thing that had changed.


    As Zeristin''s robe fluttered in the wind, Tristan saw something unfathomable to him. Zeristin was missing the entirety of his right arm from his shoulder down. While Tristan was busy dealing with his astonishment and the questions in his mind, Zeristin ignored him and headed towards his former office. He entered the room and walked towards the indentation Aien had once broken into. After taking out the red scroll, he proceeded to fiddle with the interior some more. He infused his mana into the walls, resulting in another opening revealing itself. From inside of it, Zeristin took out another scroll that was colored in black.


    It was only then when Tristan had come to join him again. But before he could say what was on his mind, Zeristin spoke up himself.


    ¡°Tristan, I''ll say this one last time. What you are trying to do is foolish. You don''t know what you''re dealing with, so stop while you are ahead.¡±


    ¡°If you truly think so,¡± Tristan answered him, somewhat amused by his worries,¡± then why don''t you stop me?¡±


    He didn''t get an answer. Instead, Zeristin single-mindedly went about his own business, having fulfilled his last obligation in warning Tristan for the last time. Zeristin didn''t care and would no longer erupt in a heated argument to make him change his ways and goals. Albeit quite relieved, it also left Tristan somewhat listless.


    ¡°It appears you are finally determined to see it through.¡±


    But instead of lingering on the previous matter they hadn''t come to an agreement for years, Tristan changed the topic as he took a glance at the contract that was tightly grasped in Zeristin''s hand.


    ¡°What do you know!?¡±


    The few remaining traces of calmness once again disappeared as he flared up at Tristan''s words.


    ¡°It''s not good to linger on the past, my friend. You always knew it was meaningless, yet you delayed it to indulge in your illusions. You sought refuge and hope in your precious what-ifs. Who knows, if you hadn''t been this indecisive, none of this might have happened. Even so, I still believe it would be better for you to lead humanity. On a side note, you should also trust me a little bit more. But if that is how you want to act, then so be it.¡±


    Confronted with the icy words of Tristan, Zeristin halted in his steps. The taunts were too close to the truth for him to ignore and there was nothing he could say to respond to Tristan. Remaining in silence and clutching the contract, Zeristin left the academy he''d once built up from the ground, but not before he left the black scroll at Tristan''s side.


    ¡°I guess this needn''t be mentioned, but, ¡±Tristan spoke into the empty room, ¡±as your Emperor, I will officially task you with the elimination of that demon. That should get them off my back for a while, knowing that I tasked you with it.¡±


    <hr>


    As Aien continued following the voice, he finally gained the chance to rest his tired mind. The traces he found of his previous pursuers disappeared as far as he could tell, and there hadn''t been any more assassination attempts for quite some time. Regardless, he''d naturally always keep up his guard as he further entered into the depths of the forest.


    Nothing was impeding his way. With every step, the flora in the forest made way for him, despite him clearly damaging the vitality in his surroundings. He could feel the gazes of living beings staring at him from within the shadows of the trees, but none of them dared to come close to him. Amongst them, Aien could feel large fluctuations of mana that resided in their bodies. Signatures that had eluded him before in his hurry, making him questions his rash decision.


    ¡°Come...closer...¡±


    The voice ripped Aien out of his thoughts. At the same time, he noticed the glade appearing before him, on which a sapling resided on a tiny hill. There was nothing about it that caught Aien''s eye, except for its desolate place. The traces of mana residing in its few swaying leaves were nothing out of the ordinary in this sentient forest. By all means, it looked like a regular plant.


    Yet, it was the plant that had called out to him. Furthermore, it was communicating using the human tongue and not the Divine Language.


    The more Aien closed in on the sapling, the more he could feel the gazes from the shadows glaring at him. At one point, various signatures of mana had begun closing in on him. But before Aien could make up his mind about escaping, the creatures stopped in their tracks. Additionally, they further distanced themselves from him until they were no longer in his range of detecting their mana.


    ¡°Please acknowledge my sincerity by meeting you alone.¡±


    Aien could hear the voice clearer than ever before within his mind. He became certain that it was indeed this sapling in front of him that had reached out to him. This frail plant, which life he could end without sparing any effort.


    ¡°New Harbinger of Chaos, for a very long time, I have desired to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Who or what are you?¡± Aien went straight to the point and gave voice to the biggest question on his mind. He already had a premonition, but it was more prudent to confirm matters before proceeding further.


    ¡°I do not have a name. The creatures residing here may call me their Mother, but I have never claimed myself as such. As for what I am, you should know, for I am an entity that has existed since the beginning of all existence.¡±


    ¡°The Tree of Transcendence...¡±


    Aien made the connection with what he''d learned through browsing through the library in the academy. Although it was within his expectations, he couldn''t make head or tails out of this situation. The sole entity of mortal origin that had transcended the worlds of the past was this tiny sapling in front of him?


    ¡°I believe you have many doubts and questions, demon. Rest assured, they are well-grounded, and I understand your confusion.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    The sapling continued with its voice devoid of any signs of life. Monotone, and with increasing weakness, it continued.


    ¡°I''m indeed what the humans call the Tree of Transcendence.¡±


    ¡°Then, what does the supposed origin of nature and all wildlife want from me?¡±


    ¡°I require your aid.¡±


    ¡°My aid?¡±


    Hearing what it had to say, Aien couldn''t help but chuckle coldly. The symbolic entity of all life wanted his help?


    ¡°You can spare yourself this meaningless drivel. What are you after?¡±


    Aien remained extremely cautious. Furthermore, to his surprise, despite his unceasing absorption of mana, the sapling wasn''t directly drained or damaged by him, which further increased his wariness.


    ¡°You may not believe me, but it is the truth. As you can see, ever since the Third Beginning, I have lost most of my vitality. My mana that was rightfully bestowed upon me was stripped away, leaving me out to slowly descend into death. My time in this world has become limited. Thus, I''m willing to make a deal with you, newborn demon. I have known of your arrival ever since before the Second End. A long time has passed as I endured the death that took root within myself. But knowing you''d one day appear before me, I endured.¡±


    ¡°Your survival is more important than the world? More important than your children?¡± Aien asked the obvious. Naturally, if they came to an agreement, Aien would expect recompensation. Above everything else, he''d have to profit from this, and the sapling must have undoubtedly understood the implications.


    ¡°Yes. Does it come as a shock to you, former human?¡±


    To his surprise, the sapling was rather direct.


    ¡°I have witnessed the beginning of worlds and their ends. Those who call me their parent trace their roots back to my direct descendants of a past I have almost forgotten. It is not I who claim them as my children, but them who consider themselves as such. I may allow them to use my name and the power I grant them, but these barely qualify as obligations. There is only one thing I desire."


    Aien didn''t bother asking for more details, knowing he wouldn''t get an answer regarding the sapling''s goals. There was only one question remaining, and that was whether he''d agree or not.


    ¡°What can you offer me for my assistance?¡± Aien questioned.


    ¡°My rise will support you in your endeavors. Bringer of the Third End, I know what you desire. Your help will not only benefit me but also yourself. I have watched you ever since you entered the domain of my forest. Other than power, I can help you acquaint yourself with the path you are going to take and the dangers that await you.¡±


    In other words, the sapling would give him what he needed the most - Information. This alone was already enticing enough for Aien to not pass up on the opportunity. It wasn''t even a question whether this being that had lived for many millennia had access to the knowledge he needed.


    ¡°What exactly do you want from me?¡± Aien asked the last question before making up his mind.


    ¡°That, you will soon know.¡±


    Before Aien knew what was happening, roots rose from the ground. With no beginning or end, the thin lines twirled themselves around him, quickly robbing him of his senses.


    ¡°Do not fret. What you are about to witness is the past and your future.¡±


    With these last words, Aien ceased his struggling and fell into a slumber.


    <hr>


    The forest around him was dying. It was a feeling Aien was very familiar with, but it operated at a scale he couldn''t imagine before. In the fleeting instance, he passed through, all life around him shriveled into nothingness. Regardless of what it was, the living could no close in on him without perishing. It was all he could recognize as his vision blurred by the incredulous speed his body moved through the forest. This movement wasn''t something he could control. Aien could only watch from this perspective of this body he''d seemingly been placed inside.


    ¡°Cease your foolish struggle and surrender to your fate, demon!!¡±


    Behind him, several groups clad in robes that covered every part of their body chased after him. Without losing out to him in speed, the chase continued where neither party gained an advantage. Although he was unable to lose them, the group was likewise unable to catch up. Aien realized that the body he''d found himself in was injured in some manner. There wasn''t anything on the outside but the dark swirl within him, albeit was far more significant than his own, was also slowing down.


    ¡°That''s the great hero, Amir, for you! Always around when you need him the least, HAHA!!¡±


    Shouts of his own, he couldn''t control rippled through the night as their chase continued for days. During this, all wildlife, from animals to plants, fell prey to the demon. Still, despite his increase in speed and endless endurance, he couldn''t shake off his pursuers.


    But all of a sudden, a person bust forward with incredible speed. Nothing indicated that anything had changed when he effortlessly caught up with Aien. His steps through the sky were accompanied by the light emanating off his body, leaving behind traces of the path he''d traveled in an instant. Confronted with the emergence of Amir in front of him, Aien stopped in his movements. At the same time, the swirl within him increased the speed of its rotation as the light within his own eyes changed. What had previously merely resembled the scattered stars in the sky were swallowed by the darkness of four spots. As dark as the void itself, they shone inexplicably, radiating a black light separate from the darkness within the night.


    But whatever he was about to do was to no avail. Raising his hand, the golden figure enveloped his surroundings with its own radiance. Accompanied by a light that broke through the clouds in the heavens, it swallowed Aien whole. What remained were only the waves of insane laughter that slowly died out as the demon was erased from existence. In his last moments, he raised his hands towards the two moons in the sky, refusing to accept the way things turned out.


    Contrarily to his expectations, Aien''s vision didn''t cease there. Instead, he appeared to watch the scenes from above like he was watching a dream of his own.


    ¡°What''s the meaning of this, Amir!?¡±


    Together with a quaking that spread through the entire forest below them, a voice bellowed out in anger.


    ¡°I must apologize, revered Transcendent. I have come too late and was already exhausted from my previous endeavor and was thus unable to provide you aid earlier. ¡±


    ¡°Rubbish!¡±


    In response to Amir''s sincere words, the forest seethed in a boiling rage as it restrained itself from fully lashing out at the figure enveloped by the lights of the heavens. Even the animals were influenced as they stared with bloodshot eyes at the group of humans standing in the sky.


    ¡°Who!? Who was it!? Was it that wretched Ayla who ordered you to do this!? And yet you dare call yourself a hero!?¡±


    ¡°You dare blaspheme the gods!?¡±


    When confronted with the accusations, Amir''s subservient attitude disappeared without a trace. Bearing the brilliance of the heavens, he looked towards the distant horizon before continuing.


    ¡°Little sapling that has witnessed the beginning of creation.¡±


    The next words that had left Amir''s voice were accompanied by an overbearing threat of obedience. Behind him, the group of humans knelt down in the sky as they listened to the words that left no room for defiance.


    ¡°Beware your choice of words, little one. You ought to show gratitude to the leniency of the gods. Apologize, and your offense will be forgiven, otherwise...¡±


    ¡°Gratitude! Lenience!?¡± The voice of the forest spat out in a fit unable to hold itself back any longer. ¡°You are afraid of me!! That''s the only reason you let that pest rampage around my territory!!¡±


    From beneath the ground, roots tore the earth apart as they rose towards the sky. Spanning from one horizon to another, they rose forth, removing the dwarfing humans from sight. Their bodies paled in comparison to the enormous roots heading towards them, yet they didn''t show any signs of unease.


    ¡°The gods will forgive your foolish actions this once as they are benevolent. However, you will receive their punishment.¡±


    Leaving behind these last words, Amir erupted in a barrier of light, turning the night to day as it burned away the roots of nature.


    <hr>


    Aien needed a few moments to digest the events he''d just witnessed.


    ¡°That was the end I met in the Second World, the World of Humans.¡± After realizing that Aien had recovered, the voice once again appeared in his mind.


    ¡°The gods were afraid. Afraid that I''d take over this world and take it away from them. Thus, using the hero and the demon, they damaged my vitality I''d arduously accumulated over millennia while abiding by the rules of the world. They took away the mana the world rightfully bestowed to me. Finally, they left me with this curse that continues to wither away at me, leaving me in this fragile state of existence.¡±


    ¡°That hero...¡± As impressive as the fate of the sapling was, Aien was much more interested in the matter directly concerning him.


    ¡°That was Amir? The martyr?¡±


    ¡°Back then, he was known as Amir, the hero of that world.¡± The sapling confirmed Aien''s suspicions and gave him some time to order his thoughts before continuing.


    ¡°This is a rule... or a prophecy, one might say, that has existed for as long as I''m aware of. Its origins are unknown to me, but it has always held true. When a calamity that threatens the world arrives, a hero will be born. Take this information as my token of sincerity. Like you, I loathe the gods that have created this world and took away the greatest part of my existence. As such, I''d like to propose for us to work together to achieve our goals.¡±

 Chapter 40

    <u>Chapter 40 ¨C Rydenna, Home of The Third Order</u>


    ¡°Fine. I''ll agree to your proposal.¡±


    Aien had to admit that the offer was too enticing for him to pass up. Having a relatively reliable source of information around would prove quite useful and wasn''t something he could simply ignore. The sapling wasn''t particularly surprised about his quick agreement, nor could Aien discern any other reactions from the small plant.


    Thus, the alliance between the demon and the Tree of Transcendence came into being.


    ¡°Our objective will be to acquire large sources of mana.¡±


    Since Aien had agreed, the sapling didn''t dwell on the unnecessary any longer and went straight to the point.


    ¡°As for our first target, it''s the last of my reservoirs sealed within the territory of the Jin. After taking away what belonged to me, part of it was distributed among the mortals. I''ll tell you more about the distribution of mana in this world later as it will be important for our endeavor. For now, it will suffice to know that each race, in some form or another, is entitled to a certain amount of the mana of the world.¡±


    ¡°That''s great and all, but don''t forget. I need more information about myself.¡± Aien chimed in before the sapling would focus too much on its own matters. His current problems took a higher priority over anything else the sapling needed to tell him.


    ¡°We both simply need one thing to become stronger, and that is mana.¡± The sapling answered patiently. ¡°While I will raise back to my former self, you will also grow through the mana we''ll naturally split evenly. And eventually, once you''ve gathered enough and made it your own, you will ascend into the Divine.¡±


    ¡°The Divine...?¡± Aien was more than bewildered to hear that. ¡°So, I''ll become a god?¡±


    ¡°In a sense, yes. There are a total of seven thresholds you''ll have to cross, after which you will attain the Seven Voids. Once you''ve gathered enough mana to sate each of their needs, you will be able to commence your ascension with the support of a ritual I do not know of. When the time comes, you''ll have to find out yourself, but after that, you will become a being on par with the gods.¡±


    Aien wasn''t even remotely able to hide the wry and strange smile on his face that couldn''t believe what it had heard.


    Becoming a god was...


    ¡°Even so,¡± The sapling continued carefully to make sure Aien wouldn''t get the wrong ideas. ¡°you will never transcend the Seven Major Gods of Origin. The hierarchy of the gods had been decided ever since they came into being. Nothing can change that. What you will decide to do once you''ve ascended is up to you. But that is still a long time away. Until then, we can both agree that ridding ourselves of our current weakness should be our priority, right?¡±


    ¡°So be it.¡± Aien put the new information at the back of his mind. It was indeed far too early to think about this sort of stuff when he''d more pressing concerns.


    ¡°However, you''ve yet to tell me anything specific about my powers.¡±


    ¡°I''m afraid that is something you can only find out for yourself.¡±


    In response, Aien frowned unsightly. But before he could give voice to his dissatisfaction, the sapling continued.


    ¡°I gave you the clues within the vision. Remember how it felt to accompany your predecessor. There is only one hint I can give you. The power of the demon is the power of freedom.¡±


    ¡°Freedom, you say...¡±


    ¡°You exist outside the laws of this world. In other words, as long as you figure out the methods, there is nothing you can''t do. Magic that is not allowed to be in the control of mortals can be wielded by you. The forbidden holds no meaning for you. Aside from that, whether it be to control the elements, the light of the eledyn, or the might of space and time, they are all at your disposal. Even the mysteries of life could be accessed by you. There is only one limit to your power, and it''s the most fundamental one.¡±


    ¡°The capacity of my mana resources,¡± Aien concluded easily.


    ¡°Exactly. Anything you desire, you can acquire through your own actions.¡±


    With this new lead, Aien closed his eyes in concentration. It was faint and barely rememberable, but there was one thing he could take away from the vision the sapling had shown him. Albeit a minor step forward, it would finally give him some peace in his future endeavors.


    At long last, the swirl within him yielded to his will. Through his conscious effort and the little experience he''d gained, the black swirl finally grew to a halt. As a result, it turned into a ball of darkness, resembling a quiet sea with none of the traces of the turbulent absorption it used to have.


    ¡°It''s good you got control over that...¡± The sapling spoke once Aien had opened his eyes again. Its voice sounded more exhausted than before, and he could make out a faint sigh of relief within its voice.


    ¡°Absorbing mana in such a manner would take a long time to provide decent results while exposing you to large risks of being found. But I doubt I need to tell you this. Regardless, in the future, it would be wise to limit your time of absorption and primarily target large sources. As long as we acquire all of the sources I know of, we will both have come a long way towards our goals.¡±


    In other words, it would be better not to betray it. That being the case, the sapling kept most of its knowledge hidden ¨C a matter of course. However, Aien was already only listening half-heartedly to what it had to say. True, its knowledge of the locations that could become significant increases in his power was beneficial. Still, Aien had already attained what he''d needed the most.


    Knowledge of his threats.


    His goals.


    And the means to power.


    Keeping it simple, this was all he ever needed.


    ¡°I will have to rest now.¡± The sapling said, barely audible within Aien''s mind. ¡°I will also make up an excuse to the Order. It won''t delay them for long, but it should allow you to lose their tail. Do not forget, demon. We are in this together, and only together can we blossom. I''ll patiently await your return.¡±


    With these last words, the voice disappeared as the sapling sunk to the ground. Its tired leaves hung low with exhaustion, devoid of any signs of intelligence.


    Meanwhile, Aien continued to fine-tune his control over the vortex within him. Having gained full control over it, he looked down at the weakened plant before him. Within his eyes, a vicious glint flashed by as numerous possibilities sped through his mind.


    In the end, however, Aien turned around to leave under the watchful gazes of the animals in the distance. It was about time he finally gave form to his new powers, which was far more important than increasing his reservoir of mana. That and upholding his part of the deal could wait.


    ¡°I guess I''ll have to do some experiments again...¡±


    Aien had some basic knowledge about human Magecraft and the five elements. There was also his past as a devil. If what the sapling said was true, he could acquire a similar power as he used to have. As for the magic of the other races, however, he basically knew nothing. Even if he had the capabilities to control such magic, he was clueless on how to even approach them. Putting all of that aside, the sapling had mentioned something particular that intrigued him.


    There was another thing he had some experience with...


    But while he was busy thinking about what kind of experiments he needed to do, or which magic he should focus his attention on, there was a thought pestering him at the back of his mind. Since the Tree of Transcendence apparently had already known of his arrival, there was an essential, unanswered question left.


    ''If that''s truly the case...''


    Clicking his tongue in irritation at the new troubles that came together with his leads, Aien disappeared within the forest.


    <hr>


    To the north, the Humans, to the south the Jin. To the west, the Foren, to the east the Dwarves.


    These simple words were enough to describe the world of the minor races that were divided into four continents. At the center of them was Rydenna, the city where all the races could gather. Regardless of one''s origin, everyone was welcome as long as one abided by the simple rules, which could be summarized as have no prejudice.


    In the middle of the vast desert, the oasis in the form of a city became a world of its own that was said to be blessed by the seven gods. This would become apparent to anyone once they stepped inside as they would be greeted by a drastic change in the atmosphere. The usually unbearable heat during the day would turn into a comfortable breeze, and no longer would one be plagued by the freezing nights in the desert. Even the sky would change from the lonely shining sun into an enjoyable climate, resembling the height of spring.


    With a single step into the perimeter of the city, the empty deserts would turn into bountiful lands of greenery. From trees growing fruits, that were harvested by the inhabitants, to fields of grains, the city became a different world in every meaning of the word. Using blocks of grey-yellow limestone, small houses filled the outer perimeter of the city, growing denser in population the closer one got to its center.


    The arrangement of these simple but sturdy houses was aligned to the seven wide rivers that split the city before converging into a smaller perimeter that surrounded the central hub. As the city grew, so did the world with its rivers, enveloping more of the desert with each passing day.


    Inside each of the seven regions, a large tower could be found. Despite their rather thin structure, the pillars rose to the heavens as if they were supporting the sky of this different world. They could be seen from anywhere within this city as they surrounded the vast palace that majestically stood in the center. Whether it was around the pillars, or outside of the enormous staircases one could hardly see the end of, at any given time, people were prostrating themselves as they prayed towards the skies.


    All of these people were clothed in precisely the same outfit, the only exception being the small children accompanying their parents in their prayers. They were entirely covered in white robes as a veil hid any part of their appearance except for their eyes. It was only inside this city, where one''s origin held no meaning, that all the seven races could be found living in harmony.


    Armin and Aiyla were climbing the stairs towards the palace in a relaxed manner. At least Armin was, as Aiyla was unceasingly busy taking care of the little boy in her arms that had no intention of ever stopping to cry. Around the stairs, guards were standing respectfully, similarly clothed in the same robes that could be found anywhere. Only the difference in stature, from the comparably tiny dwarves to the giant rykul, were providing small clues as to one''s origin.


    Even after reaching the end of the staircase, Aiyla was still unable to pacify Ray. At her wit''s end, she gave up trying to figure out what he wanted, but it was yet enough for her to become annoyed at the little crybaby.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Aiyla exclaimed in a slight surprise. Throughout the whole trip, she had been holding Ray in her arms. As a wave of relaxation washed over her when they finally reached the palace entrance, she took note of something.


    ''Is it just me... or did he become heavier?''


    Despite her keen senses telling her that she was right, it was nothing to fret or bother thinking about. It could also be her imagination after the tiresome trip with Armin, or the hours beneath the sun, so she discarded the thought.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    The three of them proceeded to enter into the palace that was radiating in a brilliant light. In place of the roof, there was a large, hollow dome, reflecting the sunshine. Whether the sun set or rose wouldn''t matter as the brilliance it exuded never ceased, illuminating the city at any given time.


    They entered the large halls covered in marble-white slabs of stone, where Ray''s cries echoed even louder, gathering the attention of anyone present. Whether they showed mere curiosity or annoyance of having their holy silence disturbed, Aiyla wasn''t fond of the attention either way. Thankfully, one of the passerby''s appeared to recognize them as they were approached.


    ¡°Chosen one carrying the name of Armin and Ayla''s Holy Maiden, we''ve expected your return. I see the two of you brought some company.¡±


    From behind the veil, a distorted voice echoed quietly next to the cries. It was hard to tell whether it belonged to a man or woman or tell the race apart. Nevertheless, it was pleasant to listen to and would leave one in peace, relieving one of the usual worries of confronting a stranger.


    After a short exchange, the person led them through the hall. Many others were curiously glancing at the group while erupting in quiet conversations. Most of their gazes weren''t even directed at the loud infant, but at the two people who were the only ones not covering their appearances.


    Having traversed through a sea of doors and stairs that led to the top, the group eventually arrived in front of one, particularly eye-catching one. Resembling round gates more than doors, there were the seven symbols carved into it that anyone would recognize. After knocking at the door, they waited respectfully with one knee on the ground, and their head hung low. Only when they were called inside did the group raise themselves and enter.


    On the other side of the door, a group of seven were waiting for them. The hall they waited in was almost empty, except for the giant statues that formed a circle around them. In front of each, a person was standing as they looked at Armin and Aiyla. The person leading them then excused himself and left the two alone to meet the Representatives chosen by the gods.


    Whether it was statues that were made in the name of the gods or pictures displaying their glory, nothing was ever depicting their appearance. Only their respective symbols were known. But whether their origins were with the gods or the worshipping mortals, no one knew. There was...


    Ryeka''s Sword of Judgment


    Revered by the Humans


    Ayla''s Spring of Life


    Revered by the Jin


    Tektus'' Forces


    Revered by the Foren


    Lykar''s World of Spacetime


    Revered by the Dwarves


    The Benevolent''s Hands of Equality


    Respected by the Fairies


    Saros'' Fire of Retribution


    Revered by the Eledyn


    Ilyaesta''s Coin of Fortune


    Revered by the Rykul


    Although each race generally held one particular god in higher regard, it wasn''t uncommon for members of a race to worship a different deity. The most popular among the minor races being The Benevolent as equality was something most desired. There was little discrimination or persecution regarding different beliefs as the deities were accepted to be equal in their standing among the mortals. This was the Pantheon of Sevas which was revered by most living beings in one form or another.


    Inside this city of a seemingly separate world, this room became another space of its own. Filled with a shroud of light, every part of it was illuminated as the light gently descended from the dome above. The falling light resembled a ladder to the heavens as it connected with the ground. For once, Ray ceased his crying as his wobbly eyes were fixated above him. He stretched his tiny hand towards the ceiling as if trying to grab the light that was forming the divine connection, all the while ignoring Aiyla, who was busy paying her respects to the gods.


    In front of each altar, Aiyla knelt and prayed respectively as Ray clung himself to her shoulders all by himself.


    For Ryeka, she placed her hand on her chest, praying with a conviction that would discern right from wrong.


    For Ayla, she entered a state of relaxed calmness, praying as she gently breathed the air that was one of the foundations of her existence.


    For Tektus, she would clasp her hands in front of her with all of the might that was allowed for her to have.


    For Lykar, she knelt with both knees on the ground, placing her forehead and hands on the ground, furthering the connection between herself and the earth surrounding her life.


    For The Benevolent, she stretched her hands forward, grasping one another as if she shaking her own hand in thankfulness.


    For Saros, she straightened herself up, allowing her blazing conviction to fill every part of her body, ready to explode at any moment.


    Lastly, for Ilyaesta, Aiyla aligned her fingers and put her palms together. Bowing her head, she thanked every fortunate encounter that brought her to this moment, which allowed her to once more pay her respects to the gods.


    To the side, Armin watched her silently before taking a long look at the dome above him. He didn''t bother following after her steps, and instead, similar to Ray, appeared to be mesmerized by the scene of the glittering light. He could almost feel the handles of a ladder made from light that enveloped him in a gentle embrace. With a melancholic, almost longing expression, his gaze seemed to pierce the dome until Aiyla finally tugged at his sleeve to return him back to reality.


    As if that was a starting signal, Ray left his own little trance and once more burst out in tears.


    ¡°Oh come on, you just stopped...¡±


    Hurriedly, Aiyla began cradling him in her arms again, but her efforts in pacifying him were wasted.


    ¡°He seems to be quite a lively one.¡±


    One of the seven who had waited for Aiyla to finish her prayers said with a repressed chuckle. Likewise, these seven were clothed in the same robes and accompanied by the same tone in their voice. On top of that, even their statures appeared precisely the same, revealing absolutely nothing that could be related to their origins.


    ¡°So there really was a third one... It seems dire times are ahead of us.¡±


    Another person spoke up as the seven Representatives circled around Aiyla and the baby in her hands. Despite the divine and gentle ambiance filling every part of the hall, it almost fell into an eery silence where no one knew what to say. The only sounds were the cries of Ray, who didn''t care about anything else other than his playful selfishness.


    ¡°Don''t worry,¡± Aiyla tried her hand at dispersing the gloomy mood, ¡°I''m sure together with Armin and Eri, Ray will become another light to guide us into a peaceful future. With the gods'' guidance, all will be well in the end.¡±


    She didn''t know whether her choice of words was appropriate, but it was better than nothing. One by one, the priests seemed to realize how much they had their own worries overwhelm them, to the point, they had to be cheered up by a young woman, who had her hands full with a crying baby. At last, they returned to their senses and released a faint laughter at their embarrassing display.


    ¡°You are right, my dear. Ray''s appearance is a reason to celebrate and not to worry. It shows that the gods haven''t forsaken us in our dire straits." One of the priests spoke up next. "Armin. Aiyla. I''m sorry, I know you must be tired from all your travels, but we have called you back just to send you away again. It''s about time for the meeting between the races. There have been a lot of events recently, threatening the already unstable balance, and I need the two of you as mediators... As for said events...¡±


    When they reached that point, the priest stopped talking as he looked at the little baby. Whatever emotions were hidden behind the veil couldn''t be made out, but they clearly struggled in forming the next words.


    ¡°I''m afraid to tell you... a demon was born.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    Neither Armin nor Aiyla could hide their shock. Immediately, Aiyla appeared to realize something as she looked down at the small child in her arms.


    ¡°So Ray was...¡±


    ¡°Armin.¡± The priest that had spoken up asked for their attention again. Behind their veil, their gaze was fixated on Armin before looking at Ray as he asked the next question with a trace of dread.


    ¡°How many rings are there?¡±


    At first, Armin remained silent. Naturally, he knew what the priest was talking about. He''d already prepared himself for the severity of the calamity ahead of them, but for it to be a demon left him somewhat adrift.


    ¡°...Six.¡±


    He answered eventually and once more, the hall fell into silence. Ray had quietened down and fell into a slumber, leaving the adults alone in their distress as the atmosphere hit another low point.


    ¡°Six... Six trials... The same amount as Amir.¡± The same priest uttered, his disbelief and dread seeking through the veil. ¡°By the gods... What is happening...¡±


    ¡°It only means we have even less time to spare.¡± Another priest said quickly, trying to not let pessimism take hold of them again.


    ¡°Amir and Aiyla, together with Guardian Phi, you will supervise the meeting. It will be held in Ethena this time. Aside from the previous matter, you''ll have to prepare for the following. Together with the demon''s appearance, a devil was slain. Not just any devil, but one who was under the Law of Origin. They were especially proficient in using deception from the World of Devils. We assume many of the uprisings and criminals to be an aftermath of their demise. An astonishing amount of people from all the minor races used to be influenced by them and are now set free. There is also the plague the demon caused, leaving humanity severely weakened. Considering all of this, we have to task the two of you with this matter. In the meantime, leave the child behind to be raised with us.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Wait!¡±


    As soon as the priest had finished, Aiyla exclaimed in a hurry. Realizing how out of place that kind of behavior was, a red flush quickly spread across her face. Still, she didn''t relent to her embarrassment as she continued under the curious gazes of the Representatives.


    ¡°I... This... Eh... Ahh!!¡± Not knowing how to approach the matter carefully, she decided to just go straight to the point and throw caution to the wind. Yet, she still struggled to form her words as her lips formed words devoid of sounds. To the side, Armin watched her in amusement as she flailed around like a fish out of water, knowing very well what she wanted to say.


    ¡°I know this might be inappropriate and also the wrong time, but...¡± Eventually, she gathered her courage as word after word hurried out of her mouth with increasing speed.


    ¡°May I... raise him? Ray, I mean... Of course...¡±


    Another silence filled the hall, but not nearly as stifling and depressing as the previous ones. The Representatives were stunned when confronted with the question, clearly having expected something more dramatic. Meanwhile, Armin crossed his arms and, with a smug smile on his face, enjoyed the show as the representatives struggled to come up with a response. On one side, there were these presumable geezers he had known for a long time and were rarely as lost as they were at this moment. On the other hand, there was a young, slightly immature woman who was too afraid to open her eyes to confront the answer she was probably already aware of.


    ¡°Aiyla...¡± One of them spoke up after putting much care into their choice of words. They walked towards her, placing their hand firmly on her shoulders to help her slight quivering.


    ¡°I sincerely believe you''d do a great job, Aiyla... But you have other important matters to attend to. We can''t have you stay behind.¡±


    ¡°I know, but-¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry. I''m afraid there is no room for discussion.¡±


    Before Aiyla could think of more reasons to continue arguing, Armin decided to intervene.


    ¡°What''s the harm? Since you''ve already admitted that she''d do a great job, why not let her?¡± He didn''t let any of the priests interrupt him as he continued nonchalantly.


    ¡°You don''t need to worry. I can properly take care of myself. Clearly, someone else here needs more babysitting than me. If you are still worried, I can promise you that I won''t act on my accord... for some time. Also, it''s not like we need any more people for that silly meeting or any matter following after that. We should have some time to prepare.¡±


    In spite of his seemingly reassuring words, an argument quickly erupted within the divine hall. It took the rest of the day until Armin and Aiyla were able to leave. In her arms was Ray at whom she looked at with a doting expression and a gleeful smile.


    ¡°Thanks a lot, Armin. Didn''t think you''d agree to entrust me with him.¡±


    She thanked him sincerely. He merely accepted her gratitude with a wave of his hand, not making a big deal out of it.


    ¡°I''ll have to get going right away," Armin said. "Ethena is some distance away after all, and the meeting is in three days. I don''t want to be too late, and I''d like to take a closer look around. Well, thankfully, I no longer have to carry a helpless mother and her child.¡±


    ¡°Who are you-!... calling...help...less...¡±


    Her words quickly lost their fierceness when she realized what Armin had called her in his amusement. Although it was herself who went and requested to be in charge of Ray, the realization had only just begun to hit her.


    ¡°Mother... I''m a... mother...?¡±


    Her previous cheerful mood was quickly replaced by an inexplicable dread and helplessness. To make matters worse, Ray woke up and resumed crying at the worst timing possible. As she was still dealing with the shock of her realization, another, more unpleasant emotion welled up inside her. The image of the small child her mind had assumed to be a cute little angel she was fond of doting upon, slowly but surely transformed itself. A twinge of annoyance nested itself inside her when she understood that she''d have to deal with this crying for years. Whether it was during the day or night, wasn''t something that would ever matter to Ray and taking care of that was merely one of herresponsibilities.


    As she had been simply babysitting him up to this point and assumed a more detached position, this had gone completely over her head. And that was by far the least of her problems.


    ¡°How do you raise a child again...? Wh-What was I thinking!? Say, A-Armin...? Armin? Where did you go? Armin!!! Da-...aaammdam... it, not again!¡±


    If nothing else, she at least knew she had to cross cursing of her list of things she liked to do.


    <hr>


    Having already covered quite some distance from Rydenna, Armin laughed out heartily when he thought about the recent events.


    ¡°Aiyla becoming a mother... I really wish I was there to see that little girl flail around, haha! Oh well, I guess it won''t be too late to pay them a visit from time to time.¡±


    Far up in the nightsky, he propelled himself forward through the air. Each of his steps was accompanied by a flash of light that allowed him to travel effortlessly as the desert beneath him turned into a dark-brown blur. However, his happiness and the amused grin on his face didn''t last long as he increased his speed further, closing in on the distant green of the horizon.


    ¡°A demon, a vanquished devil and...¡±


    Putting his peaceful thoughts aside, his expression was filled with grim and great concern. All of the worries that had plagued him ever since finding Ray resurfaced, accompanied by a looming urgency he didn''t even know the full extent or cause of. Although he''d said otherwise, there was not nearly enough time and resources to prepare for yet another calamity, leaving him with nervousness he couldn''t show to anyone.


    ¡°...that human... Tristan, was it?¡±

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41 - Seedbed of Terror


    What Armin saw in Ethena left him speechless.


    Under no circumstances would he ever favor one race over another, but he couldn''t detach himself from the battered refugees of humans fleeing in fear of their lives while mourning the deaths of their loved ones. Every single village he''d come across was completely abandoned. The only ones left were the dead that unveiled a small glimpse of the tragedy that the humans were suffering.


    Most of the corpses he''d found died through brutal, external injuries. There was nothing left that directly connected the current incidents to the epidemic that had occurred over a month ago. Only by asking the few survivors he''d met on the way did Armin slowly get a coherent picture of the chaos that threatened to overwhelm Ethena.


    Naturally, he wouldn''t leave these informants alone to fend for themselves. Every person he''d come across, Armin would leave with them a blessing in the form of a small light that entered their bodies. With its support, the recipients wouldn''t need to worry about their health for some time. Unless they met another tragic incident, they''d be able to find refuge in Levestein or the capital, one of the few remaining places left untouched by this bloodshed.


    The epidemic had sown more than its own seeds of death as it had also planted the seeds of doubt and distrust into its survivors. When the people had witnessed the terrifying demise of their neighbors, friends, and family, they became suspicious and wary of anything around them. Mindless fear had taken roots in their minds as no one knew the cause of this fast-spreading illness. Some clues had indicated their water source was the origin of their suffering. Yet, they''d also found trouble with their previous harvest, and it didn''t stop there. The news was spreading, first from neighboring villages, then from across the entire country and beyond, where every clue indicated something entirely different again. As a result, proper interactions or communications between different parts of the country became very difficult. Each village or city was trying to guard themselves against an invisible threat, that could have existed anywhere, whether it was inside or outside their home.


    During this unrest from which no one had yet to recover from, someone had appeared to take advantage of it. Calling themselves the ''Forgotten Children,'' a cult of fanatics Armin had initially assumed, suddenly appeared anywhere within the human territory. The numbers of each group of assailants rivaled some smaller villages as they ravaged across the country, showing no mercy in their utterly meaningless slaughter.


    There was no reason behind it. As far as the horrified survivors would dare to recount the events, they couldn''t understand any of it. In their fearful minds, they had been mere animals to be slaughtered, subject to the incomprehensible whims of these attackers. No amount of money, tributes, or begging was enough to make them stop. All of their pleadings fell on deaf ears as the Forgotten Children redefined the meaning of cruelness. Their lunatic acts had branded the mind of their surviving victims for the rest of their lives. They''d never forget the apostles of death that had brought with them misery and suffering to every place they crossed through.


    This became yet another problem weighing heavily on Armin''s shoulders.


    He quietly muttered something to himself as he stood in front of a red circle that was drawn beneath the bloody carnage in a village. As he focused his vision on the circle, a faint glimmer covered his eyes, and a short while after, he closed them with a heavy sigh when his suspicions were confirmed.


    "Why now? Are they trying to take advantage of the demon? Or are they working together with him? They shouldn''t be... But no single devil could cause all of this, much less a dead one..."


    Armin couldn''t come to any conceivable conclusions. But there was one silver lining if nothing else. As much as he hated to think about matters in such a manner, he was at least sincerely glad to have found this summoning circle with evidence of its specific usage. After all, if other races were responsible for this mess, things could have turned south very quickly. He was about to set off and further explore his surroundings to make sense of this, when he heard a familiar voice call out to him, much to his surprise.


    "Armin! So you are here after all?"


    "Dyren! I''m surprised to see you doing well! I see that Raven and Julien are still putting up with you."


    Armin turned around to watch a group of four coming closer. At the front was a young man who was closely followed by a much older man and woman. The youth called Dyren wore a suit of heavy armor that rattled with its unmistaken sound with each hurried step he took. Nothing was left of the shining silver of his armor as it was almost entirely stained in several layers of dried blood. So was the young man''s face who was missing his helmet, revealing his disheveled short, brown hair that was likewise drenched in the blood of enemies.


    Despite his appearance of a triumphed and ferocious warrior, the beaming smile on his face betrayed this image as he dropped the sword and shield from his hands to hurry towards Armin. Behind him, his companions smiled faintly and simply nodded in greeting, which Armin reciprocated in kind. While Julien''s armor was similarily stained with blood, their female companion was reasonably tidy. Her loose brown trousers and blouse were drenched in her own sweat, but it appeared nothing like her savage companions. Even so, her face revealed her exhaustion with its pale color. Realizing they''d finally gotten a break, she fell to the ground in relief. Julien caught the staff she''d used as support for her body before sitting down himself. His own spear lay ontop his lap as the two watched Dyren reunite with Armin from a distance.


    "... after I heard the news, we rushed here to help out. That was half a month ago." Dyren told Armin about his past weeks with such eagerness that the latter could barely get a word in. However, Armin certainly didn''t mind getting new information and let him ramble on.


    "We''ve been fighting those lunatics ever since. I''d assumed it was just a few groups of men that turned mad because of the spreading plague... Well, as you''ve seen for yourself, I was wrong. Painfully so. We also found more than just a few summoning circles. Each in a different village, I should add. The larger ones even have multiple of them."


    Dyren didn''t seem to mind that Armin was barely humming in response and continued to talk about the state Ethena was in. Most of it wasn''t news to Armin. Eventually, Armin decided it was enough and interrupted him since Dyren seemed to have forgotten something.


    "By the way, Dyren, who is that over there?"


    Armin nodded towards the last remaining person from the small group who stood at the side by himself. He appeared very distraught, constantly fiddling with his fingers while mumbling about something Armin couldn''t bother to catch from this distance. The presumably young man covered himself in a brown, worn-out coat that was hiding most of his appearance with a hood draped over his head. When Dyren called out to have him introduce himself, the man simply ignored him.


    " ''Sigh...'' He''s been like this ever since we found him on the wayside. Unlike most people fleeing towards Hayden, he was actually running the opposite way. Back then, he was more lucid. But as time went on, he became more... nervous and jittery, to the point of driving me crazy. He calls himself Zoris."


    Dyren paused for a moment to allow Armin to judge the man for himself. It was as he''d said, and Armin could only find confusion and fear in the short exchange of gazes they had before Zoris turned away from him.


    "You won''t believe what he said to me when we first met him, Armin..."


    He paused again, but this time to prepare himself. He wasn''t sure whether he should believe anything this wreck of a man, whose sanity only lost out to the rampaging lunatics, said. Yet, it wasn''t something he could just dismiss either.


    "He said... The entire nobility of Ethena was massacred. No one survived. Apparently they all disappeared, not leaving a single corpse or stain behind, yet he is certain they are dead."


    "What!?"


    "I can''t believe it either, but..." Dyren hesitated. Zoris'' claim was far too outrageous - baseless without a single piece of evidence to back it up. Furthermore, the background of this young man was unknown, and no one could vouch for him either.


    "It would explain this mess." Armin finished, shaking his head helplessly.


    "While the citizens out here are being slaughtered, there isn''t a single reaction from either Levestein or Hayden. No organized groups of magi, or just regular soldiers. Most of the refugees have to camp outside either city''s wall as their gates remained closed from overpopulation and remaining fear of the plague. This can''t last much longer... And you know, what else? Ethena''s emperor is missing."


    "Kaemir Lorak is missing? Did he die?"


    "No one knows."


    "Then what about-"


    "Zeristin is missing too..." Dyren said wearily. The longer the conversation between them went on, the more Dyren actually realized in what a mess this country was. Additionally, he became once again aware of his own helplessness that had especially plagued him over the recent weeks. All of his excitement of meeting Armin was already gone, leaving behind that familiar void of nothingness. While this entire catastrophe was happening, there was nothing he could do. He couldn''t prevent it from happening, and he knew he wouldn''t be the one to solve it either.


    Of course, he wouldn''t. He''d always known that. After all, he wasn''t a hero.


    Dyren quickly shook himself out of the negativity in his thoughts, telling himself it wasn''t true. Even if he couldn''t stop the source of what was happening, tragically there were more than enough people in need of help. Help the busy Armin couldn''t provide, and only people like him could.


    Meanwhile, Armin also fell in a worsened mood. Far more than he''d expected was unfolding without him having any leads.


    "Ashos and Ryst are faring off much better." Dyren continued. "But their respective leaders also seem to be missing or at least aren''t responding to any messages from the Order. Regardless, they still have an intact chain of command, allowing them to deal with this mess a lot better than Ethena. Furthermore, it seems that those cultists are mostly centered in Ethena for some reason... Especially those that are on par with higher ranked magi can only be found in Ethena as far as I''m aware of."You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "Anything else?"


    "That''s it." Dyren shrugged his shoulders. "Our doomsayer over here doesn''t know anything else either."


    "Would have made things easy for once..." Armin muttered drily. "Dyren, the three of you have done enough already. Take your mute friend along and head back to Rydenna. I''m heading towards the meeting soon, and I''mreallyinterested in what they are doing while all of this is happening. Anyways, I''ll see to it that they clean up this mess, even if I have to force them to do so. You don''t have to worry anymore."


    "Usually I''d be begging you to take me along, but..." Dyren turned around to take a look at his companions. Although Julien put up a tougher front, he knew they required decent rest.


    "I''ll leave it to you then."


    "Hm. Good." Armin nodded, satisfied. "It seems youhave grown up a little since the last time we met. Anyways, do look forward to returning home. There is a surprise waiting for you."


    Dyren was already on his way to tell his companions about their next destination when he suddenly stopped his steps. Slowly turning around, he found Armin mischievously grinning at him, causing a familiar wave of shivers down his spine.


    "Armin... I don''t like it when you smile like that... or keep secrets from me. Care to explain what you mean?"


    Dyren gulped down the lump of dread in his throat, feeling that unique cold sweat sticking to his back. It was enough to make him question whether he should return home at all.


    "AndI don''t like it when you call me that," Armin responded, the grin still covering his entire face. "No need to worry, boy. It''s just Aiyla. She has a child now, I''m sure you''ll grow fond of him very quickly."


    "I see..." At first, a wave of relief washed over Dyren before he even began to register Armin''s words within his mind. A fraction of a second later, his expression was replaced by ridiculous disbelief, and with quivering eyes, he turned once more towards Armin flabbergasted.


    "W-wait, w-what did you s-say!? A-a-a child!? Who? Whose!?"


    "You''ll figure it out when you arrive. See you later!"


    With those last words, Armin departed and disappeared within the sky, leaving behind a disgruntled Dyren who was mumbling to himself in a state of shock - a very similar state he''d continuously ridiculed Zoris'' of.


    "Are you joking, Armin!? You must be... I mean, what do you mean achild!? It''s only been three months since I last saw her, how-, when-, withwho could she have a child now? Armin-... and he''s gone."


    <hr>


    Followed by Esten and Lynnden, Tristan walked out of the city into the sea of tents that surrounded Levestein as far as the eye could see. Those that could move scurried around, either trying to take care of the injured or arguing with the guards that prevented them entry. However, they weren''t entirely left to fend for themselves as the City of Magecraft provided them with the bare essentials for their survival. Yet, signs of the growing unrest were already on the horizon, and it would only be a matter of time until the dissatisfaction boiled over.


    Tristan and his group made their way through the people without any intention of quelling the unease. With only one destination in mind, they headed west until they reached the border of the nearby forest, while the group of dwarves followed after them out of their vision. The moment they stepped into the boundary of the forest, the group felt a flood of unfamiliarity wash over them. They realized that they''d been cut off from their previous surroundings and that this wasn''t the same forest they were used to passing through. Even the sounds of nature had disappeared without a trace as they traversed further into its depths.


    Eventually, they caught a glimpse of a green light flickering in the distance, beckoning them to come closer. As they closed in on it, they noticed the trees thinning out until they arrived at a spacious glade. The closer the got, the green light was diminishing, and in its place, a flood of unceasing sunlight was filling their vision.


    "Well, I''ll be damned. To what do we deserve this honor of you gracing us with your appearance, o''mighty eledyn?"


    Tristan was the first to speak up, not in the least withholding the tone of mockery in his voice. Nonetheless, he was sincerely surprised by the dazzling eledyn awaiting them. No longer did they appear as a featureless shadow, hidden within its created darkness, but as a figure of light that became a small sun within this forest.


    The female eledyn''s long, ashen-white hair fluttered behind her as she turned towards Tristan and his group. Her pale skin color that could almost be mistaken for the dead shone in a brilliant luster that illuminated her surroundings. A band wrapped itself around her head, in which an emerald jewel was embedded into its center. Resembling a tiara that would only be fit to be worn by the noblest princesses'' of the world, it stuck firmly to her forehead as if the two had been fused into one entity.


    Along her slender body, she wore a sleeveless dress that radiated with the elegant fabric of light it appeared to be made of. In a mixture of golden-white, it didn''t lose out to the rest of her radiance that would follow her into the darkest parts of the world.


    She turned to meet Tristan''s curious gaze with a beaming intensity that rose forth from behind her silvery pupils. As she did so, she was utterly oblivious to Esten''s and Lynnden''s presence, who remained enchanted by witnessing the appearance of an eledyn first-hand.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you again, your Majesty."


    Her gentle voice resounded within the woods like a serene melody that would enrich its surroundings. But instead of being fascinated by its calm and peaceful nature, Tristan was at a loss of words for completely different reasons.


    "It''s you... Lea."


    The shock within Tristan''s voice startled Esten and Lynnden out of their own trance. Confused, yet with a tint of curiosity, they turned towards Tristan. For the short time they''d come to know him, it was a rare event to see him at a loss. It was only in moments like these, where they could take a glimpse past the playful facade Tristan was fond of putting up.


    "That used to be my name," Lea showed no particular reaction towards Tristan''s recognition. "If Your Majesty wishes to address me as such, I won''t mind it. Nevertheless, I believe it would be appropriate to properly introduce myself. I''m the new ambassador of the eledyn, Lya Alyu. Consider my appearance a show of respect towards Your Majesty who strives to unify humanity and the minor races."


    Tristan had a few things on his mind he wanted to speak out about, but he refrained from doing so. After a short while, he regained his bearings and turned towards the giant creature that was much less patient in waiting for their arrival.


    "A bold statement, little fledgling."


    Within the minds of anyone present, the Divine Language ringed inside their heads. Its usual gentle nature was replaced by a thundering oppression that was especially difficult for Esten and Lynnden to endure. They crumbled beneath the booming shouts that drowned out their own thoughts. But before they fell to the ground, Tristan released a sigh of disappointment as he supported the two with a hand on each shoulder. By infusing them with his own mana he allowed them to weather the onslaught in their minds.


    "I''d say that is anythingbutshowing respect, young eledyn." The giant bellowed without paying attention to the discomfort it caused to the comparably tiny humans around it. "Sending such a youngling to this important meeting... I wonder what your elders are thinking? Then again, what can I say? I''m just an old, frail fossil with one foot inside my grave."


    Having said that, the giant took one enormous step forward to take a closer look at Tristan. Its slit-like pupils bore down on him like a hunter that was seizing up its prey. It raised one of its claws in his direction but stopped this motion abruptly when Tristan returned its gaze with a confident calmness.


    Thrice the size of Tristan and with azure scales covering most of its body, the rykul released a faint sound of surprise before retrieving its hand. The menace in its eyes disappeared before it was replaced by a burst of laughter that resounded throughout the forest. The gusts of wind clashed against the waving sea of trees that could do nothing else but surrender to its might. While Esten and Lynnden were forced to hide behind Tristan''s back, their dwarven companions were likewise forced to come out of their hiding place and seek refuge behind Tristan.


    As Esten witnessed the rykul''s simple display of intimidation, aside from his embarrassment, he couldn''t help but feel reverence towards it. It made him recall what it meant to be a part of the higher races, as well as the origin of this half-humanoid figure.


    In front of him was a real rykul - The race that was blessed by Ilyaesta. Acting behind the back of The Benevolent, she blessed them with intelligence that rivaled any other race. They were descendants of the extinct dragons, whose physical might alone were once a significant part of an almost forgotten world. Now, witnessing its might first-hand, Esten realized that in front of this half-dragon, almost half-human, he could only cower beneath it, and leave his own fate up to its whims.


    "That-"


    "That is enough."


    Before Lea could step in to mediate and calm down the rykul, a distant voice interrupted her. To everyone''s surprise, the last arrivals, that made up the rest of the participants, arrived in a rather amusing fashion.


    At the front was Armin, who was dragging two massive bodies to his side. Grabbing one by their massive fangs and the other at their slick arm, he effortlessly, and without any mercy, towed them through the mud.


    "I found those two bickering outside, so I helped them find the way."


    He flung the two groggy creatures to complete their gathering in a circle. Neither of the two had yet to come to their senses until Guardian Phi took a closer look at them. With a single touch of her tiny hand that was hidden beneath the green light, she helped the two slowly regain consciousness. Yet, as soon as they came to, the first thing they did was glare at each other. Esten and Lynnden took this moment to take a closer look at two races, as this was the first time they could do so in a peaceful arrangement.


    The foren was a grey ball of wobbly mass, likely devoid of any bone structure. The only similarity between them and humans was the number of limbs. At the top of its head, a large sapphire crystal covered it like a roof that was embedded into where its skull would be. Like glassy covers, those spheres could be found all over its body, appearing at spots where it would replace human joints. Around its arm and legs, the orbs would fully envelop the limbs, appearing as full spheres.


    When Esten saw it raising itself up, he was taken aback as he witnessed its slow motions. Each limb between one sphere and the other appeared as if they were moving entirely separate from another, creating a set of movements that would be impossible with any form of bones. Its face appeared to the two of them to be completely featureless, except for a few opening which they couldn''t discern for what they were used for. Despite all of their differences, it appeared that its clothing was likely made by human hands or in a similar fashion.


    The jin, on the other hand, was far more natural for them to tolerate and make sense of their anatomy. It was a familiar humanoid shape, almost as if a human was crossed with a wild cat. It walked on its hind legs while their forelegs appeared to be very similar to hands. Instead of huge paws, it had skinny fingers that allowed for nimble movement and possibly the use of utensils in case there was something their saber-teeth couldn''t tear apart. The only thing confusing them was that they couldn''t tell apart whether the fur covering its body was its own, or made from a different, maybe similar, animal.


    "I''m Armin."


    Armin briefly introduced himself as he glared at the two creatures that were ready to pounce on each other again. Instead of continuing their aggressions, the two noticed the impatience in his voice, and immediately became more docile.


    "I was sent by the Order to supervise this meeting with Guardian Phi. However, before we start, I''d like to address a different matter first."


    His words were concise and gradually became colder as he focused his attention on one particular person in this gathering. With an imposing manner and an ice-cold gaze that demanded unquestioning cooperation and obedience, he closed in on Tristan before coming to a stop directly in front of him.


    "I assume you must be Tristan Stelfort. What a coincidence, I see Esten and Lynnden are here as well. Are Zeristin and Kaemir also hiding somewhere around here?"


    In the threat of Armin''s commanding demeanor, Tristan remained calm as he seized up his counterpart. The two looked at each other, one with curiosity and the other with impatience that was dreading to run out at any moment. At first, Armin could see the unusual interest on Tristan''s face, but it quickly turned into a frown. Eventually, it became a frown of disgust as far as Armin could tell, making it more difficult to restrain himself.


    "You...You are Armin?"


    "What of it?"


    The disgust eventually turned into disappointment before it was released in a heavy sigh. As if Tristan had lost all interest, he turned away from Armin.


    "You are not worthy of this name."


    Tristan stated matter of factly. The simple directness of his unexpected statement caught Armin slightly off guard for a moment, leaving him perplexed as to how to respond. But it was quickly replaced by the restrained anger inside him that was further fanned by his words.


    "As much as I''d like to agree," Armin hissed out. "That isnotsomething for you to decide, human. Now answer me this, and you better be careful about your next choice of words. What have the three of you been doing while your fellow humans are out there, struggling for their lives!? Especially, you who dares call himself the Emperor of his people!"

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42 - Oppressor and The Oppressed


    "Not for me to decide..." Tristan murmured absent-mindedly.


    "I said, answer me!"


    At last, Armin had run out of patience and reached with one of his hands towards Tristan, trying to grab him by the collar.


    "I guess it''s a matter best left for another time," Tristan muttered again and easily evaded his grasp by taking a single step back, before turning to meet Armin who was surprised to grab at thin air.


    "As for your concerns, there is nothing you need to worry about. Naturally, I care for my people. If you want to be this brazen, then fine, I can get ahead of my schedule. Your Order better takes care of the rest."


    Under Armin''s incessant glare, and the other''s curiosity, Tristan walked to the center of the glade. He took a few dozen vials out of the inside of his robe and spread them around evenly in three directions. Each container was filled with a translucent liquid that could barely be discerned from the glass surrounding it. The star-shaped, spiked vials were spread, from east to west, covering the ground except for the direction of the south.


    "Of course, I wasn''t just sitting by idly," Tristan explained while continuing his preparations. "Unfortunately, I needed time for my preparations, for which I also needed Esten and Lynnden to help me understand the proper topography of the human territory. Since picking off the assault one by one wouldn''t solve the problem, I chose this is the best method, even if we were unable to provide immediate help while doing so."


    Finishing up his justifications at which Armin merely sneered at, Tristan gave a glance towards Esten and Lynnden, who had stuck by his side.


    "The two of you, watch carefully."


    Tristan said, and the thirty vials surrounding him lit up in response. Although Armin was adamant about grilling Tristan for more details, he chose to wait and see what he''d so carefully prepared.


    As Tristan concentrated solely on the task at hand, the vials rose from the ground to hover around him. The liquid inside them began emitting a faint blue light, quickly covering the entire glade, and even eclipsing the light of the eledyn nearby. The glowing light intensified as time passed, turning the surrounding forest into a sea of blue, except for the quadrant to the south that strangely enough remained the same.


    When he decided the time was right, Tristan raised his right hand upwards, causing the vials to shatter into tiny fragments that glittered like dazzling stars inside the blue sea of light he''d created. With stupefied expressions and also confusion, Armin, Lea, and the rykul took several steps backward to gain some distance. The group of minor races immediately followed suit. Even though they couldn''t discern anything about what Tristan was doing, the unusual reaction from the higher races was more than enough reason for them to gather more than thrice the same distance.


    Aside from Tristan, only Esten and Lynnden remained at the same spot, carefully watching the spectacle that was surrounding them. They witnessed how the blue sea covered the grounds of the forest as far their eyes could see. But far more astonishing than that was the illusive figure appearing in the sky above them.


    From beneath, the largest parts of their vision were filled with the soles of that figure. Nonetheless, they could recognize that unmistakable, tattered robe that stuck out from the blanket of clouds. The two were certain that glimpses of the figure above them could be seen from most places within their territory, if not beyond.


    "My people, do not fret any longer! I, your Emperor, will not forsake you in your need! Those that dare cause my people harm, know that your reckoning has come!"


    The booming shouts traveled throughout the three countries. Following that, with a single swing of his arm that covered more than half of the northern hemisphere, Tristan sent forth the wave that would cleanse the plague and the tragedies it had caused.


    Waves of water that rose from the sea of blue light towered far above the threes as they made their way forward. From the glade to the border of each human country, they swallowed everything in their way, not letting anything escape their grasps. Occasionally they would pass through beacons of light that had also risen forth into the skies, amplifying the weakened waves throughout their paths. At first, the humans had run away, terrified for their lives as they witnessed the few structures and people crushed by the might of the water. But they soon realized that aside from those few exceptions, everything else was left untouched.


    The forest around the glade remained the same, and so did most of the population. Only those that Tristan Stelfort had deemed harmful were swept away, carried to places unknown. Thus, within mere moments, the entirety of the Forgotten Children had been made short work off by a single use of magic.


    While the cheers of humanity filled the entire continent, as they''d witnessed the helpless cultists crushed beneath the waves, the glade was left in utter silence. Dumbfounded, Lynnden''s and Esten''s gaze switched between Tristan''s back and the distant waves that crossed over the horizon. Using the most basic forms of Divination Constructs at their person, they confirmed their suspicions and their jaws dropped in utter disbelief.


    On the one hand, Esten was left in awe, feverishly gazing at Tristan. On the other hand, Lynnden had an ugly scowl on her face that betrayed her natural, calm beauty. She''d realized her severe lack of judgment. Because to say, she''d underestimated what Tristan was capable of, was a ridiculous understatement.


    "What... How did you do this?"


    Lynnden asked baffled. What Tristan had performed was a scale of magic that was unheard of for the minor races as far as she was aware of. That a human like herself was capable of this was incomprehensible for her. Together with Esten, she had accompanied him as he spread around those vials, but she''d never understood what the purpose was or how they functioned.


    "It''s simple."


    Tristan said nonchalantly. Traces of sweat flowed down his head, but other than that, he appeared to be in a decent condition. As he began enlightening his companions, whilst not caring who wanted to listen in, the sea of light dimmed and slowly disappeared like the receding waves of the ocean.


    "Each of these vials contains an amount of mana equal to my maximum capacity."


    "So you filled them over the recent weeks, or months even..." Lynnden concluded, but it didn''t help her clear up her confusion. Likewise, the rykul and the eledyn paid rapt attention, hoping to make more sense of what had happened.


    "But... I don''t believe it''s possible to create a construct capable of holding such a ridiculous amount of mana. Moreover, what... just what was that projection?"


    ''And where is your construct?''


    She didn''t dare utter that question that plagued her mind the most. She was just beginning to register the event after she''d recovered from her excitement. But instead of coming to sensable conclusions, she was left with even more questions.


    Uncertainty and doubt were beginning to root themselves in Esten''s and Lynnden''s minds. They had once questioned Tristan''s identity and had simply taken him by his word. After all, they couldn''t understand what ulterior motives a being could have by pretending to be human. Yet, after what they''d seen, they couldn''t fool themselves any longer or simply ignore their doubts. Yet, they still remained silent, swallowing their worries, as did the other representatives of the minor races.


    "Well, that''syour problem, isn''t it? Just make one, how hard can it be? But enough of that, we''ve wasted enough time. I believe you are satisfied?"


    The last words were directed at Armin, who was similarly unable to come to a conclusion about Tristan''s performance. Meanwhile, Tristan took his silence as a ''yes'' and left the stage he''d set for himself.


    In the end, Armin had to concede on this matter. There were a lot of questions and doubts left about Tristan''s conduct during the incident, but it wasn''t the right time to confront him. They had more severe problems to concern themselves with, to the point, he''d even forego questioning Tristan about his unique display of magic.


    Alas, he didn''t know that Tristan didn''t share that sentiment.


    "Good." Tristan nodded. "Guardian Phi, if you may."


    "I hereby announce the opening of the 264th meeting between the Seven Races of the Third World. You may begin."


    Guardian Phi, who was watching everything from the sidelines without any signs of reaction or intervening, finished the formalities. The representatives of each race had gathered back together, forming a small circle to open up the discussions.


    "Lea and you rykul." Tristan began first, his voice no longer that slight playfulness. "Let''s put the demon aside for now. I have something to talk to the two of you about. I know you rykul aren''t fond of names, but it''d be bothersome otherwise, so I''ll call you... Draco from now on."


    "You-!"


    "I demand that you free all of our brethren. Whether they be human, jin, dwarven or foren, it doesn''t matter - you will release them all."


    Before Draco could complain about the disrespect Tristan was showing, he found his own words stuck in his throat. Lea looked over in confusion, while Armin and Draco stared at Tristan with disbelief that far exceeded what they had shown during his previous performance.


    "What are you talking about?" Draco answered, his voice slightly unsteady and completely forgetting the matter of his new name.


    "Don''t play dumb; I won''t repeat myself. Don''t think I don''t know how this world works. I know all about your abusive acts against the minor races. You thought we had forgotten or chosen to ignore it, but that''s no longer the case. Jiyj. Zzayt. I believe you have good news for me?"


    Tristan directed that question towards the jin and the foren. The two looked at each other with dissatisfaction, which eventually turned into resignment. They buried whatever grievances they had and answered Tristan with utmost certainty.


    "Yes."


    "Perfect. Then, at this moment, I officially announce the alliance between the minor races. Together we will take back our place in this world and rid it of its injustice."


    "Tristan. What are you talking about?"


    Lea spoke up, seemingly the only one left out of the picture. Due to her confusion, she was no longer showing her distant respect while Draco and Armin had become awfully quiet.


    ''How does he know about this?''


    The same question was left on both of their minds.


    "Lea, why do you wonder the minor races arethis weak?" Tristan began explaining what was on his mind. "Take a look at Esten and Lynnden over here. Two rulers, at the top of two-third of humanity. Throw in that idiot Kaemir or Lynnden''s company, yet even a hundred of them couldn''t match you."


    The two insulted sighed heavily in resignation. They couldn''t say anything to refute him, especially after having born the brunt of Draco, who was merely letting himself go a little. Their weakness compared to the rykul was a truth they had to accept reluctantly.


    But Lea couldn''t understand what Tristan wanted to say.


    "So? Isn''t that normal? Why do you think you humans should stand any chance against us?" She asked, convinced of her own words that carried a trace of rightful arrogance.


    "Normal... And yet humanity once stood at the top with the other races. So did the dwarves and the rest of them." Tristan answered.


    "Your own greed and shortcomings let to your downfall, which led to the Second End. Our current reality is what you deserve after the gods have laid upon you their judgment and punishment."


    "That''s right." Tristan didn''t refute her. "The gods intervened, rightfully so. But this would be too much. Not only humanity but all of the minor races are so far apart from the rykul and the eledyn that any form of defiance or resistance is laughable. Any form of communication bears no meaning without equal standing, turning any debate into a farce. In short, you are at an unreachable top, taking the bountiful resources to yourselves without the need to care or worry about us."


    Tristan stopped there for a moment, his gaze filled with his restrained emotions that were focused on the two higher races.


    "However, this wasn''t meant to be. Not like this."


    "Stop it, Tristan!"


    From the side, Armin decided to intervene. He could no longer stand by and listen while this meeting could spiral into another whirl of unforeseen events.


    "This is not the time for this, Tristan! The demon is still at large, growing with every passing moment, and the devils have acted far too suspicious, not even bothering to cover their tracks! We can''t create a rift when we have to work together! I understand your sentiment, but leave it be for now!"


    "The right time or not doesn''t matter anymore!!" Tristan vehemently refuted by raising his voice that contained his unrestrained anger. Compared to his usual calm demeanor, it took Armin by surprise, who was left at a loss as to how to defuse this situation.


    "This is no longer something we can ignore. The minor races are all in agreement with this!"


    "Tristan!" Lea chimed in again with impatience, her composure rattled. "You haven''t finished..."Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "The world has its rules as you are surely aware of," Tristan continued, much to Armin''s dissatisfaction. "The distribution of mana is a part of that. Imagine it like a pool of abundant mana that we mortals are allowed to tap into and borrow from. It''s present all around us, connected to each of us from the moment we were born. The amount, each individual of each race is bestowed upon, is what we call latent talent.


    Naturally, the higher races obtain a more substantial part than the minor races. To keep it simple, half of all of that mana is split between the entire population of the eledyn and the rykul. The other half is split between the five minor races, putting aside the privileges of the Guardians. Now tell me, how can it be that we are that much weaker than you?"


    Astonished, Lea looked around, waiting for someone to refute him. Yet Draco and Armin remained silent, their frowns deepening with each passing word.


    "The answer is simple." Tristan continued. "The humans, the jins, the dwarves, and the foren you see in this world... are only a small part of their entire population. The rest is being held captive by the higher races. About eighty percent of each race is being held prisoner, and not just at random. Those that are talented, those that are barely average or even beneath. All of them are carefully locked away to skew the average. Only the worst, the bottom of the barrel remains on the surface, so the contract isn''t broken. Since it''s impossible for them to exterminate us completely, the higher races came up with this method so no opposition ever arises from us."


    This revelation was too much for Lea to handle all at once. It sounded like a fairy tale or the ramblings of weaklings that refused to accept the reality of their situation. Yet the uneasy silence coming from the rykul and Armin was more than enough proof that there had to be some truth in his words.


    "Tristan. Please listen to me."


    Armin broke the tense atmosphere, trying to sound as sincere as possible.


    "We can address this at another time. By the name of Armin, the Hero''s Chosen, I swear that I''ll help you mediate this matter properly until all are satisfied. For now, we have to first figure out what the demon and the devils are doing, that takes absolute priority. Also, don''t forget that your people have yet to recover from the recent tragedies."


    "What is there to figure out?" Tristan sneered with mockery. "What, tell me the Third Order still doesn''t know? Then let me enlighten you and provide some actual help. The devil that was killed by the demon was named Yslazeth. AYslazeth, you understand? Do you still don''t get what''s happening? Everything she left behind is up for grabs, and everyone wants a piece of it. While I will certainly make them pay for the tragedy they''ve caused, we can leave them alone. They will sort themselves out eventually, maybe even taking care of the demon while they''re at it. You can go look for Zeristin if you need help with the latter that badly, but stop bothering us with it. Don''t forget, it''s your job, Mr. Hero."


    Once more, Armin was left with no words. While ignoring the provocation in Tristan''s words, his eyes lit up in understanding as he was taken aback by this new information.


    "Tristan Stelfort."


    The rykul decided to speak up. No longer puzzled, it spoke with a seriousness that while it recognized an equal, was filled with an overbearing tone of threat.


    "Do you understand what you are saying?"


    "Of course, I do," Tristan responded calmly. "Either you will agree to our demand and release our brethren... Or it''s war."


    "Ridiculous!" The rykul flared up in response to what it could never consider a serious threat. "Have you gone mad, human?Ifwhat you say is the truth, you should know your chances. If you claim to know what''s right, you should know fully understand your place in this world, and cherish it dearly!"


    "He''s right, Tristan." Lea hastily added. "Think it through more carefully. It''s the first time I''ve heard about this, but I believe what you said is true. Even if that''s the case, you shouldn''t act rashly. I can understand how you all must feel about this, but-"


    "You. Understand.Nothing!!"


    The dwarven''s leader''s voice rumbled through the ground within the glade, seething with a rage that none present had expected. The unassuming half-statue glared at her with an intensity that forced her rethink what she''d said. He was right - she didn''t know a single thing.


    Meanwhile, Tristan pulled out a piece of paper out of his robe. Waving it in front of Lea to let her take a closer look, the jet-black scroll devoured the surrounding light as its words written in white put Lea in yet another state of stupor.


    "You should know what this is... After all, your father left it behind. Do you still think I won''t dare to act?"


    Lea didn''t have enough time to read every detail of what was written on it before Tristan put it away, but it didn''t matter. The few glimpses she could take were already enough for her to understand.


    "Zeristin... left this behind?" She asked in a murmur, unable to believe her own eyes. "For you? Knowing what you are trying to do?"


    "Yes," Tristan answered. "Despite how insistent he was about keeping up the current peace, he''s always kept a different possibility in mind. Whether he''s kept it in case of a worst-case scenario or thought of something else, I don''t know. Regardless, consider this my last warning. Don''t think you can live in your own little worlds and pretend nothing is going to happen while you''re continuing to lord over us. Even if our chances were non-existent, we would no longer succumb to your tyranny. You''ve oppressed us for long enough, and it will come to an end."


    Tristan made his last statement, revealing no signs of being persuaded as the glade fell into a divided silence. On one side were the minor races, standing united against their oppressors. Lea and the rykul, together with Armin, were left on the other side, trying to process everything that had happened. None of them could have guessed that this chore of a meeting would escalate to such a degree. Armin had also given up on convincing Tristan or trying to cooperate with the races against the demon. Since this matter had come to light, there was hardly any chance of doing so after all.


    "Tristan, give me some time," Lea spoke up eventually. "I will properly discuss this with the elders, can you wait until then? I''m certain we can reach a peaceful solution."


    "Of course, I''ll give you some time to make your decision. Five years, in fact. But before you depart, let me ask you this, Lya Alyu. Are you human? Or are you an eledyn?"


    Confronted with this question, Lea didn''t meet his gaze, giving her silence as the only answer for Tristan.


    "What about you, Draco?"


    "Bold. Very bold, little fledglings." The rykul merely snickered after it had recovered from the shock of Tristan''s declaration. "You can be certain that I will relay what you''ve said word for word. Other than that, I''d advise you not to get your hopes up. Take my advice and reconsider what you''ve said."


    "Fine," Tristan said while shrugging his shoulders, having expected as much. After telling everything he''d wanted to, the representatives were about to part ways to report this matter to their leaders when the Guardian stopped them.


    "There is something I''ve yet to inform you all about."


    The green ball of light took the center and spoke up, garnering the attention of everyone present.


    "The human that was chased by the Order for weeks turned out not to be the demon."


    "What do you mean by that?" Armin asked with a scowl.


    "Mother has made contact with him. She has declared that he wasn''t the demon, but one of his victims. That human, Aien, isn''t the demon, but he was tainted by it. Thus, she''d sent the Order away as they''ve been duped. Unfortunately, Mother has no clues about the current whereabouts of the actual demon."


    "Tainted...? What''s that supposed to mean?" Armin asked, as concerned as he was perplexed. To the side, Tristan and the rest were also paying rapid attention to the news.


    "I don''t know the details. Mother was weakened by coming into contact with the contamination. Still, she has graciously shown benevolence towards the human and aided him in his need, effectively returning him to normal."


    "Is that true?" Armin asked for confirmation. He felt it very hard to believe that was the case.


    "Well, well, isn''t that interesting..." Tristan muttered thoughtfully. "Incidentally, is Mother Nature aware of the contents of our meeting?"


    "Naturally." The Guardian answered, despite her dissatisfaction with the question and its possible implications.


    "If there''s nothing left to say, I will consider this meeting concluded." She continued. "Unless unforeseen circumstances call for it, the next one will be held after the usual ten years. You''ll be notified when the time comes. Farewell. May the gods and Mother watch over your endeavors."


    As such, the suspenseful meeting was over and each faction went their own way.


    <hr>


    On their way back, Lea and the rykul remained in a private conversation.


    "Five years. Not a long time for use, but for humans, it''s not exactly short. After everything he''s said, he doesn''t seem to want to rush anything. Makes you wonder how much of his confidence was a bluff..." The rykul continued to ramble on, more to itself than to Lea. "If they have yet to make proper preparations, it might be wise to nip the bud in its early stages, and once more instill the fear they seem to have forgotten. Young fledglings are always hard to deal with if you don''t show them their place."


    Lea continued to remain to herself until the rykul directly addressed her with curiosity.


    "So,are you still human? Do you have anything left, lingering? Those irredeemable emotions that give rise to such absurd thoughts?"


    "No." Lya Alyu answered without hesitation. "I''m an eledyn. Which is exactly why we can''t act rashly, and I suggest you do the same. That scroll... I can''t believe Zeristin was able to find and keep something like that without anyone noticing."


    "On a different note," The rykul changed the topic without reacting to her previous words. There was something much more important to it, pestering it at the back of its mind. In its opinion, this unknown variable was the greatest concern for either of them.


    "Correct me if I''m wrong, young eledyn, but that projection was made by light, am I right? Distortion, amplification, and channeling it through condensed water... or something to that degree. Anyways, it was awfully similar..."


    "There is no connection between the eledyn and Tristan Stelfort." Lya Alyu gave a firm response. She knew what it was getting at. After all, it was possibly the biggest reason that should make them take this matter quite seriously.


    "It''s impossible for a human of this world to wield light magic. While there is a slight connection to the fire element, it''s minuscule. Humans lack severe control, and moreover the rights, of that aspect. So, a human shouldn''t be able to reproduce what he did. That''s without considering those constructs he spread around that I also can''t make sense of. However, I can assure you, the eledyn have nothing to do with this, and after everything that has happened, I don''t think I need to tell you more about this. With that being the case, if Tristan Stelfort stays true to his word, what will the rykul do?"


    "Show them the workings of the world, of course. If their aggression is directed at us, that is."


    "As expected, you won''t just cooperate and get it over with."


    "No. We''d stand to the side, that is all I can promise. I expect you''d do the same?"


    "Yes. You''re absolutely right."


    "Still..." The rykul crossed its heavy arms in thought, frowning deeply. "If he can''t be human, or an eledyn... Then there is only one option left."


    "...A demon."


    "If that''s the case... And he was left unchecked for who knows how long... Then this could turn into an actual problem."


    <hr>


    "Let go of me!!"


    No matter how much the man shouted himself hoarse or thrashed, his capturers would neither understand nor release him. The human being carried away should have known that, yet he didn''t relent in his struggles. The eyes, of the jin taking him away, were twitching in irritation, as they further strengthened their grips while growling menacingly. But the man had already lost his fear of those fangs that could tear him to shreds and continued despite their hands threatening to crush his bones.


    "I''m not an intruder!! Damn it! You better won''t regret treating an important envoy with such disrespect!!"


    All the while, the group headed further into the shady forest that was sparsely populated with trees. The large tree trunks rose into the sky, devoid of most branches. Only at the top did the carpet of needles block out the sunlight, turning everything beneath gloomy.


    Eventually, they reached a long, wooden bridge that was barely wide enough for them to walk side by side. Finally, the man ceased his thrashing as he noticed that the lake beneath it was no mere water. In place of it, there was a dark swamp with a retching smell that threatened to swallow anything falling into it. Fearing that his captures would get annoyed beyond their patience, the man restrained himself as he crossed the thin bridge that separated him from a fall with no return.


    At the end of their path, there was a small building of stone, placed on top of a wooden support of several pillars. In a rough manner, the man was handed over to the group of jin waiting there, who forcibly shoved him inside the building. With only one window that barely shed any light, it was difficult for him to take a look at his surroundings before he was hurled into what seemed to be a wooden cage. Barely wide enough to take more than a single step, and merely slightly higher than himself, he was left inside this human birdcage with no further explanation. The man lamented his tragic fate as he was put away to rot in some faraway place from home.


    Inside this desolate wasteland of a prison; the only thing greeting him was a burst of frenzied laughter from nearby, he couldn''t bother worrying about.


    "Great!" The man said to himself, ignoring the maniac he only saw the silhouette of. The two of them were the only ones here, each within their small, separate cage that was devoid of any proper living appliances.


    "That''s what I get for trusting her words! Fuck, I should have known something was up after not hearing from her for months! Just wait and see, once I''m done with those kittens, one day, I''ll take care of you as well!"


    While the man was busy cursing and complaining to no one but himself, the harrowing laughter didn''t stop. Directly opposite of him, his only cellmate, another human, was lying on the small floor that was made available to him, where he remained laughing for seemingly no reason. Even after some time had passed, and the man''s eyes had gradually grown used to the dim light to take a closer look at the clown, the other prisoner had yet to cease his aggravating laughter.


    "What''s so funny, huh!?" The man erupted furiously after his patience had run out.


    "It''s- It''s nothing... Keh-! Haha!!"


    "What!? You enjoy how those pussies treated me like a piece of trash, is that it!? God, damn it, shut your trap already!!"


    No matter what the man tried or how often he asked for an explanation, the other prisoner didn''t stop. Unending, the other prisoner reveled in his own cackling, which joy only he knew the off. Eventually, the man gave up, once more relenting himself to his new fate. He wondered whether this was how he''d spent the rest of his life, or if he would be presented the chance to explain himself. Regardless, there was nothing he could do other than to wait for an opportunity.


    After what had felt like an eternity to the man, he noticed that much-desired silence returning to his surroundings. The occasional snicker still escaped the other prisoner as his body jerked in tune, but it was no longer annoyingly echoing within their small prison.


    With nothing else to relieve him of his boredom, the man looked over to his cellmate to find him staring outside the single window with a wide grin on his face.


    "What''s wrong with your eyes?"


    He asked, not expecting a coherent answer after having given up about asking for the reasons that provided his cellmate with such joy. Although he wanted nothing to do with a person like that, his boredom and curiosity got the better of him. Past the side of the glasses of his cellmate, the man found an unexpected world of brilliant stars in place of pupils. Fascinated and left with an inexplicable sensation, he''d almost lost himself within them.


    Noticing the man''s stare, the other prisoner turned to face him. As a result, the man blinked his eyes frequently, leaving his trance while wondering if it just had been an illusion. Looking at the eyes behind the glasses once again, he couldn''t find anything out of the ordinary this time - it was a regular pair of pupils like any other.


    "I heard prison can turn youthat way, but isn''t it a bit quick for me..."


    The man gulped and shook his head wildly, ridding his head from his own shiver-inducing thoughts. All the while, he was left under the curious observation from his counterpart.


    "Don''t look at me like that!! I''m not interested!"


    As a response, he only heard some small laughter that had already strained his patience to its utmost limits. Fortunately for him, it didn''t last nearly as long.


    "You can see it from the side... That''s rather careless of me. Sometimes you overlook the simplest of things." The other prisoner muttered to himself before turning towards the man that had asked the question.


    "I had a little accident."


    "What?" The man asked, bewildered. "Oh, you are answering my question. So I didn''t just imagine things... What happened?"


    "My Magecraft is a bit special," Surprisingly for the man, the other prisoner became more talkative than he''d expected. "I focus mainly on crafting my eyes. Let''s just say I was careless, and things turned out this way during an experiment. It''s less harmful than it looks. Also, it''s quite charming with the ladies, so there''s that."


    "You are a magus?" The man was stunned. "That''s unexpected. How did someone like you end up here?"


    "It''s a little embarrassing... But I''m ashamed to admit that my communication skills with the other races are still quite... subpar."


    "You can speakcat...?" The man wondered but quickly realized what he''d overlooked. "The Divine Language?"


    "Yes. I thought I''d become quite good at it, but I must have butchered my pronunciation. That or it might have been a difference in culture that language alone couldn''t bridge. Either way, I did rub them the wrong way somehow, leading me to be in this mess. What about you, erm..."


    "Reynold."


    He didn''t mind giving his name to the only human companion he might have to spend a lot of time with. Furthermore, after this prisoner had finally calmed down, he had to admit that he was rather pleasant to converse with.


    "I was sent from Ethena to take care of something... Secret Diplomatic Mission and whatnot. But now I wonder whetherI was the thing to be taken care of..."


    "Sad to hear that..." The other prisoner gave his sincere condolences. "Still, it''s a real pleasure to meet you, Reynold. Let''s see..."


    The other prisoner pondered for a moment before he carried on with a friendly smile on his face.


    "Since we''re being casual with one another, you can just call me Tormen. Excuse my earlier behavior, but I couldn''t help myself. I''ve been getting lonely for quite some time, and it must have gotten to my head. So I was quite happy to see someone else, and another human nonetheless. I don''t believe in them, but after today, I wonder whether the gods do listen to my prayers sometimes."

 Hiatus?

    Hello there...


    <hr>


    TL;DR: Hiatus for now. Maybe forever. In case of forever: There will be some chapters to bring the story to an end (summary-like epilogue). But that might be months away because that would mean dropping the novel for sure.


    <hr>


    Unfortunately, I have to announce that I''ll be going on an (even) longer, indefinite break. I have to admit that, because of my time constraints, I''m severely lacking in motivation to spend a lot of my time on writing. I''ve kept trying to force myself into some sort of a schedule, but as you''ve seen, that didn''t work out quite well... Repeatedly. Most of the stuff I''ve forcefully written during that time was simply lacking too much in quality, making the editing process all the more painful and time-consuming for me to be somewhat satisfied.


    That said, I won''t just leave this novel as it is. In case I come back to writing this novel, which would be in two months'' earliest, then great. If not, and I decide to drop it entirely (a little more below), I will still finish off the story in the form of a narration. After all, I''ve already thought out all of the major plotlines, how the story progresses and ends. It''d basically be a summary after all the events have ended - a long epilogue if you will, told by a narrator. Probably even a few chapters in length.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    For those of you (if you exist) that might be interested in my general future as a writer and potential other work:


    I''m yet unsure how much I want to continue writing. I''ve never written anything creative before, putting school aside, and only recently realized that I quite enjoy it. So It came as a big surprise for me that a lot of people apparently liked what I''ve written.


    Then, as it is usual I guess, I got a lot of other ideas that slowly create a conflict of interest in what I might want to write. Some of them are more fleshed out, some not. The story of Aien was simply the first thing I''ve thought of that I judged as a decent, unique, creative...etc idea, and I went with it, mostly winging it all.


    I don''t really know whether my lack of motivation is coming just from time restraints (definitely a huge part though) or because of the story itself. Or if writing was just a one-time thing for me that I couldn''t even finish. So I hope that will become clearer to me eventually.


    Anyways, for those that stick around, I''ll certainly give you an update eventually.


    Thank you all for reading so far and sorry for temporarily ending it like this. Until then!

 Chapter 43

    <u>Chapter 43 ¨C The Young Master</u>


    He was cold. So very cold, lying in the middle of the street as the torrent of rain poured down on him. Even the layers made of fur and muscle couldn''t prevent the cold from seeping into the deepest parts of his bones. It was a cold he''d never felt before, yet the jin was very well aware of its origins.


    This was death''s embrace. Fatally wounded, in a sea of corpses around him, he was the last living being breathing. But he knew that wouldn''t be the case much longer. There was no escape for him. His death was an absolute certainty.


    Nonetheless, he remained unwilling. Like any other being, he desperately clung onto life even if the outcome couldn''t possibly change. There was so much left he had to. His people needed him. He was the leader that had to guide them. Then, there was his revenge. That traitorous jin who had betrayed his own heritage by colluding with the furless scum to take away what rightfully belonged to him. He could never accept that something he''d fought his entire life for would be taken away by him.


    He was so unwilling. Yet, that unwillingness was met with indifference. In death, all were equal. His position as the leader of his tribe wouldn''t change that. It wouldn''t change the gaping hole that had replaced his stomach. In those last moments, he heard the sound of footsteps closing in on him. His vision had already faded, turning the world into darkness where only the sound of those steps within the rain remained.


    ¡°You look like you might need some help.¡±


    An unfamiliar voice of a foreign language entered his ears. He couldn''t see the person that looked down on him, neither could he utter any sort of his response of his own.


    ¡°No need to worry. For a reluctant soul such as yours, that desperately clings onto life in this meaningless world, there is still hope.¡±


    Those were the last words the wounded jin heard before the dark curtain fell upon him.


    <hr>


    The next time the jin woke up, he found himself staring at a familiar ceiling. He was inside his mansion, around him several others staring at him with relief written across their faces. Tears of joys were shed for his sake while he remained confused. What had happened to him? He didn''t know. The fatally gaping wound was gone. In its place, the stomach that had been missing returned.


    He ordered those around him to calm down. It took a long time until the crying echoes stopped inside this room that was more of a cavern than part of some mansion it claimed to be. Following that, he demanded an explanation of what had happened, but the response was lackluster. He''d been found unconscious on the wayside and taken back here. Apparently, the corpses around him had vanished and there was no trace of anyone else. No enemies. No savior.


    His recovery went without a hitch. In a few days, he was back to leading his people, in the same manner, he was used to doing. One day, when he ordered a task force to do certain errands for him, a messenger arrived with news of a new prisoner. It had already been more than a few months since his recovery, the incident already becoming a distant dream of his. When he was told, a furless had been put into captivity, he was surprised to find out there were a total of two.


    His subordinates had deemed informing him about the first prisoner as a waste of time. However, since the second had claimed to be an envoy, his situation was different. Although he''d never been sent notice of his arrival, he still had to check it out. Thus, together with one guard and his confidant he made his way to the prison, where after arriving, he heard that familiar voice again, he''d thought was just a dream.


    <hr>


    To relieve themselves of their boredom, the two prisoners frequently talked to another. Reynold was very interested in what little Tormen had to teach him about Magecraft, and other aspects of magic in general. Although he was proficient in his own use of Magecraft, he realized that Tormen was far more knowledgeable in that regard.


    On the other hand, Tormen listened to basically anything that Reynold had to say about the outside world. From Reynold''s place of origin, the Republic of Ashos to his residence in Ethena, there was almost no topic left untouched in Reynold''s life. He was also quite helpful in enlightening Tormen about the current state of the world.


    "You haven''t heard anything about the new Emperor, Tristan Stelfort? How long have you been here!?"


    "I don''t know, you tell me."


    "It''s already been more than two years since Tristan Stelfort ascended to the throne! Are you telling me you''ve been left rotting inside this cage for the entire time!?"


    When Reynold thought about this possibility, he gulped audibly as he dreaded his future. If the Jin had been truly this merciless with their prisoners, then there was little chance for himself.


    "Not the entire time, no," Tormen answered much to his relief. "You don''t need to worry too much. If what you''ve said is true, then I''m certain the jin wouldn''t imprison their allies for much longer. Anyhow, it''s astonishing what that Tristan has accomplished in such a short time. Levestein was moved all the way to the center of the continent to become the new capital... I still can''t believe it."


    "It''s not just that. Although the people were taken aback by his quick decisions that went right over their heads, they did accept him as their Emperor. After all, the might he''s displayed back then was the real deal. Then there is also the matter of revealing that secret."


    "To think the higher races were this underhanded." Tormen nodded thoughtfully. "It''s indeed no wonder that the unification processed this smoothly and at such speeds. You said, there were no rebellions or any other form of rising dissatisfaction?"


    "Against the new Emperor, none at all!" Reynold said as if he couldn''t believe it himself. "On top of that, all prisoners of war, including the slaves, have been released. The humans that have kept them were punished. Likewise, the other races followed suit, trying their best to lower the smoldering tensions between them. It really gives you the impression that everything is under the Emperor''s control. He sure knows how to fan the flames in the right direction without getting himself burnt. Makes you wonder how much all of this was thought out beforehand... And how much just coincidentally played into his hands."


    "Rather suspicious, aren''t we? Is it that hard to believe that someone is doing something for the sake of justice? Righteousness? Or for the benefit of the entire human race?"


    "Not where I come from." Reynold sighed, shaking his head. "Lots of things are pretty on the outside, but have an ugly tail dragging behind them - especially politics."


    "You don''t say... Well, be that as it may, it seems our time has finally come to an end."


    "What do you mean?"


    Before Reynold could get an answer, the door to their prison was forcefully swung open. With a thundering clap, the door almost shattered beneath the impact against the wall as two jin made their way inside.


    Regardless of race, the sheer fury emitting from the face of the jin in front was something anyone could comprehend by a single glance. Undermining his grimace, his fangs protruded forth as the slits in his eyes scanned through the room. Contrarily to Reynold''s expectations and fear, he realized that the ferocious gaze was not directed at them.


    Soon after the two had entered, a flurry of hisses the two humans couldn''t understand filled the small room. As a result, the two guards standing to the side hurriedly moved towards the two cages. Reynold had once again feared the worst, but instead of dragging them away, the two guards opened the weak locks on their cages.


    Afterwards, the guards quickly excused themselves before disappearing from their eyes. Reynold confronted this unexpected situation with suspicion as the two jin communicated among themselves. The only thing he could take away was that it seemed to contain far less hostility.


    "Please excuse our horrible treatment of the Young Master''s savior. I can assure you that those that have treated you in such a disrespectful manner will be punished severely."This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The Divine Language echoed within the room. Neither of them had any trouble understanding the jin as he continued to speak his humble apologies.


    The two jin were clearly apart in age. The old, fragile attendant could barely walk, his back almost down to a ninety-degree angle, making the cane in his paw-hand an absolute necessity. Both were covered in black fur that spread across their bodies as clothing would, while behind them, two tails emerged from their backs, listlessly sunk to their ground.


    "Thank You. My Savior. I thought. I dead. And. I''m sorry. Truly. You compensation."


    A broken voice overshadowed the attendant''s apologetic behavior as it was directed towards Tormen. In response, he waved him off with a smile before answering.


    "There''s nothing you need to worry about. Your people did what you had to and I won''t hold it against you. Also, you''re exaggerating. Your gratitude alone is enough, there''s no need for anything else."


    The jin in front defiantly shook his head, glaring at Tormen with utmost intensity. There were no words needed to translate the meaning of those eyes brimming with fervor.


    "If you feel the need to so..." Tormen eventually relented, putting one of his hands to his chin as if in thought. "Then I''d appreciate it if you let me stay around for a while."


    "Of course."


    The jin answered with a brilliant smile, revealing the row of sharp teeth that didn''t lose out to his fangs. Before leaving, he nodded towards Tormen and gave his attendant some orders.


    "Allow me to also show my gratitude for saving the Young Master''s life." Despite his frail back, the old jin didn''t hesitate in the slightest to bow his already bent back further. Only when Tormen helped him up again did he appear to be satisfied.


    "Young Master ZZuurr is deeply grateful that you came for his aid. He''s repeatedly told me that if it wasn''t for..."


    "Tormen is fine."


    "That if it wasn''t for you, Honored Tormen, he wouldn''t have made it back home. I could hardly believe the story of the Young Master and thought that it was all a dream. But now that he has found you, I seem I was mistaken. So once more, I sincerely thank you for what you''ve done."


    "I doubt I deserve this much gratitude, much less since it was a bunch of humans that had threatened him in the first place."


    "Be that as it may, it doesn''t change what you''ve done, Honored Tormen. We are neither shortsighted nor narrow-minded. Not to mention that we are currently allies of the Allizan Empire. Now, let me guide you to your proper lodging."


    "...Ehem!" Reynold coughed slightly to gain some attention since he seemed to have been forgotten about.


    "What about me?"


    The other two were already about to leave when the old jin turned towards Tormen, asking what to do.


    "If you''re not in a hurry, how about you stick around? I could use some human company." Tormen suggested.


    "...Alright. It''s not like I have anywhere to go now without having cleared myself of my doubts."


    Thus, the three walked over the bridge and deeper into the forest where they were headed to a nearby village of the jin. Throughout the short trip, whether it was Tormen or Reynold, they were both heavily interested in learning more about the jin.


    As it appeared, the jin, and apparently most other races, were quite similar in certain regards. For example, their living commodities. Although the jin weren''t necessarily in need of lodgings, they did construct a few buildings that belonged to no one in particular. At any time, they were open for most jin to rest, if the need arrived, with only a few minor exceptions. In most cases, however, they would dwell outside, regardless of their environment or the weather.


    Tormen learned that since some human knowledge and craftsmanship were wildly spread across the world as remnants from the Second World, the jin and the other races took advantage of that. There was no need to reinvent the wheel, thus the village the three had entered wasn''t much different from those in Alliza. Small and simple wooden structures, erected next to large boulders or trees to provide some sort of shelter, or so the buildings wouldn''t collapse. The more important buildings, one of them being the one the ''Young Master'' resided in primarily, were made of stone and built with a more proper foundation, using human masonry techniques.


    Regardless, whichever building it was, they all had one thing in common. They were utterly plain - Their sole purpose a little bit of added comfort. There were no signs of any form of decoration, and only very few utensils existed.


    The small village, which was devoid of streets, was left fairly empty. Aside from some curious glances, the few present around here didn''t show much of a reaction to the visiting humans. They''d grown used to it.


    "I hope you can be satisfied with these accommodations. I''m well aware that humans prefer some more utensils of comfort, but I''m afraid I''m unable to present such to you." The old attendant had led to one of the wooden huts that were closer to the mansion the Young Master of this village resided in. It was as he said, an empty hut aside from a stack of hay, albeit slightly larger than the rest found around here.


    "It doesn''t matter. Thank you very much for your hospitality."


    While Reynold grimaced at the thought of spending even a single night on top of that, Tormen wasn''t bothered. Instead, he was more interested in the unintelligible ruckus that seemed to be taken place inside the stone mansion.


    "Please excuse the noise, Honored Tormen. It seems that the Young Master has finally found the culprits that had caused the previous incident. I''m deeply ashamed that you have to witness such petty strife among ourselves."


    "Don''t mind me, I was just a little curious. I''m sorry if I''m poking my nose into things it shouldn''t belong to, but is it possible that this is connected to the Baptism of Life?"


    "I see you aren''t only brave, but also knowledgable." The attendant sounded surprised. Still, he didn''t deem it necessary to hide anything and continued. It wasn''t much of a secret, so he felt free to provide some more information as Tormen seemed interested. "It''s as you''ve said. The Young Master was chosen to undergo the Baptism, earning the Goddess of Life''s favor and her blessings."


    "As far as I know, the Baptism is connected to the prosperity of the Jin." Tormen thought aloud. "So the Young Master will become one of the pillars that guard the Spring of Life the Jin were blessed with?"


    "You are correct. The Young Master will become one of the three Protectors that shoulder the prosperity of the entire tribe. Not only this small village. This position is one not passed down by heritage alone. It seems that one of his rivals had used underhanded methods to change the outcome."


    Reynold, who had stood silent during this rather boring exchange of cultures, suddenly began laughing.


    "Just like I''ve said. No matter where you are, it will always be the same, and it seems, even the race doesn''t matter! Just perfect, isn''t it? Maybe it''s a rule of life itself..."


    "But it won''t change anything this time." The attendant continued, unable to understand what Reynold had said. "The Young Master has already won the competition and returned in full health. Once the current Protector, which is the Master, his father, steps down, he will assume the responsibility without a doubt. In the meantime, please rest. When the Young Master has finished dealing with everything, he will personally come to visit you. Feel free to explore the village, if you desire to do so."


    While the ruckus and sounds of falling stones rumbled throughout the village, Tormen and Reynold remained in their new home. While Reynold tried to make himself comfortable on the hay, complaining about how he should spend the night here, Tormen looked around the village with much interest. The thicket of leaves above them didn''t allow for much sunshine to illuminate the dim village, but it was enough to admire the similarities in craftsmanship.


    "By the way, Reynold. You haven''t told me yet, why you were sent here. Can you tell me about it, or are there some diplomatic reasons you can''t?" Tormen spoke up after he''d enough of gazing at some large stones and wood.


    "Sure, I can," Reynold grumbled from the other side of the room. "Supposedly, I was sent here to question the leadership about the missing humans in the vicinity."


    "Missing?"


    "Yeah. I''m sure you know we are fairly close to the border. It''s not a large border, but the villages close to the territory of the jin have reported some missing people. It wasn''t too long ago that slavery was more flourished around the world. And... well the whole mess with the eledyn and rykul, you know... But it''s not only them. I''m sure this house we''re in wasn''t built by jin. Or any other building for that matter. So, it''s only natural for us to assume that they might have done something behind our backs. Although few truly believe that, given our current situation and alliance, it''s something we have to check. Normally, this would just be a show made for the public. I get sent here, check every nook and cranny, and report back to the Emperor, who will declare that the jin have nothing to do with this."


    "But still, people are missing, no? If it''s not the jin, then who?"


    "Who knows? It''s not too many, anyway. People go missing all the time in the woods and fall prey to some wildlife. But hey, someone just had to go around and announce that pretty much all of humanity is being held captive as slaves. Now every time a person goes missing, people go crazy and claim they were abducted for slavery. There are even cases of missing people returning, but that gets conveniently ignored by the doomsayers. Goes to show to what lengths Tristan Stelfort went to cement his position. For now, the public of humanity has calmed down on the surface and is slowly recovering. But underneath all that, there is a boiling panic like never before. That counts for allthe races involved. People like me are just here to uphold the public facade that everything is alright and that it will continue to be alright if not better. There''s also that group or order that is doing their part, but they''ve been pretty useless."


    "You mean the Third Order?"


    "That''s what they''re called? Bunch of naive frauds. Can''t say I''m on board with the Emperor''s approach, but that Order is even worse. No one knows what they''re looking for or even doing. They were particularly interested in the missing people, but what have they done? Nothing. They also have no idea, but they seem to suspect the jin? I don''t know. But forget about that. I''m not sure how you much you know with you being cooped up all this time so let me tell you the real kicker. Supposedly, they''re the one place in the world where all discrimination is discarded... A city where everyone is the same. And what was the truth? They were part of that whole hidden scheme of the superiorraces. How they haven''t already lost all trust is completely beyond me."

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44 - The appearance of a Hero


    According to Reynold several groups from the Order remained somewhere around the border, searching for whatever clues they hoped to find.


    "Whatever it is, it has to be quite important considering everything else that''s going on... By the way, what have you been doing there?"


    For some time since Reynold had started his rant, Tormen fiddled around with his glasses. He''d taken out the lenses before proceeding to carve into them using a sharp piece of metal as an utensil. A flurry of lines that could hardly be distinguished from ordinary scratches joined the already present lines on the backside of the glasses, turning into an indecipherable mess for Reynold. The front retained its undamaged appearance, as Tormen shaved off layer after layer until only a thin sheet of glass was left. It was flexible like a piece of paper, yet surprisingly durable from the way Tormen was handling it without too much care.


    "I turned them into contacts... or something similar to that effect."


    "Huh, I guess even someone like you cares about his appearance."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "Nothing. Anyways, I''m off to take a stroll and get some much-needed privacy."


    When Reynold left the house, the two familiar jin passed by. He didn''t choose to stay behind because of them, and after giving a quick nod, he went into the nearby woods to take care of his business.


    "Honored Tormen. The nuisance has been dealt with and we can now properly welcome you to our small village. Please, follow us."


    Without waiting for Reynold to return, the group of three headed to the mansion. The interior of it looked as one would have expected by seeing the outside. To Tormen it appeared more like a glorified cavern than anything even remotely resembling the expansive mansions he''d seen before. Lacking any form of furnishings, the three chose the middle of one large room to seat themselves on the ground. As a token of consideration, a stack of hay and leaves had been placed to make it as comfortable to Tormen as it was possible.


    "I''m sorry but we have little to offer to you. I doubt that any food we''d be able to provide you would be to your satisfaction."


    "No worries. I can take care of myself just fine and you''re right that I''m not too fond of raw meat."


    "I''m glad to hear that. Now, Honored Tormen, you''ve been quite adamant about refusing any form of compensation, but both the Young Master and I would feel very wronged by leaving things as they are."


    "I''m honest with you when I say that I''m more than satisfied by being allowed entrance into your territory. I already consider myself quite fortunate since few outsiders are ever allowed around here."


    "Times are changing." The attendant gazed outside the hole, which could barely be considered as a window. "You can see that our people have grown rather accustomed to the visits of outsiders and don''t feel as threatened by their presence anymore. It''s a necessity with the way things are now. As such, simply letting you stay here isn''t much of a problem nor some kind of privilege worthy as your compensation."


    Subsequently, the attendant and Tormen went back and forth about his reward, exchanging polite words without much progress while Zzuurr observed them intently, listening to what they were talking about.


    "Then if I may be so presumptuous..." Tormen eventually relented, much to the attendant''s relief. But that relief disappeared as quickly as it had appeared when he heard Tormen''s request.


    "May I visit one of your temples? I know that only a few of your own people are allowed passage and-"


    "I apologize, but that is absolutely out of the question."


    As if a switch was flicked, all politeness and compliance disappeared from the attendant. His tired eyes furrowed in a menace that only disappeared after Zzuurr had focused his attention on him. What followed after was an exchange between the two in their native tongue, which resulted in a hefty argument.


    "There''s no need to oblige my selfish request." Tormen quickly intervened as even he could feel the tension between them. "I was merely interested and it isn''t anything important. What I''ve said earlier still holds, I don''t need compensation."


    "It''s. Fine." Zzuurr answered with broken words.


    "No, it''s not! I''m sorry Tormen, but we have to drop this matter. Young Master you too. This is something you can yet decide."


    "It''s! Fine!"


    The roar of an angered beast filled the room with an unexpected shaking, questioning the stability of the mansion they were in. The attendant stared at his Young Master in astonishment, and traces of confusion, wondering what had overcome him.


    "If. Not. Tormen. I. Dead. Bastard would now lead. Unacceptable. Unforgivable! If. Not. Tormen. All! Lost!!"


    "I understand that very well, Young Master. The traitor might have been in collusion with the eledyn, and I have no doubt regarding the merit of Tormen''s action! But this is..."


    The exchange of aggressive snarling continued, leaving the attendant helpless on how to deal with his matter. There was no convincing Zzuurr since he considered this a chance to finally offer Tormen repayment after he''d refused any previous rewards of silver and gold.


    "''...Very well." The attendant sighed heavily in defeat. "Honored Tormen, I think I can allow you to visit the temple, but whether you''ll be permitted entry won''t be for us to decide and there''s little hope for you regarding that. As long as you''re satisfied with that..."


    "Of course, that''s more than enough! I have to apologize, I know that I''ve put you on the spot, but my curiosity got the better of me."


    "Yes, I''m well aware of the extent of human''s childlike curiosity. I can''t find fault with it, but it does lead to extremes. Please keep that in mind for the future as well as the nature of your requests.


    Reaching an agreement, the discussion came to an end. Tormen rejoined with Reynold in their lodging, informing him about his plans. After some thinking, the latter decided it was the best choice for him to follow Tormen, where he was under the protection of the jin until he''d come to some conclusions about his own situation.


    <hr>


    In a small garden somewhere within Rydenna, a group of children, who didn''t have to follow after the rules laid out for the older inhabitants, gathered together. They circled around one particular boy that was the focus of everyone''s attention.


    "Wow! You have such beautiful scales! How can they shine so blue! I think even my father''s can''t compare to them!"Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    "What scales? Look at his fangs and those muscles! Aren''t we supposed to be the same age?"


    "What are you both talking about? Why would he have any of those when he has such clear spheres! I can even see myself in them, wow!"


    "You are all blind! Fangs? Spheres? Scales? He is not some monster! How could he be one? With such a cute and handsome face! And that hair! How is it so much prettier than mine!? Are you sure you are not a girl?"


    "Lilia! Be mindful of your words!" The sole adult among the group of children reprimanded the little human girl who had last spoken up.


    "I''m sorry. But if someone would have fangs, scales, and spheres, he''d look like a monster, no?"


    In response to her words, the children agreed, regardless of their race, as their blather in the Divine Language continued unfettered. Nonetheless, their custodian took it upon herself to reprimand her usage of words until she focused on the matter at hand.


    "Alright everyone, calm down. You are making him feel embarrassed by all your ogling. If you don''t like something, you have to say it, understand?" Her last words were directed at the young boy that meekly nodded in response.


    "Then, how about you introduce yourself?"


    "...Hello. I''m Ray."


    The boy said, hiding his arms beneath his back as he fiddled nervously with his fingers. His feet remained restless on the ground, tapping in place as he was on the verge of running away at any moment.


    "And?"


    "And..." The boy stuttered as he fell into silence. He thought about what else to say, so he pondered with all his might and scoured his memories on how to introduce oneself. But there was little he could come up with except for one small thing.


    "Hello. I''m Ray and I''m two years old."


    "Ehh!?!?"


    The entire group of children exclaimed in disbelief and their staring intensified much to Ray''s dismay.


    "You''re lying!" Everyone agreed on the same as they dubiously ceased him up, each wondering why he''d told such an obvious lie. Although their guardian was trying to calm the children down, so she could offer an explanation, it was to no avail and her patience finally reached its limit.


    "Quiet!" She raised her voice, also concerned about Ray, who was clearly troubled and pushed into a corner by the doubtful looks of his peers that questioned him endlessly about why he''d been bad and lied.


    "Ray isn''t lying."


    "But Sister, there''s no way he''s just two years old! He looks just as old as me, so that makes him ten years old!"


    "And yet, the truth is that he is two years old. Listen up carefully, children. Ray here is a hero that has been sent by the gods!"


    "A hero?" The children blurted out in unison, the expressions on their faces turning into looks of doubt and amazement. They had all read and heard of tales that depicted valiant heroes that fought demons and devils to save the world and its inhabitants. To hear that Ray had been declared as such by their trusted guardian filled them with such curiosity that they ceased their turmoil and listen to what their Guardian had to say.


    "That''s right, a hero! To some of you, Ray will appear as the fiercest jin, the mightiest rykul or a mesmerizing eledyn! To others, he will be a steadfast human or a wise and proud foren! You could say that Ray appears as the light you each feel most comfortable with. That''s why it''s no surprise he looks different to each of you."


    A much bigger chaos than before ensued, engulfing Ray in the intense gazes of the children once more. Each of them spoke over the other, making them incomprehensible as they asked him for varying questions about his appearance. But Ray had never had the chance to answer, as they confirmed the truth by talking amongst themselves. The children were far too busy on their own chatter to pay attention to anything else, much less Ray''s mutter, despite the discussion being about him.


    "I''m not some hero..."


    <hr>


    "What is the point of lying to me, Aiyla? Just tell me already where you''ve been hiding a second one from me for all these years."


    "Dyren, the answer won''t change. He''s the same Armin and I picked up two years ago."


    "Does he look like a two-year-old to you!?"


    "I told you that it''s normal to him, but you just won''t get it in your stupid head."


    Some distance away from the small garden, Dyren and Aiyla were in a heated conversation. After Dyren''s initial return from Alliza two years ago, he''d only spent a short time in Rydenna to reunite with Aiyla. It had taken him some time to recover from his shock before Aiyla could even begin her explanation. As a result, he''d put all the blame on Armin for not explaining himself properly. Since then he was repeatedly sent on scouting missions all across the different territories of the races, so he had never had the chance to give his piece of mind to Armin or pay many visits to Aiyla and her new child.


    Aiyla and Dyren themselves had known each other for a long time. The two grew up in Rydenna under Armin''s guidance before choosing to join the Third Order. Thus, it was only natural for Dyren to be concerned about the sudden appearance of some son of hers.


    "Fine. It''s hard to believe but I guess you''re telling the truth. Well, at least you don''t have to bother with his crying any longer, am I right?"


    "...Yeah, sure..."


    "What''s wrong? Your complaints were just as incessant as his crying. I thought you''d be elated that he grew out of that much faster than normal brats."


    "It''s just..." The hesitation that was plainly written across her face couldn''t be hidden even if she tried to. Anxiety and worry mixed into the unique appearance Dyren had slowly grown accustomed to seeing on her face instead of her usual fiery temper.


    "You''ve really become a mother, haven''t you... Spit it out, what''s wrong? Don''t think I can help?"


    "...I guess I can tell you. But don''t speak about this to anyone else. Under no circumstances. The priests have put a strict restriction on this information but you should be one of those that will find out sooner or later."


    "You flatter me."


    "I-, that wasn''t-, ugh...whatever. Anyways, it''s precisely about Ray''s unnatural growth. I''ve been told his physical maturation correlates with the reason for his existence. In other words, the calamity he''s bound to face one day is approaching too fast, and as a result, his growth is sped up as per the decree of the gods."


    "Thatis news best to keep silent about... But you don''t need to worry too much, Aiyla. He''s growing up a little bit faster than usual, so what? Armin is also here and I''m sure Eri should return from her trial soon as well. Maybe we don''t even need Ray. Or are you afraid of your baby boy becoming independent of his mother too quickly?"


    "Maybe..." The lackluster response was not what Dyren had expected, but he probably should have had. Before these two years, that remark alone would have surely earned him some running exercise.


    "Speaking of trials, have you heard?" Aiyla continued, the worry on her face increasing the number of furrows substantially. "They want Ray to take his first trial within this year! When he reaches three years of age, maybe even before that! Eri was sixteen when she''d had her first, and even Armin was barely twelve years old... I know the priests are worried about his growth but aren''t they too impatient? No matter what he looks like, he''s still two."


    Dyren could only sigh at a loss for words. He didn''t know how to cheer her up or even talk to her anymore. The usual bickering, albeit annoying at times, occurred no more. In its place was a worried mother, to whom, Dyren felt some distance that wasn''t there before.


    "A child... I guess that means a change in priorities, even if there''s no blood between them. Who''d think the man to tame her would be a brat..." He said not too quiet, but Aiyla was unable to hear him as she gazed at the children playing in the garden. Worried, she looked at her son that remained all by himself. The children that had approached him earlier had either lost interest or were unable to gain his attention.


    At some point, Ray realized that he was being watched. The somewhat lonely expression on his face was immediately replaced by utter joy as he ran over to the two.


    "Uncle Dyren!" He shouted excitedly as he flung himself around his waist.


    "Wow, easy there boy! You remember me...?"


    "Of course!"


    If Dyren didn''t believe Aiyla''s story about his age before, he certainly did now. Because the last time the two had met, he''d held Ray in his arms as a toddler. Yet, somehow, he was able to remember him, even recognize his appearance and be elated by it for some reason.


    "I would never forget soaring with you through the air! That was so fun! The stars were also so close, I thought I could almost grab them!"


    "Ah...yeah...we did that, didn''t we...?"


    "Dyren. What is he talking about?" Next to him, Aiyla was staring at him with a smile so gentle that it radiated sheer menace.


    "Well... you remember how you asked me to take of him for a day back then? I kinda got bored, likereally bored, so I took a stroll with Ray. But don''t worry, he really liked it and kept giggling the entire time!"


    As he''d feared, Aiyla wasn''t too happy with his response. She could almost see before her eyes how Dyren was recklessly jumping from roof to roof, all the while holding a toddler in his hands that he could have dropped at any given moment. Even if her imagination was exaggerating things, she was certain the truth wasn''t too far off. When he was confronted with the anger of a tiger, Dyren hastily attempted to explain himself.


    "Wait, Aiyla, I can explain. I had very good reasons, you see..."


    He took a deep breath to calm himself down. But instead of opening his mouth to give an explanation, he grabbed Ray by the arm. With the gust of the wind, Dyren dragged the grinning boy behind him as he carried them into the distance, leaving behind a disgruntled Aiyla, who was torn on whether to commence chasing or not.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45 - Everyone''s Hero


    "Let''s do that again, let''s do that again!"


    Somewhere on the rooftop of a small house, Ray shouted excitedly as he tugged at Dyren''s leg, urging him to jump through the skies once more. For the young boy, the few running movements reached the wonders of actual flight.


    "Let me rest for a moment, alright?"


    Disappointed, but without throwing a fit, Ray nodded obediently and sat next to Dyren, where they rested together under the gaze of the sun in the clear sky.


    "So, you don''t want to be a hero?"


    Dyren asked the boy. Questioning Ray was his initial reason for kidnapping him from his mother. During his talk with Aiyla, he''d occasionally shifted his attention to Ray. Even after considering the boy''s shyness, Dyren saw that his mother''s concerns didn''t seem to be entirely misplaced.


    "I don''t care about that..." Ray answered, his excitement dwindling into a forced smile. "If everyone wants me to be a hero, then that''s fine... Maybe... It''s not like I don''t like them! I read the stories too! I like ''The Path of a Saint'' as much as anyone else."


    "Then, what''s the problem? Don''t tell me... is it Aiyla? Does she smack you too often? Damn it, I knew she could never properly raise a child!" But even with Dyren''s joking around, Ray''s mood barely improved after approaching this topic.


    "You don''t have to tell me if you don''t want to," Dyren added, aware of his position. He barely knew the boy, but since he was Aiyla''s child, blood or not, he was just as concerned about him as her. Something was troubling the boy, and he''d thought that, if Ray had someone else to talk to other than his mother, say the epitome of masculinity, a man like him, he''d open up more.


    "Uncle Dyren... what am I?" Ray eventually broke the silence, which Dyren attributed to the truth of his conviction about himself.


    "A hero... I guess you know that already. What do you mean, exactly?"


    "Is that all...? I guess... what I want to ask is... am I... human?"


    The sudden question left Dyren without an answer, his mind unable to come up with anything on the spot.


    "Why do others tell me I have scales? Fangs? Or spheres? Am I a jin? A foren? Or something completely else...? Uncle Dyren, please tell me. What am I?"


    "You look human to me-..."


    He immediately regretted that answer and swallowed the rest of his words. Ray certainly didn''t hope to hear something like that, he knew that. The desperation in the boy''s voice betrayed his age, further driving the notion home that he should take this matter seriously.


    "Have you spoken to your mother about this?"


    "No... I don''t think her answer would mean anything..." The young boy said, aware of the biased tendencies of a parent. "I don''t understand... Mo...Mom is a human, and I''m her child. You too, Uncle Dyren, think I look like a human. So, why am I... not? If the two of you think so, then I''d like to think so too, but the others..."


    At first, Dyren didn''t understand when or why he''d left such a big impression on the boy that he was considered on the same level as his mother. But then the answer came to him. It simply meant that there was no one else. Armin had been even busier than himself, and aside from Aiyla, most adults treated him with distant respect or religious fervor. There probably weren''t many that would treat him like the brat he was. Even if Dyren''s action resulted in something he hadn''t initially intended, he was well aware of the responsibility that came with it since he''d already gained the child''s attention.


    ''Guess that explains why Aiyla hasn''t turned me into mincemeat yet...''


    "Do you know about Amir?"


    "Huh? A little... The humans call him a martyr, right?"


    "Yes, but he wasn''t just humanity''s martyr. He was the only hero of the Second World. But it is said that there were rumors that he favored humanity over the other races. Why? Because he was born human. Whether these rumors were true or not, didn''t matter. The accusations remained, resulting in various problems until the gods realized their mistake. That''s why the gods, who created all of us, created you differently. Remember, Ray, if you are a hero of this world, you are everyone''s hero. A guiding light for every race. Therefore, as a hero, you can''t be just human."


    "...I understand." The boy nodded obediently with his eyes cast down to hide his expression. Dyren, in turn, realized how difficult it was to interact with the boy. He was a two year old with the body of a ten-year-old, and his mind was already unbelievably matured. It made him forget that he was talking to a little boy. But regardless of Ray''s situation, in the end, he was just that. A child.


    "But don''t you worry, Ray." He added, his voice brimming with boundless confidence and strength, causing the boy to look up again with a glimmer of expectation that hid behind his welling tears.


    "If you don''t want to be a hero, then your Uncle will take your place!"


    "...Really? You''d do that? Why? It just sounds like a burden to me..."


    "Because I always wanted to be one!! To be someone that would help others in their need, saving the day in blinding white armor and getting all the women! That would make me happy and everyone else as well, so what better result is there? For me, that''s what a hero can and should do, and it''s what I want to do!"


    "For everyone to be happy...?" Ray was left with a quizzical expression.


    "Haha! I''m exaggerating, don''t take me by my every word. Also, I could hardly take your place. But even if I can''t, I''m sure Armin will. He''s working hard on that, not only for your sake but for everyones. After all, he carries the name of Amir''s chosen, even if he doesn''t like it. There''s also Eri, but I guess you haven''t met her yet. You, Ray, don''t have to worry about anything at all. Just go and have fun playing around with the rest of the children. But don''t listen to them! If you want to be a human, then just be one! Unlike the others, you can choose that for yourself. You can also be a jin, rykul or whatever. Just do what you want, act as you want, and if others don''t want to listen, make them! Be selfish like the brat you are. That whole hero business, leave it to us to care about for the time being."


    "Umm." Ray nodded wildly, grinning from face to face as he wiped away the remains of his tears. Dyren didn''t know how much he really comprehended, but he liked to think that his words struck a chord with the boy. "Thanks, Uncle, I think I understand."


    "So this is where the two of you''ve been hiding."


    Signaling the end of their conversation, Aiyla appeared behind them before any of them realized it. Her soundless movements and sudden appearance, startled Dyren into an immediate sprint, leading straight out of the city while his distorted voice trailed behind him.


    "I remember, I''ve got to go! Raven and Julien must be sick of waiting for me! Tell Armin I said ''hi'' when he returns!"


    "Come back soon, Uncle Dyren!" Ray waved after him with excitement. To his side, Aiyla released a quiet sigh before raising her hand to wave him goodbye as well. As a token of gratitude, she''d decided to not chase after him further, which Dyren more than welcomed.


    ''I bestdo come back soon, else the next time I see the brat, he might look older than handsome little me. Can''t have that, can we...''


    <hr>


    "I don''t know what I expected, but this is somewhat disappointing...?"


    Reynold said out loud, not having to worry about being disrespectful to the two jin leading them. Since the group was headed towards a larger village, which presumably functioned as the capital of the jin, he''d expected something different. Yet, this new village looked exactly the same as the previous one, only with a few more stones. Even the surrounding forest of long, naked tree trunks was the same.


    "The jin don''t particularly favor gathering together in cities and are more spread across their territory in small communities. It''s rare for them to have a permanent residence. I''m more surprised about how close to the border this important village is." Tormen answered his complaint, but it didn''t change Reynold''s impression.


    The two were given another lodging that didn''t differ much from their previous one. They had been told to wait until Zzuurr informed the elders about their intentions. In the meantime, they were allowed to do as they pleased. Tormen used this time to wander about the village and its surrounding outskirts, while Reynold cooped himself up at their home, driven to madness by the boredom.


    It had taken an entire week until they heard from the attendant again.


    "My apologies, Honored Tormen. I''m afraid we''ve run into some troubles."


    "What happened?"


    "The Master is absent. So it can be said that jurisdiction falls into the Young Master''s hands, but the elders have been giving us a hard time, which is quite understandable."This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Zzuurr''s father is absent?"


    "It''s not worth mentioning. He went to meet the Third Order after they''d found something within our territory. This is all I can say, but rest assured, it''s nothing to worry about. Regarding your request, I ask that your accompaniment stays behind while you follow after me."


    Reynold shrugged with his shoulders, but mentioned that if Tormen took too long, he''d leave by himself, in which case, he shouldn''t worry too much. During this week he''d come to the conclusion that his only option was either facing the tune of his superiors or continue wandering about like a stray. If that was the case, he''d rather choose the former and hope for the best.


    "I''m probably just overthinking anyways, so I''ll be heading back to Levestein."


    "Then, in case this is goodbye, take this." Tormen handed over a flat button made of metal, similar to a coin. It had several tiny orifices but other than its strange appearance there was nothing noteworthy about it.


    "What is it?"


    "You''ll understand when you play around with it a bit. If you bring it back to your superior, I''m sure they''ll like it. No need to be polite, it''s nothing expensive and just a small parting gift for a friend."


    Reynold took him by his word and stored the device away. Even he could tell that it was impossible for it to be something outrageously dangerous. He could study it later and if necessary throw it away then. After having agreed on everything, Reynold stayed behind as Tormen and the attendant left the village.


    "Please behave yourself, and follow every instruction of the Young Master, Honored Tormen. He''s gone through a lot for your sake. Not only did he go against Ayla''s priests, but he even asked for permission from the Third Order. I can hardly understand what has gotten into him, so pardon my inquiry. What happened between the two of you on the day you found the Young Master?"


    "I found Zzuurr collapsed on the streets between the two borders of our territories. I don''t want to exaggerate, or anything, but I''d thought he was dead. Only after coming closer did I realize that he still had a weak pulse left, so I helped him as one should."


    "I understand. It seems that it''s only natural that the Young Master feels grateful towards the savior of his life. I assume you felt no need to take care of him until help arrived?"


    "I assured myself that he was fine before I left. After all, I was afraid of unjust suspicions at the time."


    "Of course, in such a situation, I can''t criticize your actions. Please don''t think that I blame you... And yet, you have decided to wander about our territory until you got caught?"


    "Such is the bane of our being - curiosity. It''s humanity''s natural enemy, but also its greatest gift."


    "Yes, you''ve told me so... One last question. I wondered if you''d seen anyone else when you found the Young Master. Was there anyone injured, or even corpses when you found him?"


    "I didn''t see any, no."


    "I see."


    The two continued walking, heading further away until the village they''d left was out of sight. Inside the forest, it was difficult to not get lost. The treetops covered the sky and the trees themselves appeared the same wherever one looked, making orientation a difficult task. Yet the attendant headed straight into one direction without ever slowing down or stopping. All Tormen could do was follow behind him as silence fell between them.


    "Lately, I''ve been traveling a lot, you see." Tormen resumed their conversation on their path that led to nowhere.


    "And all the while, I''ve been looking for the answer to one particular question that intrigued me to no end. It was the target of all my curiosity."


    "Oh? What might that question be, if I may ask?"


    "Of course, let me present it to you! Do you think the soul exists? Tell me, what do the jin think about this wondrous, and mysterious aspect of life?"


    "Naturally, it exists." There was no doubt in the attendant''s voice as he stopped in his tracks. Around them, there were no signs of their destination, or anything else, other than the same scenery of dead silent trees.


    "We consume the souls of others for our own being. We bequeath part of our own soul onto our descendants for generations to come. Thus, we, that is all living beings in this world, create connections of life that range from the past to the present and into the future. These individual connections of generations will be consumed, strengthened, and passed on, until one day, at the end of it all, only one chain of souls, containing all mortal life, is left that may ascend into the realm of gods. That is what the jin believe and pray for, under the protective watch of the Goddess of Life."


    "Interesting! Very interesting, indeed!" Tormen exclaimed with a bundle of laughter and joy while the attendant remained reactionless nor did he resume moving. "I can see your point, and I''ve noticed some similarities in your people''s behavior. So instead of a cycle of reincarnation, you believe in the continuation of the soul... But let me ask you this. If the soul exists, do you think it can be controlled? Or is it devoid of any interactions, despite being part of your being?"


    "What do you mean?" The attendant asked perplexed, unable to understand what Tormen was getting at.


    "Isn''t it an obvious question?" Tormen sounded even more surprised before he continued talking to the back of the attendant that made no attempt to hold a proper conversation.


    "Your arm exists and it belongs to you. Therefore, you can control it - move it. The same can be said about the rest of your body. Now one might wonder, what about the heart? Organs? You don''t control those, they function automatically. But is that true? Your brain controls the heart, and you control the brain. So, in a sense, you control your heart, even if it takes the form of unconscious signals. Then again, you can''t influence those with your will alone. Still, most would agree that your heart and your body belongs to you."


    While Tormen continued what the attendant deemed meaningless drivel, the latter focused on his own task instead of listening to him. His arms that hid behind the cover of his body grew in size, turning from paw-hands into sharp claws that cut through the air with the slightest of their movements. A red glint filled his eyes, invisible to Tormen, resembling the sight of blood that came with the jin''s way of life.


    "So what about the soul?" Tormen continued unhindered.


    "Can you control it? Can you decide where you will be born? Can you decide how long you will live? Can you control your death and keep your soul from returning into the cycle? No. You can''t do anything. Your soul is completely out of your control. Subconscious or not. So, the question that follows is...


    Does your soul even belong to you?"


    "What...?" The glint in the attendant''s eyes disappeared, replaced by confusion. There was something about Tormen''s words that resonated with him but he couldn''t put his finger on what it was. Yet, it was enough for his mind to return him from his bloodthirst into a shivering calmness as he saw Tormen walk past him before he noticed him.


    "If your soul doesn''t belong to you then to who does it? The gods? Or the World? Regardless, someone or something is in control. In control of the very essence of your life, your entire being and existence - your soul. But the interesting thing here is, that control can be taken away. You can regain control. All that you need to do, is exist outside of those laws."


    Tormen turned around to meet the attendant''s gaze. He paid no heed to the transformation of the ferocious claws and instead stared him directly in the eyes. The vicious glint of the attendant no longer remained as he lost himself in the dreadful calmness of Tormen''s eyes.


    "Of course," Tormen flashed him a regular, old smile, but the shivering that had consumed the attendant''s body didn''t relent. "that is just my theory. But given your imagination and concept of the soul, there would be some contradictions. After all, in your eyes, the soul becomes part of your descendants. That would mean if you took control it would be akin to killing off the descendant. I''m sorry to disappoint you, but that shows that you''re quite wrong in your assumptions. Although it still holds some interesting pieces of truth, it''s far from it. Be that as it may, I guess this is the end of our little chats. I quite enjoyed them for what it''s worth. Also, thank you for leading me this far, I think I know the way from here."


    The jin was completely overwhelmed. The extent of indifference from Tormen''s gaze had rendered him breathless until he was brought back to reality by his last words. The threat implied in those did not elude him as the human that stared at him assumed the appearance of a menace that knew no equal. But he didn''t let himself succumb to the instinctive fear that made its way into the depths of his soul.


    This had been his plan regardless. There were too many unknown variables about this human, and his Young Master had acted far too unreasonable. After agreeing with the elders in the central village they''d decided that to get rid of him was the best choice. Something had happened between Tormen and the Young Master that they couldn''t understand. Thus, the elders assumed responsibility, regardless of the result, and ordered the attendant to get rid of Tormen.


    But he didn''t know. He couldn''t possibly know that he''d never been the hunter in this game of prey.


    The jin took a jump back before landing on his four limbs. His body bulged, growing exponentially larger in leaps and bounds. Soon the appearance of a frail creature that could be mistaken for a human from the distance was no more. In its place arose a ravenous beast which sight eclipsed the fragile human beneath it.


    "The magic of the jin is also so very interesting! Using what you think of as the connection between souls as a mental image, you revert yourselves into your former glory that existed in the Second World. At first, I''d thought that it was akin to going back in time, but it''s actually much simpler than that. You just revert back to what you once were. Your past still lies dormant within you. That is indeed very intriguing. Unfortunately for you, the world does not permit you to reside in this state any longer. Your time is limited and I guess the tax on your mana resources must be quite heavy."


    The beast didn''t listen to any more nonsense. Using its tremendous, piston-like legs, it turned its body into a gigantic bullet that pounced towards its prey.


    "Fetch!"


    Tormen chuckled as he threw away something akin to a small metal ball that was barely the size of a thumb. Naturally, the beast ignored his taunt as its fangs found its target, which barely attempted dodging. The maw that could swallow Tormen whole with ease, connected with one of his arm''s. In one abrupt motion, it was torn apart from the shoulder, as Tormen was thrown away against a nearby tree that was almost rooted out from the impact.


    Seeing the glimpse of victory, the beast calmed down as it swallowed the arm whole. When the small cloud of dust and leaves settled, however, it couldn''t believe its eyes when it saw the human standing straight, completely unimpeded by the missing arm or the force of impact. Any sign of blood was missing, and now that it had become aware of it, the arm it had swallowed also lacked that unique taste of fresh blood. It intended to immediately resume its onslaught, readying its muscles to their extremes, when it suddenly howled out in agony.


    Without warning, its innards were torn to shreds and tiny holes appeared around its stomach. From within them, small objects had cut through the air, screeching like banshees into their surroundings, before ending in a small explosion in the distance. As a result, the beast lost all of its vigor. It crumbled to the ground, staring at the dozen holes, unable to comprehend what had happened. Even when its head turned into the direction of the explosion, it was unable to understand how a human was capable of defeating it with such ease. It was old, and since long on death''s doorstep, but it was nonetheless filled with the pride of its inborn strength.


    ''Human...? No...''


    "Ah, that?" Tormen answered, following the beast''s gaze. "It''s a one-time use construct. I doubt few humans would ever create something like that since they''d lose their progress after every use and would be forced to start anew again. Their loss, because they can be quite powerful. These particular ones work like magnets, not that I''d expect you to understand that. You could call it a form of lightning, very loosely speaking. Coincidentally, I am also well aware of the weakness of your innards."


    The monstrous beast shrank, turning back into its frail appearance of an old jin. The holes remained, the blood, he had expected to see from Tormen, gushing out of his own wounds. Meanwhile, in his dwindling vision, the ''human'' before him was without a scratch.


    But there was no point for him to think about this anymore. His death was a certainty, the confusion in his mind held no meaning. Even so, the unspoken questions remained and seeped through into his quizzical, painfully twisted expression.


    "I''m Aien," Tormen answered courteously. "And I''m here to take away what belongs to you. So, you don''t have to worry. Death is far from the certainty that you believe it is. Its mercy is reserved only for those that have earned it."