《Hero Scout》


 Chapter 1 Goodbye World - Hello Quantum Nightmare

    When the ad had read ''Explorers wanted'' Kenji hadn''t expected the testing to be this rigorous. He''d prepared a fake resume of life in the special forces, complete with the contacts of various senior military officers known to have schizophrenia. He''d learned about military life from a few autobiographies, how to use some exploration tools, and even basic martial arts. He had planned, he had prepared, and now...


    Well, strapped down to a hospital bed, unable to move his head while he was rushed past bustling scientists with white robes and soldiers with white masks, he felt something was off. Actually, now that he thought about it, everything was white, the tools, the plastic walls, the lights in the ceiling and even the pupils of the only person not wearing a mask. The man wore a white suit, a white tie, with alabaster hair and jet-black skin. He smiled with pristine white teeth, white wrinkles creasing his dark cheeks.


    "Excuse me, what''s happening?" Kenji said, the suited man, scientists, and soldiers alike ignoring him as they stared into the blinking green and red screens. Distantly an alarm rang and screams echoed. Kenji tried to look, but the straps held even his head firmly in place.


    "Send him anyway, we needed one more," a woman with a tired tone says, the wheels of the hospital bed screeching along as Kenji entered a room filled with a gigantic machine of floating steel and spinning tubes to form what looked like a giant metallic head surrounded by hundreds of waving snakes. Someone else was wheeled out, going the other way. A brute of a man, grey skin constructed of nothing but scars and muscle, his eyes wide open and grey, his mouth frozen mid-scream.


    Kenji blinked, finally realising the man had been turned to stone.


    "Stop, I don''t want to go anymore. J-just, let me go back to my desk job!"


    Kenji didn''t have a desk job, but he thought it would make him sound better.


    "Prepare the Medusa, we found a replacement," another man said in a neutral tone, ignoring Kenji''s pleading.


    "This is actually a raid, you''re all under arrest," Kenji said, deadly serious, "failing to release an undercover officer is a criminal offence! Let me go and I shall look into your case favourably."


    No one so much as looked in his direction. Kenji was confident he was a great actor, so he realised they must already know about his perpetually unemployed status. Other than the occasional gaming competition of course. And a little swindling on the side, a cheeky amount, real slap on the wrist kind of stuff.


    Wheeled in, Kenji was placed in a circle of people who looked liked they routinely had their mugshots placed in the news. In fact, Kenji recognised a man with a snake tattoo curled around his face, the side of his head a twisted mess of burnt skin. Wasn''t he the one the police caught for setting fire to hospitals in America? The reporters on TV had called him ''Dr Pyro'', Kenji was sure of it.


    "Actually that was a joke," Kenji says with a great smile, his best, as his bed was fixed to the floor.


    "Just wanted to brighten up the place. Now, how about letting me go and we can talk about this?" Kenji was ignored, the scientists and their soldiers retreating out of the room as heavy blast doors descended after them.


    To his left was a haunting remnant of a woman who might have been beautiful before acid had melted the top of her head and part of her face. The gorgeous almond eyes beneath the horror seemed utterly empty of emotion. Yet when she turned to look right into Kenji and fluttered those long eyelashes ever so slowly, he froze. That blank look, it was the exact same as ''Soulless'', the woman responsible for poisoning all those politicians in India. She was supposed to be in a maximum-security prison, wasn''t she? Kenji remembered his online gaming buddies laughing about it.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it."I''m really rich you know!" Kenji calls to the people looking through windows above the blast door, the glass tinted blue, turning the people to mere shadows, except for one white-toothed smile in a jet-black face that stood out just fine. "My parents will pay whatever you want! You can look up our company, it''s called Illiad Pty Ltd!"


    "Waste of time. Your capitalist wiles will not work, pig. These are the people who print your dollars, trading back their own paper is a terrible idea," Cackled a bastard to his right, his Russian accent so thick Kenji had trouble understanding him.


    Turning with gritted teeth, Kenji found an old man grinning at him, the hammer and sickle branded into his wrinkled head. Kenji knew for certain who this geezer was, his group of communist restorationists was the one that had shot up that airport in Russia. Not only that, he had several of his cult members seize planes, and had them fly into various banks throughout Moscow. Didn''t Putin execute him for that?


    "What did they put you in for?" The old communists said.


    "What do you mean? I answered a local ad, they said they were trialling a VR game and wanted ''adventurers''," Kenji said, trying to wriggle free. "Aren''t you that Russian terrorist? The one in the news?"


    "Da. Worst of worst they call me, but after going into capitalist prison I know I am far from that. I am number 17 of all 18 here," the grandpa laughs, "Why are you here wage slave? Do tell the true reason, Krakov loves good story."


    Krakov...Krakov Stanovich. Kenji remembered his name now, the guy who convinced one hundred and eighty-two people to die for him. Convinced them that he was their glorious supreme leader. And he was only number 17? Thinking fast, Kenji calculated this room would fit about...18 people in beds like his, arranged as they were.


    "I used to make LSD, a third of the world''s supply. Then one day I put poison in a huge batch of the stuff, a slow-acting one. 180,000 people around the world died from my little lab, the local governments chalking it up to ''overdoses''," Kenji said with his best evil grin. It was false, completely untrue. But Kenji had always been like that, trying to blend in, even when he really shouldn''t. Because if he was going to be playing a game with these guys, he didn''t want to be seen as an easy target.


    And if there was one thing Kenji new, it was how to beat others in a game of bluffs.


    He''d just get this over and done with as quickly as possible. And avoid getting caught out and tortured by the criminals while he was at it, seeing as the scientists were pretty uninterested in letting him go.


    "JUST CHECKING," Kenji yelled, "CAN YOU LET ME OUT-"


    The straps surged with electricity and Kenji screamed. In a blur, he looked to the side, where the Indian girl stared right back. For a flicker, her eyes don''t seem so hollow. Deep as caverns sure, but near their deepest depth, Kenji thought he saw- a needle plunged into his head and pierced his brain. Kenji screamed.


    And continued to scream as he was sucked out of his body. For a moment he saw his body turn to stone behind him, as he was dragged into a vortex of stars along with seventeen other souls.

 Chapter 2 – Embryo

    "Welcome to the Everything," came an odd voice. Kenji''s mind felt like an old computer booting up for the first time in a long while.


    "The embryonic stage of gestation is the period after implantation, during which all of the major organs and structures within the growing mammal are formed. This is what is happening to you now. Do not be afraid," the voice said, so soothing and yet robotic. Like an AI so close to perfection, but with just the slightest hint of her robotic roots.


    Kenji thought for a moment and decided to ask his question anyway.


    "Where am I?" He said.


    "The embryonic stage of gestation is the period after impla-"


    "Yes, I understand you''ve read a dictionary. But where is this in relation to where I was?"


    Peering around, Kenji stood in what some would consider being everything. A galaxy here, a few super-stars there, and a big dark patch slowly consuming it all while a white hole busily spewed all manner of galactic contents as if to fill up space. Stardust tickled his non-existent feet, and somehow a warm wind fluttered non-existent hair. It was rather odd, Kenji decided.


    "You are here in the Everthing, with me," she said. Kenji turned, a strange concept when he had no body, and was met by a naked woman with snow-white skin. Pale lips were pulled back to reveal ink-black teeth set into a beaming smile. Not just her teeth, her hair was darker than dark, her eyes wells of crude oil and every line of her face seemed a bottomless crevasse.


    The strangest thing of all, however, was that Kenji felt no fear. Nothing. Not even a little pinch of his nerves affected him when presented with this monster while they floated through the Everything that was reality.


    "You are quite dead, so please do not panic. Your father is taking your things from your apartment as we speak, and your mother is letting your sister know over the phone of your passing. This is quite final, by the way, so please do not attempt to ask me to be reborn there. You are dead, the only way now is forward onto somewhere new."


    "Those bastards...what was the point? Why put me through that machine at all?"


    The woman tilted her head to one side.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "I thought that rather obvious. So you can be here, of course."


    "And what am I to do? You know, seeing that I''m ''here''" Kenji said, wishing he had a foot to tap. Or fingers with which to display a very certain gesture. Perhaps it was for the best he couldn''t do so on reflection, whatever this woman was, this god, Kenji realised it might be best to not to antagonize her.


    "Because if this is heaven then I would like a top of the line gaming rig for starters. We can talk about which wishes I''ll ask for next once I download the latest patch of wo-"


    "You will choose one of two paths, and be reborn into a new world," The woman said, quite uncaring for the desires of the recently deceased. "A world filled with magic, monsters, adventure and opportunity. Although, you are not as evil as the rest. Which is a problem, my brother said only the most wicked would be passing through," the woman frowned, cracks darker than distant black holes spreading across otherwise gorgeous features.


    "Do I get powers then? Like in the games, a magic sword, or the ability to win the heart of any woman with a kiss?"


    "Crude, but close. You get two options as I said. The first is a mix and match. Here are your current attributes," with a wave, the knowledge became nestled in whatever Kenji currently had for a head. Activating something, a menu appeared:


    [ Name: Kenji ]


    [ Class: Gamer ]


    [ Strength: 3 ]


    [ Agility: 3 ]


    [ Intelligence: 10 ]


    [ Willpower: 8 ]


    [ Cunning: 18 ]


    [skills: Scheme, Bluff, impersonate, charm, strategize. ]


    "As you can see, you are quite the conniving type. But so weak, you don''t even register in the other categories such as magic or constitution. And your skills..." she gave Kenji a long look, "maybe you really are evil, and I''ve gotten something wrong?"


    As she spoke a black hole sucked on a distant galaxy in a whirl of light.


    "No, no! Definitely a good guy here, the best! So why not give me some extra power, eh? Something I can use to knock the snot out of the other ACTUAL evil people and save the world or something?"


    The woman put a black nail to pale lip and stretched the web of cracks around her eyes as she thought.


    Distantly, two moons collided as a decision was reached.


    "That would be very bad," she concluded. "We need evil people for this world, that was kind of the point. The people there... are swamped, by monsters, politics and evil enterprise certainly. But it is not enough, it has been the council''s decision that yet more evil must be added, in order to provide an opportunity for good-hearted heroes to naturally arise. So I''m sorry, but I''ll have to delete you from existence now-"


    "WAIT!" Kenji raised his non-existent hands, the woman pausing halfway through producing a bar of nothingness. The nothingness was pure white, as if everything within had been erased, that within the said gap existed not a single law of physics, nor atom of any universe.


    A very real feeling of growing sweaty washed over Kenji''s non-existent body.


    Thinking on his feet, Kenji had but a moment to save himself from being deleted from the Everything.


    "I might not be evil, but I could try?"

 Chapter 3 – Gamble

    "Not enough," the woman sighed, raising the white bar of nothing high, "you won''t be able to compete with real evil. They are on a completely different level. I''m sorry, but it''s too important that we produce real, good-hearted heroes. The fate of the Everything rests on these reincarnated individuals causing the worst possible damage to the land and their people. We need the heroes that oppose such events. I just don''t think you can compete-"


    "Then what if I help them compete with each other?" Kenji was grasping at straws now. "I''ll join the villains, and force them to try harder than the others- no, what if I do the opposite and help the good guys? Think about it, there''s no saving like in a video game. One slip up and a good guy goes down the drain, wouldn''t it be handy to have some insurance? Unless you''re blessing the good guys too?"


    "The gods of the world might...but I am forbidden from altering the state of anything within, merely communicating for monitoring purposes..."


    "Perfect! So I could be like your... Protagonist Scout then? I''ll find good heroes, train them, protect them and pull them through worthy quests and the like. How''s that sound?"


    The woman thought deeply, then smiled as brightly as an exploding star. Coincidentally, a supernova filled the dark of Everything with brief light over her shoulder.


    "Like a good idea, now if you don''t mind, we''ll need to hurry this along. If my brother hears of this arrangement he might erase you and me both. So, as I said the first option is to move around your current abilities, deducting them from one place to add to any other," with a swipe of her hand races, backgrounds, classes, and more flowed through Kenji''s mind.


    "You can choose any combination. Choosing a dangerous area to begin will give you up to 500 more points, while you get nothing for safe areas. Difficult races like demons give you many bonus starting points too, seeing as they are considered the enemy of all living things, while bland races such as human will give you nothing. I think you get the idea."


    Recovering from having his species being called ''bland'' Kenji did what he hoped passed for a nod. Without physical form, he wasn''t sure the gesture translated. The woman nodded back.


    "Human bodies, so intriguing," she said, pointing her middle finger at him. "Just as you thought, this is an amusing position for my central digit."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Ok, ok. Let''s get back on track, you said there''s a second way of doing all this?" Kenji already had several combinations all picked out, although they required starting in hellishly difficult environments. One starting zone was inside the world''s seventh hell in fact.


    "The second option is this," the woman unveiled a giant spinning wheel. Large as a skyscraper, scrawled with millions of combinations of species, class and environment. A golden arrow was positioned at the top. A depressing number were humans, Kenji having quickly thrown the race out of his calculations seeing how poor both their stats and progression speed was. No, if he wanted to min/max his stats to create a powerfully built, he''d need to be a vampire, demon, elemental or even a minor god. Although collecting the points necessary to start as a minor god was the scenario that began him in the seventh circle of hell. Not a nice place, even if it was the most efficient to grind XP.


    "If you''re lucky, you might not only get a good setup without the point cost but a rare attribute, species, or starting zone too. A room filled with runic weaponry. A unique sub-species. A magical power lost to time-"


    "That one," Kenji said immediately, throwing his strategies out the window. An unfortunate part of Kenji having been both a prolific gambler and obsessive when it came to anything of a limited edition. This method of gambling his future could not have been any more of a trigger for him.


    "A-are you sure? It''s very risky-"


    Kenji ''grasped'' the wheel, and heaved the whole thing to the side, the colourfully scrawl zipping past faster than a comet, as the wheel made a series of lazy revolutions. The little golden arrow at the top flickered dutifully with each passing, slowly the wheel down further, and further.


    As as he watched the wheel came closer, and closer to ending at the back end of the wheel. There the scrawl became hair-thin with rare attributes, right before a huge swathe of ''Goblin-Slave-Runt'' that came directly after.


    Kenji sweated a metaphorical storm as the little arrow slowed closer to the tail end of the rare area. ''Goblin-slave-runt'' came ever closer into sight, and Kenji sighed in defeat when he estimated that was indeed when where the wheel would land. He''d thrown his second life away just as he had his first-


    The golden arrow halted...on what exactly? It appeared the very last line before goblin-slave-runt, but it was so thin it could just be the separating border?


    "Did I get the rarest option, or am I a goblin now?" Kenji said, non-existent heart beating a wild rhythm somewhere between joy and sorrow. The woman winked, and everything started to fade.


    "You''ll have a skill that lets you mark any you deem worthy of being a true ''hero'' and giving them a grade. I''ll communicate with you as well from time to time, because, without results, I''ll have to delete you anyway."


    Kenji couldn''t talk as his mind''s constitution fell apart.


    Would he become a powerhouse from the beginning? Stronger than gods, mightier than knights and more powerful than demons.


    Or was he to be a goblin-slave-runt?


    "Remember, the Everything depends on heroes. We need more of them, and rather soon."


    The world collapsed to a point, and Kenji once again ceased to be.

 Chapter 4 - Daario Colombo

    "Give me your skin."


    Daario Colombo cracked his knuckles covered in white gloves. His wholly human left hand made the familiar popping sound. Meanwhile, his devilish right emitted a dark crackling, akin to the sounds of crushing bone. Dark as night, it ended in long black claws that burst through the fine material of his glove. The Devil''s hand matched the nightmarish right-hand side of his body, his single ink-black eye, and single ebony horn especially obvious signs of his half-blood nature.


    "Give me your skin. I don''t like to repeat myself," he said, eyeing the demon guards. They were gaunt, crimson skinned, with a mane of green flame for hair, and similar flame spurting from their swords. Their armour was thick bronze, carved into the shape of large skulls. Real skulls adorned spikes on their shoulders, and the left one laughed as it said, "Your skull is mine, little devil man!"


    The demon guard charged and Daario sighed.


    He waited in his suit, with a dark chain in his hand. The demon raised its blade, brought it plummeting down on course to split Daario in two - and only then did he dodge. In a swift movement, he wrapped the chain around the demon''s throat and pulled. Crack. The demon''s head went limp, and yet turning it continued to grin and swing.


    Daario walked at a leisurely pace, eyes focused on the second demon as he felt the rush of air and heat behind him. He had measured the reach, he could feel the distance and had calculated each and every step to be just outside the demon guard''s range. Daario would not allow the demon to so much as singe his precious suit.


    "Narshrig, you''ve had your chance!" Roared the second, charging into the fray. Somehow the demon fell for the same trick, Daario stepping aside at the last moment, snapped the demon''s neck then turned and kicked. The second demon fell right into the First''s swing, demon fire biting into its shoulder.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Running up and onto the demon''s back with his hands in his pockets, careful not to have his shining black shoes dirtied, Daario surveyed the hell he had appeared in. While leisurely moving side to side to avoid the demons'' blades and direct them into one another, Daario searched the horizon. A great obsidian citadel rose into the sky filled with fire, surrounded by a lake of burning sulphur and ten thousand demons hunting the latest damned souls to arrive.


    Ashen people would plummet from the sky, and the demons would brawl with each other to claim them. Daario shook his head, noting the winner was often just bigger. No real talent here, no capable employees even amongst demonkind.


    As only the first ring of hell, Daario estimated he''d be out in three weeks if he wanted to. It would take some efficient grinding to do so reliably, no doubt a few higher demons from the below levels would come up here on occasion too.


    By the time the two foolish demon guards had slashed each other a dozen times over, Daario''s plan was ready to be put into action.


    Wielding the claws of his devil hand, Daario ripped out the pair''s hearts and got to working on their corpses. First, he needed a weapon that wasn''t aflame. Sharpening their horns with his clawed hand should create the skinning knife he wanted.


    "So messy, you should have just given me what I wanted," he said as one of the demon''s tried to rise.


    "Please, let me go. I''ll serve you, I''ll- uek," having located the second heart, Daario pulled it free with interest. Purple and crystalline, it continued to pump in his hand. Eyes flittering to the other, the demon who had pretended to play dead tried to pull itself away.


    "Stop moving, and I''ll let you live," he said, voice cold as ice.


    The demon froze with fear and didn''t move a single fiery muscle.


    "When I''m done turning this skin into something I can write on, I''ll need to carve a writing tool. Then with a bit of blood, I''ll need you to sign something for me. My new employee," Daario smiled toothily to himself, the once-proud demon not liking that one bit.


    He''d like it less when Daario used his special power to write the contract.

 Chapter 5 – Awakening

    Kenji awoke feeling like utter shit.


    Grumbling, he creaked his aching head upward, his spine screaming resentment, his limbs feeble as leaves. Damn, perhaps he really was a goblin-slave-runt after all.


    "Damn you weird god, lady!" Kenji said, shaking a clothen fist at a dusty wooden ceiling.


    Staring at that fist it seemed a bit odd, on account of the chains wrapping it and snaking up his arm. Patting his body down he found his aches and pains were well hidden beneath a dark tattered robe, numerous chains, locks and bandages also obscuring his form beneath.


    "Well, maybe not a goblin then," Kenji decided


    Peering around, Kenji found himself in a storehouse- oh no.


    The fear was rushing back as the soothing release of being dead faded. Kenji''s hands began to twitch, his layers slick with sweat, his breathing too loud in his ears - screaming he charged the door and threw it open. Immediately he was blinded by the dazzling light of day.


    Disorientated, Kenji charged, wide-eyed and babbling. He bounced around blurry figures, mud slicking his feet, a great bustling noise rattling his ears.


    "Watch out!" Someone shouted. A horse whinnied, and Kenji was thrown back several paces to roll through the mud. Eyes finally adjusting, Kenji found himself in the middle of a street. Peering up he found a red-robed knight wearing shining steel and black leather, standing imperiously over him.


    "Oh hello, sorry about that, got a bit lost," Kenji smiled sheepishly, the knight helped him up then pulled back his faceplate to reveal sparkling golden eyes and flame-red hair. The Knight also looked quite boyish, and as twin guards appeared to tower over them both, Kenji realised the Knight was a youth. And that Kenji was very, very short.


    "Get away from Sir Arthur, miscreant!" Bleated a guard with a few missing teeth, pulling Kenji by a dark beard he didn''t know he had.


    "Wait, Donald, wait! Can''t you see he might be hurt?" The boy said, golden eyes welling with concern. He didn''t seem to mind the mud caking boots, nor the strange looks from the crowd. Kenji estimated that he was a [G] at least. Wait, thought Kenji, a [G] what?


    "We should take him to the keep, see that his wounds are tended too."


    Raising an arm, Kenji realised his bandages made it look like he was covered in wounds.


    "Sir Arthur, please, no more. We bring in beggars all the time," the guard spoke in a pleading tone, hands pressed together after sending Kenji tumbling along into an alleyway and down several steps. Just like with the horse and cart, Kenji arose completely unharmed from the filthy street below, if with much stumbling. A hump along the back out his shoulders made him too top-heavy, he''d need a cane to get anything done with speed.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    More importantly, taking in beggars sounded like the work of a good person, a real [G] worthy type. Could this rich boy be Kenji''s ticket to his first scouted hero? And perhaps this rating appearing in his head was how heroic a hero he was?


    Just Kenji''s luck. While obviously a dragon-slaying [A] was preferable, Kenji would have smiled wide if he could to have found a hero candidate at all. And so quickly! While Kenji didn''t know what he was getting paid yet,  crashing at a lord''s mansion for a while didn''t sound too bad. He''d do his duty, of course, to blend in. He would even take full advantage of what luxury awaited so that he didn''t look suspicious.


    "Oooh, my back," Kenji cried, wriggling his arms behind him to hold his hump tight. "The humanity of it, a noble such as myself reduced to such dire straits, what god has cursed me so?" In games appearing pathetic always was the easiest way to trick newbies into helping you. And Kenji had never been one to hold back either.


    "See? He is hurt, and a noble! We should take him," Arthur concluded, "on my honour, I cannot allow him to remain on the streets!" The guard spared Kenji a sorrowful expression, but Kenji was in too deep to back out now. Not when this quest chain looked so juicy.


    "Just a meal for a night my lord, then I''ll be on my way- hey!" Kenji was hauled like a sack of potatoes by the guard and thrown into a cart. Landing atop several crates, Kenji felt their firm texture as comfortable as a feather mattress. It was if this body of his was designed to sleep just about anywhere and feel as if he laid down on a cloud.


    "If you''re smart, you''ll not be there by the time we get to the keep," warned the guard. The piggy eyes beneath his helm glinted full of brutish violence. "Understand?"


    Kenji understood the keep was where the rich people were, where his belly could become full, and powerful connections could be made. Besides, he was clearly weak, un-agile, and without any special ability as of yet. So grinding by fighting monsters wasn''t going to be possible. That left only alleviating the rich of their kindness as Kenji''s only means to get by.


    "Oooh good guard, as soon as my back is better I''ll be gone I promise," Kenji wailed, pulling at his beard all in distress. Noting the guard still glowered, Kenji rocked side to side and muttered off a long list of his supposed ailments. The guard sighed slowly, then marched away.


    As he dozed off, Kenji discovered the sky of this world held two golden suns. They were barely visible past fluttering crimson banners with the image of a flayed man billowing from either side of the street. Forcing his eyes to remain open a little longer, Kenji watched as humans with brown capes riding great lizards passed. Each were holding long lances, little ribbons hanging from their ends.


    The city they road through seemed armed to the teeth. Castles, keeps, defensive walls, ballista towers and mercenary halls seemed arrayed nearly at random amidst the sprawl of houses. Distantly too towered a light grey Citadel, its walls looming over the land. The towers beyond rose so high they scraped the clouds in the sky, winged creatures fluttering around, those closer with visible knights on their back.


    Beside them on the street marched black scaled lizard-humanoids guarding gold wearing nobles.


    From a rough tavern barged out a band of huge red-skinned brutes, with tusks bursting from their mouths and spines down their backs.


    Even an elf strolled along, with sharp ears and longbow in hand. Beautiful as a super-model, if with a snake-like tongue and a prowling walk that made Kenji feel as if he was watching a tiger. Watching muddy faced humans divert their course just at the sight of the elf, Kenji assumed this feeling was commonly shared.


    And here he was, out of all these fantastic creatures, as a little old man who couldn''t do much of anything at all. No money. No power. No friends. And even the lowest guard NPC seemed able to treat him as if light as a pillow.


    A magical world... how nice, Kenji thought. As he settled in, for a very short nap. The warmth of his species'' rarity was a beacon in this cold beginning. Because it didn''t matter if he had lost his chance for an easy beginning, for he knew. Knew that of all the possible beginnings, he had the rarest.

 Chapter 6 - Damn It

    Kenji awoke to find himself in a fluffy bed.


    A bowl of something hot steamed on the side table, which had a nice wooden cane resting against it. A brooding guard stood in the doorway, staring at him. And at the end of his very long bed sat Sir Arthur. His golden eyes swelled with worry, his fiery hair cascading gorgeously down his shoulders to wrap about his fine features. Kenji arose slowly, enjoying the safety of the room, finding himself really appreciating the generosity of the boy knight.


    This kind of giving nature is certainly what Kenji would associate with a protagonist. Further evidence that he had found himself an [F] or maybe even an [E] grade hero.


    "Are you quite alright?" Arthur said.


    "Far from it," Kenji said rather seriously, letting out the longest sigh in his life. "Felt like I had died, almost as if a needle pierced my brain and my body was turned to stone."


    The boy laughed.


    "What a peculiar thing to say! Hey old man, where are you from? If you can tell me the name of your noble estate, I can send a messenger to bring you your retainers."


    "The Aztec Family," Kenji said without thinking. "Call me Sir Ken Aztec."


    "So you are a knight then?" That got the boy excited, "and at your age? You must be something special. Not many knights I know have lived as long as you, not with the never-ending wars. But what has happened, how have you been reduced to such rags?"


    "I was..." Kenji looked left and right, then waved for the boy to lean in closer. The guard at the door stared right into Kenji''s soul, but the boy eagerly sat as close as he could.


    "...a part of a secret organisation," Kenji whispered, then leaned back and nodded knowingly.


    The boy picked his jaw off the floor and a curious flame erupted in his eyes. "A secret organization? What was it called- oh, is it still active?"


    "Unfortunately not," Kenji said firmly. "We were called ''The Breakfast Club'' but were utterly annihilated by a dark wizard called ''The Principle''. It is of paramount importance I find my fellow warriors, so we can deliver the news of this dark wizard''s arrival. I would suggest you train as well. If you go around asking for the Aztec Family, they might come for you too."


    Arthur clasped Kenji''s hand, the fire in his golden eyes burning only brighter.


    "Together we will defeat this threat. Now I must go, Ken Aztec. To prepare I must consult the holy scriptures. The all-knowing one directs us all," Arthur withdrew to the doorway, and Kenji nodded. Arthur was an [F] he decided. Unfortunately, the need to consult a higher power instead of doing what he believed was right had lost him some marks.


    "Farewell Arthur, I''ll come to guide your growth when I get the chance," Kenji said, not really sure how to do that. But he''d find a way, as he now owed a debt to this pleasant boy. He was so bright and kind, and Kenji felt rather good knowing he''d be paid for helping one that deserved it.


    Arthur smiled.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "That is good. Since my parents were slain defending a city from a Grurak invasion...I''ve not had the scholarly type to talk too. All my friends these days are my guards, the other nobles make fun of me for that" Arthur said, patting the brooding guard''s shoulder and laughing as brightly as the first dawn of summer.


    "I feel now that training with you will be like the old days, when we were prominent in this city, and a dying family no longer," Arthur peered at Kenji as if he were a messenger of the gods, sent here to deliver the boy from his hard road. "When you''re ready, come find me in my strategy room, perhaps you can provide insight as to how I could best use the family finances first. Then we will talk of this organization," and with that, he was gone. Kenji was left alone with the glowering guard.


    "Hello Mr Guard, mind helping me up?" Kenji said, quite able to do so himself but nonetheless dedicated to the act. He couldn''t see the man role his eyes beneath his thick iron helmet, but the swagger in his walk and the rough way he yanked Yenji to his feet, it all spoke volumes.


    "Much obliged, now if you could show me where the toilet is, I would be thankful."


    The guard gave Kenji a long look, then pointed to a chamber pot beneath his bed.


    "Oh, eh, yes of course. How silly of me to forget," rummaging with his bandages and cloth, Kenji both didn''t need to go to the toilet and didn''t understand how to get his - device - out to operate the procedure with.


    Yet the guard continued to stare, and Kenji felt abashed as he had to turn around and say,


    "Mind if you pop out of the room for a bit? Can''t go while you''re watching."


    The guard gave him a long look, turned, and stomped out. The wooden frame shuddered with the force of the door slamming shut, Kenji peering between his legs with concern.


    "Maybe this species doesn''t need to go?" he hoped.


    "Indeed, they internally combust the waste material and excrete it as sweat," a familiar so close to perfect voice said. The woman appeared as a normal village girl. Messy chestnut hair, sunburnt skin dashed with freckles, and sky-blue eyes that analysed Kenji head to toe.


    "I''ve been meaning to speak to you. What''s with this body, why am I an old man bound in chains?"


    "You''re weak too, you would be powerless in a strong breeze. But that species you''ve started this game as has its advantages. For one, as part of the Mimic family, you do not need to breathe. Neither can you be poisoned, and you have a strong resistance towards blunt damage."


    Kenji thought that very useful if he ever needed to win a bet of who could hold their breath the longest, but wasn''t planning on doing much deep-sea diving in a monster-infested world. Yet he did appreciate the poison part. The period dramas he loved to watch had been so full of rich Lords poisoning one another that he hadn''t even yet touched the soup for fear of betrayal. Confident in his promised immunity, Kenji finally attempted to sate some of his hunger.


    "But that alone isn''t enough to make you as rare as you were. No, any Mimic can do as much as that." Kenji looked up mid-scoop to find the woman showing him was seemed to be her favourite finger, a bright girlish grin letting loose dark cracks around her mouth.


    "So, does it happen to work with my missing mouth?" The reason Kenji had looked up mid-scoop to begin with, was because there was no mouth to be found beneath his beard. He didn''t know how he was even breathing. It was rather worrying to discover soon after, that his chest did not, in fact, move as was the custom for living beings.


    "Put your hand in the bowl, it should come quite naturally. Any part of your body can consume sustenance, just like any truly civilised species. To think some lowly creatures must use intestinal tracts...disgusting." The woman spread fresh wrinkles about her little upturned nose.


    Peering uncertainly at the hot soup, Kenji built up the courage. Diving two fingers in, he squeezed his eyes shut and yet was not immediately scalded. The soup drained away into his...stomache? Did he still have one of those?


    All the same, Kenji was filled with heat and exhaled to fired steam into the air.


    "Wait, if I can shoot steam, where is my mouth?" Searching again under his ragged beard Kenji found only bandage and chain.


    "That''s related to your special ability. You''re a forbidden type of Mimic, an ancient variation of their ancestor species, the Changeling. You can make a mouth wherever you want a mouth really. But that''s not the most important part, in three seconds the guard out there will die. Then you will eat his corpse."


    Kenji dropped the spoon.


    "I''ll what?"

 Chapter 7 - Eat the...what?

    "You want me to eat that grumpy guard? And how can you know- no, actually whatever you are I can understand you being able to see into the future a bit. But why eat him at all? And, well I don''t think he''ll pass as easy as soup anyway." While Kenji hadn''t spoken his other fear, he was also subtly worried about his easy-going reaction. To think that boy who squealed to find a spider, could now speak of cannibalism without nary a blink?


    "Remember, while you have a corpse you will have the power to perfectly replicate it. Such is the power of your species of Mimic. The memories, the skills, the abilities and the stats will all be yours. Leaving the corpse behind will lose you that ability, but you''ll gain the option of taking a new corpse in its place."


    Thump. Something hit the ground hard in the hallway, Kenji tentatively put down his soup and stared wide-eyed at the door.


    "One last thing, your progression. Like the other seventeen evil souls, you can improve any stat or skill by mastering it. Accomplishing difficult feats, expanding your comprehension, and training hard, provides the most experience points in that order. But each of you will have a unique way to level your special components. For you, that means evolution, to handle more bodies or new skills entirely. To do so you must scout out heroes for me, to fulfil the obligations of the class ''Hero Scout''. Your job is then to grow their grade as much as you can, and when you leave them to their own devices you will gain XP based on how far they have come. Understand?"


    "I-I understand." Kenji turned away, thinking fast, mind turning blank as he saw his reflection in the mirror.


    He looked like a tiny old man with flickering green eyes, wearing a street urchin''s black scraps for clothing, and had a mound bulging out the back of his neck. At that moment it hit him, was he really that old guy in the mirror? That mimic...was that him?


    Where was the chin mother used to say was so manly? Or the hair he had always worried would recede in his younger years, like his father?


    "Kenji, the man has died. The Holy Knight that rules this keep is definitely hero material, and one of your rivals is out to get him. You don''t have much time," the woman spoke with neat tones all in order as if she couldn''t see the red liquid spilling out from below the door. As if she didn''t address a sixteen-year-old that looked like he was six hundred.


    Kenji stole a deep breath. Then another. And a third.


    "Leave it to me."


    Kenji strode to the door and pulled it open, the quiet guard now forever silent as blood gushed from beneath his helm. No visible wound, not even a dent in well-maintained iron plate. As if the attacker had ignored the large man''s defences completely.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Casting his hands wide, Kenji pushed them against the corpse, his cloth, his chains and his everything else melting as he pulled himself over the body and had it sink down into a little space within. When all was done only the blood remained. About two-thirds of his internal space was now filled up with the body, his weapons and his armour.


    "Sorry Mr Guard, I didn''t know things would go this way," Kenji whispered, reformed into an especially bow backed elder. The weight of the death-haunted him far more than any video game in the past. This...it just didn''t feel like an NPC death, this felt like the gurgling corpse of a man. Of someone who once had life in his eyes, and dreams in his heart.


    "You can store other stuff in there of course, like this cane," she said. Handing him the cane, Kenji''s bulging back became easier to move around. Quickly he slid the cane into his chest, vanishing wherever everything else had gone.


    "But space is limited without fulfilling your special missions. Now, morph into the guard quickly, or else when I release this serving girl she''ll think you killed him."


    Kenji shook his arms, concentrated, and looked up at her one last time.


    "Is it going to hurt?"


    She smiled down at him, "No, it won''t hurt. So hurry."


    "What''s your name?" Kenji said, absolutely not so he could buy time. Not in the slightest. Kenji just couldn''t help being a gentleman was all.


    "I don''t have one."


    "Well, you can call me Kenji. Mind if I call you Noir? You remind me of the cool detectives from-"


    "Kenji, hurry." Noir snapped, her cheeks ever so softly blushing scarlet.


    With a sharp breath, Kenji focused, his body twisting, changing, and in rapid bursts, transformed into a fully geared guardsmen. Memories flooded him of a quiet family and a life filled with solemn duty. His arms and legs slowly adjusting to their own muscle-memory, and were filled with the endless days of training, while the list of the guard''s favourite fighting moves snuggled their way into Kenji''s head.


    So to arrived a song the guard had heard last night at the tavern. The tune was quite catchy, and as it had been stuck in the guard''s head for the last two days, and now it was stuck in Kenji''s head too.


    "Mm mMMMm m." Kenji said confused, as he towered over Noir, shocked to find the man had no tongue. No wonder he had been so quiet, and here Kenji had mistaken him for being a dick. Silently, Kenji clasped the man''s hands together and offered him a prayer in apology.


    Noir laughed like tinkling silver chimes. Kenji shot her an annoyed look, not knowing what was so funny about his situation.


    "See you around, Kenji," she said, her eyes rolling back into her head as she collapsed on the floor.


    Kenji didn''t wait for her to get up, he was already stumbling down the hallway. It took a few steps to get used to having power in his legs again, more strength than he ever had in his previous life either. Each bound pushed his grin wider, even as the sorrow within his heart deepened. With the slightest rasp, Kenji''s blade was pulled free, oiled and shined. Whoever had slit Mr Guard''s throat, Kenji would make them regret it. With Mr Guard''s steel no less.


    But Arthur, the kind boyish knight. He at least Kenji swore to save.


    "MMM MmmM" Kenji said, his heroic statement no doubt something that would have been remembered for a thousand years should it have actually been spoken with a tongue. No matter, he would just have to show them his conviction instead.

 Chapter 8 - The Assassin

    Kenji strode down the hall, finding more bodies as he went, walls splattered red. And amidst the blood was spots of blue.


    Blue blood.


    Whatever had attacked, it had been hurt. Kenji followed it down the hall, a little trail of blue leading to the owner of this rampage. Kenji kept his sword directly in front, ready to block at any moment.


    Up a stairwell, Kenji went. And another, to the third floor. To the young knight''s strategy room, a pair of guards slumped against the walls on either side of a closed door.


    More blue blood, one of the guard''s swords had become bathed in it. At Kenji''s feet he stood upon it, and leaning down he removed a gauntlet and touched the shallow pool.


    Ice cold.


    "Stay back assassin, by the all-knowing one, I command you!" came Arthur''s voice, the young knight roaring. Light flashed beneath the door to the chamber. Kenji kicked at the door, it shuddered, yet held strong.


    "Sir Arthur! Reinforcements are here!" Kenji lied, hoping the assassin would attempt to flee. It would be much easier to stab someone in the back, according to the guard''s stolen memories at least. Those same memories reminded Kenji that guards kept keys. Whipping out his own, Kenji unlocked the door. Shielding his eyes, Kenji was immediately blinded by a bright light.


    Sir Arthur had a blazing white eye in his forehead, his sword aglow with a bright white flame. Around the room guards and servants were slumped against the ground amidst pools of blood, and yet there remained no assassin in sight.


    "You- close the door! Don''t let it escape!" Arthur shouted, Kenji unable to comply as he fell to his knees, grasping his throat. He saw no blade, but felt blood gushing out his throat as if he had been pierced.


    "HYA!" Arthur swung with practised speed, cleaving through the air. Thinking fast, Kenji grappled the air, arms clasping something invisible.


    "The hell is this?" hissed the voice of the unseen. Arthur''s next strike bitting into something, blue blood splattering the wall. Another invisible blade slipping into Kenji''s eye. Darkness, he was dead again.


    But if Kenji were dead, how could he think? Indeed, he could hear the roars of battle still, feel the vibrations of footsteps and smell the stench of blood.


    Hesitantly, Kenji worked on instinct, and pulled away from the corpse of the guard, reforming as an old man once more and entirely unharmed. Arthur lay slumped over a little shrine, eyes forever open, hands clutching a silver candle. Turning, Kenji found the doorway open, blue blood spilt in spurts down the hall.


    ''[F Ranked hero] to [E Ranked hero], 10XP has been awarded'' stated a computerised voice in Kenji''s head.


    Kenji froze, peering left to right.


    ''Well done'' Noir said with Arthur''s blue lips. ''Seeing his guard die so valiantly awakened this boy''s innate potential. After many years of training, the boy finally increased his class from Holy Knight to Crusader too, I advise you to take this body as your own. Since his soul survived intact, we could recover Arthur''s spirit and put it to good use within worlds that need the conviction of such Heroes. You have earned your reward.''This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Bring him back then, Noir," Kenji said, grasping the boys fiery-haired head, staring into those beautiful eyes like pools of gold, framed with dark cracks. "I wanted to save him, the point of me being a Hero Scout at all was to save him."


    ''Kenji, the point of you is the same as the others. To push budding heroes to the limit. So if you could just-''


    "I deny your system," Kenji spat, brushing fiery hair from Arthur''s eyes, "I deny you!"


    ''Alas, you cannot,'' Noir''s voice came very small, and two brilliant banners were presented in Kenji''s mind. On the left was a brilliant green banner, promising twice as much space in his internal storage. Enough for two corpses at least.


    On the right was a swirling purple banner. The banner promising a new school of starting spells. he could choose three from any path or element, and receive an expansion to his well of mana that would allow him to fight even in his foundational form. Kenji snarled, then whimpered and at last, he cried fat tears.


    Could he continue to steal the lives of others?


    Should he instead forge a path as a wizard, sorcerer, mage or warlock?


    "Those powers can be bought with enough gold, Kenji. Your race specific techniques cannot."


    "And what am I then? What species is this that lives through stealing what is rightfully others?"


    "Twisted mages of space and time, Kenji. I just called them the Forgotten Ones. On account of their prison being in a place, even me and my siblings found only by accident. Out there in space, a cube strangled with chains, and hidden from all of Everything."


    Kenji breathed slow breaths, no guard shouts filling the air. As if there were none who still lived to find the corpses and Kenji''s heart became filled with righteous anger at the thought. He had known this boy only a short time. Yet he was kind, he looked after the weak and the lame. He should have lived.


    And while Kenji realised the guard''s own fury of the death of his Lord affected him deeply, Kenji lifted furious green eyes all the same. And tapped the left option, his body twisting, his internal space expanding.


    ''This will be the easiest level-up you will ever receive. From this moment on Kenji, I''m expecting more from you. Your rewards will always be proportionate to your risks, if the boy had not awakened such power in his dying moments, you would have received nothing. Understood?''


    Kenji nodded.


    "Was the person who attacked of the 18?" Kenji whispered, "was he one of your ''Villains''?"


    ''He was, but he has found a loophole. Killing heroes give him XP, but he was supposed to be incentivised to torture them, to delay them, and to encourage them to grow through confrontation. He maxed that out by killing the guards, waited until the boy was on the cusp of becoming powerful and then killed him to maximise the XP gain. It takes a calculating mind to do that, and an evil one to stretch out the rewards to their extreme. He has perverted the system, so to speak.''


    "So you''re telling me, that it took only a single day for one of these criminals to get around your all-knowing designs?"


    ''Perhaps, or perhaps this is what brother wanted. I have no say, the only decision I made, was to create you. So Kenji, what will you do? Knowing as you do that there is one willing to kill for power, and given the ability to quickly grow strong if left unchecked? His desire for XP will scale as he grows. Until whole cities and entire kingdoms are drowned in blood. What will you do?''


    Kenji''s eyes drifted down to the dead boy. Noir stared right back.


    "I''m going to kill him."


    ''Since he has already broken the rules, no need for you to hold back. Leave through that window, turn left and wait atop the quart yard entrance. You will have one chance only. I''m...sorry, that I cannot help you more than this. Good luck, Kenji," Noir rolling her eyes away.


    Kenji began reclaiming Arthur''s body immediately, he''d need that holy sight to see the enemy. And his skill with the blade to destroy the assassin utterly. Then there would be the satisfaction, of hearing that prick''s surprise when he saw the boy he had just murdered standing before him.


    Contorting into Arthur''s boyish frame, Kenji smiled bright and swept aside flame-coloured hair.

 Chapter 9 - Evil Souls 18

    Kenji scanned the boy knight''s memories quickly and decided to snatch a silver candle from the shrine to the Everseeing. More than a mere candle, Kenji could now see it was filled with holy power. Used as a magical focus, this is what had allowed Arthur to cast spells he had spent years learning.


    Turning slowly, Kenji strode to where the corpse of Mr Guard lay.


    "I''m sorry Mr Guard, but I promise I will avenge you. So you can rest now, and thank you very much for the help. Even if I couldn''t keep your boy alive," Kenji wiped away the tears as he pulled away the iron helm. The man was rugged, with a broken nose and eyes that stared into eternity.


    Slowly, Kenji closed them. Clasping his hands he whispered a prayer, before dragging himself away with the heaviest heart in all the world.


    Candle in hand, he pulled the windows open. Sucking in a big breath, Kenji carefully stepped through, to walk alone slippery roofing with steel-wrapped feet. It took precious time, but eventually, he got to the point where he could jump a gap and land atop the stone walls of the quart yard.


    Recalling memories of the last battle, Kenji''s heart sank. From Arthur''s perspective, the intruder had been deadly fast, wickedly skilled and had only gotten wounded at all due to his fear of his white fire and Kenji''s suicidal tackle. How the previous guards managed to wound the assassin at all was beyond Kenji''s understanding. Even wounded, the assassin was likely to be faster and more experienced.


    Kenji needed a plan.


    Activating his blessing of [sight], the white eye burned in his forehead, his perception becoming incredibly detailed. Ahead he made out the slightest impressions in the dirt of the invisible assassin. Behind splattered blotched of blue, the assassin managing to send the droplets in a haphazard manner behind him as he staggered towards the gate.


    "Come out and plaaaAAaaay," Kenji said in his best horror film voice, scraping the stone at his feet with his gauntlet.


    The assassin turned on a dime to see Kenji crash into stone, pain flaring up and down his legs. He forced himself to ignore the damage, focusing everything on the show.


    "I killed you," came a regal voice. Invisibility shuddering, the creature slowly revealed itself. "Tch, out of mana." A dark cape, two little white fangs, ashen skin and slanted eyes filled with crimson orbs that held the weight of a Lord in their depths. Rising tall, the Vampire assassin stared with a hungering bloodthirst right into Kenji''s soul.


    "You made a mistake. You can''t kill what''s already dead ooOOoo~" Kenji said in his best-haunted tone. The way the vampire stepped back, one hand clenched to one of the wounds in his side, Kenji thought it was working.


    "I hate this damned world. My first dead hero and it was some kind of lich-"


    "Liches are magic users," Kenji said against his better judgment. "I would be closer to a Deathknight."


    "Did you not just use Holy magic before?" The vampire''s eyebrow twitched. "And since when can those associated with a holy power become undead anyway? This game suuuuucks."


    "Ever heard of the Lich King? he was a paladin that became a Deathknight- but he had lich in the title- bah! never mind," Kenji growled.


    "So- not really a ghost then?" The Vampire Assasin smirked.


    "What number are you?" Kenji stalked closer. Activating his magic focus, the silver candle becoming lit with a little white flame. Drawing on its holy essence, Kenji cast [Bless-fire] on his sword, white fire erupting along its steel edge.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "Number....? 16, and you?" The Vampire leaned closer to the ground and flickered a blade from fine noble sleaves into each hand. Even worse, Kenji realised he had stopped bleeding as his eyes had started to flare red.


    "What. Number?" The vampire said, licking his lips as his white fangs lengthened, and claws burst through his gloves.


    "Your XP...you spent it," Kenji said as he realised. Spitting to the side, Kenji lowered his helm. "I''m 1."


    That made the bastard''s eyes go wide, Kenji already swinging his flaming sword before he could recover.


    "DAARIO?" The Vampire screamed, moving like water and yet startled, proved too slow. Kenji''s sword plunged into his shoulder, cutting through like butter, darkness and blue blood exploding outward.


    "I''m sorry Daario, I didn''t know this was your terf! I''ll do what you ask - just don''t kill me!"


    Cleaving down into his belly, the Vampire screamed.


    "Kneel then, throw away your weapons and swear me your fealty," Kenji said in his best bad guy tone. From roleplaying games, he knew it was best when emotionless, unforgiving, and absolutely cut-throat in implementation. The Vampire knelt, head pressed into the ground, knives crashing against the stone in each direction.


    "It''s me Daario, Seb. We used Nocturne as an intermediary?"


    Ah, so they had never met each other face to face, Kenji thought. That made him very happy indeed, worried his mannerisms would not be in line with this ''Daario'' he seemed so scared of.


    "Seb, tell me about your species. All of it," Kenji continued unabating, edging closer. Wanting to be absolutely sure he could end this in the next strike.


    "Vampire Elder species. Fast, can regenerate by spending blood. Blood that for me is pure mana, and takes many more bodies to replenish. My special ability is invisibility, but that costs my blood to maintain as well, even if it is quite cheap."


    Peering up, Seb squinted. "But Daario, I was told holy element was our weakness as morally evil- urgh!" Kenji missed, his blade sinking deep through 16''s other shoulder to pierce a lung, pulling free he left the vampire with nearly a third of his body dangling. Sliding back quickly, 16 jumped to his feet, a third knife in dangling hand, blue blood welling between the wounds and stitching them back together.


    "You not Daario, are you?" 16 snarled, eyes flaring red.


    "Nope," Kenji said mid-swing, gambling it everything by adjusting the arc of his swing to where the Vampire might go. Sure enough, the Vampire had moved instinctually, and Kenji swung his flaming sword right through the vampire''s head. A burst of white and the Vampire was reduced to a smouldering corpse, a fuzzy feeling like static filling the back of Kenji''s mind.


    [Well done, Crusader. By defeating a creature of the Night you have gained my favour- wait, who are you?]


    Kenji sweated through all his layers, as he felt a god peering into his soul.


    [Hmm. Rest well Crusader, you seem to have been mentally affected through the fighting. Indeed I thought you had died at one point, hoho.]


    Hoho?


    [Now. For your reward, would you like to help the people, or fight the enemy?]


    Kenji was presented with twin banners in his mind. The first was the bright Blessing of Life, a healing spell that cured the wounds of his brothers and destroyed the flesh of evil. He could even use it three times a day. The second was the golden banner of the Divine Stance, a rare spell, that enhanced his movement speed for 30 seconds a day.


    The healing spell was easily the most beneficial. Kenji would no doubt encounter the morally corrupt again. Meanwhile, the healing factor alone would help prevent both his own deaths and that of would-be heroes. Easy XP then.


    But that feeling of rarity taunted him. He wavered, his mind adoring the nature of the limited edition, and yet ultimately much less useful, Divine Stance.


    It hurt Kenji deeply, but to honour Arthur''s memory at least he would choose his build wisely. He chose to help the people and the blessing of life.


    [Excellent, now deliver the corpse of this beast to the nearest Cathedral for an additional reward. And know, that I am always watching over you] the god faded from Kenji''s mind.


    He shivered, having a weird god like that watching him not something he enjoyed the idea of at all. Yet with the garrison dead, the proper authorities were most likely already on their way. Kenji put the smouldered vampire under one arm and got going.


    He did quickly check to see if he could replicate 16''s body. Yet in such a ruined state, the missing head especially, the body was not complete enough to be replicated.


    "Tch. Well, wheres that Catherdral then?"


    Searching through Arthur''s memories he quickly found just where, and got moving.


    Immediately upon entering the streets, Kenji was swept away by the crowd. The entire city seemingly on the move, although thankfully in the direction of the Cathedral - no, into the cathedral. Thousands upon thousands of warriors, crusaders, guards, knights, militiamen, vampire hunters and more.


    Just what the hell was going on here?

 Chapter 10 Requim of One

    The cathedral was so tall it appeared to hold up the night sky.


    Even though Kenji appeared a noble, and with an ashen vampire corpse under one arm to boot, he still got jostled. The streets leading to the Catherdral steps were choked with people, all armed, many singing their praises to the Everseeing, the Bountyheart, and the Wellfaring.


    As Kenji arose through along the stairs, huge Templar Knights stood to either side. Larger than any man Tenji had ever known, completely hidden beneath silvery steel armour and helmets a T shape similar to that of a hammerhead shark. Each Templar filled the surrounding area with holy aura, the vampire corpse starting to smoulder beneath Kenji''s arm.


    "Do you have to bring that into the mass?" A robed priest frowned, "can''t you go straight to Psalms?"


    "Eh, yes." Kenji though very hard, and recalled where ''Psalms'' was. "I''ll head right over-"


    "You''ll never get back through that crowd holy brother," the priest chuckled. "Not that you would want to miss what the One has to say. Better to head inside, hear his divine words- then head to Psalms."


    Kenji smiled and nodded, a few distant ladies with finely dresses blushing and clucking to one another as they gestured in his direction. Even the priest seemed to be batting his eyelashes at him. Kenji shivered and hurried on, thoroughly out of his depth.


    Inside, the walls were covered in stained glass. Somehow light streamed from behind them in golden rays despite it being nighttime, a huge amount of adventurers, soldiers and zealots arrayed before a golden plinth. According to Arthur''s memories, reaching the clerks in the hall known as ''Psalms'' would be easy once the crowd thinned. So Kenji held onto the burning vampire remains, and ignored the pained expressions of those poor folk forced to stand beside him.


    In front of a flock of priests, the One strode to stand before them all. Kenji''s heart sank.


    The man wore white bishop''s garb, held a white sceptre and smiled with bright white teeth and peered around with snow-white hair and eyes. His skin was drenched black, the very same man that had worn that white suit and put Kenji in this mess to begin with.


    "Brave warriors of our Holy Kingdom of Alandria!" The One roared, all going hushed at that moment.


    "You have come before me at my behest. For that I thank you. Threatened in the north by giants, to the west by the Xeno empire, the east by the three Magic Princedoms, and the South by the demon controlled wastelands we are encircled! We too are threatened from within, Alandria is swamped in monster filth, heretics, and evils from ancient days that hide beneath our very feet. Yet there are new threats to contend with, 18 champions of evil that are prophesied to lead our enemies towards our fair Kingdom''s destruction!"


    The crowd was filled with enraged shouting, cheers and pleaded prays for salvation.


    "Now, for a word from your king..."


    A firm man covered in white-steel plate - Mithril according to Arthur - and with the presence of ten men stood before them all. His Royale knights arrayed themselves behind him as they floated a hand''s breadth from the ground, and for a moment he just stared. His silver eyes scanned the huge crowd, resting for a moment on Kenji and his smoking parcel of once Vampiric flesh.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "My Kingdom is at war," he stated with all the eloquence of an absolute monarch.


    Hushed whispers birthed into life, no mention of an active war beyond minor skirmishes in Arthur''s memory either.


    "We are besieged at all sides, my resources spent putting endless monster hordes in their place. Even welcoming some of the lower species into our lands in return for military service has not been enough. Ladies and Gentlement of my dearest Alandria, the timing of the eighteen evil generals could not have been worse. But we have hope. The three gods have all decreed that the slaying of any one of these evil 18 will result in a direct ticket to their heavens upon death and glorious powers in life. I too will personally reward any who bring one of their corpses to me. So let it be announced, upon my name of King Thunberad that the Thunberad crusade should commence!" Pulling a fiery sword free, the King held it high, red banners streaming down the walls to block out the stained windows, a great fervour building up in the crowd as soldiers spilled into the alcoves and blue trumpets in unison.


    "You can identify them by their forbidden knowledge! They have the power to understand alien concepts such as ''computers'', ''English'', ''Mandarin'' and ''fast-food.'' I ask of you know, my people, to report any such cases you find, and bring such people to justice!"


    So many saluted that a great crashing of fists against plated chest rang out through the cathedral, bouncing off the walls and echoing many times. Kenji got a sinking feeling in his gut. 18? Did that not include him as well?


    "To show how many are left to be destroyed, my loyal mages and priests have worked day and night. One, if you would," Gesturing behind him, eighteen golden candles were revealed behind the priests. In the next moment 17 erupted with black flame, the one etched with ''16'' remaining quenched.


    "Interesting, so one of the demons has already been slain," the King paused and gave the One an odd look. "Hopefully, the brave hero who slew the creature will soon step forward, so that they might be honoured."


    Kenji dropped the smoking corpse, right before the King''s eyes focused on him through the crowd. He paused, as if waiting for Kenji to do something. Then continued to search the congregation.


    At least a dozen voices spoke up claiming all manner of deeds and were escorted into an adjoining chamber.


    "We have methods to validate whether a killed creature is of the 18. After some quick testing, we will validate whether any of those champions of our gods indeed are the hero I seek," Leaning aside the king whispered something to his Royale Knights, and pointed right at Kenji. Immediately the Royale Knights saluted and began to hover slowly over the crowd. Kenji slipped back behind the people around him, leaving the vampire corpse well behind. He preferred not to meet whatever medieval fate would await his discovery.


    Yet the Royale Knight''s came ever closer, and so seeking to lose them, Kenji gambled everything. He ducked behind an especially large man and arose in his old man form. Short, bound in dark cloth and chains he couldn''t have appeared more suspicious. Yet straining to see ahead, he pretended to be a quirky adventurer.


    The Royale Guard approached as the King continued his speech.


    "I want them hunted, I want them tortured, I want everything possible done in order to bring them screaming from their holes and into the light of justice! We need not fear-"


    Just as the Royale Guards noticed Kenji and flew forward to seize him, they were interrupted by a shockwave.


    Stone and red lightning exploded from the Cathedral''s side to rain down upon the adventurers. The 18 had heard the declaration of war and had fired the first volley. As stone pillars came tumbling down dozens were crushed and killed, while hundreds more were injured in the ensuing stampede.


    Weak as a leaf, Kenji didn''t stand a chance and was shoved to the ground. Hundreds of feet trampled him. Stone continued to collapse, and Kenji curled up into a little ball as he was submerged under rubble.

 Chapter 11 - Bad Luck

    Kenji was suffocating- no wait, he was fine. He had forgotten about the whole ''not needing to breathe'' thing. Strange how old habits die hard like that.


    Opening his eyes he found bodies and dirt in every direction, a small alcove to his right. Crawling through it, he heard the movement of stone, the crashing of brick. Whoever was strong enough to break free caused another wave of Cathedral to crash inward. Dust and silt spewed through the cracks, where Kenji had been moments before flattened under rubble.


    A gilded arm broke through stone with ease. Retracting it did so again. And again.


    Kenji realised they were poking through with their heads now. He scuttled away before he could be found, spotting the white feather of a royal guard''s head just as Kenji slipped away and into a wide crack in the flooring. Tumbling he fell past rubble, was slammed into stone and fell against a wet floor.


    Peering up in a daze, Kenji found himself in a damp cave. A damp, and very dark cave, lit only by fluctuating red crystals studded periodically in the ceiling.


    Shifting to the boy knight, Kenji drew his sword and activated [Blessing-fire].


    With his torch he marched onward, seeking a way out. It didn''t help he felt...bad, about sneaking into the Cathedral''s hidden basement. A small part of him even wanted to go back to the royale guard- no, that was not him. Arthur''s naive influence on his mind was pushing him to do something that Kenji was certain would end in his utter destruction.


    Forcing himself to continue to sneak ahead, he found ancient imagery painted onto the walls of dark-skinned men, strange iconography of a white and black orb, and the occasional iron door too tall for Kenji to peer within through the shutters. Deeper he went - ahead he heard the rustling of cloth. Deactivating the blessing, Kenji turned back into his old man self and hid under an Iron doorway''s indentation in the wall.


    Kenji''s black cloth blended well with the darkness, his little form not taking much space as he curled up into a little ball. The priests didn''t see him as they charged past. Crimson cloth and dark chains bound them tight. Black masks with red circles hid their faces.


    "An intrusion into the dungeon is unacceptable. What if the prisoners were to break free?" One hissed, passing out of sight before Kenji could hear the others answer. Far away now, he heard only vague hissing and the slap of their feet on damp stone.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Carefully Kenji peered around the corner. No priests in sight, just flickering red crystals and dozens of Iron doors.


    Pitter-pattering down the long hall, he was too short to peer into the iron doors. So would shift to the boy knight for that, just tall enough when he strained to see within. Gasping a little more each time, he discovered a terrible sight. Humans torn apart, monsters with their organs placed in jars and other sentient races hung upon meathooks. Tortured, dead and dying.


    But what perturbed Kenji was the notes. Each little room held a scribe or two, recording everything there was to know about each creature. Some rooms too had a butcher conducting the autopsy, while others were empty save for the waiting creature.


    It reminded Kenji of those old Inquisition movies, and how running into them is never expected.


    Passing door after door, Kenji noticed something interesting. Within one was a dead elf. Very dead, Kenji was confident, seeing as her head rested on a nearby table. But what annoyed him, was that it was the very same elf he had seen this morning.


    She was just as beautiful, even in death. Kenji remembered her searching, and wondered what she had been looking for in this human city? Perhaps if he could find a key he could reclaim her and find out.


    Hurrying along, Kenji discovered several of the red-clothed priests in a large room filled with shrines to the three human gods. Each held a flail that they used to strike their own bared backs. A burst of blood, a howl, then a return to monotonous prayer. Above them shone dozens of red crystals, barely a shadow to be seen in the large space.


    Kenji crept on past, right through the well-lit chamber, and spied a ring of keys on the wall. It was almost too easy to slip them into his internal space and then creep on past to the exit. As the priests got up and started going about their business, Kenji thought himself all too smart as he sauntered away.


    Until he realised he had forgotten to go reclaim the elf, now on the other side of a much more active room of inquisitor priests. Or flagellants? Kenji wasn''t sure of their title, so just decided to refer to them as weirdos for now.


    Leaving the weirdo''s behind, Kenji stalked along the hallways wondering if it was worth circling back around. That Elf had looked so strong, and also gorgeous - no, nonsense. Kenji couldn''t risk his life for that.


    he debated with himself back and forth as he crept along, hiding whenever a patrol passed. Finally, he decided the only reasonable thing was to search for an exit and escape this dungeon. No matter how useful an elvish form could be, it wasn''t worth the risk.


    Escape was his number one priority.


    Until that is, he found a big golden door to what appeared a bank vault.


    "Oh my...what is this?" Kenji said, licking his lips, rubbing his hands, and his eyes rounding with amazement.

 Chapter 12 - Good Luck

    Before the door made to look like a bank vault, was a hallway filled with traps. Moving islands surrounded by bottomless pits, roaming guards in red that moved with stiff precision and an odd stone pillar before the golden door itself. Ducking around the corner, Kenji became Arthur, activated the blessing of [sight] and peered back around.


    Kenji soon discovered pressure plates, holes in the walls for arrows and that the guards were most likely artificial due to their strict movement paths. Quickly, Kenji thought up a few routes to the golden door beyond, but there were two problems.


    Firstly, those guards looked strong. Too strong. Then there were the traps. Arthur didn''t have any special level of agility and might clumsily activate one. Lastly, there was the door itself. It had a keyhole, yet Kenji was pretty sure none of his little keys would do the trick.


    Hurrying away, Kenji turned back to old-man form with a spring in his step.


    Whatever lay behind that golden door, it must be enormously valuable. He could taste it in the air. Feel it in his heart. His ''Treasure'' detecter going crazy, the same feeling he sometimes had when opening loot-boxes in his favourite games. Now that he knew of the treasure room''s existence, he couldn''t allow it to remain unlooted and still call himself a man.


    Fearless, Kenji charged back through the tunnels. Finding the prayer chamber, Kenji poked his head into the weirdo''s room. When the coast was clar he snatched a cloak and mask from the nearest hook. Patting the cloth into place, Kenji strode inside. A little self-conscious of how his robe dragged behind him, but as short as Arthur was, there was no helping that.


    "Brothers, has anyone seen my keychain?" One of the weirdo''s said, Kenji thanking him for the distraction as he hobbled on by. Without his cane, and quite short, he would have made for an easily recognisable sight if they had paid him any attention.


    "Hey you-" the same weirdo said, grasping Kenji''s shoulder with what he now realised was an extremely strong arm. The grip tightening to become stronger than iron shackles as he said, "-brother, have you seen my keychain?"


    Kenji froze, that very keychain in his pocket.


    "I have not the time to waste on your failures to our Lord!" Kenji cried, throwing his hands in the air. Turning he stared up at the man, thankful his own face was covered with the mask. "How dare you pass off the responsibilities you were given to any other, we are servants to the Master foremost, not sheep to bleat and whine! Now go find your keys, and perhaps ensure the key to the area beyond is safe too while you''re at it!"This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    The priest backed away, head-turning to a lavish shrine and back to Kenji. "Of course Brother, my apologies. You are, of course, correct. May Master show me mercy."


    "Well, we all make mistakes. Just don''t do so again, I''ll even do that last part for you. But just this once!" Kenji turned and stomped to the shrine.


    "Thank you Brother- uh, I would also appreciate you not reporting my clumsiness," the muscular weirdo followed Kenji. Kenji waved at him to go away, heart pounding as he heard the weirdo''s steps come to a halt behind him. Picturing him gripping Kenji in a bearhug, he hadn''t the faintest clue of what he would do if that happened.


    Not wanting to appear out of place, Kenji started looking around the shrine immediately.


    "As you can see, the key is still here," the weirdo said, popping open a secret panel that held a large golden gey set with a ruby. "Safe and sound."


    "Good good, then go find your own, Brother. I wish to pray awhile." Kenji said, wanting this annoying NPC to just get lost already. Thankfully it did, and Kenji could slip the key up his sleeve while he pretended to close the compartment and pray.


    From there Kenji strolled down the hall, snapping at anyone who looked like they might ask him for anything. Like catholic schoolboys caught being tardy, they would run along, clean, or simper their apologies to whatever random thing Kenji decided to criticise. In this fashion, he returned to the elf''s cell, opened it up and stepped within.


    She really was simply gorgeous. The perfect amount of curve. Smooth skin. Lush green hair, and piercing blue eyes staring eternally. Kenji wasted no time in reclaiming her.


    It was rather...strange just taking a body like that. Kenji was far from used to such necrophilic procedures. Yet no matter how badly he felt, Kenji berated his way back to the golden door, memorised once more the traps with Arthur''s blessing of [sight] and- Kenji had an idea.


    Taking out the elf''s head, he blessed that with the [sight] instead. Then he reclaimed it, morphed into her and found the blessing remained along with the elf''s own superior perception. Together, Kenji found new traps he had not noticed, saw blades and magic runes the elf was well aware of in her memories. An interesting woman, the cursory survey of her past revealed an extremely long journey that had ended in a heartbreaking betrayal.


    Yet with the golden door looming in front, and a Treasure room beyond to plunder...Kenji would keep that tale for another time. He spent a good amount of time forming various paths through the traps. Again and again, he found dead ends, but eventually, he realised he couldn''t waste any more time.


    He''d just have to take his best shot.


    Crouching down, ready to sprint. Kenji prepared to run the gauntlet.

 Chapter 13 - Treasure Piles

    Step one, the moving platforms.


    To either side was a sudden drop, the platforms each only barely big enough for one child. They moved in rigid patterns, and with his enhanced perception choosing the right moment to get across became easy.


    What was not easy, was following through.


    Kenji moved to run, stalled and slunk back behind the corner.


    So scary, he could plunge to his death. Was treasure really worth all that?


    The gold door glinted, the keyhole yearned to be reunited with its lover and Kenji was loathe to pull them apart. Fiddling with the jewelled key in his hands, Kenji secured it away and took off at a running start.


    As an elf that was fast as the wind, with instincts ingrained over countless years. If only a frightened human soul wasn''t the one in charge, things might have moved smoothly. Instead, Kenji slipped as he jumped on the first platform, and so relied on his instincts. Falling onto the second, Kenji rolled into the third, to then fling himself onto the fourth and step off on the other side.


    In a daze, It took a few moments to realise he had survived at all. Peering down the darkness behind him, he could see no bottom. The pit just went on forever, and Kenji shivered to think what would have happened if he had not moved instinctually in that exact moment.


    A sword swung, the artificial guards returning to Kenji''s focus as he lithely rolled aside and jumped into a crouching position. One charged, two others stomped fiercely amidst a floor covered in pressure plates.


    Rolling past the guard, Tenji leapt along the path, having already memorised the pattern- needles fired.


    "AHH!" Kenji screamed, running mad as needles flew behind him. Stepping on every damn pressure plate in a row, Kenji outran the storm of needles, many hitting the artificial guards to ping off their armour.


    Kenji ducked, the artificial guard''s mace splintering the stone wall behind him.


    The guards shifted and yet were forced to march in their stiff patterns to reach him.


    Tenji meanwhile arrived at the last trap. A stone tablet atop a pedestal. In front of the setup were long lines in the flooring, the golden door just behind.


    Apparently, the elf had seen this trap before. Magic runes would send wind magic saw blades ripping along the lines in the floor to rip through those who put the wrong code into the tablet.


    And while the elf didn''t know any magic herself to help figure out the right code, she did know a trick to force it to deactivate. Following her knowledge, Kenji shifted to the boy knight, activated [Blessing-fire] and drove the flaming blade right down the tablet amidst a wild burst of rainbow coloured magic.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    The three artificial guards had been about to club the brains out of Kenji before they too froze, becoming still as statues. Kenji sighed with relief, having to mop the sweat from his brow and pull back his flame-coloured hair. Heaving at his blade - it was stuck. Whatever magic had been in the stone had fused the steel with it, the whole blade now just stuck inside the stone tablet and the pedestal it had lain upon.


    "Yeah, you rest easy buddy. You deserve it," Kenji left the sword behind, despite the weird ache he felt at doing so. Arthur''s childhood memories with the blade pulled at his heartstrings. It had been his fathers, the symbol of his household.


    "Damnit, fine! I''ll come back for you somehow!" Kenji snapped and ran for the door.


    Thrusting in the key, he turned it with a satisfying click. Yawning open, the huge golden door revealed a massive room filled with wealth, treasure chests, and weaponry of all kinds.


    The three gods of this Kingdom were everywhere. Symbols of an eye, a heart and food plastering ever cup and wall. Kenji first picked up a blue-steel dagger from a display case, then started putting the gold coins laying around in his pocket before he realised- what was he doing?


    This was common grade loot. Here to buy time in case of theft for the guards to arrive.


    The real loot would be deeper within.


    Moving past the mounds of treasure it began to dawn on him.


    This. could. not. be. real.


    As much as he wanted it too, this much gold in a place like this would be absurd.


    Removing the elf''s head, he activated the blessing of [Sight] then morphed into her. The illusion was peeled away to reveal a faint gas in the air. A creature covered in glinting gold prowled around Kenji, a gigantic butcher''s cleaver in hand, a purple tongue licking sharpened teeth clean.


    Just in case, Kenji checked his pockets. He found only dirt, his precious gold gone.


    Kenji sighed as the creature neared. Kenji turned around and ran.


    Predictably, the thing gave chase. The ground shook as it charged, great gurgling laughter emanating from its golden maw as it''s cleaver shrieked through the air. Just fast enough, Kenji rolled through the door.


    The thing came soon after, staring right into Kenji''s elvish eyes.


    "You can see me, can you not, elf?" The monster roared, it''s voice no doubt having alerted half the underground of the breakout. Kenji smiled brightly as he stepped back towards his blade, giving it a probing tug. Still stuck deep into the stone, it would not help him. Not yet.


    The fool monster swung, Kenji grinned as he jumped high. Like a skipping rope, it sailed beneath him, smashing into the stone, the monster''s strength sending shards blowing free. A cloud of dust filled the trapped hallway, shouting echoed along with the sounds of stamping feet.


    When the monster could see again, it found Kenji had vanished. His sword too.


    Turning the monster saw Kenji poke out his tongue as he pulled the vault door closed. Roaring in dismay he charged, only for the fire to wrap his body. Turning again, the monster found several of the red priests chanting in unison, summoning yet more fire to bind him.


    "She is getting awa-AHHH!" The monster roared as the fire scorched its entire body.


    ***


    Adrenaline pumped through Kenji has he hauled along his family sword, now coated in attached stone pieces. He grinned as he heard the monster''s roar, the priests had come just in time.


    Still, Kenji had taken the key and left the door slightly ajar so he might escape. Yet with the priests there, that was no a very unlikely eventuality.


    Now to find what this Cathedral was hiding to need such defences.


    At the empty treasure room''s other side was a great cushion. Here is where Kenji assumed the monster had slept. Thinking this too easy - yes, having pulled the cushion aside Kenji discovered a trap-door.


    Making sure to pull the bed over the trap door as he descended, Kenji couldn''t wait.


    Whatever was down here, it was rare.


    He could practically taste it.

 Chapter 14 - Loot Box

    The dark was lit by flickering blue.


    And distinctly lacked the piles of gold Kenji had been hoping for. So too were there no legendary blades, nor pulsing pools of power. He did, however, find something that piqued his rarity meter to its maximum setting.


    Three crystal cages.


    A wild collection of amber spikes, a noble purple gem encrusted in with crystalline vines, and twin crimson horns were the three prisons arrayed before him. Almost like a series of loot boxes - Kenji''s heart was racing already. Would he find something good inside? His hands opened and closed of their own accord, eager to break them open and find out.


    The elf''s memories flooded back, of similar prisons for magical prisoners in a secretive elven cavern. Had she been a warden there? Her mind was so strange. The elf''s memories coming to Kenji like an old song that looped in his head, forcing him to focus on how to open the magical cages and making seeing further within as obscure as the polluted river close to where he was born.


    Just as the silt had obscured the stones then, Kenji could dive no deeper into the mysteries of what powered these cages. What he did know, was that they were relatively simple to break.


    From the outside that is.


    The first cage to his left was the amber cage. Within was a wild girl with white wolf ears, fangs and a fluffy white tail and paws. She had round moons for pupils, and they stared at Kenji with the hunger of a rabid animal as she remained frozen. The Power of an [A] he suspected, but the good intentions of a [G]?


    To his right in the purple cage, was a strange elf. She had silky violet hair, slitted lilac eyes, an amethyst in her forehead and an astounding beauty that made snow seem dirty and the rain feel foul. She was the smell of the freshest air before the storm, the moment a rose bloomed and the instant a craftsman had finished his masterpiece all at once. Certainly an [A] class hero and [SSS] supermodel.


    Kenji quite literally staggered upon seeing her, her physical perfection so extreme his mind ran blank and he felt as if attacked. Strangely he felt no desire, no attraction and certainly no lust. The woman was like an art piece, a perfect statue and a god all at once. One to be treasured, protected and served at all costs.


    The centre most prison held the most terrible aura of all. Crimson blood welled along with the twin scarlet crystals that thrust from the ground like gigantic horns. Between them was a bandaged girl caught in a web of fiery energy. Her dark hair writhed like tentacles, each hand-wrapped in huge red gauntlets with long ebony claws.


    One of her eyes were scratched out, a blazing black flame burning within. The other was a gorgeous almond with long blinking eyelashes. Kenji approached her first, certain it was the woman. Her almond eye tracked him closely, even while the rest of her remained frozen.


    "You are of the 18," Kenji said. Remembering her, feeling sad that even in a new world she was of a form that required bandages. Ebony horns thrust out from her head, and upon closer inspection, Kenji found a second pair of slim humanoid arms tucked behind her back along with a serpentine tail.


    "You chose to be a demon."


    The almond eye rose and fell.


    "If I release you I''ll be dead. I want to help, but-"


    Kenji saw it again. What he had seen the first time they met. Her gorgeous eye was empty to be sure. But deep within, he saw it. A tiny flame. The slightest spark. Hope.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    He shattered the crystal without thinking, the magic shorting out, blazing red snatched away to leave only empty white. Kenji pushed himself forward to catch her. The woman known as ''Soulless'' received not even a scratch as the crystals merely bounded off her bare skin as if steel.


    Gasping, Kenji held his abdomen, several crystals having punctured his elvish frame like paper.


    "Who are you?" She said, with a rasping voice that a man could grow drunk on. Now, this was lust, infatuation, and desire all at once. Kenji felt the warmth of it wash over him, that voice alone, he wanted to hear her speak again. Talk for hours.


    "Who. Are. You?" She said again very slowly, raising a single claw to his eye.


    "Kenji, nice to meet you," Kenji said and raised a hand. Slowly she shook it with her own.


    "I am Hena," she said slowly. Pulling him from the rubble, she laid him down. "I''ll put you out of your misery then-"


    "Stop! It''s ok Hena! I''ll be fine. Watch," Kenji had thrown his hands up as Hena seemed ready to thrust her claws through his head like knives into a melon.


    Shifting he became the boy knight and beamed at her.


    Her claw wavered and dropped.


    "Daario sent you to rescue me?" Hena said.


    Not wanting to get each body skewered until he had no more to morph into, Kenji nodded.


    "Yeah, that''s what this is. Wants me to save you," Kenji spoke out his ass, but he was in this situation now and needed to get out alive. Hopefully, these strange women could help him fight his way out.


    "We should free the others- what are you doing?"


    Hena had formed a smouldering, paper-thin, disc in her hands. It seemed like the worlds most dangerous frisby as it revolved and sparked madly between her hands.


    "We kill the heroes, then we leave," she peered at the two still stuck in the crystals. Kenji panicked.


    "But they are not heroes! Not yet, look at them. We should let them go, let them grow. Daario would not like to lose the XP by killing them while they are weak." That last part made her twitch, she turned to Kenji.


    Within hey eye something smothered her little spark of hope. Desire, as her gaze became glazed and she giggled slightly to herself. "You know Daario wants this for a fact?"


    Mildly intoxicated by her voice, Kenji nodded dumbly.


    "I''m to raise them, like cattle. Then when they''re nice and strong, we bring ''em to the slaughterhouse," Kenji''s fake smirk nearly broke. He sweated madly, for once having a damn lot of trouble keeping up the act.


    Damn you, Arthur. The boy''s mind rejecting even the illusion of betraying these possible heroes to the enemy. But Hena could not be of the enemy...no, that would mean that these feelings within Kenji...


    "Fine, then let us go." Wielding the strange disc, Hena slashed.


    A great crash of purple crystal and the angel elf was free.


    But no longer a walking angel, she seemed pale, gaunt and alien. Her hair was slimy, her ears warped, and her steps a hypnotic swaying motion. Not that she was unattractive, no Kenji could appreciate every curve just fine thank you. But she was definitely different.


    What had happened? He was using superior perception before, buffed on top of that. Was this squid elf an illusion that the boy knight was too low levelled to see-through? Then why was he not getting the weird desire to do whatever she wanted anymore?


    "Die-" with purple crystalline blades in hand, the alien elf was frozen as a whirling red disc was positioned ready to slice her head from her shoulders.


    "Try me," Hena said, Kenji having to tentatively pull the two apart. They both pointed their magical weapons at him instead.


    "There''s one more, and I don''t think we have long either," Kenji knew they could hear it. Shouting upstairs, the priests would be close by now.


    Even though the last cage gave him the chills, it''s occupant not having stopped staring with those moon eyes at him the whole time, he nodded at Hena. Slinging the magical disc, the crystal shattered, and the girl was free.


    She emerged howling, then spat out chunks of crystal and stretched her arms.


    "You have three seconds," She hissed, white hair spiking and her body contorting wildly.


    "You either come with us as allies, or I put you down little pup," Hena smiled, producing a new whirling magical disc. The wolf girl summoned a moon to hang over her in an instant, turning into a large white wolf in the next


    The trapdoor above was thrown open.


    Priests swarmed downward.


    "Defend yourselves!" Kenji yelled, the trio turning crystal blade, demon disc and huge white paws i the direction of the enemy.


    Kenji''s heart sank, as a red-robed Templar joined the priests in their descent.


    "Surrender heathens, your time of judgment has come," the Templar said. And summoned several golden chains to writhe through the air.

 Chapter 15 - Fight or Die

    "I''ll say this only once," Hena said as she stepped back. "I can make a portal, but I need time. And that Templar has to be dead and buried too, otherwise he''ll activate the Cathedrals wards and the portal will just teleport us right into another prison. I don''t want that to happen twice in two days."


    "Understood, in the name of mutual survival I will comply," the alien elf said, purple crystal erupting from the ground in front of her. Soon appeared shield, lance and armour to form a crystalline knight. Immediately a horse formed beneath it. The completed crystal knight directed it''s lance at the Templar.


    "Shredding humans is easy, so just do your work demon. Or yours will be the next throat I bite," growled the gigantic white wolf. Howling, the summoned moon shone bright, and they were bathed in silvery light that formed a bubble around each of them.


    "We''re all on the same team here. So just-" Kenji was interrupted by a loud metallic clap.


    "Enough talk," the Templar boomed, he and his priests unaffected by the strange silvery buff. "In the name of the Bountyheart, I, Evin the Magnanimous, decree you to stand down immediately."


    The Templar held out his hands, golden chains firing forward amidst a barrage of flaming tendrils projected by the priests. Kenji ran for his life, not a single thing in his repertoire that would claim to be able to handle such high-level spells.


    Crystalline walls burst free to tank the assault, the crystal knight and giant wolf charging fearlessly into the fray. Kenji could only hide and try to very quickly come up with a plan.


    Golden chains crashed through the first crystal wall and surged towards Hena. Enraptured by the ever-expanding demonic disc in her hands, she could not stop the chains- they were smashed aside by the giant wolf, who stared at Kenji and growled.


    "Grow a pair and fight, human!"


    "Technically I have grown a pair," Kenji told her as she returned to the battle. Pulling out Arthur''s sword still fused with hunks of stone, Kenji decided to stand before Hena''s back and protect her. An important job, besides the other two seemed to have taking on the church well in hand.


    The purple alien girl moved her hands like a maestro before an orchestra. Her crystalline knight crashed through ranks of priests causing havoc. Blood, fire and fury bathed the animation, the Templars chains diverted from assaulting Hena again, to wrap around the knight and hold it in place.


    "Fire your spells, now!" the Templar roared, his surviving priests firing a volley of holy flame at the summon, it''s crystal armour fracturing in a dozen places. The elf cried out in pain, falling to one knee, and yet with trembling hands maintained her spell.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "Foolish girl," growled the giant white wolf, who came barreling through the many priests to disrupt their spells. The Templar prayed as his golden chains swung around to wrap around the great wolf. While she could swat them away at first, as soon as the chains wrapped fully around her waist and head, came a sudden flash of white - the wolf appeared frozen again in the crystal amber cage.


    "Your suppression is inevitable," the Templar said dismayed, "why do you run from the fate the Bountyheart has bestowed upon you? And to take the lives of the faithful all the while! UNACCEPTABLE"


    "The gateway is finished; deal with him, and we can go!" Hena shouted, clawed hands busily whirling more and more power into the crimson vortex before her.


    Flinging a crystal blade, the purple elf soon freed the great wolf again. In an instant she had moved halfway towards the gateway, in the next, she was sent flying. The Templar appeared where she had been, retracting his fist as the great wolf was thrown to slam into a stone wall.


    "[Greater Blessing - Speed] is a bit much for you lowlifes, but what can you do?" the Templar continued his monologue as Kenji ran through the dark sides of the room. In his little old man form, cane in hand, he didn''t make for as flashy a sight as the rest. As was the point, as he circled the others to seize one of the dead priests and transform into him.


    Sadly he had to leave the elf corpse behind, but he hoped it would be worth the trade.


    "Retreat!" Kenji screamed, the instant he arose as the priest. Like schoolboys, the other priests peered at the Templar for permission. Unsure himself, he turned to stare at Kenji.


    "Just what do you mean retreat-"


    "I''ve had a vision!" Kenji declared. "The Holy Grail has been discovered, the One has summoned us. We must not disobey him and the three great gods!"


    This caused just enough confusion for the crystals forming at the Templars feet to fully form. In the next moment, he was utterly encased in a suspiciously similar prison to the one the alien elf had been frozen within mere minutes ago.


    "We must...go..." she muttered, her lilac eyes rolling into her head as she collapsed to the ground.


    Picking up his elf corpse, Kenji yelled, "retreat quickly! The gods have withdrawn their favour, we require the blessings of the One to not be turned into...rats?" He kind of choked at that last part, but the priests ate it up all the same.


    "I''ll sacrifice myself to the Good Guy to slow them down!" More than one gave Kenji an odd look as he ran past, screaming high and loud. Then the giant white wolf bit him in the side, and tore his stomach out.


    "Oh, balls. Friendly fire!," Kenji spluttered as he collapsed, priests shrieking as they fled.


    "We''ll never forget you!" They called out as they pushed one another aside to be the first to get through the trapdoor in the ceiling. Doing so only faster when Kenji''s decapitated remains were sent tumbling across the floor.


    Appearing from those remains as the little old man, Kenji quickly turned into the boy knight form his allies were more familiar with. Kenji then reclaimed the elf, picked up the alien, and got running. Right after the great wolf they went, through the whirling vortex.


    "I''LL HUNT YOU DOWN!" Roared the Templar, the crystal shattering around him.


    Kenji turned mid-air to fire off a pair of middle fingers before he was swept away by a current of magic.


    "Eat a bag of dicks!" He roared, feeling frozen and on fire at the same time. Kenji''s very soul feeling kind of sunburnt by the hellish ride through the demon dimension.


    To emerge, on the other side.


    Immediately swearing never to use a portal again, as he looked up to find himself in an old church.


    "Never do what again, dear?" Said a little old nun with a broom.

 Chapter 16 - Ah, Shit.

    They emerged into a church, an old nun with a broom peering up across pews filled with dust and webs.


    "Hello?" She called out, managing to stare right through a demon, an alien, and a gigantic wolf. Kenji wondered why this situation sounded so much like the beginning of a joke.


    "Just here to pray, miss," Kenji called out, grasping the alien''s hand before she could do anything. With piercing purple eyes she stared at him sharp as a razer and flickered Kenji''s hand away.


    "Are you...blind, miss?" Kenji said, stalking closer and smiling brightly just in case. Personally, if such company had appeared before him, he''d pretend there was nothing wrong either. Still, he wanted to get close enough to stop her from ringing that gigantic bronze bell in the corner in case she was pretending, even if it looked cracked and unused.


    "Afraid so. We''re closed you know, no alms being handed out today. Not unless you can eat dust," old lady chuckled, Kenji joining her with Arthur''s own bright laughter. Behind him the large wolf guffed a hoarse giggle, Hena having to punch it in the side to make it stop.


    "Oh, did you hear that?" The little woman said clutching her broom.


    Having a soft spot for defenceless old ladies, Kenji took her hands in his own.


    "A bit of dust fell from the rafters, how about I escort you somewhere safe. Until the priest can arrive and look at the damage," he said, pulling her away and into a side room. The little room had an equally little bed, table, single chair and half-filled wine bottle. Kenji poured her a granny sized class.


    "Thank you kindly, young man. Who are you, if I might ask?"


    "Just a traveller ma''am. Here to help a little, then move on."


    "So you''ll be heading to the adventurer guild then will you?" the old lady sounded concerned, even as Kenji pushed the class into her hands and steered her into a seat.


    "I might, why? Worried a monster might bite off one of my fingers?" Knowing it was wrong, Kenji rose his middle finger just to check and made a funny face. Yet her milky white eyes continued to stare into nothingness, and Kenji was left feeling mildly ashamed.


    "I''m worried one of the other adventurers might stick a knife in your back," the old lady said as she downed her wine in one gulp. "I''d join the Golden Goose if I were you, their leader has both a spine and a heart open to good. Unlike the Headless Hunters, no sir, that lot doesn''t touch anything without the intention of making at least a few silvers," leaning closer, she whispered low, "and I''ve heard terrible rumours. That they take more than the regulated contracts, practically mercenaries in how they act!"


    Kenji stared, dumbstruck, as the woman muttered a prayer and a burning eye appeared in her forehead.


    "Thank goodness, to think the old Blessing of [Sight] still works even at this age. Praise the Everseeing, my boy" she waited until he had done so, Arthur''s mind quite pleased by the opportunity. "Wow, you really are a good looking one, aren''t you?" She added, pinching Arthur''s cheek.


    "I must be going, thank you for your time. Sorry to have come on the wrong day," Kenji pulled away to the door. Halting as the woman raised a golden coin.


    "You should be more careful, newcomer. Tariak is not a town for the weak hearted. Better keep your purse strings closed, eh?" she flipped him back the coin, Kenji finally taking a moment to even realise Arthur''s armour had a hidden compartment for coinage at all.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    "I''ll do that. You can call me Kenji by the way, it was a pleasure meeting you."


    With that, Kenji slipped away to meet the others.


    "So. We need to go before the nun comes back- where is Hena?" Kenji peered around, finding only a big wolf and alien in his current retinue. There was the distinct lack of a sulphuric smell, dark horns and death threats that he had become so used to over the last half an hour.


    "She left. Said they would track her, told us to...trust you," grumbled the wolf. Kenji pulled his cheeks up and forced a nod.


    "Yeah, protect you. Just make sure to tell me if she comes back right?" Because she would, most likely with others of the 18 in tow. To ''harvest'' the heroes like Kenji had made up. With the high probability of these two becomings [A] grade heroes with some serious personality changes, that was a certainty.


    Clapping his hands together, Kenji tried to ignore the aliens stare.


    Because before he could worry about anything, he had to avoid that famous peasant fear he had heard about in high school.


    "Let''s start but looking normal. I know you can big wolf, but what about you Mrs Purple?"


    "My name, is Calehandradica," Mrs Purple snapped. "And I cannot change an inch of my perfect body. So please, attempt to keep your urine in that potato sack you call ''pants''."


    Wow, what a dick, Kenji thought. Yet unable to express that she was making fun of a dead boy''s attire, he just got back at her by shamelessly staring at her silk covered thighs until she grumbled and turned away.


    "Stop staring," She muttered.


    "Not until we figure something out. How about that nun getup over there?" Staring at her shapely behind, Kenji pointed at a hook with a spare nun robe. Opening and closing her mouth many times, blushing dark purple, Mrs Purple strode over with long legs and snatched the getup off the hook.


    "The indignity..." She hissed, soon enveloped beneath many folds of cloth that thoroughly obstructed all scandalous body parts from view. Kenji was mildly disappointed.


    "Hey, I''m just doing my job as your teacher. Can''t have my latest hero pupils get crucified can I?" Kenji grinned, starting to enjoy the perks of his role."You next big wolf, Violet here changed and I know you can too."


    Violet cocked her head to one side, yet didn''t seem to mind her nickname.


    "This is my true form," the great wolf said, raising her noble head high.


    "That is a great big target for every arrow, spear and magical blast in a half-mile radius," Kenji corrected her. "So how about choose something less suspicious, and smaller? Unless you want to pretend to be our mount-" the giant wolf''s growl cut Kenji off, the baring of fangs making him start to sweat.


    "A joke! In poor taste, but supposed to reduce the tension of me being rather freaked out right now! So if you don''t want a mob of pitchfork and fire waiving peasants trying to drive you out of town, I suggest you hurry up."


    Growling louder, the wolf contorted wildly back into the form of an animalistic girl. Huffing she crossed her arms, staring with angry moons right into Kenji''s soul.


    "And...that?" Kenji whispered, pulling his smile only wider and pointing at the huge moon still hanging over her head like a personal disco ball. Groaning, as if this were something truly despicable, she snapped her fingers and the moon vanishing along with its silvery aura.


    "I want to talk about what that aura does while we travel," Kenji said starting towards the door, the two girls following reluctantly behind him.


    "It reduces magic damage. Where are we going?" the wolf girl said, covering her chest as she gave Kenji an odd look.


    "Well first, my name is Kenji," Kenji said, bowing low. "Secondly, I apologise for the mild harassment before, but it''s rather important we get moving quickly. And lastly, who are you, my dear lady?" Arthur snuck that last line in, yet the way the wolf girl became all flustered Kenji gave the dead boy''s mind a mental high-five.


    "Tenko. Where are we going?" Tenko frowned, lips pulling back to reveal sharp teeth.


    Kenji would take them to the only place such outlandish creatures could conceivable thought not to be a threat to the town. The only area where, according to various games, other races (especially the beautiful ones) would be more accepted.


    "We''re going to a place populated by the uh....'' ladies of the night'' as it were."


    "A Brothel? I would sooner cut my throat out," Violet said, purple eyes flaring dangerously.


    "I said guild, didn''t I? Yes the Guild, the Adventurer guild! There we can stary your journies to becoming great heroes," Kenji said with clasped hands. Regretting missing this chance to see what a fantasy world brothel would look like.


    "Well, if that''s all you should have just said so," Violet mumbled, pulling away from the long strands of hair that obstructed her face and patted down her thick nun''s robe.

 Chapter 17 - Councils Decree

    "How did they manage to escape? And after the King ordered those elementals he calls ''Royale Knights'' to seize him too?" the One paced back and forth before a stone tablet, the remains of 16''s ashen heaped upon it. On the other side prostrated a rather useless Templar.


    "He messed with our priests, convinced them to retreat! But- I don''t know how - in the chaos, I lost track of where the Holy Knight went. Not until he appeared again at the end to flee, taking our prisoners with them!"


    "And your ability with the golden chains, how long until you lose the ability to replicate the parasites [Crystal Prison] spell?" the One''s white eyes flared to beyond erasure, pure nothingness swimming in the dark of his face.


    Shaking madly, the Templar could only push his armoured head further into already cracked stone.


    "A day, maybe less. I had not rebound her ability in some time, nor had I the Werewolf''s anti-magic protection. Truly great one, I am so sorry, please allow my soul clemency for-"


    "Artioche, Animogna, Arellia, Secundus." The One spoke these words gravely, servants bursting from the walls in a sudden tide, the Templar frozen in place.


    "My Master please, anything but that..." The Templar''s heart broke as his armour was pulled away. Plate by Plate, mail, gambeson and cloth all. Leaving only the golden manacles of the chosen bound to his arms, the rest of him naked and small. They would not take the Templar''s Holy artifact from him, so few breaking into the Templar class to attain it to begin with.


    "You are hereby ordered to redeem yourself in my eyes - a one man crusade against the dark. Already a failure, you will do so with limited support from the Three''s church, but may continue to ask the direct favours of the Three themselves. Find this fire-haired boy- find him and bring him to me."


    "It will be done, my Master- it WILL be DONE."


    Dismissing the Templar, the One allowed the servants to drag him away.


    "One last thing," he had them pause, "some of our most zealous demon hunters have gone mad over the years, or if not mad at least borderline heretical. Your station outside of the church would allow for their rectuitment. I bless you with the title of Warden, of the prison that is the world. So go, Warden, and collect a force that will remove this blight from your name."You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    The One smiled with white teeth as his Warden was taken away, plans already prepared for the most fervent hounds - humans, to accompany him. Stepping into a side room, the One strode to stand before a grand mirror.


    Twenty metres tall, rimmed with silver faces in a variety of expressions and floating planets the size of his palm it was a mirror only the One could see. The One, and his own kind.


    "Sister, how goes the implementation of my great plan?"


    "All is according to plan, Designator Prime. Daario, your 1st ranked, is well on his way to creating a strange hierarchy in the demon world. So too have several more of your candidates excelled in their various fields."


    "Very good, Sister Observer. Mind telling me of the situation of that who killed 16? For one to die this early on is troublesome, so...who did it? Where is the flame-haired boy?"


    "Designator Prime, I thought you were one to hold to the rules, are you not?" The beautiful white skinned girl with jet-black teeth tilted her head in his mirror. The One clenched his hands but restrained his smile back to pleasant.


    "Of course, but just this once surely-"


    "You would have me report this to the council? Brother, be reasonable. You have so much power, surely you can pull this together yourself."


    "And yet the blasted idiots attacked the damn Cathedral!" Roared the One, "I was saving that for war much later. The impact of the stone falling after so much loss would have been perfect, instead, so many of our best died to boulders and dust!"


    "The humans are fast-thinking, Brother. The ones in the monster regions especially. While some few have died, others make great strides. The human known as Nocturne has entered the Elf High Sun Festival and looks set to place well. The human known as Ranarium has gathered a band of orcs, and is perhaps a month away from replacing the Warchief under his own rule. Another has introduced Modern-Era blacksmithing techniques, and a fourth is trying very hard to tame a dragon, and not without some minor success. Perhaps, you chose the wrong species to bring here?"


    "Their ingenuity will be our undoing...no. As long as we have the king and his secret weapons, there is nothing it fear. NOTHING those Terran humans can do will dissuade my plans from their inevitable conclusion!"


    With an angry wave of his hand, the One deactivated the mirror.


    Striding away, he gave orders at a rapid pace. His stone servants obeyed wordlessly, and with the efficiency of well-designed clockwork. As was right, the One''s plans always worked flawlessly. Every species before had always acted like puppets to his strings.


    The humans of Earth would be no different.

 Chapter 18 - Which One?

    Steering them through the town of Tariak, Kenji enjoyed the sights.


    Peasants were as busy as bees, guards marched relentlessly, and the air smelled as rancid as could be expected of a place without plumming. Unfortunately, that led to Kenji stepping into several ''accidents''.


    At least Tenko didn''t mind, sniffing of the air with interest, staring openly at everyone. Making oh-so-many quake in fear upon seeing her literal moons for pupils.


    Violet was affronted by the entire town''s existence. Holding her nose, she would constantly form crystalline shoes and replace them whenever they got too dirty. That proved to be a near-constant state of being, and thus she was constantly refreshing her feet to leave a trail of purple crystal that a train of beggars picked up greedily.


    "Can you stop that Violet? Or do you really want to become the Beggar Queen?"


    "I can stop whenever I like. You just focus on finding me a suitable room to sleep in, and an acceptable feast to partake of."


    "You''re that hungry, with that waist-line, where does it go?"


    "Never mind where it goes!" Violet hissed, her nails becoming crystal claws, "I am tired, I am hungry, and I want a bath. A bath you hear me! It will be hot, soapy and with several scented candles!"


    Kenji took a step back, as Violet''s lilac eyes welled with tears.


    "Ok! A bath, I get it, I''ll find us somewhere with a bath!" Kenji didn''t know why this was so important, but be damned if he would be the reason such a beauty would start bawling in the streets. Already the merchants on either side were giving him nasty looks.


    "How can you make such a pretty nun cry?" one of the beggars hissed. "You''re a bastard," then the beggar spat on him and ran. Really fast. Really Reall fast, in fact, Kenji seemed to notice what he had thought of as a busy bustle was more like everyone was just walking at a faster movement speed than he was.


    "You there, merchant! Fancy a bet?" Kenji rummaged in his pouch, but only had golden coins.


    "Eh, mind swapping these for some silvers? Because I want to bet one in an arm-wrestling contest with you afterwards," Kenji grinned. The merchant whimpered.


    "Holy Knight, how could I ever compete with you with these fat arms of mine?" he whined, "but if it were for a gold coin...well, may the Wellfaring bless me." Grinning ear to ear, Kenji slapped down the gold coin and raised a hand.


    "Kenji, are you sure?" Tenko whispered, "his so much higher a level than you."


    "Eh?" but it was too late, the merchant grasped Kenji in a crushing grip, his fat feeble hand pushing Kenji''s down as easily as a child. The merchant smirked, as he snatched the gold coin away.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    "The hell- yes, information collection complete," Kenji announced, walking away as fast as he could before the merchant could offer any more bets. Knowing how vulnerable he was to gambling, and with only 4 more gold coins to his name, Kenji had to get them away.


    "How could you tell his level?" Kenji whispered, Tenko putting a finger to her bottom lip.


    "It''s part of my [Eyes of the Moon] trait. I can see peoples levels and classes, as long as they are not hidden. That Merchant had his real class hidden for example, and his skills were too simple to be all of them," Tenko shrugged, Kenji going pale as a ghost. Did she know he was actually a hunchbacked old man wearing his dead friend like an old shirt?


    "And your so low levelled Kenji. Even as a crusader, you would have a hard time in a high-level place like this." Kenji looked around, at the peasants, the dirty armoured guards, the sodden streets.


    "High-level area like where?"


    "This. Everyone in this town has a decent level for humans. It must be on the border of monster controlled territory - explains how they''re hunters are so strong at least," Tenko growled, Kenji becoming intrigued.


    "How do you know about their hunters? I haven''t seen any yet."


    Tenko sniffed at him warily, "you brought Tenko here so Tenko could return home, right? Why else would we come to Tariak of all places."


    Kenji opened and closed his eyes slowly.


    "Yes." He said at last, "exactly that. But we should find a place to stay the night before going to your homeland, right? Uh, do you happen to work for the hunters?" If she did that could be some rent-free accommodation right there.


    Kenji pulled away as Tenko''s aura became filled with malice.


    "No. My pack do not ''work for the hunters''," she spat, growling deep enough that a pair of closeby peasants clutched at their pitchforks. Especially wary now that he knew even the lowest peasant might be decently strong, Kenji provided his brightest smile and hurried along.


    After asking half the town for directions, they were eventually directed to the Headquarters of the Golden Goose Adventurer guild.


    "Kind of a dump," was Kenji''s first impression of the ruined keep. Noting once again this kingdom really loved it''s keeps, although perhaps not this one in particular, going off the amount of crumbled stone that crept past the 50% mark of the entire structure. A deep moat was largely filled with soil around the crumbled stone, and the huge wooden doors were thrown open so that a constant band of colourful adventurers could flow in and out.


    Entering they found the hearty tunes, exposed wooden beams, busying waitresses and flowing mead that Kenji had long awaited ever since joining this fantasy world. Although he could do without the hostility, every adventurer armed to the teeth and only those with the cheapest equipment and most naive complexions failing to be scarred, wounded or grim to some degree or another.


    It didn''t take long to find out how everything worked around here. There was the expected counter where one could turn in quests and pay to have your level card updated for you, there was the mead, and then there were the adventurers that filled every space to the rafters. No, few clearly slept beneath the tables they drank at, bedding nestled at their feet.


    Placing some mugs of ale before his compatriots, Kenji leaned back in his seat and continued to survey the room. It wasn''t too bad a place, a board on the far wall filled with quests and adventurer parties talking raucously with one another.


    "Why am I not in a fine bed already?" Violet hissed, Kenji having to pull Tenko away from sniffing a fat man in layers of different coloured gambeson. Kenji paled as he realised each sported various insignias, splotches of blood and torn as if he had snatched several gambesons from the dead then augmented them to fit over one another.


    "You''ll have a bed and bath soon I promse-"


    The doors were thrown open (odd seeing as thus far they had been closed) and a dark plated pigman sauntered in along with a band of rogues, bandits, assassins and hunters.


    "We''re taking over!" The pigman roared.

 Chapter 19 - Golden Goose Vs Headless Hunters

    "Well if it isn''t the weaklings," the dark armoured pigman said, producing a huge maul while his dark clothes vagabonds flicked out all manner of knives, cleavers, spears and clubs. The colourful warriors of the Golden Goose drew their weapons in turn, a chorus of screeching chairs filling the room as everyone rose to their feet.


    "You want to fight, eh?" Grunted the pigman, burying his huge maul into the wooden flooring. The pigman''s presence alone was terrible but backed up by his cronies who leered, cheered and made themselves a nuisance, it was unbearable.


    "Look at the pretty boy- bet you''re gay, ain''t ya pretty boy?" one buck-toothed boy said, pointing his stave right at Kenji.


    "Watch out Scag, he might attempt to feel you up," giggled a girl with twisted eyes and prone to licking her knife as if it were a lollipop. Meanwhile, the others were sticking into everyone else in sight, riling up the guild members and generally making a nuisance of themselves.


    "You going to take that Kenji?" Violet hissed, purple magic flaring around her hands.


    "Just ignore them; their kind thrives on attention," Kenji said, more than familiar with such edgy kids from various multiplayer first-person shooter games. Instead, he focused on his mead and - the buck-toothed boy knocked it from his hands. After so much turmoil, having looked forward to a bit of rest, seeing the golden froth splash across the table and across his pants caused him deep sorrow.


    Hissing with her silk shirt thoroughly soaked, Violet produced a crystalline spike and positioned it right before the boy''s eye. Seeming pleased to be splashed upon, Tenko nonetheless joined in by grabbing the girl by the hair and chewing on her face.


    Angry himself, Kenji stood tall and activated the blessing of [Sight].


    "Who the hells are you to mess with my men?" The big warrior roared, Kenji giving the children who had spilt his mead a long look as they scrambled away. Lifting his gaze, Kenji stared the pigman right into his oily black eyes.


    "I am an Edgelord, cretin. And we at the Golden Goose will not tak-"


    "Fear not! I have arrived," announced a newcomer, appearing in an explosion of golden fog and lightning to stand in the centre of the room. In each hand he held a beautiful woman, his smile white and shining, his steel armour only slightly battered and lined with gold. Sweeping back regal blonde hair that fluttered behind him, he strode to stand before the pigman and press his finger into the black plate at his chest.


    While everyone else was enraptured by the drama, Kenji just wondered why the newcomer''s hair was the only one being blown by a strong breeze. So too had his golden fog faded extraordinarily quickly, and the obviously powerful ruffian leader was stepping back awful fast before the dashingly handsome, yet scrawny, hero.


    "Who are you to come before the Golden Goose Guild, Hartog? This is a place for respectable people who follow a code of conduct, not ruffians at the very edge of the law!"


    "We don''t play by the rules, Almanac, we weren''t all born with fancy powers and a wealthy estate to leech off. Some of us came from gutters, wars, and were shunned from society. Some of us were given a bad hand, and now we''re doing our best to do what''s right!" Hartog clenched a fist and smashed it into his own chest, the Headless Hunters nodding proudly behind him while the Golden Goose guildmembers rolled their eyes as if they had heard it all before.


    Kenji peered around, looking for the cameras. Surely real life could not follow as closely to the script of a soap opera as this. And yet Violet was on the edge of her seat, Tenko too breathing quickly, moon eyes as glued to the scene as the rest.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    And then Kenji had an idea.


    "Oh Alamanac, thank you for coming!" Kenji said, standing tall. "I had thought you would have taken even longer fighting that Salamander up north. Compared to that, this ruffian is nothing!" Striding past several of the edgy kids, Kenji joined the stunned Almanac at his side. Kenji even made sure to lean in close to the man''s fluttering hair and felt the breeze that appeared around the Alamanac''s head and nowhere else.


    "Eh- yes, it was a mighty battle!" Almanac threw his hands in the air, the Golden Goose Guild roaring and smacking their tankards into the table.


    "A Salamander, Alamanac?" Hartog said with a dry tone. Upon seeing a blank stare from Alamanac he quickly continued, "a symptom of the disease of our society. If good fighters like ourselves were not left in the dust, there would be more adventurers to fight such creatures! Not just rich boys born with silver spoons in their bums-"


    "-mouths," Kenji corrected him. Getting some laughter from the audience. Kenji turned and bowed.


    "Mouth," Hartog said through gritted tusks.


    "Sit down my good man, this might get messy," Alamanac said, giving Kenji a light push of wind that sent him tumbling back. In each hand, Almanac produced a ball of flame, and from behind him unwrapped a pair of fiery wings.


    "Will you go in peace Hartog? Or must your kind be shown there is further to fall than the sewers!"


    Tension filled the air, Kenji yawned, and rather predictably Hartog turned away.


    "Tch. Next time, when you''re not here Alamanac, this guild will be mine as was promised. Until then, the Headless Hunters will continue to be the real adventurers around here. Unless your kind can put away your pride long enough to help even the lowliest quest givers without prejudice!"


    Storming away, Hartog retreated amidst a storm of good intentions along with his high nosed criminalistic followers that bumped Kenji along as they went. Although going off what they had said, it kind of felt to Kenji they thought themselves closer to a band of Robinhoods than just a big nuisance.


    "Mr Alamanac if I could-" Kenji had meant to approach him about helping with the act, but was beaten by a swarm of adventurers surging forward. They thanked him, begged him to stay and offered drinks and suggestive favours.


    Gallantly Alamanac provided empty words in response, extinguished his spells and strode to a stairwell guarded by a grey-bearded warrior with a halberd. None dared pass, and Kenji could only watch glumly as Alamanac arose to the second floor where better-geared adventurers gathered. For a moment, Alamanac stared right at Kenji, pointed him out to a few of his friends up there, and went through a door.


    Having failed in his get rich quick scheme, Kenji instead returned to his colleagues and sat down on his wet bench.


    "Well, I wished I was paired with such a hero as that," Violet murmured, still staring after Alamanac.


    "I saved you from an inquisitors prison. How is that less hero worthy than this guy making a flashy stage show?" Kenji groaned, lifting his eyes to the quest board on the far wall. Wondering if he should start working before his gold ran dry.


    But screw that, Kenji wasn''t one to skip the chance to get ahead.


    "Tenko, you said your pack was nearby?"


    Tenko''s moon eyes narrowed.


    "Yes. Tenko did say that."


    "Then I think we should give them a little visit, see how they''re doing and maybe pick up some extra muscle while we''re at it."


    "I would like to see my family, so this is a good thing. Maybe even get rid of evil Fulgrim that haunt us. Hunters and adventurers supported them though, so it will be tough to free my people from their malicious intentions."


    Kenji smiled, noting that saving her people from harm arose Tenko''s hero grade swiftly in his mind.  From [ X ] to [ F ] at least, maybe [ E ].


    "Well, before we go buy the necessary travel goods, information and protection lets have a celebratory drink!" Ruffling in his hidden compartment for his coin, Kenji went very pale.


    "What is it? I want my bath already!" Violet groaned, sinking in her chair.


    With chattering teeth, Kenji turned to her.


    "Don''t be mad."


    Violet furrowed purple brows.


    "I can''t promise that. What has happened?"


    Kenji grinned wider and wider, sweat dripped down his nose and a sinking feeling pervaded his gut. As he felt absolutely nothing in his compartment. Not even a single coin.


    Those damn edgy kids, Kenji would rip their damn arms off if he ever met them again. But for the short term, Kenji was rapidly thinking up plans that didn''t end with Violet acting violently upon learning they would be sleeping under the table tonight.

 Chapter 20 - First Quest

    "Someone keeps looking through my window, two copper reward," Kenji skipped past that one.


    "Rats are infesting my storeroom again, five coppers upon eradication and another give when successfully sealed off from where they are getting in," Since Kenji didn''t specialise in pest control, he guessed that was worth a skip too.


    "My baby doesn''t like being alone, nanny wanted. Once copper reward a day."


    Kenji sighed, not much helped by Tenko off sniffing someone and Violet snootily refusing to leave their booth/bed. She hadn''t been much up to much about anything, even though she had transformed a large portion of their space into a crystal chamber and had left Kenji and Tenko so close together he had used her tail as a pillow.


    "Cheer up lad, we all have to start somewhere," A rough voiced dwarf announced, slapping Kenji painfully hard on the back. Kenji forced a smile and looked longingly at the two silver dungeon exploration contract that dwarf had peeled off the wall.


    "Problem is, my party needs money to repair and buy equipment. But we don''t have the means to earn that money without doing these little things, that might only barely earn us the chance to be accepted by the guild. It''s just....like a ''loading bar that gets stuck near the end for an hour'' kind of feeling."


    The Dwarf gave Kenji a puzzled look and nodded slowly.


    "You have to start small kid. We all saw how brave you were when the Headless Hunter Guild came, but bravery does not make long-living adventurers. Competency does, and no one will trust you with anything important until you prove you''re at least competent when it comes to the most minor tasks. There''s not a lot of trust from the town''s peoples as there is, even less pay now that the King''s troops clear out the worst monsters near town. We need to look good then, only by being dependable can we rise."


    With that, the dwarf sauntered off in his clean clothes, trimmed brown beard and full belly.


    Kenji meanwhile felt as hungry and squalid as he looked. Even worse, Tenko was giving him a piercing gaze from across the guildhall, pupils turned to dots and mouth drooling as if Kenji might be some kind of walking ham.


    Kenji needed money, and he needed it fast before his pillow tried to eat him.


    If only he could take on one of the larger quests, like those above stairs where all the elite adventurers gathered. Down here amongst the rabble, the best that could be done was ''Pyromancer investigation'' that was about some arsonists up north in the mountains. Reward one gold, and sounding easy enough Kenji had tried to accept it at the counter.


    Only to be told he wasn''t yet provided with an adventurer license, and had to work up a silver coin for each member of his party he wanted qualified to undertake anything better than the most basic of quests. Yet seeing Tenko imagining him sizzling over a low flame like a roasting pig, Kenji snatched off the rat extermination quest, let the slime woman at the counter know, then pulled his undependable would-be-heroes along for the ride.


    He could at least use their strength in all this.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    And that''s how Kenji found himself before the largest man he had ever seen in his entire life.


    "Rats are down there," boomed the man who was surely part ogre, as he towered over Kenji and his party as if they were children and gestured at the heavy basement door on the ground. Barred, locked and reinforced from this side, it made Kenji feel as if whatever was down there was more dangerous than he had expected. "Hey, are you guys going to be ok? Usually, the adventurers that take care of this are a little more...prepared."


    Kenji hefted his sword still fused with stone, and nodded.


    "Don''t worry, we have this."


    "Well...if you say so. Go on then, I need ''em cleared out today- oh, and don''t follow where they are coming from, just block it up. Going down there is a higher ranking quest in itself."


    Sucking in a quick breath, Kenji turned to his team.


    "Violet, make some spears and-"


    "If I make you your spears, I''ll be staying up here. Understood?" Violet crossed her arms, Kenji stared at her.


    "Tenko thinks that''s dumb," Tenko added.


    "Thank you Tenko. So, Mrs Purple-"


    "-what happened to Violet?" Mrs Purple hissed.


    "That was a nickname given to a team player, not someone paid to cast some pre-fight spells. If you want to have my respect, you have to earn it. Thinking only of yourself will not help you in the long run."


    "I am above physical labour," Mrs Purple said as she raised her nose, and stared into Kenji with those lovely lilac eyes.


    "Your not above anything, now please hurry up I''m starving."


    "Tenko hungry!" Tenko whined, salivating even more extensively than before. Perhaps worried Kenji wouldn''t be the only one Tenko turned on, Violet nodded sullenly.


    Crystal spears in hand, they descended.


    "I''ll open this back up when the afternoon rush dies down, can''t have rats getting into the kitchen again!" The tavern ogre said, slamming the door shut behind them followed quickly by the sounds of locks and the slide of wood.


    "Don''t destroy anything, no point if we cause more damages than we earn. So no transforming, no mass crystal summoning," Kenji cautioned, lighting his sword in one hand with [blessing - fire] to provide some small light. With all the old crates, barrels and exposed wooden beams his stress levels shot through the roof. More than once webs caught alight, and Kenji had to wack his spear at the flames to stop it spreading to everything else.


    Eventually, having journeyed deeply into the expansive network of storerooms, they heard the chattering of teeth and the hissing of rats. A rather loud hissing actually, Kenji turning the corner and hearing them in the shadows right ahead.


    Out of the dark scowled three giant rats the size of small dogs, and a fourth behind covered in festering flesh and horrid boils. Kenji could tell that while the normal giant rats probably had filthy mouths, the one behind probably had something closer to a plague in its mouth.


    From behind them skittered something even larger, a rat on two feet, a wicked shard of iron in one hand and a barrel lid turned into a shield the other. Rats too poured from the flooring, and at that, the entire party fled madly.


    Retreating up the stairs they found the hatch still firmly closed. They banged their fists, but no one answered.


    Turning around, Kenji was the first to descend.


    "Its them or us, this is our last stand. Like 300."


    "300? This isn''t a time for jokes, let me summon my knight and-"


    "-you''ll bring the whole building down on us if you summon that thing!" Kenji said sternly, putting a hand on Tenko to calm her down as she seemed ready to shift at any moment. "That goes for you too. Fighting in your true form will bury us in rubble, then have us branded criminals for life. We won''t be able to help your pack then."


    A little disappointed, Tenko still looked at the huge rats hissing as they approached, and growled. With fanged teeth she smiled, "I was getting hungry," she said as she stood on the front line.


    From the back row, Violet produced walls of purple spikes at their flanks, bristling with needle-thin fishhooks, and thus forcing the rats to attack head-on. And Kenji? Well, he provided the second line of defence to stop Tenko becoming overun - oh, and the light.


    You know, that little detail that made the only difference between fighting monsters they could see; and monsters that melded with the pitch-black darkness of the basement.

 Chapter 21 - We did not like our first quest

    The hulking rats charged, Tenko kicking one aside and chomped her jaws down on another. The third dodged Kenji''s flaming sword, then jumped to bite at him. Screaming he fell over, the huge thing weighing a ton as it scratched at his armour and it''s putrid mouth screeched in his face.


    "Blessing of [sight]!" Kenji said, the burning eye flaring in his forehead and scaring the giant rat off him. In return, Kenji became accurately aware of the diseases riddling the thing, and the fleas that jettisoned of the creatures matted fur like a sinking ship.


    Eyes drifting back, Kenji saw the plague infested rat head on- and vomited. His mind spun, the grotesque nature of the creature too much for him.


    "Kenji! Get a hold of yourself!" Violet yelled, thrusting crystal spikes from the ground, one after another. The time between them forming and thrusting up proved too slow, the rats only being pushed back, not skewered.


    Tenko meanwhile fought like a champion, crushing rats in her hands, ripping the ears off the big ones and roaring monstrously whenever they attempted to surround her. Her bravery inspired Kenji to form his own courage. Finding his feet Kenji ripped off the rats swarming him and picked his burning blade back up.


    Tenko screamed, causing Kenji''s heart to pound with righteous anger, and more than a little of Arthur''s heroism fluttered through the back of his mind. The youth had always wanted to save a princess, to be the shining knight that rescued a damsel in distress atop a white horse.


    Well, Kenji had no white horse, the princess was a monster, and his armour was the opposite of shining. But for that boy, Kenji charged into the swarm of knashing teeth and rat tails.


    Swinging with precision, Kenji left a swathe of burning dead, Violet sending crystals erupting around the exposed wood to limit the chance of a fire. Swatting away the rats, Tenko was let loose by the swarm, covered in bites, blood dribbling from a dozen wounds.


    Howling, Kenji leapt forward and sliced through several rats in a wide arc, before he was met with the plague rat. Eyes locked, they surveyed one another. Kenji the boy knight, and Sir Plague rat who writhed and screeched while it rubbed it''s rotting flesh agaisnt a wooden post.


    Perhaps this entire place burning to the ground wasn''t so bad an idea after all.


    Kenji leapt, the plague rat screeched. Burning blade plunging into too-soft flesh as easy as butter, the whole thing erupting out it''s back, plagued organs spilling across the pantry. The rats fled at once, the humanoid in the backline leaping away with them down the cellar. Back there it threw back a few wooden boards and ushered its swarm down a cavern.


    "Violet, with me!" Kenji charged the enemy escape route and stuck his flaming sword to find a network of caves beyond. This entire town was probably built atop it, the places the rats could hide so expansive only a complete expedition would have a hope of tracking them down.


    "Close it up, we''re leaving," Kenji stood back as Violet created a crystal wall over the hole, Kenji then sliding the wooden planks back into place. It wouldn''t hold indefinitely but was certainly good enough for that bastard of a tavern keeper.


    Wiping the diseased gunk off his muddy armour, Kenji realised it might be best to throw the whole thing away. But the armour had at least protected him from dozens of bites and scratches, the putrid metal all that had stopped him looking as badly wounded as Tenko.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    "Violet. You go up there and scream for that man to open the door... because if he doesn''t I am going to break it down."


    Kenji moved to use his blessing of [Healing] but realised that was unlikely to clean out Tenko''s diseased wounds. He needed hot water, cloth, strong alcohol and maybe even some fire to burn the disease-free before he healed the wounds themselves closed.


    Kenji picked up Tenko and carried her away.


    Something in Arthur''s mind felt at peace to be carrying a rescued girl in the princess carry style, and if that really was a piece of Arthur left behind, then Kenji was glad for him.


    Because he had to get this girl washed, healed and fed, a long way to go before Kenji could even think of such luxury like sleep, properly blasting the tavern owner for tricking them - or heaven forbid - actually collecting the reward for this stinking quest.


    Kenji had raised all hell in the tavern with the ogre - for about ten seconds. After that, the ogre capitulated wholly to Kenji''s demands.


    It turns out having a plague rat in your cellar would have been been the talk of the town - and so Kenji traded keeping quite for free meals and free baths. For all of them. For a month.


    Yet what worried him was how casually the tavern owner accepted this backlash, paying them double almost as if he expected it. The news of the humanoid rat had similarly seemed suspicious to Kenji and yet unsurprising to the ogre, merely shrugging, and returning to serving his stew. If Kenji had any choice, he''d have eaten literally anywhere else.


    Luckily he was at least poison immune, although now that he thought about it, kenji wasn''t sure of mimics could get sick or not.


    In the bathhouse Kenji scrubbed Tenko down with the roughest sponges he could find, intent on getting every fleck of corruption form her pale skin. Tenko meanwhile blew bubbles in the water, sinking pleasantly, drenched tail swishing slowly below the water and tickling Kenji''s stomach.


    "What about me Kenji?" Violet huffed, luxuriating at the spa''s edge with arms to either side, "If you''re going to be the bath boy, then it makes sense that your most useful team member gets to be scrubbed too."


    Kenji''s eyes twitched, turning to find Violet sinking beneath the soapy water, just a hint of her curvaceous body beneath. A tad hot and bothered, Kenji focused doubly hard on saving Tenko from the plague, and quickly used up all three of his blessings of [Healing] for the day.


    "Cheers to our first accomplished quest!" Kenji said, toasting his cup of heavily watered down mead, at the table they would sleep under tonight.


    "Cheers to being clean!" Violet added, having used her share immediately to buy some stiffer drink that smelt of Vanilla and Cinnamon. Kenji had wanted a fancy drink too but felt settled with his discoveries of the wonders of her alien anatomy. Pleasing similar to a human girl for one, if a tad on the curvy side.


    Yet with the 1 silver requirement to take the Guild entry-level test, buying some a drink for himself was put to bed. Sighing, Kenji gulped down the mead that tasted like nasty water, and rested his head on the table.


    Although Kenji had at least gained one additional reward from all this, other than the pay, the bath, the in-bath entertainment and the food. For within his internal storage was a rat. Of the normal size to be sure.


    But the perfect size for scouting, and so small it took up almost no room in there at all.


    As he sat there speaking with Tenko, smooth and supple again after her healing bath treatment- violet interrupted.


    "Here, take it," she mumbled, handing Kenji a few coppers. He had to pry them free from her hands, but afterwards took a bite, cast blessing of [sight] and still found them not to be an illusion.


    "How...? And why?" He muttered, mystified.


    "Those beggars asked to buy some, they resell them to folk around town. I said ok, and these are the profits. You deserve it, after saving her, and for helping me." Turning sharply away, Violet seemed to fix on something in the distance as she tried to hide her darkening purple cheeks beneath her nun''s cloak.


    ''Congratulations, XP has been increased enough to select your reward'' Violet said with black cracks around her eyes, Tenko having leapt away to chase a mouse.


    "Noir...it''s been too long," Kenji smiled.

 Chapter 22 - Level Three

    "Long time no see, Noir."


    "Indeed Kenji, you look well."


    Kenji grinned, his chest flooded with warmth.


    "I''ve started wearing a new face since last time- ow," Something in his head twinged. Kenji told Arthur to calm down, shook his head, and returned his focus back to Noir''s mirthful expression.


    "You know it''s really weird seeing Violet look this happy," Kenji said, and Noir just pulled her smile wider.


    "You''ve done amazingly with both her and the werewolf. Who would have thought that a Parasite that curses the Elven race and a Pureblooded Wearwolf could not only be dissuaded from consuming you in your sleep, but also to actually sacrifice equipment, wealth and power for others?"


    Kenji gulped.


    "Parasite? Pure werewolf? Do I have to worry about full moons or-"


    "Keep up what you''re currently doing, and it should be fine. You wouldn''t have gotten this much XP for doing nothing, after all, and you''ve really provided some lasting positive change for these girls Kenji. You should be proud."


    "B-but I haven''t even done that much! Just saved them from the inquisitors, talked with them, and went on the worst adventure in the world- how could that have changed them so much?"


    "Well, your class is unique. I just pulled it from my cognition, and it''s not impossible that you have some kind of aura even I can''t perceive that makes others want to do good. But if I were to bet, it would be that they like this new face of yours. It''s very symmetrical, although not as interesting as your base form."


    "Oh Noir, you really know how to get a mimic to blush. But, as lovely as it is to see those lovely eyes again, mind letting me see what my lvl up options are?" Kenji played with his hands, sweat beading across his back as an increasingly nervous grin widened on his face.


    "Oh, of course, you must be exhausted. Right away, Kenji," With a flick of her wrist the two options were presented.


    On the left was the [Full Forbidden Mimic] option that evolved Kenji further along the specific species chain of this rare, outer space, mimic sub-species that Kenji had chosen. Other than more internal storage space, Kenji would get one [Forbidden adaption] slot. This slot could fit one imprint of any creature without taking up his internal space, without needing to bring the body and while still providing it''s full powers and equipment upon transformation.


    However, since only a mere imprint, the destruction of the body in combat would convert the imprint back to its basic energy after a period of appearing a corpse. Once destroyed the imprint would take an entire day before it was reformed and able to be worn again. That and Kenji would only have access to half the creature''s stats, so a definite downgrade from using the actual corpse.


    The evolution would change Kenji''s base form too, if only visually. Kenji''s base form would become even more ancient-looking, with fancier locks and chains to boot.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    The second option was to become a regular mimic. Kenji would lose some internal space but could morph his body at will and replicate any item around him from a range of sizes. He could contort into a chest, a door, a carpet and a skeleton quickly to name but a few examples. The amount of hijinks Kenji could get up to were extraordinary, Kenji already well aware that if he wanted too he could become a towel in the women''s bathing area.


    Yet the first option was easily the rarest, and while he hadn''t a good corpse to use, the added benefits of the slot were indeed very attractive. As it were now, if he was to lose Arthur''s corpse to a devastating attack, it would be unlikely to be fixed up inside him. More than likely it would forever be reduced to a mutilated corpse, and Kenji would be left attempting to convince his companions that his base form was actually the same person.


    For the first time in a while, Kenji stared at his hands. Youthful, strong and certainly not his own. But who was he now exactly? Kenji had been a sixteen year old on earth, was he really anyone anymore? And while switching bodies like others would clothes could advance him further, would he ever find skin he felt comfortable within?


    That he could feel like himself within?


    He tapped the first option and gripped his chest.


    "You''ll unravel, better to go outside I think Kenji," Noir said, leaning back against her seat.


    "I''ll keep Arthur though, right? I don''t have to worry about losing him?


    "You''ll be fine. Just go before you cause a scene already. Oh, and goodbye, I have other matters to attend to."


    "Cya Noir," Kenji whispered, his endless questions remaining unspoken as he slipped free of the guild keep to find a secluded area in a back alley. There, he contorted wildly, and in moments returned to his base form. The chains were now a brighter bronze, his locks scrawled with silver and his hunchback converted to some extra height.


    He had a permanent mouth now beneath his ratty beard, which itself now seemed peppered with grey like a real old man. His limbs felt ancient as moons, his eyes as smooth as glaciers as he surveyed his surroundings. Snatching out his cane, Kenji started to hobble yet found it no longer necessary.


    Still, Kenji liked to hobble. So hobble he did, right back into the Guild Keep were he found a warm fire and stool. Grunting into his fist, the closest adventurers gave him odd looks, and Kenji began.


    "A simple story, an ancient tale from worlds far away. Come sit by this fire with me, and hear the tale of Parry Hotter and the Thinkers Rock."


    It didn''t take long before Kenji''s nearly copyright-infringing tale of Parry Hotter got a sizable audience. Tenko was first amongst them, listening eagerly to his tale of the Mages Night School called Pigboils and the many adventures of Parry Hotter and his friends.


    Pleased to be making her so happy, as evident by the swift swish of her tail, Kenji talked for hours. Eventually, everyone else was too tired, and Kenji started to lose some of the huge crowd that had gathered. Even Almanac watched from the second balcony, eyeing Kenji with curious eyes.


    "That''ll be all for today, good adventurers. If you could offer some coin for my tale, I''ll be off, but will come back to resume another day."


    Copper coins flooded in, Kenji earning a whole silver''s worth of wealth. Smiling to himself while he was being patted on the back, and urged for additional information, Kenji realised this might be a way to earn the necessary three silvers they needed.


    "But-but-but!" Tenko yelled, bounding after him, "Why did Parry Hotter''s spoon-shaped scar start hurting? What happens next!" Scrounging up a single copper coin, Tenko added it to Kenji''s pocket.


    "Thank you, my dear - but you''ll have to wait until next time. I promise, an eve soon, I will return and answer all the questions you could ever think of." Kenji smiled as warmly as a shopping centre Santa Claus.


    "Where do babies come from?" Tenko asked.


    "Not that one; I must go now. Goodbye!" Kenji turned and fled into the night, only to return as Arthur and get into bed.


    "You should have seen him Kenji! The storyteller was AMAAAZING!" Kenji''s pillow told him. Nodding along, Kenji muttered plenty of ''reaaly?'' and ''woooow'' and ''next time fore sure'' as Tenko fell fast asleep, Violet beside him, and Kenji soon after that.

 Chapter 23 – Hunting

    Having decided that returning to Rat Slaying was not for them, Kenji and his party found themselves outside the town gates. It didn''t take long to pass the farms and enter the forest. The forest grew dark and scary so fast Kenji had to whip his head behind him to check they hadn''t entered a portal.


    "I don''t like this," Kenji whispered. Violet nodded in answer.


    Tenko ran ahead unafraid in her beast form, lunging into bushes, and laying in wait to burst out from the trees and growl.


    "Enough! Please, my heart can only take so many shocks before it clocks out for the day," Kenji said as he clutched his chest for the third time. Tenko just grinned wide with a fanged jaw and bound away.


    "Really Kenji, it smells better out here; but can we really earn money this way?" Violet said with pursed lips, peering around the thick flora dubiously.


    "The guild gave us a list of plants that they buy, and surely Tenko can hunt deer or something for us to sell. That''ll be a good money spinner I promise, much better than that stupid tavern and it''s rats at least."


    That got Violet nodding enthusiastically, starting to pull loose every flower, root and leaf of sufficient colour and shine.


    "Actually what we''re looking for isn''t that pretty," Kenji grimaced, not having wanted to disrupt Violet who smiled like a child as she held a bouquet of beautiful white lilies.


    "Oh, what are we looking for then?"


    "Devil root," Kenji said. "It grows around spirit trees who have become sour of heart and is apparently very high in demand for its uses in all kinds of alchemy. As long as we don''t get too close to the spirit trees themselves, it should be relatively safe to harvest. I''ve already told Tenko this, so hopefully, she''ll find something as she -"


    A sudden howl sent Kenji stumbling away, and with a schwing he pulled free his stone fused blade. Tenko laughed roughly, having prowled right around the corner.


    "You are so easy to frighten! Like a little baby deer, all wide-eyed and stupid!"


    "Haha- Tenko! have you found anything yet?" Kenji said through gritted teeth and a forced smile.


    "Other than delicious meats? Yes, your weird tree is this way. Follow Tenko!"


    Grumbling to himself, Kenji followed along with Violet close behind.


    All together they stumbled ever deeper into the dark forest, filled with an increasingly large number of thorn, ivy and angry wasps. Going wide-eyed at a face sized spider that Kenji had been a moment from stepping into, he halted.


    "Is this really the right way?" he whispered, Kenji''s voice stolen by the breeze and travelling far further through the hungry dark than he had wanted. The trees ruffled their leaves angrily, and Violet had begun to shake behind him.


    "Tenko is certain," Tenko said snatching the spider with her teeth and starting to chew.


    Kenji stared in horror.


    "Follow Tenko! This way!" Tenko turned and zoomed into even deeper parts of the forest, Kenji and Violet left following rather worriedly after her. After some time they came into a less thick area, pale orange roots scrawled across the ground.


    "Devil root!" Kenji beamed, starting to cut some of the roots free.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "K-Kenji..." Violet whispered, pulling at Kenji''s sleave.


    "Yes?"


    "Look," pointing mere metres ahead, Violet indicated to where a very angry tree with obsidian black bark stared at them. In its roots was Tenko, wrapped in thorny vines as she struggled to reach a glowing golden apple hidden amidst blood-red leaves.


    "Give apple!" Tenko yelled as she was completely entombed in vines.


    "Mortals, leave this forest forever if you wish to save your friend''s life- hey, stop that!"


    Enraged, Kenji had already activated his [Blessing - Fire] while Violet was summoning her crystal knight with a thirst for murder in her eyes.


    "I''ll let her go, just get lost alright?" Cackled the tree and rubbing two of its roots together like a villain preparing a cunning scheme.


    "So you can shift the forest around us, get us lost, wait until we starve and then attack? I think not," Kenji said, charging forward with his burning blade. At his side rode the crystal knight, it''s lance quickly crashing into the tree''s side.


    "Then die fool!" the spirit tree roared, shedding a hundred crimson leaves that became sharp as knives and heavy as stone. Slashing the crystal knight to pieces, they came for Kenji next- saved just in time by a silver bubble. Above the entombed Tenko had appeared her summoned moon, the spirit tree peering up at it confused.


    While the leaves were being deflected, for now, Kenji charged and slashed at the spirit tree''s base. The tree howled and thrashed its spine covered roots to rip free swathes of flesh and blood. Thrown back, Kenji rolled across the dirt as roots erupted around him.


    "Oh shit-" Kenji stabbed at a root, the rest pulling back as the tree screamed again and the fire from its wounds began to smoulder. Huge crystals thrust from the ground to gash into base, more crawling up the spirit trees side to slash at the vines that held Tenko.


    Tumbling free, Tenko the giant wolf roared and charged. Her claws slashed through the tree like paper, her jaws ripping free vine, thorn and bark with similar ease.


    "You are a blight upon this forest, die mortals, DIE!" the spirit tree roared.


    With the spirit tree focusing its leaves on warding off Tenko, he never saw Kenji watching closely.


    The Tree, like any other boss, fought in a stiff attack pattern.


    Slash, slash, monologue, leaves. It was always the same, and so Kenji waited until the second slash of roots before he charged. Morphing into a rat, Kenji could weave his way through the torrent of waiving roots unnoticed, before launching and transforming back to the boy knight mid-air.


    "I will use you as fertilizer for my roots as- what?" The spirit tree was stunned as Kenji suddenly appeared and plunged his flaming sword into its eye. Piercing deep, Kenji managed to hit an integral organ of some sort causing the whole spirit tree to wheeze and fall limp, it''s many scarlet leaves falling free like a strange rain.


    "We did it!" Violet cheered, holding a gash at her side closed.


    "Let me see that, [Heal]," Kenji sealed the wound closed, then using one on himself and the third on Tenko''s mouth that had been torn by eating thorns. "We''ll need to do that again tomorrow to fully heal the wounds, luckily no one was hurt too badly."


    "Ok! Because my mouth still hurts," Tenko grumbled as she picked at a thorn still stuck between her fangs. Violet started wisely pulling free the larger pieces of devil root while Kenji approached the dead spirit tree''s face. Behind he found some blue crystals buried into the wood and pried free the mean face too since it looked kinda weird and thought someone might buy it.


    "I almost forgot!" Tenko yelled, leaping back to the tree and aiming for the golden apple.


    "Tenko no! That''s probably worth a lot of - damn it!"


    Tenko snapped her jaws closed around the apple and ate it on one big gulp. For a brief moment, her fur was turned bright gold, before fading away back into her usual white. Landing back down, she seemed a bit bigger in her wolf form, and her moon eyes had temporarily gone gold.


    "Eeeeh," Tenko said, eyes shifting left then right.


    "What is it Tenko?"


    "Tenko has levelled up. But...Tenko doesn''t know which to choose. Should Tenko evolve to be more flighty, or more supportive of the pack?"


    "Fighty for sure. We need you to be the frontline fighter and-"


    "SUPPORT THE PACK!" Tenko roared, and her moon summon appeared again. Then it shifted to silver, the normal silver bubble around Kenji and Violet instead snapping into their limbs and increasing their movement speed and agility.


    "Ok, this is pretty cool," Kenji said as he danced around, each step moving far further and with greater precision than was normal. Violet laughed as she met him halfway, the pair dancing with blazingly fast movements and the dexterity of professional dancers.


    "We should go soon, I think there might be other monsters out here today," Kenji said. "But before that, I have one last thing to do. " Kenji peered up at the dead spirit tree, and wondered if it would count as something to fill his replication slot.

 Chapter 24 – Firefox

    "Well, after paying the fine for destroying that spirit tree we made enough for a round of drinks tonight," Kenji smiled.


    Violet huffed and rubbed her eyes.


    "All that for a few coppers? Can we at least not eat that tavern''s gruel?"


    Kenji wished they didn''t have too, but clenching his fist he shook his head. Even though his stories tonight had brought in another silver, they needed that money to earn their status as real adventurers.


    "No, but would it help if I showed you something interesting?" While he had her attention, Kenji had been thinking about this for a while. His friends not knowing about his powers made him uncomfortable, and Kenji thought it was finally time to come clean.


    "What is it Kenji?" Tenko said, ears flattening, "you''re not leaving are you?"


    "No-no! I am not leaving. You know what? I think it''s a bit late, how about we drink, have a good sleep, and I''ll show you two tomorrow."


    No one seemed to like that plan, but once the grumbling was over with they were tired enough to fall asleep rather quickly. Except for Kenji, who fretted for hours before finally falling into an anxious sleep.


    The next day they were on their way to a capture quest when Kenji decided it was time. As they walked outside of town, over rolling hills and into the farms filled with golden stalks and grazing cows, Kenji stopped suddenly.


    "You guys need to understand this before we continue," he said.


    "Yeah? What is it, did you buy us fans?" Violet said as she waved air against her face. Sweating hard, she peered up at the clear blue sky and the golden sun that was the culprit of this blazingly hot day.


    "No I didn''t buy you fans," Kenji sighed.


    "Did you get us food?" Tenko said, peering at a distant line of smoke coming from a nearby field.


    "No, I didn''t buy you any food. This isn''t a guessing game, I''m just saying I''m a mimi-"


    "Firefox! I''ve sighted it, come on!" Tenko bounded forward, special herb in hand.


    Pulling out more of the herb, Violet ran after.


    Gritting his teeth, Kenji pulled out some of the herbs that the quest giver had given them too and followed. He still couldn''t believe there was a literal creature called a ''Firefox'' and he could only shudder at what a ''Google'' would look like.


    Running after them, Kenji entered a smouldering field to find a very real firefox. It''s burning tail had set the wheat alight, and only a swift formation of crystal prevented the fire from spreading. Already Tenko snarled in her beast form, the Firefox hissing back as its tail flared behind it.


    "I am a mimic!" Kenji shouted, having had quite enough of staying in the closet.


    "A what? Hurry up and give it the herbs already!" Violet shouted back, creating walls of crystal around the Firefox only for it to bound around. Tenko summoned her Silver moon, the parties agility and movement speed increasing, and yet being able to seize the Firefox with their hands wasn''t enough to stop them getting badly burned in the process.


    "UGH, just watch this," Kenji growled and activated his slot.


    Bubbling up three times his height, Kenji transformed into the Obsidian barked Spirit Tree. In the next moment, he extended his many roots and vines to bind the Firefox, it''s fiery tail causing extreme damage to Kenji''s tendrils.


    "Hurry! Press the herb into the tail!" Kenji cried out in great pain.


    Violet and Tenko just looked at him numbly.


    "Didn''t we beat you up, Mr Spirit Tree?" Tenko said, eyeing his branches with interest. That some expression flattened into depression when she didn''t find another golden apple waiting.


    "It''s me, Kenji, Please hurry up this is REALLY painful!" Kenji whined, both of them sharing confused looks with one another. Peering around they couldn''t see the boy knight either, and after several agonizing seconds finally threw handfuls of the herb onto the Firefox''s tail.


    Immediately the tail was extinguished, the resulting smoke causing the Firefox to grow numb and collapse into a deep sleep.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.Sighing, Kenji let go of his transformation, his many singed roots retracting to a point and Kenji the old man covered in dark cloth and bronze chains appearing. He also felt how he could have jettisoned the body for a quicker escape, but that would have resulted in the full one day wait time for the form to become usable again, instead of perhaps the half an hour it would take to fully replace the damaged roots.


    Violet looked affronted, but Tenko bounded over excitedly.


    "Mr Storyteller, why are you here?" She said, plush tail wagging excitedly.


    "Tenko, it''s me. Kenji. This is my true form as I currently exist, and even though this is not the body I was born in, it is what I look like now. Uh, I''ll become the Kenji you know again while you think of how you want to respond," Kenji quickly shifted back to the boy knight, and pushed aside his fiery orange hair. Quickly Violet stepped far too close, staring right into Kenji''s golden eyes,  put a finger on his lips and dragged it down to his neck, then chest.


    "A mimic...huh?" Violet smiled.


    "You''re...ok with this?"


    "Please, to know a fellow Parasite type is around me makes me feel much better. And here I thought I was all alone..." Violet turned to look at Tenko, who had sat down to better manage the fast thoughts bounding around her head.


    "Story," Tenko demanded at last and crossing her arms.


    "When we get back," Kenji smiled. "But Violet, what is this Parasite type you speak of?"


    "Oh you know, Vampires, Demons, Werewolves, Mana worms and of course...Mimics. We are the species that could not survive without a host civilisation to feed off, although that doesn''t have to be as aggressive as many Parasite types are. There exist Parasites that seek more of a Symbiosis, although I''ve only ever heard a rumour of that. The Congregation of Parasites whisper about the possibility, and the Parasite type nations that could arise if we work out a method of existence that isn''t as harmful to other races."


    Kenji stared at Violet intently, hesitant to interrupt. Before his very eyes, Kenji watched Violet flitter between an internal decision. Would she live for herself, or would she live for others?


    When no decision seemed forthcoming, Kenji sighed.


    "So which of those are you then- vampire?" A bad guess, but Kenji had literally no idea of what the purple alien elf could be otherwise.


    "I''m a mana worm," she said simply.


    Kenji raised his eyebrows, Tenko clapped and smiled.


    "Story!" She said.


    "A mana worm is....rare," Violet said with a small smile as the others encouraged her onward.


    "We are from space originally, although I was told that by another. We reproduce rarely, and so many of our kind descend within comets from the stars. After hitting the earth we find a magical corpse and fuse with it, adapting the body and generating innate powers with some special control over the species itself."


    "So you...fused with a dead elf?" Kenji''s eyes watered, "Just like me and Arthur...do you have their memories too? Their desires and ambitions?"


    "Kind of. The elf I inhabited was a newborn, with little willpower and even less experience with life. After I fused, the elf kingdom, only numbering a few hundred, called me a sign of their god. I was raised to a position in their church and was set to become their ruler. Then humans attacked, I was separated, and then captured."


    Kenji was about to tell her about the elf he could morph into, realising the elf might have memories of this person, when other adventurers arrived.


    "Have you seen a Firefox around here?" they said.


    "Yeah, we just caught it actually. You guys are as slow as Internet Explorer by the way- oh! And lookout for the wild Google seen around these parts. Not only is it huge, but it contains all the information of humanity..." Kenji chuckled when he saw the trios horrified faces.


    Steering his friends and he sleeping Firefox away, Kenji led them back to town.

 Chapter 25 - Elvish learning

    Her name was Ash.


    Kenji thought deeper, she had been a warden. Once designated with guarded the elvish prison that housed the evil spirits of the land. The warden had been egregiously wounded and was evacuated just before the humans attacked.


    There she had learned of their goddesses capture, and while the spirits that gave her power were stolen away too, she alone had the martial ability required to fight without their support. She had tracked down the goddesses disappearance to the human capital, and there had found naught but her end.


    Kenji was crying, unable to go any further. The woman''s bravery was peerless, several of her companions having lost their lives along the way. In the end, even she had died, none the wiser that her ''goddess'' was a parasite that thought minimally of her.


    But he also remembered the good.


    Before Violet had arrived, the elvish king had died a cursed being terrified of sunlight. His curse had infected the others of the royale family one by one, all electing to put themselves into the ground before they withered as their king had.


    Including a girl, barely born before she choked on soil.


    Seeing that same girl arise without the slightest fear of sunlight...no one cared that she was purple. No one cared that she was blindingly beautiful, nor that she could summon purple crystals while not even a single year old. She had united them, and without her return, the elvish people of the Sun would no doubt fall back into the curses clutches again.


    Rubbing the tears from his eyes, Kenji left the room he had been hiding within to meet Violet.


    Instantly she seemed as if a walking angel once more, absolutely perfect in every way. And that''s when Kenji knew, this elf named Ash had been in love.


    And apparently, was still very much in love.


    The rush of emotions was as deep as the sea, as strong as a gale and as intoxicating as absinthe to leave Kenji swaying. His pupils dilated, his vision turned rosy, and all thoughts but Violet left his mind as soft as a summer breeze.


    She was beautiful, sexy, wise and brave. She was noble, kind, romantic and fierce.


    She was perfect.


    "Kenji...are you ok?" Violet said with a hint of a gorgeous smile that pierced Kenji''s heart like an arrow. Extending his trembling hand, he clasped them in her own and drank deeply of her mere image until his heart bounded fast as a rabbit in heat and his ears were filled with the bellows of love.


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site."Y-yes..."Ash- Kenji said. Pulling his hands away, sanity returned for only a short time before he once again returned to staring into Violet''s dreamy amethyst eyes. Like pools of violet speckled with pinkish-purple dots.


    "I''m going to go wash up, you should come with," Violet said.


    Ash was helpless to refuse, following like a personal attendant.


    The next hour passed like a dream, Ash scrubbing Violet head to toe, while she stared slavishly at Violet''s naked body. Ash served her dishes for her, after checking it for poison with her own tongue. Ash opened doors for her too and fulfilling even her slightest whims with gusto- nay, with the utmost fulfilment.


    Once they returned and found Tenko angry at being left behind, Ash just pushed the wolf girl aside and continued to obsess over increasingly minor details of Violet''s physique. The curve of her hips, the gap between her thighs, the soft lips and softer eyes.


    Until they were interrupted, that is.


    "Ladies, how are you this very fine evening?" Said Almanac, his usual two girls glowering at them from the second floor.


    "Could I invite you upstairs for a drink or -" Having placed a hand on Violet''s lower back, Almanac soon found Ash''s boot-knife at his throat.


    "Back. Off," Ash hissed with twitching eyes and a volcanic feeling of hatred for this man who would touch her dearly beloved. That back''s was only Ash''s to touch, and even then with the greatest respect and a heart filled with devotion.


    "Do not threaten a wizard and expect things to go well for you, my dear," Almanac whispered as his eyes turned to slits. Yet smiling he seemed not at all alarmed, even while the happy bantering of the nearest adventurers died out, and all eyes fell upon the quarrelling trio.


    "Kenji, stop," Violet whispered and blushed furiously.


    Slowly, Ash pulled away the blade- Kenji clawed his way back into his own mind. Immediately he closed his eyes so as not to see her, and stopped breathing so as not to even sniff a hint of that intoxicating scent.


    "Pardon me," he said as he stumbled to the door.


    "Dearest elf, are you quite alright? I didn''t mean to scare you," Alamanac said, grasping Kenji''s shoulder. Shoving his hand aside, Kenji forced himself away.


    "Nearest Guild leader, it is I who should apologise..." Kenji made it out of the keep and into the night. Even though that was the chance to finally grow close to the guild master, he could not risk Ash taking over again.


    It would be a fate too horrible.

 Chapter 26 - Battle Royale

    "All is ready, Templar," Hissed the Highest Custodian of his majesties prison.


    "I''m not a Templar anymore. Jack...call me Jack," Jack said, without his holy armour, vestments and scripture that he had carried on him since being born. A lifetime in the order had come to a crashing end, and while shamed beyond belief, Jack had yet to give up on this chance of redemption.


    "Then...Jack the Warden. They are assembled."


    "Jack, you should start sooner rather than later. The One has demanded speed in this matter," muttered a red-robed inquisitor.


    "Thank you Phillip, it means a lot to me that you decided to remain in my service. All of you, thank you for your loyalty. I do not deserve it," Jeck turned to bow his shaved head at the man. Again be bowed, although this time to the neatly dressed rows of inquisitor priests and crusaders standing far behind.


    "The pleasure is ours. When we heard our Templar was being discharged in such a fashion, we all knew then and there our time to serve the three in the Cathedral had come to an end. I wish to catch them as much as you do, Jack. We all do. Those evil souls that ruined such a holy place...," Phillip stared with hard blue eyes like chips of ice, and his rugged hands clasped with white knuckles around his sword-staff. Behind him the temple Faithful grew similar stern, the fires of retribution flickering brightly in their eyes.


    The day was rainy, thunder blared in the distance and it''s flashes of light lit the large stone room that they above. Shaped into an octagon, the huge room was meant to serve as the eating hall for this prison. Instead, the tables had been removed, the hundreds of inmates handed weaponry and pushed to the walls. The guards had withdrawn to their high turrets and vantage points to watch with relative safety, yet even they were armed to the teeth in case the prisoners turned on them.


    The guards gave Jack''s followers odd looks, their sauntering steps, rusting equipment and lack of faith making them a completely separate - lesser - breed of warrior.


    "Than let us begin."


    Jack the Warden rose a hand, all the prisoner''s eyes fixating on him.


    "Criminals, heretics....traitors. I have come to offer you a chance of redemption, a chance at salvation! You have been gathered, armoured and left to ponder. Well, wonder as to your fate no more. Those who pass this test will be offered clemency and the chance to join me on the Thunberad Crusade! Heaven eternal! Wealth enough to live a prince! Fame enough to become a legend! Glory like you have never before dreamed! These will be yours, instead of a wretched cell, segregated from society and spat upon - you could have it all!"


    Jack watched as the inmates held their weapons tighter, each displaying various levels of efficiency and professionalism in their stance. The monsters amongst them unnerved the mere humans, the one known as ''Flower Knight'' all alone in her area of the hall despite being the only one still bound by chain and lock. A woman who now had flowers blooming from her hair and vines wrapping her arms as if she were a part tree...Jack couldn''t blame them.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Many of you were born into slums, forests, poor villages and poorer families. Others amongst you made hard choices in hard times and were made criminal due to situations forced upon you. Yet a life of honour is still possible for you, a life of respect, and a life that will be celebrated by the world. YOU can save humanity from the 18 evil souls, YOU can be heroes!"


    Cheers, erratic but strong. Then more, stamping feet, bright grins.


    "What do we have to do?" Roared a man with a toad''s neck and three teeth.


    "You need to cut down the unworthy - while proving your own ability in combat. Where we go there will be demons, fallen saints, ancient evils and wicked gods. You must prove yourself capable, and not a liability. You all number four hundred in this hall, yet I have room for only forty. Rest assured, the last forty left alive will see their wounds tended too with the small team of priests and crusaders I have on hand."


    Jack stood still as a statue, the prisoners eyeing one another below. None dared make the first move, the Flower knight''s mad laughter the only sound other than the tinkling of rain and crashing of lightning.


    Phillip stepped forward, cold eyes holding the weight of a god''s judgment behind them.


    "You may begin," he said clear as day and as emotional as a lump of stone. He tapped his sword-staff once upon the stone.


    The next instance was carnage.


    Men turned to animals, women to banshees and the craven soon made themselves known as they charged the barred jail doors. Grim eyed guards stood beyond, unmoved as the criminals were cut down by those who had chosen to fight.


    Jack forced himself to watch the slaughter, as human and monster alike fell upon each other like wolves upon the lamb. The fighting was bloody, cut-throat and ruled by complete anarchy of hundreds of struggling limbs. Murders tried to pull their guts back into their body, swindlers attempted to feign their strength while staying out of the worst of it and madmen cackled while tearing out their own nails.


    Amidst it all the Flower Knight was different. Jack hadn''t seen how she broke the chains, but she strode now through the battle as if it were a flowerbed. Her hair was a mane of flowers, a rainbow of hues with crimson being the most prominent. Her eyes were grass green, her fine pink lips pulled back to reveal perfectly set white teeth.


    A man dove at her back, dagger in hand. The Flower knight whipped around to smash his head into the ground, then planted something in his mouth. In the next moment, he squirmed but did not scream. From his body burst roots, and from his mouth a crimson flower.


    The Flower Knight plucked the flower, admired it, then added it to her mane.


    "Jack, some of these people have useful skills. Having them kill each other like this will waste their talents," Phillip warned, without any hint of compassion in his eyes for the desperate masses of life.


    "I know. I have read the report of each member here, maybe it''s time to lend a hand to our latest recruits."


    Summoning his golden chains, Jack first extracted Tony the Breton. The thief rose to hang by golden chains before in the air before Jack.


    Fast with his hands, and faster with his feet, Tony had been a pick-pocket that had slipped a jewelled ring free of a baron, then another from his wife and then the necklace of the daughter. All on the same night. If only he hadn''t boasted loudly about the theft at a nearby tavern the next day, he wouldn''t have been caught.


    "Tony the Breton, do you swear your everlasting loyalty to Jack the Warden?" Phillip announced with all the aires of a professional priest.


    "Aye, aye I do-"


    "Liar," Phillip hissed, a golden eye flaring at his forehead. Tony the Breton paled, "No- no I swear it! I''ll follow him, i''ll-"


    "Liar."


    Lifting him high, Jack built up strength before slinging him back into the fray. Tumbling against the stone, Tony the Breton had his throat cut before he could so much as stand.


    "For the remainder of you, I am a great priest of the All Kowing one. For as long as I have my blessing of [Truth] you cannot lie to me. Do so when questioned, or fail to give your honest loyalty, and you will go the same way as Tony the Breton!"

 Chapter 27 - Let the blood hit the floor

    The Flower Knight continued to impress, her moves lighting fast and yet smooth as running water. She snapped necks and planted flowers with the same small hands, her flower mane swishing left and right as she appeared to dance throughout the battlefield.


    A huge Forest Troll roared at a great pitch, the smell of blood driving the monster into a frenzy as it charged into the fray. Throwing aside several humans at a time, the monster was both insanely strong and able to heal in an instant. Its favourite move appeared to be stamping on the others heads, skulls crashing like eggshells beneath the Forest Troll''s heel.


    Through the slaughter appeared one even more impressive than the Flower Knight, his blades like living creatures in his hands. In single strikes, he split others in half, with a flick of the wrist blood spurt, and in a single step he appeared several feet ahead to strike through another man''s eye. Whoever this man was, he had the clear skills of an Assassin.


    A brave warrior came to oppose him, using several skills to increase his defence and force the assassin to focus on him. To either side came another pair of warriors that used the exact same set of abilities.


    "You''ve been caught by the green boys!" Sneered the first, smacking his hammer rhythmically against his shield. "Prepare to lose yea head!"


    Immediately the assassin attacked. The first warrior swung, yet the assassin flowed beneath his arm, turned and drove a critical strike into the warrior''s spine. Collapsing, the warrior twitched on the ground.


    Two more warriors charged, the assassin seemingly enjoying dodging their blows until he could get into the position to deliver the exact same spine strike. All three paraplegics now twitched helplessly on the floor, while the assassin returned to the fray with a bloodthirsty smile.


    Jack was pulling out a pair of rogues when the scene below changed. Skeletons pulled themselves out from various shadows, while the dead warriors arose as zombies. The culprit was a strange woman with dark-rimmed eyes and the symbol of the Three cut into her forehead.


    In the next moment she muttered, and the [blessing-fire] appeared around several of her zombies weapons. The skeletons were just strong enough to slow the enemy down, but it was the zombies that killed. Each held much of their power in life, some few appearing more successfully raised than the others, and could even activate the abilities they had mastered in life to devastating effect in death. Paired with burning blades, the zombies made short work of most of their opponents and only became more ferocious when they set their own bodies aflame with holy fire. So devastating was the wall of fiery zombies that Jack was forced to take her out of the battle before her undead tide wiped away the many criminals she quickly cornered.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Am I allowed to have such a spell caster?" Jack whispered, eyes flittering to Phillip at his side.


    "You are not of the church anymore and given special permission by the One. There is nothing you can''t do in the name of the Thunberad Crusade," Phillip answered through gritted teeth as the necromancer with priest powers was pulled up before them.


    "Do you swear your loyalty to Jack the Warden?" Phillip said with all the charm of a boulder.


    "Everything, good priest, I swear to him my soul, my life and my love. I would do anything to further this crusade for the great Three!" the strange woman spoke like a bird, her body twitching from side to side, and her veins popping as the conflicting blessings of the dark and the Three fought within her. For the mindpower to control such opposed powers, she had earned Jack''s respect.


    "She speaks the truth," Phillip hissed as if he would have taken great pleasure in seeing her set aflame along with her raised dead.


    "Might you bring some of the corpses along too, good Captain? I could embalm them so they would survive a long journey, and surely having such sacrificial pawns would be useful in the great crusade," the necromancer with priest powers said, alongside much bowing and drivel.


    Nodding, Jack returned his attention to the battle.


    Below a claymore wielding barbarian was starting to make a strong impression, lopped off limbs and screaming men left wherever he charged. Entering a berzerkers fury he grew slightly larger, and his skin became a hazy red. Erratic and uncontrollable, he swung in wide arcs until he had the misfortune of running into the Forest Troll.


    The first swing of his sword bit deeply into the Troll''s side, but the troll hit back before there could be a second. Send flailing backwards, claymore still lodged into the Troll''s side, the berzerker could only froth at the mouth as he scampered to his feet.


    "Die little man!" the Forest Troll roared as he pushed the berzerker over, then stamped on his chest until his insides became his outsides and blood washed across the stone.


    "Let''s get the troll out next, he''ll just kill everyone else otherwise," Jack said, pulling the troll up with all the strength his chains could muster. It was a slow process, but once he was pulled out the combat below became a little fairer. Next, he pulled out the berzerkers corpse and the ''Green boys'' for the thankful necromancer. To do so with his holy chains hurt Jack dearly, but such were the punishments of losing his titles. This was what he was reduced to now.


    Cracking his stiff neck, Jack continued to evaluate the performance of the four hundred criminals that already had been whittled down to a hundred.


    With more butchery to go, Jack massaged his eyes, intent on watching to the very end.

 Chapter 28 - The Warden Company

    Thirty-nine of the finest killers, thieves, charlatans, monsters and forbidden magic users stood before Jack. One was an outright troll - Trag the Stamper - his wounds having healed throughout the fighting as soon as they had been inflicted.


    Another was a dark wizard named Dana who had had an epiphany while in prison. While she could still summon skeletons to crawl out of some dark space due to her evil dealings, she now also held some powers of a crusader after swearing the remainder of her soul to the Bountyheart. The change should have annihilated her necromantic powers, but for whatever reason the god allowed them to remain, and his own [blessing - fire] to work on the skeletons to create holy burning skeletons.


    The finest warrior was an assassin known as Ozzy the Thirdborne. Jack had had a troubling time disliking the raven-haired man, handsome enough the female crusaders had blushed, and the female inmates had held back even as Ozzy slit their throats. With lithe muscle, a hauntingly beautiful smile and soulless eyes, Ozzy had butchered his opponents one at a time with a graceful combat skill that could have been considered touched by the gods.


    "Jack, I know you are thinking, but shouldn''t we take her too?" Phillip spoke as warmly as his cold eyes would allow, and Jack was forced to grit his teeth and nod.


    "You may arise," Jack grunted, peering over the balcony into the octagon that was now a field of dead. The Flower Knight stood so beautifully within, not a fleck of blood on her pale skin except to wet her lips and turn them an alluring crimson. Shifting her stance, Jack''s heart raced, as the Flower Knight strode confidentially through the dead - each with a flower bursting out their mouth.


    Some she had taken for the garden of her mane, yet so many more had been left to torment the jailors and crusaders alike. She was beautiful - there was no arguing about that - but she was also devastatingly powerful.


    Too powerful. Such that Jack was sure she could pose a threat to him if she turned traitor.


    Building up strength in her milk-white legs, she ran with the soft slap of feet on stone with the odd splash of blood mixed within. Approaching the wall she ran right up, leapt, and landed atop the railing. As she grinned down at him, her prisoners shift fluttered, and Jack got an eyeful of the naked body that lay hidden behind.


    "Get her some clothes," Jack hissed, stepping back, staring up into those grass green eyes welling with great amusement. "Well? Get down recruit, as a monster you''ll be reporting to Trog the Stamper -"


    "-why? If I can beat him, does that mean I get his position?"


    Jack''s eyes narrowed.


    "No. Appointments come from my decisions only, and that can only be swayed by performance in this crusade. Catch come enemies of humanity, and then we can talk about replacements."This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Trog the Bruiser bellowed thick laugher.


    "Little flower girlie think she can even fit my toe in that tiny mouth? You are so tiny, flower girl! My feet would stamp you into dust!"


    "Trog the Stamper, do you happen to have a foot fetish?" The Flower Knight giggled, pulling back her prisoners shift to better show wiggling white toes. Against all odds, Trog the Bruiser somehow blushed through course grey skin.


    "Tempar, what we do?" Trog the Bruiser grumbled, the Flower Knight just giggling further as she continued to wiggle her toes.


    "Firstly, welcome to Warden Company. Phillip the Apostate here is our representative of the church, and he is the highest-ranking member of the Kingdom present. However, you are all under my direct authority, and while Phillip can override my decision at any time, you report to me. Is that understood?"


    "Yes, Captain!" Roared the lines of crusaders and priest. A tad slower came the out of tune mumble of Jack''s latest recruits.


    "Aye aye boss man!" The Flower Knight said in her best Trog impression. Trog grit his foul teeth and stared.


    "What''s our first move then?" Said Ozzy, sleek as oil, eyes sizing up everyone around him as if he expected to fight his comrades as much as the enemy. Knowing where they came from, Jack thought that a good idea.


    "Trog, Dana and Flower Knight step forward."


    Each did so and summoning his golden chains Jack wrapped them around each in turn and pulled free a copy of their abilities. From Trog he received a few uses of his Trollish regeneration, from Dana some of her more potent dark spells and from the Flower Knight...


    He stared at her, seeing past her beauty to what lay within. This power, to make flowers that comprised someone''s essence, what was the point of it?


    "Is everyone properly equipped?" Jack looked up to a ream of nodding heads, having seized what they wanted from prisons collection of confiscated equipment. Now not only where they recently prisoners, but they couldn''t have looked shadier with their black leather, skull-topped helmets, spiked shields and all manner of murderers trophies.


    "Good, because I can only do this once."


    Once they were all blindfolded, Jack included, Phillip led them all away. Down to the cathedral he knew, past the cells filled with monsters that he still had a few copied abilities of left to use. Through the Golden door, down the hatch, and once all assembled, to the very site of Jack''s downfall.


    "Our mission, is to bring one of those accused of the Cathedrals destruction to justice. Catch this man, and we will receive rewards beyond your dreams. He has flame-coloured hair, golden eyes, and sports the sigil of House Tumberlay on his armour."


    Turning away from Warden Company, Jack produced his golden chains and released one of his most prized copied spells. A bubbling disc of angry demonic energy formed, and quickly snapped into place with the portal that had previously been formed on this exact spot.


    This was like spitting on the church, but having been released as a Templar it was less of a disgrace to use demons magic. Once the portal was formed, it went to wherever the other had gone. Staring into the whirling vortex, Jack wondered if they would have to fight immediately, whether they would appear under an ocean or atop a baking desert.


    Had the demon thought this far? Would she have made two portals, one to a harmful location and a second to her true target?


    "Go. Seize the landing sight on the other side, and make it prepared for my arrival."


    As his Warden Company rushed on past and into the demonic vortex, Jack brooded. It didn''t suit him lying to his inferiors. For the One had made it very clear that while the fire-haired youth was a target, he was not THE target.


    No, the real target was the demonic girl who could make these portals. With that power, copied by the Templars who could use [Blessing - Copy] they would have a superweapon that would see all other nations fall.


    With a heavy heart, Jack went through the portal.

 Chapter 29 - Stat scores

    "We''d like to take the test please," Kenji said as the boy knight.


    "That will be three silvers sir - oh, thank you," the cute counter girl smiled warmly even though Kenji had slid the coins along with a bit too much enthusiasm. Pretty cat ears and tail made her stand out even more in Tariak, and Kenji had heard no amount of small talk as to the girls kindness and good looks.


    "Calm down you two," Violet said with a noble demeanour, as Kenji had begun breathing quickly and Tenko was running around with equal excitement.


    "We''re actually testing a whole lot of people this afternoon. So you''ll have to wait until then, unfortunately," the counter girl said, seemingly terribly apologetic for souring the good mood. "But we can check your stats instead! Most of the cost of being tested comes from the expense of the materials used to determine your level, class, abilities and the like. We record the information in the Guild leger, so feel free to return and check up on anything that you''ve forgotten. Although it will take another silver to actually update that information."


    Kenji gulped and began to sweat, "is there a way to keep that information confidential?"


    After all, if ''#18 of the 18 evil souls'' came up, his species or the dead corpses in his internal storage Kenji feared the testers wouldn''t take to that too kindly. Peering around at all the adventurers milling about, he didn''t like his chances of escape either.


    "Certainly there is a confidential option," the counter girl said pleasantly. Kenji sighed with relief, wiping some of the sweat from his face.


    "It''ll cost one gold coin. Alternatively, for 50 gold coins, you can purchase a card that auto-updates from a drop of blood, and that you can carry around with you."


    Kenji groaned, but forced himself to shake his head. They needed this card to do any significant quest, to get guild information and protection. Without it, they had no one looking out for them, and it wouldn''t be fair to ask the other two to hold back just because Kenji was afraid of being found out as a Forbidden species of Mimic.


    "The Golden Goose Guild doesn''t discriminate, does it?" Kenji gestured at his purple companion, the serving girl quickly shaking her cat ears side to side.


    "As long as you don''t use your powers for evil, non-humans are more than welcome. We''re not like those big-city Guild''s that force those kinds of people into strict regulations or anything....to be honest, we can''t afford to push anyone away at the moment. There are too many quests that pay too little and until we can build up a good enough rapport with the local population that won''t change either."Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    "I''ve been meaning to ask about that. Why is everyone trying to pay you so little for good work? Did something happen?"


    "Yes and no. It''s a combination of things really. The old Golden Goose Guild used to be pretty strong, but all the best members went elsewhere in search of high paying quests, rare materials and glory. Guild Master Almanac is the last to stay, and the only one capable of taking care of the strongest enemies. But the local Lord says his not enough and has stopped paying for quests. Instead, he pays to train his own warriors and has greatly expanded their combat potential over the past years. While we have slowly worked up a good relationship with the people again, now that they have to bear the full brunt of the cost it''s proven difficult to get anywhere near the right amount of reward for how difficult various quests are which in turn means everyone levels either rise really slowly or not at all."


    After a bit of a grim silence, the counter girl sucked in a big breath and brought back her beaming smile.


    "So if you come this way, you''ll find why our guild is called the Golden Goose," she said, gesturing up to the second floor. Carefully Kenji followed, peering at the grey bearded guard with some apprehension. Yet the counter girl touched his arm lovingly, the grey-beared smiling back with warm eyes before the counter girl ushered them upward.


    From the souring mood of the tavern''s singles, Kenji guessed this was the man she was dating at the moment.


    Up there on the second floor, Kenji could just breathe easier. There was a nice bar, beautiful men and women, fine equipment and trophies on the walls. More importantly, he could peer down at all the first-floor commoners, and it made him feel as if he had finally made it.


    "Please hurry, we don''t want to disrupt the senior adventurers. They don''t like juniors being around if they can help it-"


    "Hey! Green beans, getting your cards checked?" Boomed a huge bear humanoid.


    "Ah, yes." Kenji smiled up at the bear and admired how it''s armour had little pictures of bears and paws on it. Slung down the bear man''s back was a large iron morningstar.


    "Mr Grawg, these adventurers were just passing through," the counter girl said with a forced smile as the bear-man pulled her into his side.


    "And yet here they dawdle, enjoying the clean air while they muddle it with their inferiority. You can enjoy the second-floor newbies once you''ve earned it! So stop gawking, and get moving!"


    "Mind letting her go," Kenji hissed and Violet raised her nose. Tenko meanwhile went straight for the butt, biting deeply through his fur and into his exposed behind.


    "YOW!" the Bearman cried, rubbing his butt ruefully as he peered around for the culprit. Yet small and swift, Tenko dodged his sight to reappear by Kenji''s side. Before Mr Grawg could realise what had happened, the counter girl had pushed them into a back room guarded by a pair of stone elementals shaped to appear like huge geese.


    "Just through here, please. We''ll begin shortly," entering an alchemy lab, Kenji was met by the sight of bubbling potions, books chained to the walls, arcane equipment sprawled across several pieces of furniture and a fireplace filled with a bright blue flame.


    An adjoining door opened, and in through came the dashing Almanac.


    "Welcome! You want your adventurer cards right? We''ll let''s get started~" Almanac said with such a bright smile and shining charisma that Kenji almost didn''t notice his eyes.


    Eyes filled with a piercing terror.

 Chapter 30 - Wizards Quest

    "Take a seat, this won''t take long," Almanac said, Kenji quickly taking a seat on his side of the desk, as did Tenko and Violet. All were enraptured - counter cat girl included - as Almanac pulled out a great white goose feather quill with a golden tip crafted to look like a goose''s head.


    "Kenji Aztec, would you like to go first?"


    Unsure as what do to, Kenji nodded.


    "Then please extend your hand - I''ll need just a pinprick of blood."


    Kenji thrust his shaking hand forward. Violet placed hers on his shoulder and Tenko patted him on the arm. Having them there brought Kenji focus, the shaking stopped, and his anxiety eased.


    Pecking his hand with the Golden Goose Quill, the beak was dashed with a speck of red. Hastily Almanac then held the Quil over a piece of parchment, then let go. The Quil remained unsupported in the air and began to scribble of its own accord.


    Peering over his shoulder, the counter girl was writing in a ledger as the Quill wrote and Kenji thought up several tricks that might work to destroy that recorded evidence. But either way, the counter girl could just remember it and - oh no, Kenji started to shake again as Almanac looked up at Kenji with large eyes as the Quil started scribbling chaotically around the page''s bottom.


    "I-I''m sorry, this hasn''t happened before, the Golden Goose Quill is usually very good at spelling and-"


    Kenji snatched the piece of paper and found it to be riddled with spelling errors.


    Neme: Arthur fo Tumberlay


    Title: The Flame-haired


    Clas: Krusader


    Rce: Human?


    Strenth: 6


    Agilwily: 5


    Cunning: @%&$


    Magic: Constitution


    X-factor: Forbidden


    After the misspelled words, the Quill had devolved into random scribbling and a few doodles. One of which looked like a tree, another a pair of pointy ears and the last a lock and chain.


    "Thing must be getting old. You will - of course- be refunded in full. Eh, do your companions still wish to have their stat cards made? I''m quite sure this anomaly is unlikely to be repeated. You do not happen to have a gods blessing that makes it difficult for your information to be revealed by others do you?"


    "Well, the Everseeing did say something about ''Your information shall become immutable'' but I don''t know what that means," Kenji fists curled, his blood pumped and he felt a hot rage course through his veins. A rage directed at himself, Arthur apparently not taking the idea of lying about the Everseeing''s words without wanting to hit Kenji.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Violet''s blood came out a bright scarlet, the Quil sent into another fervour of scribbling.


    "Mind if I see it too?'' Kenji asked, Violet allowing him only reluctantly.


    Name: Catelyn Sunder


    Title: High Priestess and heavenly goddess of the Sun Elves


    Class: Crystal Summoner


    Race: Sun Elf?


    Strength: 3


    Agility: 5


    Magic: 9


    "Catelyn Sunder, Crystal Summoner," Kenji grinned. "That sounds nice, do you preferred to be called Catelyn then?"


    "No. I like Violet, Catelyn...was not a name for me." Violet blushed a little as she tucked her stat card away, Almanac again filled with apologies.


    "I don''t understand why there''s a question mark at all. Maybe this old artifact is finally seeing the end of its days," He sighed. "Little wolf-girl, you''re next and I''m sure you''ll get your stats just fine."


    Tenko hid behind Kenji, looking at the Golden Goose Quil with some concern.


    "Hey, it''s ok. I barely felt it, besides your so strong! No way a little prick like that could make you afraid, right Tenko?" Kenji said, rubbing her flattened wolf ears until they perked up a little and her tail swished bravely.


    "Yes. Tenko is strong!" Tenko announced. Slowly she pushed her little hand across the table, eyes firmly closed and shaking. Kenji held her other hand, his own being crushed in her surprisingly strong grip.


    Almanac leant over, and with a small prick, it was done.


    "See Tenko? You did so well, good job," Kenji laughed as she threw herself at his side. Scooping the little wolf girl up he gave her a big hug. The counter girl giggled to herself as she watched the two, "You three are like a real family," she mused.


    "Tenko is STRONG!" Tenko announced right into Kenji''s ear.


    Again Almanac looked at the scorecard confused, before passing it back along.


    Name: Tenko Tenzen


    Title: Matriarch of the Tenzen Clan


    Class: High Moon Priest


    Race: Werewolf


    Strength: 4-10


    Agility: 6-11


    Magic: 7


    "Well, this makes a little more sense. Werewolves have two values, one for their base form and another for their monstrous one. Although I admit I''ve never heard of this class before, but this title...are you really the leader of the Tenzen werewolves little one?" Almanac said, fretful eyes focusing for a moment.


    "Yes. Are you a friend or an enemy?" Tenko said, her ears jerking upward and lips parting to reveal sharp teeth.


    "A friend. But I do happen to know of a small Adventurer Guild that has requested support from me to deal with them. If you and your friends here could instead deal with the matter peacefully, well, that would be a reward measured in gold. Think about it, I do want to prefer unnecessary bloodshed whenever possible. The amount of devastation that has come from this Kingdom''s expansion...it''s, unimaginable," Fingers clasped, and the fear returned to his eyes Almanac turned to look at the counter cat-girl.


    She shook her cat ears slowly, "they haven''t reported back yet Guildmaster."


    Turning back to Kenji''s team, Almanac sighed.


    "I have a favour to ask, an emergency quest as it were. A...strange force has entered Tariak. As far as I can tell they are an Inquisitorial band that operates outside of the Kingdom''s laws, spreading throughout our town and roughing people up like they own the place. Asking questions about someone with flame-coloured hair, golden eyes and the Sigil of Tumberlay on their armour. Do you understand...?"


    Kenji''s blood ran cold, how could they have tracked him down so quickly?


    "I see that you do. I won''t ask how you know these people, but I won''t confirm it either. What I do know is that you might be wrongfully executed by these thugs in priest clothing. So I want you to take a message to the Headless Hunter Guild, collect the reward from them, and then leave Tariak. Head to the Tenzen, solve that matter with the werewolves while this situation with the Inquisitors blows over. I can''t do anymore than this, so please be careful."


    Turnign left and right, Kenji found his companions in agreement.


    "We agree. Give us the message, we''ll go immediately," Kenji said.

 Chapter 31 - Deadly Message

    "Dear Hartog,


    You can no longer continue the narrative of representing the poor and forgotten while the Church''s forces are in town.


    Please be careful with your younger members too, they might start trouble.


    The Inquisitor force has raided our guild already, demanding information on a flame-haired Crusader with gold eyes and a very specific sigel. This will be the sigel of the messenger that delivered this message and who you would have noticed fits the other characteristics of the wanted person.


    Please help this adventurer and his party escape Tariak.


    Be careful Hartog, the Church has grown strange these past few months.


    Best wishes,


    Almanac the Unworthy."


    As soon as Kenji finished reading the letter aloud, he used some candle wax to reseal the letter. checking it over, you''d never be able to tell it was opened at all.


    "Why did you open it?" Tenko asked. Violet meanwhile had finished packing up their things.


    "Wanted to know if we were heading for a trap. It would have been easy coins to hand me in - instead they''re helping us out. And I knew these two were working together! They''re ''Guilds'' must be just about stirring up fake rivalry to make the guild members more committed. A good idea really, we could learn something from them."


    "Let''s get going Kenji, it''ll be dangerous the longer we wait," Violet said, shoving a travel pack at each of them. It had taken the rest of their coin, but these fourth hand adventurer bags, satchels and old provisions would see them travelling for a few days at least.


    "It was nice of Almanac to give us that discount. These cloaks as well," Kenji pulled his dark green hood to obscure his fiery hair and marched out into the night air. The reason he wore the form of the boy knight at all was so if they were discovered he could lure the enemy away, then transform into another form and return. A last-ditch resort, but both Tenko and Violet knew not to follow him if it came to that. Behind him came Tenko with an Azure cloak and Violet in a dull daisy coloured cloak.


    "Really, as if they didn''t have purple?" She grunted, then noting Kenji''s chuckling sniffed angrily and hurried along. Together they went into the already packed streets, everyone out and about, the talk of ''Warden Company'' thick in the air.


    After barely having left the guild, the sound of marching filled the streets. Eight of the Lord''s soldiers and eight Crusaders with billowing gold and red capes shoved aside the crowd en-route to the Golden Goose Guild. Kenji pressed himself against a stone building and pulled his hood low as did Violet and Tenko. The company of enemy troops crashed on by, a pair of particularly heavy steps amongst their number.


    Only once they passed did Kenji peer over, to find a huge man with raven black hair, no insignia and golden chains binding his arms at their back.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Let''s go," Kenji whispered as the troops charged within the Guild Keep. At least they had their weapons sheathed...for now.


    Winding through the streets they found the occasional Lord soldier and no few patrols of vicious-looking men and women often accompanied by a snooty priest or crusader. They halted everyone that passed by, interrogating them, and taking some few for further questioning elsewhere.


    Taking the back alleys, Kenji had little trouble winding his way- Tenko pulled them into the dark of a building. Before Kenji could say a word he felt her trembling uncontrollably, her eyes staring up to the roof with raw terror in her eyes.


    There Kenji spotted a dash of darkness against the starry sky. The black shape grinned with pristine white teeth, a glinting blade in either hand. For a moment that figure sucked in the fear of the crowd, before dashing across several more rooftops and away.


    "W-we should go," Kenji whispered, the strange figure had chilled him to the core. The speed of the creature''s step, the aura of....death. Whoever that was, it would have killed all three of them without resistance. Kenji was certain.


    "Get OFF her!" Screamed a familiar buck-toothed boy.


    Leaving the relative safety of the alley, Kenji discovered a dozen brutes had blocked off a street. In the midst of them all, a shaved haired woman with the symbol of the Three cut into her forehead held the twisted eyed Headless Hunter girl in the air.


    "Come with me boy, and your sister can live," the woman said grinning as if she were a witch trying to entice children to come to her cabin in the woods. The buck-toothed boy, in turn, rose his stave, a lick of cold wind building up in its end. Behind him, several younger children quivered and cried, no few clutching at the buck-toothed boy''s clothes.


    "You let Charlie go or I''ll freeze your balls off!" Scag screamed, eyes filled with an equal measure of rage and terror.


    "Don''t do it Scag! This bitch is crazy, run for your life!"


    "Violet, Tenko, get the children out of harm''s way," Kenji whispered as he stepped forward. Violet held him back, "Kenji don''t do it! Those are the ones that stole from us, and you''ll be tortured and killed if they catch you!"


    "''If'' they find me. And don''t you want to help them too?" he could see in her eyes that she did. "Good. Now when I return, you might have to convince me to change back if I appear as Ash, ok?"


    Without waiting for a response, Kenji ran into the fray. The thugs stank like absolute hell as he got closer - actually one was missing a jaw, another had a puss filed eye and a third only one arm seeing as the rest of him was cut clean away. They were undead, in the dark, Kenji hadn''t realised.


    "Who are you- GET HIM!" the woman screeched, throwing the girl aside and pointing. Immediately the undead attacked while dozens of skeletons crawled out of the shadows to grapple at Kenji''s feet.


    "[Blessing-fire]!" Kenji announced, his legs becoming covered in holy flame. Running for his life, he crashed through each skeleton in turn, a pack of rather pissed of zombies chasing after him.


    Luckily for him, Kenji was faster.


    "Oh Albion, please catch this rat for me," the shaved woman laughed, a hulking barbarian sauntering out of a nearby alleyway. Behind him arose fresh zombies, Kenji snarling as he recognised them as townsfolk.


    Yet Kenji hadn''t the time to be angry as the barbarian roared like a troll with glass in its throat and charged faster than a rampaging bull. As it charged the zombie barbarian''s limbs swelled, eyes flared red and huge claymore seemed to weigh as much as a feather.


    "Oh fuck that," Kenji said, running as far as he could before he dived into a nearby alleyway. Immediately upon entry he became the Corrupt Spirit Tree, and used his mass of vines and roots to encircle the alleyway''s mouth. Barely a moment later the zombie barbarian arrived and dumbly charged right in.


    Constricted by a dozen vines and roots, Kenji then abandoned the Corrupt Spirit Tree body. That meant the vines would continue to hold the barbarian for a while, but that form would take an entire day until his Forbidden Replication Slot could replicate the body again Vs if he had reclaimed the form after use.


    Using Ash he watched for a moment as the dead piled up on the other side of his hastily made barrier of wood and decided the sacrifice easily worth it. He just hoped there wouldn''t be more fighting because as he watched, the zombie barbarian was breaking off the Corrupt Spirit Tree''s stranglehold one root at a time with its bare hands and snapping teeth.


    Slinking away into the night, Kenji headed on light elvish feet to the Headless Hunter Guild.

 Chapter 32 - Headless Hunter Guild

    Long before Kenji had arrived at the Headless Hunter Guild, he had reverted back to the boy knight.


    The ''Guild'' was a shabby tavern on the outside of town, built under a giant willow tree and threatened to fall in on itself at any moment. The slightest push of wind across the surrounding fields caused the tiled roof to creak and the wood to moan.


    Sauntering around it were the lowlife''s Kenji had feared, more than a few revealing shining steel at their belts. Like packs of animals, they strode up from various dens, tents and strange forts built atop trees with rope paths between them.


    "What have we here, Scab?" Muttered one, spitting out something foul into the mud. He had raven black hair with an equally dark eyepatch and spellbook. Ywt none of those could compare to the darkness welling in that remaining eye, as if Kenji peered into death itself.


    "A pretty boyss Jed that''sss what. What are you doing out heress pretty boyss?" Hissed a woman with slits for pupils, elegant swathes of blue scale down her neck and a snake''s tongue. Smiling wide, she revealed toothless gums save for a pair of poisonous fangs.


    "I''m here to see...damn, what was his name again?" Kenji racked his brains, but as the pair approached in their bandit leather and wicked grins all sense had left him. Oh gods - the memory of those warriors storming the Golden Goose Guild haunted him, and Kenji had just left them to die like that?


    "What''sss wrong with you kid? Didn''t meanss to shake you up that bad," the snake woman said with welling concern. As Kenji fell to one knee he began to breathe faster, lungs like bellows that roared in short sharp bursts.


    Lithe hands wrapped around him, boneless and cold. But they felt as warm as a mother at that moment, as they stroked his head and hissed endless pleasantries.


    "Let''sss bring him inside Jed, poor thing''sss all out of sortsss," Scab said, Jed answering by pulling Kenji up to his feet and snarling.


    "What''s wrong with yea? Who did this to you, did someone steal somthin''?"


    Kenji was already overwhelmed, but such unexpected kindness nearly sent him over the edge.


    "Here, for your Guildmaster. The Golden Goose...it''s been attacked. The people of Tariak too," Kenji held back heavy sobs as he held up the letter, Scag and Jed looking at one another with concern. Prying it free from his too-tight hand, Jed nodded and bound inside.


    "Come with me, I thinkss there are two thatss have been expecting youss," Scab led Kenji by the hand, through the cracked wooden door and into the opposite of what he had expected. Children, teenagers and the wounded were stacked on a dozen bunk beds and nestled within the blankets of the floors.


    Scarred men and women, with the clothing of ruffians and the blades of the wicked, now strode with warm smiles as they offered medicine, conversation and bowls filled with hot soup. In between a pair of fevered eyed elders sat Tenko and Violet, their eyes brightening as Kenji walked over.


    "KENJI!" Tenko shouted, several guildmembers hissing at her to be quite. Apologetic, Tenko wove between the sickbed to press her fuzzy ears into his side.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Violet had twinkling eyes as she watched, but refrained from breaking her conversation with an elderly woman who seemed in a wretched state. Dark veins spread across her arms and up her neck, every breathe coming short and sharp. But those eyes were filled with delight as every soft word was attentively heard by the purple beauty by her side.


    "This is where your money went," a certain buck-toothed thief muttered at Kenji''s side. Jumping with surprise, Kenji turned sharply to the boy.


    "I didn''t notice you were there," he admitted.


    "Tenko did~" Tenko said with a big cheesy grin. The buck-toothed boy turned his head away, a slight blush on his muddy cheeks.


    "What is this place? Some kind of hospice...I thought you were adventurers?" Kenji said that with a bit of shame. After all, if adventurers were supposed to help people, how could the adventurers here be anything but the purest form of what an adventurer is supposed to be?


    With only a cursory glance, he gave found Hero ranks between [J] and [F] without even needing to know another thing. If he had the time, Kenji is certain he could have found several worthy of being scouted.


    "You, messenger," Shouted Jed from across the room. Jerking his chin into a side room, Kenji nodded.


    "Let''s go - and kid, keep the money. This is a good use for it as any. Thank you." Kenji bowed at the boy. After figuring out how to close his mouth, the boy began to laugh.


    "You''re thanking me for stealing from you? Do you have an egg for a brain?"


    "Don''t push your luck punk," Kenji growled, reaching for the boy only to find him slippery as butter.


    "Can''t catch your own tongue, egg-brain," the boy snickered as he moved through the crowded Guild Hall as easy as the King''s road. Kenji meanwhile wasted several minutes just getting to the opposing door. Followed by Tenko and Violet, they paused before they entered.


    "It''s good to see you two safe," Kenji said, forcing away his worry for the moment. For them at least, he would appear strong.


    "It''s good to see you ok. I thought I''d lost you," Violet whispered, giving his hand a quick squeeze while Tenko tried to stifle her laughter. Scowling Violet pulled away and Kenji felt...oddly disappointed.


    Striding within they were met with the usual black armour of the pigman Guildmaster.


    "You three, your timing is impeccable. My Guild members will be assembled soon enough, so whoever dares look down on brother Almanac will see the error of their ways while I grind my steel through their skulls!" Snorting, the Guild leader let loose twin jets of steam.


    "But I do have a favour I need to ask of you. Two of our orphans has so far been kept from the Lord''s clutches, yet I fear he will use this chance to seize them. Please, take them with you," Standin up the Guild Master''s huge mass forced the table forward. From his great height, the Guild master then bowed low, "please! I beg of you, their very lives could depend on it!"


    "Please, uh..." Kenji still couldn''t remember the pigman''s name, "...Guildmaster, you don''t need to bow. I think I speak for all of us when I say we would be proud to help these orphans of yours. If I might say though, there is a plan that could save both your Guilds while simultaneously helping us out of the region."


    Kenji would be lying if he said he didn''t enjoy the shocked expression of the Guildmaster.


    "What is it, what plan could possibly do so much as that?" The Guildmaster grunted, squinty eyes filled with intrigue.


    Before Kenji could answer, Jed burst through the door with gritted teeth.


    "Guildmaster - something is wrong! Pain''s team came back early from collecting medical supplies, they say the Inhumans in Tariak are being rounded up! And...and..."


    "What is it Jed? What has shaken you so?"


    Jed''s single eye fileld with black rage.


    "They said something is coming - something in command of a host of undead nonhumans. It''s...it''s too late for us to evacuate the children and the infirm."


    Raising both fists, the Guildmaster sent them crashing down into his desk.


    "Then order the Headless Hunters to prepare for battle, we won''t give up even one of our weakest without a fight! And you - messenger- explain your plan. Now!"


    Amidst the flurry of activity, Kenji grinned as he explained how he would save all their lives.

 Chapter 33 - They came at night

    Kenji waited in the dark, Hartog having ordered every candle and lantern to be covered.


    A dozen ranged Guild members waited in their strange tree forts, while a dozen more had mostly vanished into the night. Distantly, Kenji heard clacking bones nearing, the sounds of screams piercing through the night air and his pounding heart in his ears most of all.


    "Tenko, Violet, we go all out tonight. Understood?"


    Both nodded.


    "Kenji, we should send them away," Tenko whispered as she pulled at his sleeve.


    Turning, Kenji found several children clutching kitchen knives, saucepans and old farming equipment. The oldest was the buck-toothed kid, but the youngest couldn''t be more than four years old.


    "She''s right you know," Kenji said fully aware of how keen the senses of this Guild''s adventurers were. The buck-toothed boy just stuck out his tongue while he clutched his stave. At his side the wicked girl with a thing for knives muttered in their ears quickly, swatting one or another until they rearranged their grip and nodded approval when they finally got ready.


    "Leave the fighting to us," Kenji insisted, the girl finally turning to him with the deepest hatred Kenji had ever seen. Her eyes were filled with poisonous derision, a milder version reverberating in the other child soldiers.


    "And allow our family to be butchered in there, then raised again? Not on your life - outsider."


    Kenji lowered his shoulders, the term having hurt quite a bit more than he had expected.


    "You don''t know what you''re doing, you''re as likely to get in the way as to help. Please, head inside," Kenji said, forcing a smile, needing them to heed his words as the horrible sounds of fighting grew nearer. A man''s sudden shriek that cut off as quickly as it come unnerved him greatly, and yet the children held firm, their eyes too hard for their age.


    "You weren''t here during the plague years," the wicked girl hissed and pointed a jagged knife at him. "You weren''t here when people died all over, and kids had to watch their parents turn into monsters. You weren''t here when the Plague King appeared, and the King Thundberad had to send in the Royale army to stop this whole region turning into a gigantic festering pit of death!"


    Kenji stepped away, the intensity of her eyes, the hoarse nature of her voice, and the determination of the children, too much to bear.


    "We are the orphans from that time. No matter how many found work in town, there wasn''t enough when half of everyone - half of our world - turned into a monster! You call us kids, well some of us killed our parents when they tried to eat us! How about that, what have you done to be so confident of protecting us?"


    Kenji strode forward and put a hand on her knife.


    "[Blessing-Fire]," Kenji muttered...and yet no flame appeared.


    The girl snarled at him.


    "[Blessing-fire] [Blessing-fire] [Blessing-fire] what the hell is going on?" Kenji pulled his fiery hair back as he looked over the annoyed child soldiers. "Sorry, I had meant to set your weapons on fire so that you could fight better. It''s always worked before..."


    A sudden light swept across the land, and another, and another.


    Turning around, Kenji''s mouth fell open and his eyes became filled with pure, blazing, all-consuming fury. Seven flaming crucifixes had lit up the night, their non-human sacrifices screaming like banshees as the fire ate at their bodies.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.As...holy fire ate at their bodes.


    "What kind of sick, twisted, evil god gives it''s powered TO A NECROMANCER?" Kenji roared, the dead of night now alive with fighting. The Guildmembers were too few to deal with the grand wave of skeletons, zombies and Ghouls that attacked in packs.


    Then the crucifixes started to move, each a different screaming path on-route to the Headless Hunter guildhall. The blood drained from Kenji''s face as he turned around to stare at the old dry wood of the barely standing structure, fully aware that even a lick of flame would turn the whole thing into a smouldering pyre.


    "They can''t let them get here - everyone inside will be burned alive!" Kenji announced, but there were no senior Guildmembers nearby. Too many were already embroiled in battle.


    While Kenji could make out Jed leading a band of guildmembers as he sent blasts of dark magic towards one crucifix [F], the snake-woman lithely passing all in her path towards another [F] and Hartog smashing his way to a third [E], it would not be enough. And even if they destroyed them all, what was to stop the Necromancer from setting her Ghouls alight and throwing them against their lines until one got through?


    That''s why Kenji''s eyes narrow on the figure standing atop a brute with a claymore. Around her were three packs of the largest and most feral Ghouls, some bristling with armour. And yet, it was the only way.


    "Kids, I leave holding the line here in your hands. The plan was always about me getting to the leader anyway, so just hold the fort while we take down the boss," Kenji gestured to Tenko and Violet. Violet had already summoned her crystal knight and Tenko swiftly transformed into her giant wolf form.


    Focusing, Kenji started speaking at breakneck speed.


    "[sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] [sight] -"


    [Enough! Crusader, you are forbidden from using your abilities against a higher ranking member of my congregation. Cease your prayers, and resume them only once harmony is found again within my flock.]


    "You...won''t let me use your powers to save people...because the Necomancer is of a higher rank...?" Kenji said with complete disbelief.


    [This is how it has always been. Your enemy is not each other, but those who would deny my light in their hearts]


    "Then I denounce you," Kenji whispered, feeling only troubled agreement from Arthur.


    [Denounce me? You would dare jest of such a serious thing?]


    It felt like a bell rung within Kenji, as he pushed on with this decision.


    "I DENOUNCE you! I denounce what you stand for! I DAMN YOU AND YOUr WRETCHED KIND INTO AN ENDLESS TORMENT for daring to think I should hold back from saving innocents from evil!"


    Something broke within Kenji. And when it was gone...Kenji felt somehow free.


    "Are you ok, Kenji?" Violet whispered, looking concerned.


    "I''m fine, just had to have a few stern words with a god. Now, let''s start the plan - OH! Do not get hurt! Like, more than normal, because I have the feeling my patron god will no longer heal your wounds for me," Kenji tried to look sheepish, but he was too proud to care.


    Today, he had stood up to a god. So what chance did a Holy Necromancer stand?

 Chapter 34 - Burning Death

    Violet and Kenji rode Tenko forward, the crystal knight galloping beside them.


    All around them the Guildmembers fought by the dozen, desperately, and with no few having to be dragged away as wounded. Arrow''s filled the air thick as locusts, knives flashed and the Guildmembers forced hard laughs as they attempted to compete with who could kill the most undead.


    "5!" Shouted a girl with a spear, the spear tip bathed in light. The added agility made her light as a feather, her movements flowing like water as she burnt many a hole through zombie limbs.


    "6!" Shouted a youth with a bow, each flaming arrow setting its target alight. His hands moved at a rapid-fire pace, and while only too few of the enemy died to his attacks, many more were weakened.


    "7-ah!" A wizard who had been forming a ball of flame in his hands suddenly found himself surrounded by Ghouls. Armoured warriors defended him with stoically held shields, yet with the enemy so close the wizard could no long unleash his destructive spell safely.


    Nearing the enemy formation, Tenko howled. First, her moon was summoned, the adventurer defenders throughout the field encased in a silver bubble. Then Tenko howled again, her moon turned silver, and the beleaguered defenders found their agility increased.


    With the speed boost, the crystal knight crashed a path through rank after rank of the dead. Those old bones raised from the cemetery broke like old clay, but the freshly raised zombies and Ghouls took their tole about the summoned knight.


    By the time they had reached the enemy Necromancer, the crystal knight was overwhelmed.


    "Left!" Called Tenko, charging the left most pack of Ghouls.


    "Right!'' Called Violet, sending bursts of crystal to erupt beneath the rightmost packs'' feet.


    "Middle," Kenji groaned, forced to face off against the armoured pack. On all fours, the once townsfolk now ran like dogs, unhinged jaws foamed and snapping as they attacked.


    Kenji couldn''t use the Corrupt Spirit Tree so quickly after leaving it''s copied body behind and was thus forced to fight as the boy knight. But he wasn''t alone.


    The earth erupted with allies.


    They appeared from fox holes that had been covered up, the hidden Guildmembers attacking now that the necromancer had been pulled in. They made short work of the regular dead, and were strong enough to deal with the Ghouls too. If slowly.


    "Fools! You would dare cross the Three gods? The One will have your hearts on a platter for this transgression!" The shaved-headed necromancer cackled as Kenji charged.


    With a flick of her wrist, the Necromancer sent a Ghoul galloping past. Frowning Kenji followed it, the Ghoul heading straight for the buck-toothed boy. His hands were shaking as he cast some ice spell, a blast of cold air slowly the charging Ghoul. It would not be enough.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it"Kid, Run-," Kenji was forced to block as an armoured Ghoul launched at him, the buck-toothed boy moments from death in the corner of his vision. Slashing the armoured Ghoul across the face, Kenji turned and found the child soldiers fighting the ghoul off, it''s scratching claws and snapping mouth being held off by a dozen pitchforks and lessor weapons.


    "We''ve got this, go put that bitch in the ground!" The wicked girl screamed as she plunged her knife into the Ghoul''s eyes, and the buck-toothed boy finally started to build ice up along its limbs. Slowed down further, it was weakened to the point that the children could handle it for the moment.


    Nodding, Kenji refocused on the objective.


    Now that her guards were distracted, Kenji could reach the necromancer herself. Jumping to the ground, she whispered something to her raised barbarian and pointed.


    Immediately the barbarians eyes glowed a crimson red, its muscles expanded and it began to swing its huge claymore in wide arcs. Having already used his Corrupt Spirit Tree, Kenji was forced to fight as the boy knight for the moment. He considered Ash, but knew that she was likely to dive to the side to defend Violet rather than follow the plan.


    "We want him alive!" screeched the necromancer as Kenji narrowly avoided being split in two. Dodging past the barbarian''s next swing, he skewered the zombie through the stomach to no effect.


    "Fool! you cannot harm my creation!" she laughed derisively and even added a [Blessing-fire] to the barbarians blade for added effect, yet her laughter was cut off as crystals erupted all around them.


    Having a pair of Ghouls break the crystal aside, she peered around for Kenji with no success.


    "Bastard, don''t let him escape!" she hissed, her giant turning to charge right at her.


    "Stop you oaf, STOP!"


    The barbarian froze and continued to stare at the rat that scuttled past her feet. Kicking away the filthy creature, Dana the Damned searched for her prey.


    "Come out come out wherever you are-huek," from her belly had appeared a blade coated crimson. Falling back against strong arms, the boy knight met her with a look of deep-set hatred.


    "Die already," he hissed as he pulled free his blade to lop off her head, "and give my regards to your god". As she died the undead army stalled, then turned feral. Ghouls remained in their packs, but all other creatures snapped their jaws around the nearest hunk of flesh.

 Chapter 35 - The Plans Fruition

    From the necromancer''s body came a burst of light, a strange golden ghost whisked away with wings of light even while dregs of darkness followed her like a swarm of humming flies.


    "Good job, Kenji," the necromancer''s corpse said with a web of cracks around her eyes.


    "Noir, skip to the lvl up. I can''t bear to see you using such a face," Kenji gripped his sword tightly, as two brilliant banners unwove in his mind. "Although it is nice to see you, can''t you stay awhile? We could use your help."


    The first banner would provide him with a second Forbidden slot and more space - Kenji chose it without a second thought. Copying the Necromancer''s corpse, Kenji hastily pulled the undead under his control and had them destroy one another.


    "You know I would if I could, Kenji. But it doesn''t work that way, my brothers would never allow it. It is not our place as sisters to interact with the world."


    Kenji gave her a long look, the land around them filled with the dead fighting one another to the death, "That sounds wrong. Come with me, and you won''t ever have to fear him again."


    The head laughed across the ground.


    "Your funny Kenji. I''d love to see the world with you. These short forays into this reality...but Kenji, if you can''t at least beat a god, you have no hope against defeating the council. Focus on your own battles for now...I''ll...I''ll be ok by myself."


    Kenji picked up the shaven head and sighed, stepping aside as a brutal battle between a pack of Ghouls spilled across the land.


    "Does it count that I beat the Everseeing at his own game? He thought because this body had spent decades earning his powers that we wouldn''t be willing to throw it away. But I cut him off Noir, just like you can with your brother."


    Troubled, Noir frowned.


    "You shouldn''t say that Kenji. My brothers can hear everything, and while only a few operate on this planet, antagonizing them would surely lead to your own destruction. Be careful, and enjoy the lvl up." With that, those black eyes turned back to the milky white of the necromancer.


    Once the dead were done putting themselves back into the grave, Kenji reclaimed the necromancer''s corpse and put it in his storage. Lastly, he replaced the necromancer''s copy in his new second slot with a copy of Arthur''s body. Turned into a copy of Arthur, he jettisoned the body on the ground and arose in his base form. What he was left with was Arthur''s original corpse in his storage and the fake on the ground with its Forbidden slot needing a day to recharge.


    Turning into Dana the Damned he hastily checked to make sure none of the dead still ''lived''. Using her sickening powers he sucked the deathly magic from the land, reducing the likelihood of the surrounding fields becoming cursed, before turning away with Arthur''s corpse in her hands. He wanted to help heal the wounded, but of course, Dana had specialised utterly into her fire blessings and had neglected any kind of support blessing.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings."Stop, let her go!" shouted Violet while Tenko snarled at the guild members that had been set to charge Kenji and cut him down. They looked to their Guildmaster for direction, who shook his head and continued to help bind the wounds of the wounded. And while there were many wounded, only very few were actually dead. Constantly retreating away had drawn the undead army away from the Necromancer while lessening casualties. Just as Kenji had planned, the Guild members understanding the concept of ''Kiting the enemy'' quite well it seemed. If he had had the time he would have explained the concept of Tank, Damage Dealer and Spellcasters too. With his help. Kenji was certain he could get any guild to perform like the Raid guild''s in his favourite game ''Planet of Fightcraft''.


    So too did those screams of the dead convince Dana her plan was working - when in reality [Death Throes] was a rogueish skill a few Guild members had learned. The skill produced a convincing deathly scream, and if needed, could even make you appear truly dead on the floor. Of course in the dark, they had only needed the audible part of that ability.


    Kenji was not yet done. The Headless Hunters were saved, by the Golden Goose and the captured people of Tariak were not. To convince their leader that staying here wasn''t worth it, Kenji held Arthur''s copied corpse in his hands, and started walking back to Tariak.


    "Remember to meet me at the willow tree. If they find you there, then retreat to one of the secondary locations," Kenji called back to the girls.


    "We''ll bring those orphans too. The Two the Guildmaster wanted us to take away, make sure to come back and help them with us," Violet said as she watched him leave.


    "Be safe Kenji! Don''t accept any food from the bad man!" Tenko shouted as she hauled the wounded back to the Guildhall. There were too many of those for Kenji''s taste. He had wanted to save them all, but with such short time he supposed this was the best he could do.


    "Don''t worry about reprisals, let the Guildmaster know that," were Kenji''s parting words as he headed to Tariak for good. For in the necromancer''s memories he saw him, the Lord Richmond, and his cunning words that had convinced the Necromancer that the fugitives were in the Headless Hunter hall.


    He also now knew how enraged Jack would be to discover what she had done. Which begged the question, would bringing in the boy knight''s corpse be enough to save Dana the Damned from execution? For while Kenji could survive death by hanging, beheading, and drowning just fine.


    Death by fire...might do the trick to eradicate his true form too before it could escape.


    He hoped with all his heart that this worked, and that giving them a body would put this matter to rest. If not, then Violet, Tenko and the two orphans would leave tomorrow morning for the Tenzen territory without him.


    Leaving Kenji to die all alone.

 Chapter 36 - The Boy Knight is Slain

    "So this is him..." Jack stared at the corpse with great distaste.


    Peering up at Dana he clenched his teeth. On one hand, she had butchered the townspeople against his orders, slain the target of their investigation AND gone off on her own. And yet, she at least found the target  while getting some intel before he died too.


    Then there was the matter of the Lord that had triggered this debacle at all...


    "You are certain he said their companions were heading into the monster forest to hide? The werewolf, parasite AND the demon? You have to be certain, you definitely heard him say the demon was with them?" Jack''s hands opened and closed. Any atrocity could be overlooked if they captured the portal demon. The countless lives saved would make any other cost cheap by comparison.


    "I am certain, Warden," Dana said with a dark look in her eyes.


    Jack did not remember her hating him this much and wondered of being played for a fool by the Lord had angered her as it had him/ Perhaps...he should not have yelled so much when she first arrived. But still, had his temper really been so angry as to earn that aura of bloodlust?


    "This information is valuable and will be the only reason I''m not executing you, Dana. Your actions have turned the townspeople against us, gods know that stupid Lord''s advice already made the guilds hate us too. To think he would lie so brazenly that the adventurers were hiding them...despicable."


    "The Guildmembers, they are safe?" Dana said with rounded eyes and bated breath.


    Jack grinned, "aye Dana. They are safe, I meant them no harm. We just wanted to find the escaped prisoners amongst them, the fate of our kingdom demanded we work with speed. What has gotten into you? I had thought you didn''t care for anything bar your faith and the cause."


    Perhaps, jack thought, he had misjudged her. Seeing the shaven haired necromancer sigh with relief, he almost thought she was human. But then Jack remembered her record, the terrible atrocity that had put her into prison to begin with.


    To think the sole living being who had willingly served the Plague King could so shamelessly return to the scene of her genocidal crime and then not even bat an eyelash about it? The depth of that kind of evil made jack shiver. And she dared stare at him as if he were the bad one here?


    "You will join us in giving chase immediately. Luckily our assassin tracked them down to the monster forest and has already found a Willow tree they were recently waiting under before her returned. With both of you together, our forces will surely catch them in no time. You are dismissed."


    Even though Dana should have been pleased, she instead appeared shocked.


    "N-no, they are definitely heading deep into the forest itself. Most likely to hide," Dana said quickly, "they are a dim witted people - trying to find a hole to crawl within and stay out of our sight."


    "Dana...thank you for this information. But Ozzy had already explained why they would take a path that would lead through the mountains and back into our kingdom. That path would be risky, certainly, but would evade the patrols I''ve sent along the king''s road. I''m trusting his advice on this matter."


    As Dana moved to speak again, Jack held up a finger.


    "Not another word Dana, this is my decision. Now go get ready." Once the rebellious necromancer had left, Jack gestured for a crusader to allow the next appointment in.


    Covered in gold and furs, the fat Lord Richmond had enough belly for four and chewed on a drumstick even as he came to their meeting.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon."You should never make a Lord wait...Captain," Lord Richmond said as he sucked the grease from his fingers.


    "And you should not lie to me. Even if I am no longer a Templar Inquisitor, I am still of the inquisition. I could have you hanged for that stunt with the Golden Goose. To think you would claim they were hiding the enemy when you really just wanted to drive them out of town..."


    "What? They were there, my informants said so!" Lord Richmond huffed and puffed like a pig as he waived his jewelled fingers at the ceiling.


    "With the Three as my witness, I swear it is so!"


    "Then what about the Headless Hunters...?" Jack said as he clasped his hands together and gave the sweating Lord a long look. "You never mentioned that they could be hiding there, and yet my necromancer seemed to have been informed otherwise. Someone gave her access to the crypts too, and helped produce bodies under the false pretence that she worked with my approval."


    The Lord seemed not to know what to say. After trying to hide a small smile, he finally sighed.


    "Fine, I might have helped things along a bit. But that''s because there was a demon in that guild, a monster too! Out of anywhere in Tariak I could think of no other place that was more likely to house heretics, monsters and demons than aGuild that already did so! So let''s brush this matter aside, eh?"


    The Lord''s many chins wobbled with hope.


    "Crusaders, take this man into custody," Jack snapped, the crusaders at the door seizing Lord Richmond''s arms.


    "Lord Richmond, you are charged with failing the duties of your station, multiple counts of manslaughter and corruption. Have you anything to say for yourself?"


    "Y-you have no right! unhand me cretins, I am a noble, your superior!"


    "I was given the right by the One. As punishment for your comes I sentence you to death by hanging. Take him away and see to it this filth in human skin is dealt with," seeing the crusaders drag away the red faced Lord brought only some small relief to Jack''s heart.


    Yet that relief was soon crushed again by the weight of the crimes his former criminals had already committed. He''d orders hands to be cut off, backs to be whipped and two would be hanged along with the Lord but...


    Jack swept his hand through the mass of reports. No doubt many more had yet to even be reported. This would be settled when his force left however, no harm they could do in a forest filled with only monsters.


    And should the demon be secured, this would all become well worth it.


    Grabbing the fire-haired boy that had started this all, Jack admired his lifeless golden eyes. Such a good-looking crusader sent down the path of evil made the whole situation even harder on Jack. Although even he knew this boy wasn''t so bad, there wasn''t any way he could have known of the demons capture, or how disastrous her loss would be.


    As Jack pondered what to say in his speach to the troops about the destruction of the heretics, a clump of his hair came off on Jack''s hand. Then the face began to melt, and the body swiftly dissolved soon after.


    "What the... what is this?"


    Peering up at his remaining crusader, the woman shook her head.


    "Then prepare the Guildmaster of the Golden Goose, i''m coming to meet with him. Tell him if he wants to remain in his station he should be ready to give me answers about...." Jack just waved at the dissolved body with disgust, grey goo drooling down his table to pool on the floor.


    "And get that Necromancer to the Guildhall to meet me while you''re at it. Something doesn''t add up here."

 Chapter 37 - Almanac and the grey goo

    "Explain this to me if you would," Jack gestured to the man at his right, the crusader hefing a vat of grey goo onto Almanac''s desk.


    "It appears to be forged from locally sourced clay, designed to house material and would shatter easily upon impact with a hammer," Almanac drawled, barely having flittered his eyes up despite Jack''s sudden intrusion. Peering around, Jack felt uneasy in the wizard''s lair. Golden mist puffed from the carpet, arcane machinery whirred on a table and the paintings would shift to different postures when Jack looked away.


    Then again, Jack had spent years in the criminal magic division. Perhaps all those years hunting rogue mages had made him jumpy.


    "Take a seat, Captain," Almanac whispered as he pulled out a gleaming monocle to decipher the scrawl of a particularly chaotically written book. With a wag of his finger, air pushed a chair in from another room to be positioned at Jack''s backside.


    "You are ordered to tell me what this material is. Anything that would aid our quest to contain an incredible dangerous demon. These are orders from the One himself!"


    "And my response is backed up by the Adventurer League. We are guaranteed protection by King Thunberad from both the church and the nobility as long as we abstain from internal affairs. So, Captain, that is what I choose to do in this matter. Abstain."


    Jack started to grind his teeth. How could such a wizard who lived in such luxury while his Guildhall crumbled possibly understand honour and duty? Jack had half a mind to bend him over and slap his rear end until the pretty boy saw sense. Instead, Jack swallowed his pride and pulled out a gold coin.


    "A quest then. Identify everthing you can about the material contained within the clay vat and this coin is yours." Jack flicked the coin into the air, Almanac''s wind whizzing it around and into his waiting palm.


    "Accepted," Almanac said with a sudden bright smile as he lifted his piercing blue eyes that stared at Jack with an intencity that unnerved him. "Won''t take but a moment, please feel free to visit the bar and get a refreshment while you wait-"


    "Unneccessary, my forces are waiting before we enter the forest in search. This is the last matter to attend to before then."


    At mention that the Warden Company was preparing to leave, Almanac''s grin only widened.


    "Of course, but you''ll have to pay the other fee first."


    "Other fee?"


    "Fees to be precise. I have the list here, the items your men desroyed in their raid and a cumaltive list of mental suffering that came at the cause of your warriors. Pay this price in full, and we can begin."


    Snatching the sheet filled with neat writing, Jack grumbled to himself as he scanned the cost of the venture. The price demanded was outrageous, and would be a heavy blow to their lavish funds provided by the church.


    Still...a part of Jack''s heart filled with relief. As long as this Wizard didn''t keep it all for himself to buy more fancy gizmo''s, Jack would be sated. He too hoped that some of this coin would go towards helping the common people of Tariak, or at least in better arming the adventurers that defended them.


    "I''ll pay, but I''m announcing this to your Guild, understand? Try and withold payment to them, or on spending it in helping the townsfolk, and you''ll be thrown out on your pampered arse."


    "Agreed," Grinning, Almanac accepted a rather hefty bag of gold, before he opened the vat lid with great interest. Scowling, Jack realised he had been played for a fool and that the wizard must have been hiding his fascination all along.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.Dabbing in two fingers, Almanac withdrew them now coated grey and lightly sniffed.


    "No scent," his grin widened further as he licked the substance. "No poison, no taste of....anything. It''s like this is nothing - and luckily for you, I''ve experienced something similar to this ''nothing'' before."


    Stoically withholding his look of disgust, Jack leaned in closer.


    "What you have here," Almanac said,  pulling out a blob and setting it on a crystal. "Is a material that can take different forms."


    The crystal activated, flaring a bright electric blue and the blob began to warp and dance on its surface. As Jack watched, the blob turned into a patch of skin, a knot of hair and a wad of scales in quick succession.


    "This could be from a variant of a werewolf, mimic, doppelganger or demon. It''s hard to say really, other than this substance could only have such a quality if it was originally sourced from some kind of shapeshifting species."


    "Then that''s all I need to know - crusaders, has there been any word of Dana yet?" Jack addressed his guards, both of whom answering with shaking heads.


    "We have not found her, Warden."


    "Damn it," Jack knew what that meant. Whoever this shapeshifter was, the dark look in Dana''s eyes before had been no anomaly. It had been the eyes of his enemy, something so cold and unfeeling it could be made of this strange substance.


    The ultimate enemy of humanity - it could be any of his followers and Jack would never know. He stared at his left guard, her blonde hair billowing down armoured shoulders, then at his right, the man''s chestnut beard adorned with beads inscribed with the symbol of the Three. Could this shapeshifter be one of them?


    "I need to know how to identify the creature," Jack whispered, at least certain the wizard must be himself. No shapeshifter could replicate this magic, nor could a shapeshifter infiltrate a guild such as this in the short time between leaving Jack''s presence.


    "I can do that for you. Provide the secret to fending off such creatures - the same all shapeshifters fear. But it''ll cost you."


    "Whatever the cost, make it mine." Jack would not half-arse this, it was not how he was raised. He needed to know who he could trust, and who he could not.


    "That''s what I like to hear," Almanac smirked as he unlocked one of his drawers. Within he pulled free a silver dagger, several strange inscriptions scrawled into the metal. Whatever it was, this dagger was at least ancient. Those same symbols the variety found in the deepest parts of the Cathedral, from whatever shrine the Three had used as a foundation to their much larger house of worship.


    "Elvish Spirit Silver. It is said to be the ''most real'' material one can buy. When this comes into contact with anything not as it should..." Almanac tapped the shifting blob on his crystal, the substance returning to its grey goo baseline at once.


    "You are certain this will work?" Jack grasped the knife and admired the keen edge.


    "No. What you have brought to me is too alien for me to be certain, but the fundamental forces involved here should at least create a reaction. While you might not force the creature to it''s original form, there should be some sign. Here is my fee."


    Almanac pushed a number scrolled on paper across the table.


    Jack wilted at the price, yet seeing the grey goo remaining reverted, nodded.


    After paying, Jack''s funds were limited. But that was no matter, the church would be sending more eventually. Until then, he just had to focus on when Ozzy returned from his scouting mission.


    Only then could the hunt continue.

 Chapter 38 - How fast can you run?

    Kenji ran as fast as Ash''s feet could take him.


    He sprinted across town, out into the countryside, and bolted right into the woods.


    He arrived at the spot he was to meet Tenko, violet and the two yet to be met orphans under the willow tree...to find no one there.


    Feeling all alone, Kenji stole a deep breath before pressing onward. Kenji had setup several fallback positions just in case, but if they really had a master assassin giving chase...


    Kenji pushed himself even harder. He tried to dodge every bramble and bush but was snared all the same. His silky skin was caught in a rosebush, blood smearing the thorns, and his clothes were ripped by grasping vines.


    Even injured, his clothes torn to shreds and his legs begging for a break...Kenji continued onward.


    Eventually, he reached the next meeting point of a small forest clearing and found it deserted. With keen elvish eyesight, Kenji found the signs of a fire being hidden. Unfortunately, there was similarly the signs of others having sifted through the same pile of ash.


    Spreading elvish fingers deep into the ash, he felt some warmth remaining. They couldn''t have left long ago, and yet clearly someone had uncovered the firepit even sooner than that. Peering up, he tried to feel his way through the rattling of leaves, the tweeting of birds and the buzzing of insects to the enemy that stalked this same forest.


    And while they knew monsters roamed this land, they had yet to know they too were hunted. Ash would not allow them to so much as touch a single hair of her beloved. Quickly the Sun elf dashed her cheeks with the ash that she was named after before filled her golden hair with leaves.


    Pulling free her knives, Ash continued onward into the forest, eagre for even the slightest hint that her dearest Catelyn still lived. If she was hurt...if anyone had DARE hurt her...


    Ash began to shake, the anger too powerful to be kept still. Like an engine, she bent the burning star of hatred for the humans in her belly towards powering her limbs forward and keep her senses keen.


    After another agonizing sprint, Ash arrived at the third meeting place of a hill with an old watchtower atop it. There she found a band of ruffians, a dark-haired man in the midst of yelling while Ash listened behind a nearby tree. She wanted to attack them at once, to slit the hunters'' throats and leave their heads for those that came looking.


    Flashes of memory surged through her - the humans had taken her family first and placed it in the same prison they had managed for three hundred years. Then they had put the prisoners in charge and - Ash shook the memories from her head, shoving it again back into the recess of her memory. Focused once more, she listened.


    "They can''t be far now - you will not ruin me earning Jack''s favour by coming up empty handed! I don''t care you''ve lost the trail. Go. And. Find. It!" pulling out a pair of knives, the dark-haired man threatened his men to say otherwise.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.Despite many of the brutes being larger far than him, and much more intimidating, all five rushed off with terror in their eyes. What made an impression upon Ash, however, was how silent they were. Like moving whispers, or shadows come to life, each of the five was clearly of the rogue class or some specialisation of it.


    What they didn''t know - what no one knew - was that every warden of the silent prison was something beyond a mere rogue. Ash didn''t want to use this ability before now, it had seemed crude to allow any human - including the human ''Kenji'' -  to wield her ancestral powers. But now was not the time for that.


    For Violet, Ash would swallow her pride.


    And became


    utterly


    mute.


    She disturbed not even a leaf as she moved, the wind finding another path and her breath inaudible. Had a human witnessed the change to nothingness, they would have certainly called it a spell. Ash grinned, there was more than magic to the world.


    Sometimes a hundred years of training was all one needed.


    [Elf calls - Intruder]


    Her silent message was projected across every branch she touched every flitter of wind and every tree that watched her pass like a wisp in the night.


    [Spirit respond - Intruder - captured spirits - anger]


    The forest replied sleepily, no druid, elf or other such being having communicated with the forest in millennia. And yet they could feel the clumsy humans, having heard the cries of their kindred falling to the nasty axes for decades now. That anger had simmered, engorged, and now seemed ripe to be unleashed. Yet she frowned at the contents of the message, capturing spirits being a grave offence to any creature who had formed a connection with one.


    [Elf offers - Elf aids spirit - spirit reveals another elf?]


    Catelyn was a goddess, not an elf, but Ash doubted the trees would understand that.


    [Agreed - aid- thanks]


    The forest left her mind, and the trees began to rattle and quake. A forest awakening from its slumber was both a great and terrible thing, but even though this was overkill for a few humans, the awakened forest would become a great obstacle for those humans that followed.


    A living wall between her beloved and her hunters.


    But the forest would take some time to bring it''s wraith to bare, time the enemy could use to prevail. Yet they had no idea that they had invoked the fury of a far more threatening foe.


    For the first time since dying, Ash of the Silent Prison swore her war whispers in her heart and began the hunt. Unless these humans were something, special like the Templar of the Cathedral that had killed her, the humans would never know she was there until they were dead.


    A shame she didn''t have her bow, or else she would have been able to end them even more effectively.

 Chapter 39 - Ash, Ash. Ash.

    The first rogue didn''t realise Ash was there until his throat was slit, the look of surprise on his squinting eyes was nearly comical as Ash kicked him down a ledge and into the mass of writhing vines he had been looking at. The Forest swallowed him whole.


    The second was filled with terror already, the trees having grown faces and had started to uproot themselves. As he screamed in horror, he found Ash''s blade in his belly and was left to be pulled beneath the earth.


    The third was being chased when Ash finally tracked him down - tigers made of branch, bush and thorn charging after him. Knives did no good, his [critical hit] ability achieving little more than puncturing a branch before he made the mistake of climbing a tree to supposed safety. Suffice to say, the tree looked pleased to crush him slowly in its branches.


    The fourth had her limbs pulled off and the fifth entered a cave to never  be seen again without any of Ash''s help. That left only the dark-haired assassin.


    The forest claimed he was heading in the rough direction of the second elf - Goddess Catelyn - which pressed Ash on with even greater speed. Yet keeping up her silent stance was tiring, and she had already long passed her normal safe limits.


    Without the spirits, she was born with to empower her, being of the [Spirit Assassin] class wasn''t going to help her past what she had already achieved. Therefore when she finally lopped down a hill, to confront the bastard, she knew fighting wasn''t an option.


    Around him lay twin tigers - real ones this time - and very much dead at that. He had already skinned the pair with rapid speed and sat on a nearby rock as he cleaned his blades. All around him the Forest continued to awaken, and yet he seemed completely focused on the shine of his knives, each ending in a handle carved to look like a nude man and woman.


    "I thought something more dangerous stalked this forest. But to think it was one of you Sun elves..." he grinned and waved his knife as if to an old friend.


    "You should never have come here, Assassin. The very forest begs for your blood."


    "Luckily for me, I am very comfortable around others begging. I''ve had plenty of experience with those I deal with doing just that when they realise what they face off against. Surely as a Sun elf, you would know better than any. Your king, for example, is he still stuck in that cell where we left him?"


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.Ash grit her teeth.


    "How could a human like you possibly know-"


    The Assasin unbuttoned his leather jerkin to reveal pale muscle scrawled with dark tattoos. Although Ash recognised them as far more than that. For each of the three black hearts represented a twisted spirit, once having leant their powers to aiding a spirit warrior, they had now been forged into something dark and cruel. This thing that played at being human...it had made the spirits into warped slaves.


    "Shade..."Ash hissed, the man''s strength now making sense to her. How could he not be anything less than monstrously powerful when he had the three remnants of once proud spirits chained to his every desire?


    [Elf recommends - attack only the shade -others are allies]


    [Forest questions - what allies?]


    [Elf says - you''ll think they are enemies]


    With that settled, Ash charged.


    "Let the games begin," the Assasin grinned as roots burst from the ground and vines lunged from the forest roof.


    "Spirit of anger, [Awaken]" with but that one word everything changed. His eyes grew wide, his muscle taut and his blades leaked wisps of dark energy.


    In three slashes he chopped the Forests attacks to pieces, all in time to block Ash''s daggers that both aimed at the Shades heart.


    Yet again Ash wished she had a bow, these knives feeling too unfamiliar in her hands.


    "Your good," the Assasin said casually, "but you''re not good enough."


    Whipping his knives around her guard he cut her through the shoulder and cheek. In return, she caught him on the arm, yet her blade created only a shallow wound as if his limbs were made of stone.


    "Tsk tsk, I had thought better of an elf. Now please, show me how you beg," whirling his knives around the Assasin destroyed a barrage of attacks, and yet a great gale of wind shoved leaves and dirt in his face.


    Seizing the chance Ash forgot her guard and risked it all to use [critical strike] to pierce the Shades chest in a rapid thrust.


    "So close little elf," the Assasin sneered, dust fading to reveal the flat of his blade over his heart to halt her dagger meat centimetres from his heart.


    With a flourish,  her world went spinning as her head rolled beside her decapitated corpse and Ash''s sight went dark.

 Chapter 40 - I have been assasinated

    "Hey...why the sad face?" the Assassin whispered along with the sounds of swishing blades. Hiding within Ash, Kenji could see only the endless dark.


    "Don''t worry. Just stick around awhile, then I''ll bring your friends heads to come have a little party," somthing was stuck into the ground. Ash''s body was not yet unusable, but if this bastard decided to run away with her head then Ash would be lost to Kenji forever.


    Then again, if he could complete her sole desire of keeping Violet safe, perhaps that wouldn''t be so bad.


    Jettesoning from Ash''s corpse, Kenji wiggled into the forest as his old man base form. Thankfully the forest quickly hid him, shielding him from the view of the assassin who was adorning himself in pelts and a Sun elf head.


    Those trophies would be his downfall, Kenji swore it would be so. Transforming into Dana, Kenji started her summoning.


    "What''s this in the air-ha!" a sudden burst of vines distracted the assassin for now, but he was still moments away from discovering Kenji''s intent.


    By the time his eyes jerked to the dead tigers at his feet, it was too late. One tiger bit into side side, another raked it''s claws down his shoulder. Shredded leather and a blast of blood sprayed onto the forest floor.


    "AAHH, spirit of Desire [Awaken]," red and black energy filled the Assassin''s veins. Immediately the bleeding stopped, and the assasin began moving with inhuman flexibility to avoid the strikes of the zombie tigers. His [critical hit] skill achieved little more than marring one tigers meat, even if it''s claws missed due to the assasin contorting his body out of the way as if it were solely made of water.


    Only too late did he realise he stood over Ash''s corpse, her undead arm stabbing him between the legs. Howling, the assasin had his stones cut free.


    Growling, the assasin tried to search the Forrest for Kenji but was distracted by the zombie tigers, Ash''s undead revenant and the increasingly powerful attacks of the Forrest. Currently green energy welled within each vine, becoming hard as stone itself, the assasin no longer able to cut their fibres without using skills such as [slash] and [fast slash].


    "There! The assasin grinned as he charged Kenji''s direction."


    "[Blessing - Fire - times three!]," Kenji shouted, both undead Ash and his undead tigers erupting with holy flame.


    Having entered the forest proper, the assasin was soon restricted. The twin tigers crashed into his side, collapsing soon after by a fair of [fast slash]s. Ash went even further, managing to bury twin taggers through his throat and back as if for that moment her ability in life had returned.


    It would not be enough. The assasin hacked his way out as Ash''s body burned to dust. Bleeding like a pig he staggered towards Kenji.


    "Dana you traitor, I should have known..." the Assassin wiped the blood from his mouth, managing only to smear much more on instead from his heavily bleeding hand.


    "You''ll die here," Kenji grinned, the holy fire catching onto the the Assassin''s back and burning his skin and leather together.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement."I don''t think so, spirit of the lost [awaken]," his last bound spirit appeared as a small Sun elf but it''s power was somthing else entirely. As a magic user Dan''s could see mana, and this child had ten wizards worth of mana swirling about it. That kind of power could eradicate Kenji in a moment.


    "Get me out of here kid, don''t let this forest interrupt me either," nodding, the rather sad looking elf boy raised his shaking hands high, bit his lip so hard it bled, and clenched. A single tear rolled down the elf boy''s cheek.


    The Earth had died before the boy''s tear had fallen to splash upon it.


    Vines withered, flowers lost their petals, the grass faded into patches of brown and a quick blight spread across the earth that destroyed all flora it touched.


    Curious thing about the dead, necromancers like Dana specialised in its control. While she didn''t specialise in wielding dead trees, the deathly energy was still thick, and once wielded, Kenji let it snap into her limbs and be directed.


    "Now you die, traitor," the assasin said.


    "I couldn''t agree more," unleashing the power Kenji had the dead trees surge their vines and roots in unison around the Assassin before he activated [blessing-fire] and multi-cast it as many times as he could before the assasin appeared before him and used [assasinate] to rip Kenji clean in half.


    Rolling away as his old man base form, Kenji barely burst through the ring of dead foliage before his blessings set the whole area of dead forest ablaze with holy fire. The pyre was so hot Kenji had to back away a fair way to even look at it, nothing able to survive the storm of fire that engulfed the entire area.


    "You will be missed Ash," Kenji whispered, the sun elf''s course guaranteed to be vaporised in that firestorm. But she had felt content in her last moments, somthing that made him wonder a little less if he should have abandoned one of his Forbidden slots to fit her within.


    No, this had been the best way. Now she could find peace, knowing that she had gone above and beyond for her dear beloved.


    Kenji jerked his head upward, as a cackling figure stumbled through the smouldering fire.


    "You thought....this could kill me...?" rasped the voice the skeleton made of ash and shade energy. His heart was encased in black and red power, the rest of him held together by the cursed nature of his existence.


    "You cannot kill me. I am immortal!"


    Kenji remembered how Ash had always targeted the shades heart, and assumed the organ to be his weak point. Problem was, Kenji was out of tricks, unless you counted the rat of course.


    Switching to the rat he charged, building up momentum.


    Turning into the original body of the boy Knight (seeing as the Forbidden slot was still resetting from his ploy of leaving a fake corpse behind) Kenji lunged at stabbed, fully aware that if he lost he''d lose the boy knight forever.


    Oh - and if he lost twice he''d be joining them in the grave. And he didn''t even have his blessings - just his sword skill against that of an almost immortal shade.

 Chapter 41 - Man Vs Abomination

    The clash of their steel rang out through the still burning forest. Lumber and sparks fell like hellish snow, ash choked the air and yet they both fought to the very limit of their ability.


    Kenji moved with stiff, regulated strikes while the Assassin flowed like water, if exhausted.


    His superior talent was astounding, and If not for being on the cusp of death the shade would have put Kenji in the ground from the second blow. Instead, he had the slightest hint of a chance, as his blade diverted stab and slash with swift strikes. With a moment of inspiration Kenji forgot his defense and shattered one of the Assassin''s ashen limbs, the Assassin now forced to shift to a one armed stance.


    "Your good...whatever you are," the Assassin hissed without tongue or cheek. A burning skeleton with a pulsing black heart, the shade cackled as it lunged to attack again. Using [Fast strike]  Kenji was swiftly skewers through the shoulder, the Assassin dancing out of range.


    "Your death is inevitable. I will kill you, your friends and anyone else I want for a hundred years!" Dashing forward the Assassin attacked a tad slower, the power behind the strike coming weaker too.


    "I wouldn''t make plans too far ahead, I don''t think you''ll be surviving a hundred seconds."


    The clash of steel on steel continued, Kenji starting to lose his stamina faster and faster until he was heaving burning air and ash while his limbs screamed they could continue for only a short while longer.


    While the shade was doing little better, his stamina wasn''t fading nearly as fast as the mere human in front of him. Kenji was cut across the lip, the hand, the leg and stabbed through the ribs.


    But not for a moment did he consider running, not for an instance did he allow defeat to take root on his heart.


    In his mind the nature of this situation crashed and roared louder and louder. The church Arthur had served was wielding necromancers, butchering innocents and had unleashed this evil upon the land.


    Only Arthur stood in the way, and while he had denounced his god with his mind, only now did he open his heart to the possibility of another power.


    Strength flowed, his stance altered and completely ignoring his own defence Arthur twisted and thrust in a flash, [Full offensive strike] was activated and while Arthur was stabbed through the eye, his blade drove right through the shade''s black heart in turn.


    "Oh..." the shade gasped, peering down at his shattered heart with suprise.


    "Say hi to Dana for me," Kenji whispered as he pulled his sword free and darkness exploded from the Shades chest. A burst of red and green shot out of the shade''s chest and streaked like comets into the sky.


    When the darkness faded, and the last of the shade''s body turned to Ash a silver elf boy appeared. He peered around uncertain at the world, and took his first tentative step.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings."Go on little one. Your free now, go and live as you wish," Kenji whispered, falling to one knee as he spluttered blood and clutched his ruined eye.


    The boy ran over concerned, and tried to pull Kenji up. With far greater strength that Kenji expected,  the little spirit  quickly hoisted Kenji to his feet.


    "Eh, thank you,"Kenji said as the spirit waved his hands and the fire was put out by a burst of wind and the flora began to rapidly heal, then flourish. Soon what had been a charred and blighted field became a colourful glade.


    After that, the spirit peered at Kenji as if unsure as what to do next.


    "Are you lost, little one?" Kenji asked.


    The spirit nodded it''s little head along with the sounds of tinkling bells. The spirit pointed at the sun, it''s silver cheeks filling with golden light.


    "You lived in the sun?"


    The spirit filled again.


    "You want to go home?"


    The spirit smiled with a mouth filled with sunshine as it tinkled again.


    "Then you can come with me if you want. I know a Sun elf ''goddess'' if that helps. Purple skinned, summons crystals and is a bit snooty if that rings a bell."


    The spirit rolled it''s eyes then sharpened it''s little nose to a point and stuck it up high in the air. Laughing despite his intense pain, Kenji thought it was a good impression.


    "So you do know her then. That''s good."


    Wearily Kenji contorted back to his base form, allowing the corpse of the boy knight to start it''s repairs in his storage.


    Turning, the silver spirit ran on over to where the shade had died and picked up it''s shattered black heart. With a flash of light, silver crystal glued it back together, before the whole thing was compressed into a thumb sized gem. Obsidian Black and covered in a web of silver cracks, Kenji marvelled at the gem that was placed at his hand.


    Turning translucent and looking very tired, the spirit rubbed it''s sleepy eyes and yawned with the sound of rushing wind. In the next moment the spirit turned to liquid Silver and flowed into the gem, the obsidian now glowing with an inner silver light.


    "I''ll take you too her, don''t worry little one," Kenji said, then kissed the gem goodnight. "Sweet dreams, your days of hardship have come to an end."


    As the forest started to fall back into its slumber, Kenji admired the floral glade a little longer while golden rays of sunshine pierced through the crown of emerald leaves above.


    Kenji spent all the time he could spare making a little makeshift memorial of stone in the glade, and then whispered words of thanks to Ash. Neither her body nor that of the Shade could be recovered, and so Kenji brought away only his deepest thanks.


    And for the Sun Elf that had been so integral to Kenji''s survival, he swore to the wind and the earth that he would continue to honour her one wish.


    He would keep Violet safe.

 chapter 42 - The march commences

    Jack grit his teeth as he watched Ozzy''s death. His must trusted assassin falling to that nightmare of a creature sent shivers down his spine. Would this old silver knife really be enough?


    Urging his bound familiar away, Jack continued to observe the skies with this copied ability [summon familiar] from a rogue wizard. He had the owl fly across the land, spying a multitude of horned goatmen herding away monsters in unusual quantity towards the mountains.


    Beside the mountains raged a fire, but as long as that didn''t spread too far that wasn''t a concern of Jack''s. what was however, was that his quarries had yet to realise they headed to wall of solid flame. While Jack liked the fact they were cut off from escape, the huge amount of monsters the fire was pushing away might cause his prey to be consumed by troll, goatman or some unnamed monster long before Jack could get to them.


    And while Jack could do many things with his copied abilities, he couldn''t interrogate the dead. Yet.


    "Flower Knight, you are certain the forest will not seek to harm us?" Jack said as he pulled away from his connection to the summoned owl, finding himself once again on his requisitioned horse.


    "Indeed Warden, the flowers whisper that this trail is safe for as long as I am present," the Flower Knight said smiling sweet as honey, flowers blooming as she passed. If he hadn''t seen her butcher so many, Jack would have thought her some good-natured forest nymph with all that beauty that sprang up with every step. Beauty matched with heavenly features that had made her the mascot of Warden company, her fans amongst the company spreading amongst the townsfolk of Tariak too.


    Behind them trailed the Warden Company in all its glory, along with a grand militia of the more devote townsfolk. All wanted this matter over with quickly, the many monsters infesting this forest a constant cause for anxiety as every bird call and broken twig sent a chorus of rasping steel sliding free.


    Suddenly Trag the Stamper halted, and began sniffing the air. The troll chuckled to himself as he pulled his huge mace free.


    "Prepare yourselves! My feet are about to be wet with blood!" Shields were raised just as barbed arrows were fired from unseen sources, the militiamen reacting too slowly were strewn with casualties in moments.


    "Fight! For the Three show no mercy!" Jack roared as devil horned goatmen wielding spears tipped with hellfire and covered in heretical symbols bleated prayers to their own dark gods and charged from all sides.


    Activating [blessing-light] Jack''s longsword became bathed with holy light. After a [blessing - greater speed] and [blessing - Goldenheart] Jack both moved with the speed required to cut down three goatmen in a breath and filled the hearts of his followers with the courage to stand against the foe.


    Blade filled with Devine fury, Jack danced his way through the goatmen ranks leaving a score of dead trailing behind him. Distantly, he saw the jet black horns of a goatman above that of the rest. This goatman was regal, with groomed dark fur, silver jewellery woven into warbraids and burning symbols made of hellfire dancing around his horns.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.Gesturing, the enemy leader sent in a pair of twitching goatmen covered in white cloth drenched in dark scriptures. As the pair built up speed red energy surged wildly across their limbs, becoming rapidly potent and unstable.


    "Shoot them down - don''t let those two hit the main line!" Jack roared, Trag roared as he charged the pair. The first was kicked back into the forest while the second was thrown into the goatmens'' own ranks.


    Soon after both exploded, crimson energy ripping apart the closest bodies and sucking them into the energy covered sacrifices. All that power then snapped to a point, and just as Jack thought all was well, the energy fluctuated and a crimson goatman appeared with demonic features.


    Ink black claws, curled horns, too many teeth and tongues. The sacrifice that had been thrown into the jungle emerged similarly transformed if much smaller, the lack of kills having reduced the power of the transformation.


    The first demonic goat man screamed at an inhuman pitch and dropped it''s obsidian claws upon  the first crusader brave enough to attack. The crusader had buffed his defense, and yet the obsidian blades pierced through his shield and ripped aside the mangled metal to the ground. In the next swipe it sent the crusaders head rolling while completely ignored the crusaders flaming sword that had been sunk into the creatures belly.


    Howling it launched at another crusader - Jack cleaved it in two mid air, leaving the blazing remains to warp and twitch on the ground. The top half continued to crawl forward, snarling, until Jack split the demons head.


    The other had a flower popping out its mouth, a violent sparky red, that the Flower Knight plucked. The instant the flower was picked the creature died, the chaotic demon flower added to the Flower Knight''s  mane.


    A combination of discipline, reinforcements and Trag  drove away the remaining enemy forces. Jack cut down what fleeing goatmen as he could, yet couldn''t spy their leader amongst the fleeing enemy ranks.


    "Form up, we continue immediately. These heretics will not slow this crusade down!"


    But his men were rattled, and riddled with fresh wounded besides. Thankfully the priests could heal them quickly, but it would take time to replenish those blessings. If the enemy decided to ambush them again and again, Jack''s forces would be slowly whittled down to nothing.


    "Hurry with the blessings, I want this company moving. Now!" Rolling up his sleaves Jack joined the priests in aiding those with minor wounds, focusing on not letting the stress of an imminent attack wear away at him.


    For his troops at least, Jack would continue to appear outwardly confident. Even if internally the organisation of these monsters terrified him. If they could learn from this attack too...


    Jack shook his head of doubt and focused on what he could do in the moment.


    No use worrying, when he had no choice but to plunge ever deeper into the monster infested forest.

 chapter 43 - Outrun

    In his old man base form Kenji ran desperately through the forest. Just as he thought all hope of  finding his companions was lost, he heard a howl that pierced through the rustling leaves.


    Following that howl, Kenji descended into a gully to find a bright silver moon hanging high above. Below Violet and Tenko stood prepared for battle, a teenage girl and a small boy hiding behind them with their backs to a cliff.


    From every angle stalked wicked looking black furred goatmen, their spears ending in hellflame and their eyes were filled with crimson red light. They snickered and hooted at one another, as they closed in on their cornered pray.


    Before Kenji could do anything more, arrows flew through the trees to score headshots on several of the goatmen. Panicking, they grunted gutteral orders and fled, another pair falling dead before they could get away.


    Rushing forward, Kenji got to his companions side before the new forces could reveal themselves.


    "Did it work?" Violet whispered.


    "I think so. They have a body now, so there''s no need to chase me, and I''ve dealt with their scouts that hunted for us too. Although, I''ve lost Ash," Kenji noticed Violets ears twitch and her eyes grow round before the forest came to life.


    While goatmen, these were clearly of a different breed. Their fur was brown, bodies smaller and with coloured moss artfully arrayed amongst their fur. In their hands they clutched little bows, with bundles of arrows poking out from behind their shoulders.


    "Do not be alarmed," came a soothing tone, a small boy made of plants appearing from the trees. With a face of leaves and body of wood, the forest child smiled pleasantly.


    "Who are you shrub kid?" Tenko roared, her great wolf tail swishing and her fangs bared. Placing a hand on her furred side, Kenji tried to soothe the giant wolf.


    "Everyone be calm, I don''t think they are an enemy," Kenji said. Otherwise, why else would they have driven off those larger goatmen for them.


    "Indeed, we servants of the Far King are kind creatures. But while excellent with the bow, these Fauns cannot compete with the satyrs to a physical level. And with the fires...well, I hear the Satyrs are gathering an army of monster refugees. Starving and desperate, they are easily tamed into serving their twisted desires."


    "We are currently passing through, while I thank you servants of the Far King, we cannot help you with this war. We are hounded by inquitors as it is. If their scouts discover us...we would only be bringing more conflict to this land."


    The Forest child''s features froze, then his eyes turned to Kenji.


    "You are in position of a wounded spirit and two vulnerable children. We could tend to their needs, see the spirit restored and even thank you with powerful items. All we need is for you to destroy the pryomancer causing the fires, before his wall of flame reaches even my King''s domain"


    Violet pulled at Kenji''s sleeve.


    "The forest was filled with danger when we were running, me and Tenko had trouble scaring off the monsters. If they could escort us through, that would make this worth the risk."


    "That is something we can do," the Forrest child said as if he had heard Violet''s whispering just fine. "We can show you a secret fairy road that''ll take you through to the safety beyond the mountain. Any other path would lead you into the realm of the Living Mountain, where ever cliff, rock and path will attempt to kill you."


    "''The Living Mountain''? How does that work, is the whole thing one big old elemental or somthing?" Kenji said a tad sceptical.


    "Exactly, the spirits of the mountains themselves are fierce when it comes to driving away outsiders. Attempting to cross yourselves is a suicidal notion, therefore this offer is perfectly suited to your situation."


    Too perfect, Kenji thought. But not seeing any other way, nodded slowly.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings."We''ll just be taking the children and spirit then-"


    "The spirit stays. You can just heal it when we come back for the children," speaking of those two Kenji got his first good look at the pair.


    The first was a stunningly beautiful girl with the most bland grey clothing Kenji had ever seen. Part succubus she couldn''t help her passive ability to attract others by being so physically perfect in all the right places, and so tried to downplay that attraction by wearing baggy grey clothes that covered everything bar her cold facial features. Cold features that the local Lord had nonetheless fallen in love with, having attempted to kidnap her several times over the last few years.


    The second was a bright young boy made of stone. He had golden eyes and gold spun into hair, while moving so animatedly Kenji wouldn''t have been surprised to grasp his stone arm and feel the same texture as skin. The elemental was the last of his kind, and apparently hunted across the land for his solid gold eyes, hair, and heart.


    Rubbing his eyes wearily, Kenji nodded.


    "Where will we meet you then, once we''ve dealt with this pyomancer?"


    "You''ll be escorted back by your guides of course. The same that will take you to the pryomancer''s location. Otherwise you would have to fight your way past hordes of starving monsters that are being pushed out from the wild fires."


    "And this pyromancer himself? What can you tell us about him?" Violet said, Kenji stepping back and letting her take the lead.


    "He spreads fires at random, and with no intention. That, and he can bend the fires around him to his will, making him exceptionally dangerous near the inferno he has caused. I advise you use that wounded spirit to summon rain or somthing, although in that state the spirit might be able to collect only enough power to do so for a short time. My King will also provide aid to support you."


    "We''re going to be left alone?" said the part succubus with a monotone voice.


    "Will we...be safe?" the golden eyed boy said while hiding behind Tenko.


    "If Tenko can eat him, all will be fine!" Tenko added, then quickly returned to baring her fangs. "Not that I trust green boy. You better not hurt Sunbean and Gray, ok?"


    Raising his little leaf hands, the forest child said, "I''d not dream of doing anything at all to them that they would agree to. You can rest assured that the hospitality of my King is something renowned throughout many lands. So fantastic is the experience, that there are even those who have chosen never to leave."


    While this was sounding fishier by the moment, for once Kenji couldn''t think of an opposing plan. It seemed, they would just have to deal with this pyromancer and hope to get out of here before the chaos of their situation got any worse.


    "Just to be clear, if anything strange should happen, the Order of the Midnight Eye will be hearing about it, and the Avengers will be summoned to investigate. This is your only warning," Kenji took great pride in seeing the look of concern that flashed across the forest child''s eyes.


    "Absolutely. What is this order you speak of though? In all my knowledge I have never heard of it-"


    "And hopefully you never will. Now hurry, if we are to slay this pyromancer we''ll need to know where it is. Although I''ll need to sleep and recouperate before such a fight, as will my companions  to replenish their strength."


    But more importantly, Kenji wanted his many forms to finish regenerating inside of him. Without them he was stuck as a defunct old man, and that wasn''t very useful in a battle.


    "We have many secret glades were you can retire. Rest assured enchantments will prevent anyone from disturbing your slumber, so if you would come this way..."


    Turning around, the Forest child led them deeper into the forest.


    Wearily, Kenji and his companions followed.

 chapter 44 - Dreamy Glade

    The dreamy glade was made of grass soft as silk, the air feeling like it kissed Kenji''s face and the temperature was just right for a quick nap. The glade was edged by thick walls of wood and vine, providing  a much appreciated sense of security. Above the sun shines golden and glorious, the leaves that should have blocked the sky having been enchanted to become translucent.


    So pleasant was the glade, Kenji hadn''t properly sat down before his exhaustion pulled him into a deep and pleasant slumber. Waking up with his arse in the air and earth in his mouth, Kenji peered around to find Tenko and Violet softly chatting while the faun guides hid in far away pushes.


    "Hey, you two should have woken me up," Kenji said as he rubbed his eyes and yawned. Finding his forms regenerated, Kenji turned into Arthur and stretched.


    "You seemed dead tired Kenji. And the news isn''t that good either," Violet said, standing up to come sit down beside him. Tenko scurried over and threw herself on his face, "wakie-wakie!"


    Laughing, Kenji fell back and enjoyed the moment. Violet lay down beside him in the soft grass, while Tenko jumped from Kenji''s belly to Violet''s while shouting, "the floor is lava!"


    "You guys really took a liking to those new kids then, right?" Kenji smiled as they both started talking at once, Kenji waving his hands to calm then down.


    "One person speak at a time! I can''t understand you otherwise."


    "Gold bean is REALLY funny! He can talk like Tenko, he can talk like Violet - he can talk like anyone!"


    Peering at Violet , Kenji caught her sigh.


    "What Tenko is trying to say is that Almanac the second can replicate voices. Well, alot of things, he can basically replicate anything he sees happen. Not magic mind you, not without at least having the right mana and Understanding how the spell works."


    "Really..." Kenji grinned, "so do you think he could forge a signature for instance?"


    Violet frowned, but nodded.


    "I guess. What would you want with that?"


    "Oh nothing. What about the other girl Tenko, Grey?"


    "Grey is cool!" Tenko said as her tail wagged really fast. "Not only is she really old, but she''s really good at fighting and SUPER smart!"


    "Wasn''t she a teenager?" Kenji laughed.


    "Honestly she came off like a grandma, always talking about her books and that library of hers. She is smart though, and good at fighting too. She killed a Frost Monkey by whacking it in the head with a book she has hidden beneath all that grey cloth."


    "Wait, wait, wait - a book?" Kenji fell into a fit of laughter, "how does that even work?"


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more."she claims she infuses her mana into the book to make it strong as steel. Apparently she can do so with all kinds of writing,book and library related stuff," Violet said while trying to stifle her own giggles, Tenko laughing as loudly as she could for no apparent reason behind them.


    Once they finally calmed down, and their anxiety had been long forgotten, Kenji sighed.


    "You said there had been news?"


    Tenko''s ears perked up, and Violet closed her eyes.


    "Common, tell me. Please?


    Sighing, Violet rolled onto her side and stared right into Arthur''s golden eyes. No...it was strange, but Kenji didn''t feel any remnant of Arthur anymore. It felt as if he had felt accomplished with rejecting his god and helping put several true evils into the ground. Having ceased to exist, these golden eyes now felt...


    well, like Kenji''s.


    "The inquisiton is still following us Kenji," Violet said, staring dreamily into his golden orbs. "Why are you crying? I''m sure we can outrun them, no matter how they''re managed to keep following us."


    Wiping his eyes, Kenji smiled wide and bright.


    "They''re...not sad tears. It''s just with Arthur, um, it''s hard to explain really. But it feels good."


    Wrapping an arm around him, Violet hugged him tight. "Ok then, but you would let me know if you were feeling sad...right? You wouldn''t hide it, and try to solve everything yourself again, right?"


    Kenji''s mind fluttered back to seeing the indifference of Jack. It had been foolish confronting him, in revealing himself just to scare Jack a little. But he had had to know who he was dealing with, and now he knew, this Templar could be worked with.


    Kenji hated the man, but he didn''t seem a zealot nor one who hungered for power. Instead he had seemed lost, and confused how these terrible things he was causing contributed towards some goal the Warden could no longer understand.


    At least that''s what Kenji''s gut said.


    "You. Come. We. Go.Now," one of the Fauns said timidly, before scuttling away and pulling aside a branch that hid the start to a thin trail bordered with shimmering bushes and paved with flowers.


    The bushes shifted constantly, and if he stared they devolved into a blurred mass of colour. The enchanted trail then.


    "You two ready? I want to introduce myself to these new friends of yours, but first we have our work to do."


    They got up slowly, but neither complained.


    As beautiful as the glade had been, it was only a small breathe of calm before the storm that was to come.

 Chapter 45 - Enchanted Travels

    "Path changes. Path goes where it wills. We follow until Path leads to where the Far King directed," the faun said with much more energy than before, his colleagues seeming similarly comfortable as they trotted across a path of flowers.


    As they moved the flowers would burst from the ground ahead, feel strong as brick as Kenji stepped on them, and return to the earth when left far behind.


    "Do not leave path," the faun added almost as an after thought. Kenji who had been thinking about taking a moment to go piss, quickly pulled away from the paths edge.


    Kenji was amazed at the speed the group travelled, trees flying on past as they zoomed around the Forest. Peering out the side, he suddenly halted and ducked.


    Beyond marched the blazing banner of Warden Company, Satyr heads proudly displayed atop an army of spearheads. The company had dozens of new recruits, all poorly equipped townsfolk enticed in with the promise of heaven for partaking in the Thunberad crusade no doubt. Either that, or they were mercenaries enticed by the Warden''s seemingly endless wealth.


    "They. Cannot. See you," one of the Fauns said a little more carefully, "but. If we. wait. They might."


    Nodding, Kenji gave one last hateful look to the dark haired Warden, and pressed on.


    "Why are they here? They think they have Arthur''s corpse, they think the necromancer ran away AND that their scouts were killed!" Angrily Kenji tried to think, then he wondered, how long did his fake corpses remain before turning to goo?


    He had assumed it would have lasted a week or so before melting, but what if it had in much less time then he had expected? If he had had the time he would have tested it out, but perhaps his ploy hadn''t bought anywhere near as much time as he had expected.


    "I don''t know, but look. They will slow them down I think," Violet pointed, Kenji able to make out various Satyrs around little fire pits to their side. He had no idea how far they had travelled on the enchanted path, but the Satyrs were digging pitfalls, building hidden archers nests, creating barricades and more signs that they prepared to ambush a sizable force.


    Curiously, Kenji noted a numerous Fauns amongst their number. With darker fur, crimson eyes and a dark nature to how they snatched at each other''s arrows.


    But Fauns all the same.


    "Do you have something to do with those guys?" Kenji whispered, the Faun guides shivering. Yet they did not say a word, nor even meet his gaze. But Kenji did note their caution in passing, each hoof stepping even more carefully than when near the humans.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.Amidst the enemy number Kenji spotted a regal Satyr with grand ebony horns and burning runes swirling around his head. The Satyr noble was directing spear wielding Satyre to prod a series of hungry looking ogres and goblins forward. The creatures roared angrily, yet when hunks of meat were waived in front of them they complied.


    As Kenji''s party continued on, they passed more and more monsters of all types being led away by Satyr warbands.


    Eventually the land grew dry and the air filled with ash. Ahead rose towers of flame, the land ablaze out of sight in either direction.


    "The King will still the fires from afar. We servants have been blessed with enchanted arrows. Yet it is you who will face the Pyromancer head on. You must make him unable to use his fire to block our arrows. Understand?" the faun huffed and puffed as if all that speaking was equal to running a marathon.


    "Sure, stop the Pyromancer. Easy," Kenji said sarcastically, the Fauns not catching that at all as they looked at him with wide eyes.


    "Easy? Our bravest warriors were turned to smoke! Our champion landing only a single blow before he was turned to Ash!"


    Not offended, the Fauns seemed excited.


    "And you say this is easy? Very good. We were afraid. But no more. Excellent."


    Exiting the enchanted path, the Fauns fanned out.


    "He is just that way. Just that way, you go fight now!" they whispered as they vanished into the ash laden trees. Wearily, Kenji approached with his companions, a mad cackling eminating from over the hill.


    On the other side Kenji found a thin man with prussian blue skin and a beard of bright red flame. The man wore thick cobalt blue armour with a burning snake wound around his body and a snake tattoo prominently displayed on his dark blue face. He sucked in power from the inferno with his hands, and released huge fireballs to rocket into the air and far away. The distant explosion of heat sent fresh smoke billowing back through the woods.


    "Burn, burn, burn!" the Pyromancer cackled.


    "Dr Pyro had diagnosed you with being unclean, so burn!"


    Kenji''s heart sank, as he realised he was facing off against one of the eighteen.


    "Fuck," Kenji growled, and pulled the girls close while he began to whisper a plan.

 Chapter 46 - Firestorm

    Kenji scuttled as close as he could as a rat, but the heat was so extreme his whiskers burned and his little rat lungs crispened. Dying in the next moment, Kenji fell back into his Arthur''s form and leapt forward.


    "You, die!" Dr Pyro roared as he send a stream of flame at Kenji. Dodging aside, Kenji only had half his body charred before the Far King''s spell finally activated.


    A shimmering filled the air, the fires died and even Dr Pyro''s fire beard shortened into a little electric blue goatee.


    Shifting to become the Corrupt Spirit Tree, Kenji sent vines and roots to ensnare Dr Pyro and hold him tight. Whistling arrows filled the air, blocked by a sudden shield of fire. In a flash of red light flame consumed Kenji''s tendrils, Dr Pryo cackling as he reappeared.


    "Pathetic wretches, you think you can fight me here? Amidst this inferno? I am a god of purification!" Producing a flaming sword to match his shield, Dr Pyro soon left Kenji''s tree form as clumps of burning timber.


    Arrows continued to be loosed, some few landing between plates of armour and immediately weakening the intensity of Dr Pyro''s power. Each enchanted arrow was one step closer to victory, but Kenji was almost out of forms already.


    Luckily he wasn''t alone.


    The crystal knight charged, silver light increasing its movement speed. As it passed Kenji became the necromancer and set the knight''s lance on holy fire.


    The knight thrust his lance crashing through Dr Pyro''s flame shield to pierce the plate at his chest. Despite having fire for a beard, Dr Pyro screamed as if the holy fire was really burning him.


    "Now!"Kenji coughed, smoke choking his lungs while another two enchanted arrows hit their mark. Violet atop Tenko dodged the balls of flame Dr Pyro threw as he roared with rage. Atop Tenko''s back, Violet cast great walls of crystal to encase Dr Pryo.


    Shw entombed him with crystal in moments, blocking his fires from consuming oxygen and snuffing out his fire weaponry. Violet fainted from the intense magical cost of the spell, Tenko soon whisking her away.


    "His contained! Without oxygen his powers shouldn''t work!" Kenji just hoped ''magic'' couldn''t make fire work without any oxygen at all, his party unready to deal with such an eventuality.


    At this point a huge mountain Troll wearing a custom made crusaders Cape charged onto the scene.


    "Dana?" the Troll roared confused, "quickly, capture them!"


    Picking up a baulder the troll threw with impressive speed, Tenko yelping as she was hit right in the shoulder. Limping away, she could now only pull Violet''s limp body to safety.


    "Stop...Trog? Retreat, get out of here!" Kenji yelled, not having the time to properly dive into Dana''s memories.


    "You need too-AH!" flaming crystal exploded across the land, the resulting shockwave sweeping Kenji off his feet. From the debris arose a chuckling figure, Dr Pyro snapping off the enchanted arrows from his armour. Each snap enlarged his beard, and brought greater heat to the surrounding air.


    "Sha, kill the archers," Dr Pryo whispered. "Cleanse the unclean from the path of my inferno."


    His firesnake unwrapped from his body to sliver through the air like a fish through water. Like an arrow it fired into the treeline, soon followed by a Faun''s scream.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.Even then enchanted arrows were fired, Dr Pyro weakened again.


    "Comrade, that is one of the 18 evil souls! We must destroy him while we have the chance," Kenji yelled at the troll, and wiggling his fingers as if he were preparing a spell.


    "Our warriors are close behind, if we wait we could-"


    "No time! Wolf, enhance his speed too!"


    As Tenko tried to figure out if that were a good idea, another faun screamed and Dr Pyro unleashed a torrent of flame that reduced the crystal knight to a molten purple puddle.


    Gritting her teeth, Tenko buffed the agility of the troll that had only just wounded her, then added an anti-magic silver bubble for added protection.


    "Go Trog! Show this enemy of our Captain what it means to face the Thunberad crusade!"


    Howling, the troll seemed to have made his decision as he charged right at the Pyromancer. Dr Pyro was hit by another pair of enchanted arrows as he sent a ball of flame at the troll, the ball bouncing off the shield to explode above.


    Yet even the slightest fire made the troll howl. The ground shook from the trolls heavy feet as it ran to  crash into the Pyromancer and sent him flying. Getting up only slowly, Dr Pyro formed a sword of fire and thrust as the Troll smashed it''s huge fists into Dr Pyro''s armour. Shattering, Dr Pyro became exposed to one last arrow as his fire sword was thrust into the Troll''s heart.


    "Be cleansed!" Dr Pyro cackled as the fire sword exploded and tongues of flame were pulled from the smouldering forest to bath the Troll in flame.


    Roaring the troll burned like a candle as it rampaged. Smashing aside trees, slamming the earth and dragging the Pyromancer along all the while the troll was incoherent. Running back into the forest the Troll slamned Dr Pyro into the earth again and again, managed to crush the last faun beneath its feet, and only then did it collapse to the ground atop Dr Pyro''s mangled corpse.


    Hurriedly Kenji ran to the charred corpse and began to reclaim it. The thing was huge, and would take days to properly be repaired. But such a powerful body...and not even to mention the Pyromancer that he would only be able to reclaim once he had gotten the troll off first.


    Unfortunately by the time Kenji had finally pulled the Troll within him, horns were blaring and Kenji could hear the sounds of marching feet and clacking steel.


    "Kenji we have to go!" Tenko whimpered, Kenji giving the Pyromancers corpse one last longing look before he nodded and followed.


    The Fauns had died to the last however, and that meant the party had no guide left to steer them. Thinking quick, Kenji pulled up one of the faun corpses onto Tenko''s back.


    No sooner had they began to slink away did the warriors and priests of Warden Company charge from behind. Met by the walls of fire and with the air a choking mixture of ash, Kenji hoped they didn''t see Tenko''s white fur as they raced away.


    "Just get far enough that we won''t be caught by them for the moment. I have a plan to get us to the Far King, so just focus on escape," because for Kenji, this faun being dead wasn''t a good reason to not get the information he wanted from it.

 chapter 47 - The hunters are cornered

    "Captain, we have one of the eighteen evil souls and our scouts report that those creatures are setting up further ambushes behind us. Surely now is the time to retreat," Phillip said, his cold eyes soaking in the angry heat of the wall of flame.


    "How can you suggest returning when we are so close, Phillip? Our prey could be right beyond those bushes for all we know. Gods, with only a day''s more searching they could be in chains!"


    "Or two days, or a week''s or a month! All the while our forces are whittled down, and no one makes it back to warn the townspeople. You saw their clear demonic influence, you know that the congregation of innocents in Tariak will prove irresistible to the scions of darkness and their occult rituals."


    "Their rituals? Phillip, they are goats! Don''t worry so much, we can handle them no matter how many beasts they send to test our faith. Rest assured, the Three will show us the way to ultimate victory."


    "Jack, I''m a priest. And I can tell you the Three don''t care us much as that. Their jurisdiction is the afterlife, it is up to us to see their will inacted in this plane of existence. Now turn around captain, steer your men to safety and save the townspeople at the same time."


    Turning to him, Jack found his most trusted advisor standing before several more crusaders. They were all moving uneasily, eyeing their flanks constantly with rigid hands constantly ready to snap to their blades.


    Further behind their forces were stretched too thin, with many of the militia men new to the stresses of battle showing the signs of mental decay. Some chatter nonsense, others sharpened already razer shape spear tips while more jerked their heads endlessly towards the ambient noises of the forest.


    While Jack could continue the hunt, it was clear to him now his forces could not.


    "Warriors of the Thunberad Crusade!" Jack announced, a chorus of heads twisting to make out his unshaven face.


    "We have suffered many hardships, but we have now successfully defeated one of the 18 evil souls!" In truth they had found it dead ready, the strange cobalt armoured creature left behind to taunt them. Meanwhile Trog had vanished entirely, how does one just make a mountain Troll vanish like that?


    Peering at his little silver knife, Jack wondered how much damage such a creature could do before he put it down. The knife began to shake. Jack forced his hand to be still.


    It seemed even he was not immune to the stresses of battle.


    "And with the fruition of such a feat, I now call for our forces to march to Tariak. There we will send messages to the One, regroup, resupply and recruit! But more importantly, we will muster Tariak''s defense''s against the creatures of this forest that hold evil intentions against our fair people. Creatures that will break before the will of man like leaves to a mailed fist!"


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.The men cheered, and when Jack activated the blessing of [Goldenheart] they roared.


    "Scouts! Attend me, and the rest of you prepare to march!" Jack''s grin faded as soon as he turned around, becoming a grimace as his scouts explained the situation to him.


    They were surrounded on all sides, the enemy archers were positioned to continue to rain death and monsters were being corralled into positions along any conceivable path. While some trails were less populated by monsters, Jack shuddered to think what kind of trap might lay in wait that even his scouts could not uncover.


    And with his scouts being picked off like flies, he couldn''t just send out more to check. In the end, Jack decided to go with the path furthest from the main enemy forces, hoping that at the least the enemy would be able to draw in less reinforcements from the sourrounding area. Another benefit of this plan would be that Warden Company would leave the forest near some remote villages, where they could warn those who might otherwise have been left to be enveloped by the horned threat.


    Orders given, Jack had his warriors press on. Soon after arrows descended like rain, and yet the enemy was never sighted. His priests used [sight] to warn of possible amushes, but the enemy still managed to remain unseen as they fired, until Phillip noticed the arrows were coming from closeby and gestured to Jack.


    Jack in turn gave the signal.


    "[By the Everseeing, be revealed or be destroyed!]" chanted Phillip, his many priests adding their prayers of [restrain]. In an instant a dozen Fauns were revealed on floral paths that had until that moment been invisible, their hooven feat bound tight with chains of light - and in the next were bathed in red as Warden Company warriors cleaved the beasts into bloody pieces.


    "We can''t do that again today, Captain. We don''t even have the blessings available for healing, it''s a race against the enemy now," Phillip said, leaning on his stave with stiff hands.


    "Then we march with speed! Come members of Warden Company, let us show these animals the power of humanity!" yet while the warriors saw their enemies butchered, and the path before them clear, Jack had no such false notions. They had just used up their most valuable blessings on a temporary victory, and would be sitting ducks when the enemy reorganised and attacked again.


    And if Jack new anything as he continued to trudge through this putrid forest, it was that the enemy were guaranteed to attack again.

 chapter 48 - Faithless Faun

    Kenji''s eyes fluttered as he continued to recall the Faun''s memories.


    "Kenji, you''ve been like this for an hour. Shouldn''t we get going?" Violet whispered, patting his furred head just as Tenko had his fluffy ears.


    "This is bad you guys...this Far King... he is going to wage war against the humans. He planned to ensare us in his enchantments too most likely, this faun didn''t know for sure but it wouldn''t be the first time."


    "Kenji,  you''ll have to make more sense than that. What do you mean it wouldn''t be the first time?"


    "Those demonic satyr for example, they serve the Far King too. He has enchanted them to be slaves to his will, and forces them to trade pieces of their soul for power, to make them better warriors. Those captured monsters too, it doesn''t matter how aggressive they are, if they trigger his enchantments he can enslave them to his desires indefinitely. Just imagine it Violet, an entire army of zealous monsters!"


    "Then we''ll break out Gold Beans, Grey and then run away!" Tenko added, "all the way to Tariak and warn the guilds!"


    "We don''t have the time to do them both. We have to split up," Kenji said ,turning to see the pair respond with squinting eyes.


    "Last time you pissed off the Warden Company with your stunt and we both had to fight seperated. Splitting up was a bad idea then, and it''s a bad idea now," Violet snapped as if that were the end of it.


    Approaching as the little faun, Kenji held her hands and looked all the way up into those slitted lilac eyes.


    "This is different. The Far King has rules to his powers, triggers that can be avoided. With this Faun''s memory I can get around them, and looking like this I''ll be able to both activate the enchanted path and enter the Far King''s realm without raising suspicion. This is the only way, and meanwhile I need you two to get the warriors of Tariak ready, with the amount of creatures the Far King is assembling... it''ll be a huge battle. The first in a grand war if we don''t stop the Far King here."


    They both stared at him with doubtful expressions.


    "I''ll save our new friends, collect some information and then come meet you. It''ll be simple, there is no reason for concern."


    "Tenko doesn''t like splitting up again. Tenko hates it!"


    "Come on Tenko, let''s go. If this is the only way..."Violet sighed, and mounted Tenko''s furred back. Whispering their goodbyes, Violet rode Tenko away and out of sight.


    Once they were well away, Kenji got started. As a Fairy Faun of the ''Pathfinder'' class, Kenji soon discovered one of the hidden enchanted paths that changes positions all around the Forest regularly.


    Catching a ride, he trotted along towards the Far King''s realm.


    As he travelled Kenji tried to get accustom to the ''Rules of Hospitality'' that summerises the triggers of the Far King''s magic.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.Essentially, anything that could be interpreted as acknowledging a favour compelled the individual to comply with a boon in turn. The Far King abused this system to trick unwitting travellers into eternal servitude for a simple meal, dance, or even by offering to take their coat for them at the door.


    Even now that he was aware of these things, Kenji would have to be careful not to say ''thank you'' or any other phrase that could be considered acknowledgement of a favour given.


    Next were the enchanted Activites, dancing, duelling, eating and the like. So full of enchantments that the Fae nobles both lived and breathed, such activities could enchant the unwitting into a dreamy trance like state that could easily be turned into permimant subservience.


    And lastly were the Fae themselves, this Faun considering then the same as angels, high spirits, devils, and minor gods in the otherworldly nature of their powers. To say the least, Kenji decided that to interact with one for too long would be incredibly dangerous. They were one of the few races who might be old enough to have the ability to identify a Forbidden Mimic, and their enchantments the rare varieties of magic that could reveal him for what he truly was.


    Making good time, Kenji''s hooves trotted along the flower road all the way up into the mountains. Soon he came to a jade hedge high as castle walls and a gate of seafoam green steel.


    Fauns of all types trotted in and out in a constant tide, with another gate to the left and right.


    The left gate was covered in spikes, sourrounded by thorned bushs and angry demonic satyr. That path too was travelled by hordes of monsters, carts if newly forged weaponry and demonic satyr with burning weaponry ready for war.


    The path to the right had a golden gate, with satyrs wearing fine steel armour to either side as an honour guard to the dreamy men and women flowing in and out. Kenji couldn''t breath as he was entranced by the beauty of the dancing figures, covered in flowing white cloth, silken skin and colourful hair styled into various outrageous forms. Some were grand pink clouds, others tall bird houses and more filled with rotting fruit that emitted the sweet smell of honey.


    Entering through the servants gate along with the other Fauns, Kenji gaped to find silver towers thrusting from carefully manicured gardens and high into a sky strangled by twisting branches to create a perpetual dusk. There was no sign of the other paths, only Fauns, as if he had entered a portal without realising it.


    Hastily Kenji followed the others in trotting down trails that led into holes deep in the earth. Somewhere in the burrows of the mansions above he would find the orphans entrusted into his care, and hopefully some hint as to how to stop the Far King''s armies from conquering the sourrounding lands to convert their people into enchanted thralls.

 chapter 49 - Waking Dream

    The Fae did however have a weakness.


    Cold iron . Or any iron really, but iron that had never experienced the blacksmiths furnace was certainly superior. Although it was iron that came down in the core of a comet that was the Absolut best, such iron able to be shaped into weaponry before it cooled to form Star Iron blades


    Yet Kenji had access only to Mr Guard''s iron helmet, retained as a momento in Kenji''s storage from so long ago now. In a pinch, it might make all the difference.


    Kenji followed the Fauns down further and further, his natural ability as a Pathfinder allowing him to instinctually understand the twisting tunnels of the ''ways''. Heading away from the faun chambers, Kenji moved outside this bodies knowledge in search of a prison or holding cell.


    Instead he found an underground glade. Shimmering glass, a golden orb to represent the sun and dead trees draped in silk. Amidst it all was a ball, dozens of pale masked Fae with wearing various macabre designed outfits, with white hair and red eyes dancing with beautiful creatures of all manner of races.


    Serving drinks, food and standing still as statues around the ballrooms edge were not Fauns but Sun Elves. Their golden hair, sharp ears and angellic physique were unmistakable, even under those garish butlers suits and stuffy maid outfits. In moments Kenji was met by a pair, that seized him by the arms and escorted him away.


    "Hey, I was told to attend to a pair of guests. A stone boy with golden eyes and a teenage succubus. Do you know where they are?"


    The maid and Butler looked at one another.


    "The master dines with them," the maid said primly.


    "And he does not like to be disturbed," the butler sniffed.


    "Which begs the question," the maid said, pulling a thin blade from beneath her skirt.


    "Who of all this realm did not already know this?" the butler said, and with a slight squeeze nearly crushed Kenji''s shoulder. Whoever these sun elves were, they were awfully powerful compared to Ash at least. Was this what she would have been like before her spirits were stolen?


    "I''m new, still learning my way around. If you let me go, I''ll be going," Kenji tried to smile, but was unsure if his goats mouth really pulled that off properly.


    In a flash the butler hit him in the neck, and Kenji crumpled like a sack of potatoes.  Yet while the body was unconscious, Kenji remained wide awake within.


    "Could this be one of the pathfinders sent to guide the humans?" the butler said, carrying the Faun''s body somewhere else.


    "Not just humans, the master said a purple sun elf  and a werewolf were amongst them. He was looking forward to her being brought to him after he had heard...we cannot let our goddess fall into his hands."


    "Agreed, but how do we dispose of this messenger within the bounds of our servitude?"


    "I would give that back if I were you. Or else Goddess Catelyn would be most displeased," Kenji said in his main form. It was risky, but his natural old man body appeared the most likely to invoke a fear of the unknown in the pair.


    The Butler''s aura immediately blazed with energy as he lightly put the unconcious Faun''s body aside. The maid pointed her stiletto dagger with one hand, and produced a ball of shimmering wind in the other.


    "How do you know of the goddess?" hissed the maid.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more."What business have you with us?" added the butler.


    "I am an....agent of the Goddess. She has heard the plight of her people, and has sent me to gather information. My question for you however, is do you still serve the Goddess or must you be silenced?" Kenji cackled as if the pair were no threat to him, beautifully masking his rampant fear that he would have his throat slit like a fish and his heart punched out of his chest.


    Instead they bowed.


    "Until the sun expires," muttered the ready butler.


    "Until the last spirit transcends," added the trembling maid.


    "Good, then I need information. As well as those two people I mentioned, they at least must be saved today. So, where to start? As the resident experts of this place I look forward to your executive decision on this matter."


    "We must hide of course, these side paths are used commonly. We must go to Forgetful Trees, don''t you agree sister?" said the butler.


    "Indeed, it will be safest to talk at Forgetful Trees brother.  Although we will suffer such wrath from abandoning our post, but the nobles have not cared for us in such a long time that our absence might not be noticed, brother."


    As they travelled, Kenji asked a few needling questions.


    "You are siblings then? And are you really bound to serve through enchantments?"


    "Indeed. The Fae love all things beautiful, and the fact all Sun Elves look closely related as a species provided the master''s a chance to create a set of servants all of a gorgeous matching variety. After that they flung wicked enchantments, sent agents to sabotage us, and finally with one disastrous spell, froze our spirits in magical ice and left us temporarily as feeble as one of the humans. When the human warriors came, more of our kin died due to the confusion and grief than anything else. Yet they still stole everything, our people, our treasures, and most of our spirits being passed onto the Far King. Much of the rest was allowed to be taken by the humans, once the Far King had his set of matching maids and butlers he really didn''t care about our culture nor even our power. It is what had helped us send our goddess to safety in the first place."


    "You certainly seem stronger than other sun elves I have met, you made that Faun pass out with but a squeeze of the wrist!" Kenji cackled as he rubbed his hands together in what he hoped looked like a suitably devious expression.


    "And you appear like no creature we have ever met," the maid frowned, elegant steps coming to a halt. "Who are you, servant of the Goddess?"


    Parting his hands and bowing, Kenji whispered, "I am Kenji Aztec, enemy of the orcs, friend of the elves and the holder of a Patty Queen Elite membership card! Currently I serve the Goddess after one of her miracles saved my life, and she tasked me with saving the pair I mentioned before while also seeking information on how to have her beloved people released from the Far King''s clutches!"


    The maid and Butler clapped quietly, "Bravo!" whispered the butler.


    "Amazing," whispered the maid, and quickly pulled open a door to reveal a small glade filled with Violet trees. Three Sun elves danced within, talking with one another and practicing their magic in here like Kenji had secretly played his Nintendo past bedtime as a kid.


    "But I regret to inform you, quite impossible," the maid added as she entered the place know as Forgetful Trees.

 chapter 50 - Master in Disguise

    "Only a Master servant has access to restricted areas. It is quite impossible for anyone else, and unless our enchanted contracts are broken we Sun Elves would be unable to help you either," the maid said, her large blue eyes wilting.


    "That''s ok, I don''t think only five of you would be able to achieve much anyway," Kenji nodded, "the satyr appeared too numerous for that at least."


    The pair smirked as they looked at one another.


    "Dearest agent, firstly there is a neat twelve of us that survived the master''s training. Secondly, while already powerful, we have been given the finest training possible so that we might become battle servants, able to fight off wild salamanders, angry spirits or even other Fae that might seek to overthrow the master. If we were set free, this entire realm would tremble in fear."


    The bloodlust in their aura spiked even as their smiles remained bright and their eyes warm. The outcome was Kenji being drenched in a cold sweat, feeling as if he stood before a nest of sleeping dragons.


    "If you acquire for me a master servant, I Could replicate him and save the orphans at least. Perhaps if there is a focus point of your enchantments I could break them and free you? After that we could meet up with the Goddess and-"


    "Please stop there. I thank you for your efforts, but that won''t happen. Only the Far King can release us from his service, and with the effort required to destroy our kingdom and grind our people into his servants...it is unlikely to the extreme that he will ever release us willingly."


    "Then what about a trade? I could steal-"


    "Stop!" the butler said suddenly, both he and the other sun elves having bathed the area in bloodlust. "Do not use that word - we are bound to protect the property of our Master, please be more careful or the enchanments will compel us to act."


    "Then... bring me to where I can speak with a master servant in private...?" Kenji was anxious as he waited for the bloodlust to drain from the air, the still smiling sun elves returning to calm.


    "Just this way, I''ll bring you one of the master servants from another house for a ....chat, shall we say," primly the maid vanished through the door at an astounding speed despite her maids outfit, the other elves returning to their endless dance around the Violet trees.


    As he waited, Kenji decided to explore.


    Further within was another Sun elf with a long golden beard, chiseling at stone into the rough shape of a woman. Behind him we''re dozens more such statues, and peering behind them a long path filled with even more. All of Violet, their lost Goddess.


    "You say she lives," the old elf said with a straight back and trembling hands. While he hacked at the stone neither his fine white gloves nor black butlers dress were marred in the slightest.


    "She does, healthy and happy. But alone, she thinks she''s the only one left. I see it in her at times, that she puts up walls around her heart because she''s afraid of losing everyone once more. Your return would mean the world to her, and that would mean a lot to me in turn."


    "And who are you little creature of chain, cloth and deceit? What path has led you to our fair Goddess?"


    "I saved her from a human prison, and again when the humans returned for her. They aren''t all bad, but some of their kind are truly horrible for what they have done," Kenji''s hands trembled with rage, so many painful memories of the evil deeds of humanity rushing through him.


    Kenji felt a living vessel for their revenge, and he would be lying if the thought of breaking their power and setting the land free of King Thunberad''s power hungry ways did not excite him. But was he such a hero as that? Was Kenji to scout worthy heroes to fight such a man - or should Kenji focus on the lands liberation himself?


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.First thing first, Kenji had already decided to free these elves. He knew not how - but he swore it would be done.


    "It is good our nearest Goddess is not alone in the world. With her origins as a parasite we thought she would continue to hate her own existence," the old elf said with a fatherly smile. "Even her father, the king, could not convince her otherwise."


    "You...know that she was a mana worm? And you''re ok with that?"


    "Ok...? My dear agent, we were thrilled! Her mere presence stilled the curse on our people, and while the Far King''s magics protect us now, only the Goddesses continued protection could give us any hope of a nation of our own again. She is vital to any future possibility of the Sun Elf people being strong and happy."


    The old elf held Kenji''s hands, tears welling in his skyblue eyes. Wiping the wet from his cheeks, be smiled wider than that forced on him by his station while life returned to his face.


    "Thank you kindly for this news. Working all day, forced to train and watch our people die through brutal trials to increase our strength...it has been heart breaking. Should the day come when we are free, rest assured we Sun Elves will NEVER fall again!"


    With that Kenji noticed the distant door open, and a faun with fluffy gold/brown fur and with an air of the sophisticated about him stepped primly into the Forgetful Trees.


    "What is this lazy servant you spoke of?" said the Master Faun with all the eloquence of a noble.


    "These way, good Master. He sleeps this way," the maid gave Kenji plenty of time to hide before leading the master Faun to where the other unconcious Tracker Faun lay.


    "Disgraceful, I''ll have him dearly punished for this," the master Faun sniffed. Ears stiffening, the Master Faun turned suddenly and yet was slamned into  nearby wall by a gust of wind.


    Kenji struggled to hold the spirit crystal, the silver boy having thrust a great surge of power behind the blast. Running over, Kenji found the Master Faun knocked out and quickly thought as what to do.


    "Kill him," muttered the old elf, fixated smile barely holding beyond a face contorted with rage. "You did well to bring this one Misha, the Master Faun that had conducted out training. Agent, feel no pity for this creature, it has hundreds of sun elf murders to its name, is a key supporter of the Far King and is one of his most willing instruments in our demise. I beg of you, the enchanments forbid us to do so ourselves, but you can kill this wretch in our place!"


    Kenji pulled out his dagger, arm trembling as the Master Faun opened its eyes. Sun elves held the creature down as it thrashed, eyes filled with building bloodlust even as the enchantments continued to forced those fixed smiles.


    "Kill it!"


    "Kill it!"


    "Kill it!"


    "Let me go - or else I''ll feed you to the wolves and have to collect more elf slaves to fill your pathetic places!" screeched the Master Faun, not even a hint of remorse in his eyes. For not even a moment did the Master Faun seem to believe dying here was an option.


    "If you release me know I''ll- huek," surprised to the extreme, the Master Faun found blood spurting from a wound at its chest.


    Kenji plunged the dagger down again, and again, until the grass was filled with red blood and the Master Faun ceased to twitch.


    Then Kenji became the Master Faun, and the secrets of this realm became his. The secrets to it''s possible destruction too.

 chapter 51 - Hall of Mirrors

    With the Master Faun''s knowledge, Kenji now knew exactly what he had to do.


    "When you''re ready to escape, come visit us here again. We can lead you from this realm to freedom, just make sure not to be discovered. If the guardians become aware of an intruder, this entire realm will go on high alert and your chances of returning to our Goddess will become slim at best," the maid said, her beautiful smile a real one.


    "I thank you, but that might be a while yet. Before I save the orphans I need to visit a certain place, and hopefully find a way to help you elves escape as well as stop the Far King from conquering the neighbouring lands."


    The elves appeared puzzled.


    "Conquer? Why would the Far King want that?" the maid said, tilting her head to one side.


    "For land, resources and prestige. I don''t know, why else?" Kenji said, thinking it obvious.


    "The Far King is an absolute power in this realm, and he has everything both he and his court needs. Whenever they want somthing, like Sun Elf servants, they just think up a scheme and take it. I would consider this upcoming war not of conquest but genocide, where from the Far King''s perspective he is rooting out all the weeds in his back lawn. Even the enchanted monsters are no loss dead to him. Without being beautiful or some extreme rarity, they have no place in his collection and he''d prefer them as dead as the humans."


    A chill ran down Kenji''s spine at the sheer callous nature of such thinking. It did truly look hopeless, how do you fight something that is both so powerful and doesn''t care about casualties?


    "All the same, I''ll go seek answers. I''ll probably come back before I go for the orphans, I don''t want to go near the Far King if I can."


    Kenji suspected the Far King was  a Fae who might be powerful enough to see through Kenji''s disguise. So for now he headed towards the Hidden Rooms, were the most potent secrets available to the Master Faun''s mind were kept.


    Past grand arrays of steel armoured satyrs, enchanted monsters carefully positioned in several hidden lookout points, and seemingly endless sets of enchanted traps Kenji went before he finally arrived. Golden leaves crested a door of fine heartwood shaped into a large triangle.


    To either side were powerful treants, appearing the adult version of the Forest child that had pulled Kenji into this whole mess in the first place. They stared at him with angry eyes, and produced six leaf blades gripped by six arms each.


    "Halt, what business does a servant have here?" the one to the left said with a voice deep as the earth and with such a thick aura the regular Kenji would have been left trembling.


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.Yet while not especially powerful, this Master Faun had the passive ability to hold its decorum with ease. Kenji raised his nose high, and addressed the pair formally.


    "Guardians, I have been sent to consult one of the demons. This is a most pressing matter that must be undertaken with discretion," while in human society that would have incited suspicion, the guardians nodded. In this realm it was common knowledge that the Fae competed fiercely with one another for the support of the Far King.


    And any that could afford to have a Master Faun in their service would certainly have the right to enter this dungeon. Far from a personal treasure horde, the secrets within were somthing available to many of the Upper class Fae Nobles that wished to make use of their...services. Assuming they were willing to repay the favour at the Far King''s discretion.


    "You may enter," they said as one and parted before him. Kenji did not so much as tilt his head in thanks as he strolled past, this body fully aware that even the slightest recognition of a favour given could lead to his enslavement by the master of these guardians.


    Seeing as that was likely the Far King himself, Kenji very much wanted to avoid such a possibility.


    Descending Kenji arrived in the hall of mirrors. Blinded Faun''s trotted along the long hall, cleaning each door in turn with slightly milky white orbs until the brass knobs shined and the crystal doors sparkled. Beyond each was a direct connection to a patron god, spirit, demon or other powerful being.


    Here Kenji could make contracts and deals with several powerful entities, and yet none intrigued him more than the one seven doors down to the left labelled only ''The Fourth.''


    Perhaps it was Arthur''s influence at play, but the instant he had discovered the presence of this door in the Master Faun''s mind, Kenji had burned with anticipation. The amount of knowledge he could learn, the implications of this being''s mere existence - it all pointed to a conspiracy greater than he could have guessed.


    Seeing as the Fauns here were blind anyway, Kenji turned into the boy knight. Immediately his enthusiasm tripled. After a quick check through his memories, Kenji confirmed that Arthur had never in all his years become aware of even the possibility that a Fourth god existed.


    With a trembling hand Kenji turned the brass doorknob, and entered the room. To find a direct connection to the Fallen God.

 Chapter 52 - The Fallen God

    A grand mirror was positioned tall as a church, with fine Oakwood carved around its frame to appear a thousand wooden wings.


    Within the mirror itself was a gigantic figure in Heavy silver armour forged with a tapestry of scenes upon it, squatting in a stone throne room filled with ancient weaponry and wielding a massive silver blade three times taller than the boy knight and twice as wide.


    From the gods back sprouted six black feathered wings, the God''s own midnight Black hair spilling out of what was once an angel''s halo and now a silver crown. Each eye was a warm amber and filled with the passion of a thousand battles, just as his carved armour held said battles immortalised in forged silver.


    "A human...it has been some time," the god whispered, his amber eyes peering at Kenji through the mirror. Within Kenji spied fire, screaming, laughter and sighs. "Or one dressed as a human? Curious, I cannot tell. Who are you, why have you visited me?"


    Kenji finally broke from his amazement, and found his tongue still functioning


    "Save," he whispered, then blushed as he realised the foolishness of saying that aloud. This just really seemed like the occasion one would save before making a major decision.


    "Save...? Who do you wish to save?"


    "My friends, the people. The heroes too? I have a problem with growing attached you see, so mabye just saving the whole world for good measure would be the best reponse here?" Kenji cringed as he for some reason said that last part as if it were a question


    Sighing, the Fourth god removed his crown to rest it on the arm of the stone throne.


    "You have questions, best we get to those. But you do realise I am a Fallen God, right? If your seeking a patron for your crusader class, a contract with me would bring with it the ire of the other gods that banished me."


    "They are not gods!" Kenji said vehemently, "I''ve seen what their desires lead to, and what they have led the humans to become! I renounced the Everseeing willingly, and would do the same again to the Braveheart and the Bountyfeast if they were as corrupt!"


    "Then perhaps my favour would do nought but deepen their hatred of you," the god chuckled, " so how about it? Would you become one of the very few who would work alongside the Truthblade?"


    "Can I know about why your a fallen God first? I have questions about my companions too, how to deal with this Fae King, and the human crusade besides..."


    "Well, I was one of the seven gods raised by the council to become gods of this world for humanity. After the war with the gods of the other races, we were reduced to five. After the Three worked with the One on their little coup, Five was left wounded in the wilderness and I barely fought my way out alive. Even though I am the strongest, I cannot compete with all three of them alone. And now they are backed by a member of the council, not at all."


    "What is this council that elevated you? And I thought the One was more of a fantasy world pope, how could he have such sway over the gods?"


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more."My time is precious, and not to be spent...I see now," the god leaned closer, the smouldering in his eyes flaring brighter. "You are one of the reborn, I had wondered how many of you they would send this time."


    "And I''m the best of all of them, the others watch way too little TV. Now, what do you mean by ''this time''? Is the point even to create new heroes like Noir said?"


    "Hush, I will give you an offer and be done with you. To earn my favour you must defeat this Fae who dares threaten the peace of many lands. To do so I advise you to speak with the Ambassador Demon to the Death Gate Alliance. Complete this task, and you may became one of my allies."


    "Allies...not servant?" Kenji said carefully and yet nonetheless desperate to learn what he could from the Fallen God. "Because I''m all for a WW2 allied situation, but not so much for a ''became my unblinking slave in return for salvation'' kind of deal."


    "My servants are only the very few elites that meet my standards. Now go, your time is short. The Far King''s enchantments will notice you eventually."


    "Last question then,  great Truthblade. You''re really suggesting I contact a demon?" of all the questions Kenji desperately wanted answered, this felt the most important. "You see, that just sounds like a flat out bad idea. Not going to lie, I would assume it would be best to avoid demons whenever possible."


    "Not all demons are worse than the Three. And the council is not the only supreme power. Now go, I have spoken."


    With a mouth filled with questions, Kenji bowed and turned away. Back into the Hall of mirrors, Kenji became the Master Faun again and sought out the desired door.


    Descending down black stairs Kenji discovered a hall of dark stone guarded by obsidian armoured satyrs with much more muscle and far more oppressive auras than the regular kind.


    At the end of the hall, was a silver door surrounded by blazing purple runes and guarded by a pair of silver armoured Fae Knights. Their crimson eyes stared at Kenji as he approached, their light blades near blinding as they pulled them free.


    "Who sent you?" the first snapped, an enchantment of authority only narrowly resisted by Kenji''s Master Faun body.


    "High Lord Greenbeard," Kenji said, having replied with the highest ranking individual barring the Far King himself. "He said I had permission, and that failure would be met with the wrath of the ''Decepticon League'' if that means anything to you."


    "High Lord Greenbeard was told the restricted mirrors were outside even his ability to access," the left most guard snapped. Kenji''s blood ran cold as murderous intent flowed over him, his finely tuned body almost breaking it''s impeccable composure.


    "So make it quick, and then report this to the Far King immediately," the Fae Knight finished, apparently not able to even conceive that a lowly enchanted Master Faun might lie to him.


    Knocking the door, it melted into the ground. Tentatively Kenji stepped between the pair, and into the gaping darkness between.

 Chapter 53 - Deathgate Delegate

    The door reforming behind him, Kenji temporarily entombed in darkness. Then ahead a flicker of green light burst into life, before a fiery face appeared before him.


    "To whom do I speak?" crackled the face made of green demon flame, with neat teeth, artfully carved horns and elegantly moulded facial features.


    Peering left then right, Kenji wasn''t sure what to say at first. "The Truthblade asked me to come here, he said you would be able to help me defeat the Far King. He did not however mention the big burning face...so...have any cool tricks I can use to cheat the Far King boss?"


    The demonic ambassador stared with fiery eyes for a moment. After blinking a few times, Kenji caughed and peered around.


    "Am I supposed to be waiting for somthing?"


    "The Demon gods will hear your case. One moment," the face said before vanishing.


    Kenji tapped his foot as he waited for the beaurocratic process to finish. Then a pleasant rumbling melody began, like an orchestra of hellish strings. After what felt an eternity of the demonic elevator music, a new face appeared, that of a very old and kindly man. His beard was a rusty brown, his nose fitted with a large wart and his flapping ears dangling with almost as much gold as his grand jade horns. Opening his sleepy old eyes, the man''s pupils were pits of pure green demonflame.


    "Hello there little Mimic. You wish to join the alliance of the Deathgate?" the old man''s rasping voice trailed through the air, and wisps of smoke trailing free from the corners of his mouth.


    "I''m not sure, that depends on what joining entails. Like is there a contract, a blood bond or one of those  ''are you older than 18?'' boxes I''m supposed to click? And if your not offended by the question...what are you?"


    The old man chuckled in a fondly tone, and smiled as if to his favourite niece.


    "I am the demon god of Hope, you can refer to me as Hope if you like. And you have very little time, little Mimic. High Lord Greenbeard has already become aware of the false use of his name, and shortly so too will those guards. So listen very carefully to what I have to say, for we both stand to benefit by denying the council''s plans here."


    Forcing his mouth shut, Kenji abandoned the long line of planned questions, witticisms and pop culture references to listen attentively. He found it a surprisingly hard state to maintain.


    "There is a Shadow Demon captured in this facility. You will find it, speak it''s true name that I have planted in your mind and then merge your current body together with the Shadow Demon. That''ll help you move about even when the enchantments search for you, and buy you enough time to break into the treasure vault. Once there you will steal the Starfire Cold Iron Bracers. Lastly you must escape, face the Far King''s forces head on, defeat their general and then use his power to force the Fae to fight you directly, only then can you leverage an agreed victory."


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.Kenji opened his mouth to speak, yet the old man raised a finger. Information flooded his mind, his limbs moving of their own accord and in a blink Kenji found himself in a forest. Clutching his head, Kenji felt as if he had only just broken the effect of being hypnotized.


    Distantly a whistling alarm sounded, and Kenji''s feet moved almost of their own accord. The path before him was burned into his mind, Kenji''s hooven feet dancing their way past serval sentries, traps and  Satyr patrols searching for him.


    Entering a cave, Kenji found an alchemist''s workshop. Glowing jars, bottles and shelves stacked with bowls heaped high with powders, mushrooms and herbs to pack the space full of alchemic ingredients.


    Within was a jar bound with silver wire, and angry shadow within. Kenji was cautious at first, did he really want to do this with a Shadow Demon?


    "Whose there?" boomed a moaning voice, distant stomping approaching. More afraid of being found than trusting the space demons, Kenji shatterimg the jar against the ground.


    "Foolish Faun, you have no idea of the being you have unleashed!" cackled the demon as it''s sinewy body covered in dark spines pulled itself off the floor to stand several times taller than Kenji.


    "Oh, I''m sorry I thought you were Azgolixhach," Kenji said with a shrug, the Shadow Demon suddenly stiffening.


    "How...?"


    "Doesn''t matter," Kenji winked as the moaning creature approached, "you serve me now. Now fuse with this body and give my the power to hide!"


    Darkness slid itself through Kenji''s mouth, nose and butt until he was filled to bursting. In the next moment the shadow magic bathed him, just in time for an ogre with long blue dreadlocks and a nose ring to appear.


    "Where are you- no! The Shadow Demon was released!" the ogre wailed, completely ignoring Kenji who hid in the shadow of a shelf.


    Slowly Kenji slipped behind the ogre silent as a whisper and stalked his way through to where the ogre had come. He found a bustling series of paths filled with goblins and ogres, the occasional steel armoured satyr warrior searching individuals and performing sparky enchantments with little waves of their hand.


    Quickly, Kenji slithered across to a waiting cart and hid in a wine barrel. Drenched in wine, Kenji waited for the goblin caravaneers to be searched.


    "What. In. Here?" muttered one of the satyr, opening the barels to Kenji''s left and right.


    "Freshwater and milk in those, wine in the middle one," squeaked the nasal voice of a goblin.


    Kenji dunked his head under the wine as the barrell lid was opened and a satyr hand scooped out some wine. With the lid closing he burst through the surface, and could hear the satyr slurping the liquid down.


    "The Fae. Really have. It good. Well you better get going. Or else we''ll both. Have to die," the satyr snickered followed by a slapping sound and a goblin''s squel.


    With that the caravan rumbled along, taking Kenji all the way into the heart of the Far King''s mansion and right into his kitchens.

 Chapter 54 - Glittering Feast

    Sneaking past the several pigmen in the kitchens had come easily, but the satyr in the hallways were anything but. They wore silver vests trimmed with gold, their manes woven into braids and their eyes calm yet sharply observant of their surroundings.


    Even more terrifying were the Sun elf servants with golden hair and bright skyblue eyes and an aura akin to a creature so beyond Kenji''s level he could only cower. Behind the Sun elves came Dusk elves with jet black hair, ruby red eyes and maroon blue skin. So too were there Crimson elf servants with blood red hair, sad emerald eyes and faces pale as now.


    Each had senses sharpened to the extreme, and even though Kenji moved as soft as a shadow, his slightest misstep brought the elvish servants running.


    Each was only slightly taller than a human on average, but all felt like lions as they prowled the fine hallways and stalked between the marble columns with which Kenji hid. Their game of cat and mouse continued for only minutes, yet to Kenji it felt like several excuciating hours.


    After some time Kenji lost the servant elves behind him, and arrived at a grand feasting room. The whole room was filled with a level of opulance no dream could conjure and not even an entire artisan guild could craft over a lifetime of labour. Fantastical gems, magical creatures places like dolls on shelves, and gold used as commonly as timber filled the space. Artwork, weaponry, jewellery and valuables of every other kind filled several floors high, while the high table itself was coated in steaming delicacies that smelled like heaven and almost convinced Kenji it was worth being caught for even the slightest taste.


    Even more serving trays were whisked in by elvish servants so enchantingly beautiful Kenji was spellbound. They made the regular members of the gorgeous species look like uncut gems, while these sparkling few men and women represented the utter pinacle of what the species could achieve. Add in an unmatched  degree of elegance and skill, making these elves appear an entirely new species of elvish elites despite the wildly different pigment of skin and hair.


    Weaving his way along, Kenji was confident of his imminent discovery. These creatures were simply too fantastical, and despite his best efforts to hide he was guaranteed to be found out. Yet as he wove upward in search, Kenji realised he was being tailed.


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.A single stunning Sun Elf was gliding behind him, sweeping wherever he stepped with gusts of wind magic and busts of flame that scoured any possible marking from the golden stairs.


    She pointed above, and only through strength of sheer will could Kenji pull his gaze away to where she pointed. There he found the stone boy called ''Gold Beans'' in sturdy looking inscribed armour and the half succubus ''Grey'' in a deep green dress of shimmering emerald scales that perfectly fit her many curves to tantalise his eyes. Both were stuff as stone, enchanted in place. With a whisper another Sun elf had the moved to the side, and slowly brought around in a bit of a daze.


    "Thank you, but do you know where I can find something called the ''Star Fire Braces''?" Kenji whispered , the two sharing a look before pointing near the ceiling. There Kenji found the pair of dangling iron braces, looking like ordinary prison manicals.


    Yet Kenji knew if their potential power to destroy the Fae, and positioning then all the way above the chandeliers was likely to have them be not outright dangerous to the Far King''s guests, but a not so subtle threat instead.


    Refraining from hugging the orphans while he appeared a shadow Faun, Kenji climbed several floors with the sun elves help. As he climbed he came across animated giants armour, wingless dragons and fiercely magical pixies. Each time the sun elves distracted them wordlessly, as if they conversed through a mental enchantment that required no speach.


    Eventually Kenji found himself in the first of several chandeliers, the Sun elves pressing their hands against invisible walls behind him. It seemed the enhancements forbidden them from coming any closer, but their eyes lit up with hope as Kenji jumped.


    The chandelier swung, Kenji''s sight filled with the Far drop down into the table filled with the droolworthy food below. One jump at a time he bound between the islands of crystal, before eventually reaching the hidden bracers and snatching them off a plain hook.


    Immediately the walls began to shake, the chandeliers exploded and Kenji was left to fall down into the swarm of elite servants, guardians and a very angry Fae Master Butler.

 Chapter 55 - Fast and Furious

    Wisps of power simmered off the Fae Master butler''s suit, the wrinkles of his face similarly stretched with rage. Kenji fell from right above him - yet was caught mid air by a Sun Elf sourrounded in a bubble of shrieking wind.


    "Cut off my ears!" she shouted, as the pair flew along a hallway with a dozen servants in close persuit. "I can''t do it, but you can. I must not hear the order!"


    If not for the very certain death that would await failure, Kenji would never have been able to tarnish such perfection made flesh. In a moment it was over, crimson flowing from where once had been long elvish ears. With endless apology he was wrapping cloth around her head when the order boomed.


    "Halt Ailia, and hold the creature still," the Fae''s voice came with a magical clarity to pierce through her wind. Yet without ears she could not hear the command, and carried Kenji down several side tunnels while not disturbing a single thread of the lavish decorations.


    Pushing herself faster and faster, wind pushed her like a rocket to fly down the hallways as fast as a racecar and make turns so tight Kenji''s cheek shaved the walls. She bound off the roof, flipped over gaps and burst out a balcony to summon several illusions of herself. Each flew back through a seperate balcony, although her wind magic seemed to be reduced as it was split between them.


    The servants raced after the illusions, yet seemingly ignored Ailia. For whatever reason they were soon alone.


    Kenia heart raced as she slowed down, her light jog still far faster than anything Kenji could hope to ever achieve. Each artful step continued to weave around furniture, servants and even the floors whilst not disturbing the aid in her wake.


    "You should be safe now, I''ve activated my invisibility ring," she whispered, a glinting gem emitting the slightest of shines on her finger.


    "Thank you. For saving my life that is, and for..." Kenji stopped speaking when she failed to respond, eyes focused only on constant movement to avoid their persuers and ears left long behind.


    Without leaving a trace, and while taking seemingly random twists and turns, Ailia most certainly threw off any chance of being tracked. Soon Kenji found himself before several other Sun Elves of the lessor breed, all waiting before a still dazed Goldbeans and Grey.


    "Fare thee well, and thank you for your help your manesty" the maid said, curtsying towards the now earless Elite Sun Elf.


    "I hope you found what you sought. We will wait patiently for your return. Your majesty," added the butler, bowing towards the earless elf.


    Smiling, the elf that could no longer hear waved away their concerns and activated the other ring on her finger. The green gem glowed brightly, and quickly the blood stopped flowing from her head while a soft green glow began to regenerate her missing ears.


    "Before I go, who are you to run like that? All that magic and moving so fast...I''ve never imagined anything like it," Kenji said, amazed as within moments her ears had returned, now looking good as new.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original."I am Ailia, and once was the Queen of the Sun Elves. All of those that attend the Far King directly are sourced from either individual prodegies or members of various elvish royal families. But please go, and keep my daughter safe," leaning forward Ailia kissed Kenji warmly on the cheek, her golden hair brushing against his chin and the warmth of her breath blessing his neck.


    Left in a grinning daze himself, Kenji bowed awkwardly and hurried away with his friends. Yet halting, an idea formed.


    "Your majesty," Kenji said quite excited, "there is a way you can help us. It would only take a few moments, but if you let me caste my ability on you I could replicate some of those powers of yours. Such strength might prove the deciding factor in the battles to come. Would you be willing to face some small discomfort in return for greatly aiding our chances of freeing your people?"


    Ailia was hesitant, but after come gentle persuasion soon agreed. She shuddered as Kenji costed her, emitting strange sounds and squekes only to collapse as Kenji pulled away. Having replaced the Corrupt Spirit street Forbidden slot with a copy of the Sun Elf Queen Kenji was pretty happy with himself.


    With hazy red cheeks and quick breathes, the Sun Elf Queen seemed pretty happy too.


    "I look forward to your return!" she said, waving as Kenji and his companions found an enchanted path. Waving back, Kenji also looked forward to seeing them again, even as he left the Far King''s enchanted domain.


    Left behind was the sweet air, picturesque gardens and hauntingly beautiful people. Travelling last the war camps Kenji watched an army of Satyrs and monsters marching along through the forest. So too came runbling siege engines, grumbling trolls with slings and stones, huge treants with branches filled with supplies needed for a siege and an endless swarm of goblins wielding every possible weapon of war.


    Leading them all came the dark furred satyr with a regal nature to him. Somehow the Satyr general had grown taller and more powerful since last Kenji saw him, as if blessed with renewed power. Demonic text adorned his arms and legs, pulsing chaos fire filling the air with a sulphuric taste and the feeling of wrong. Every step left a burning hoof in the ground, every breath sending waves of power trembling through the air while in both hands was held a scimitar bound in black hellfire.


    If Kenji didn''t hurry back in time, he feared he would return to find Tariak a smoking ruin. And even if he did make it, could he really defeat the Satyr general even assuming he would prove victorious against such overwhelming numbers?


    Kenji sure hoped so, because if the Far King captured the town and raised fresh enchanted troops from the humans there he could go on warring almost indefinitely. Even if King Thunberad''s army finally crushed the Far King''s forces, the amount of devestation would see Tariak and the surrounding region lost forever.


    Determined, Kenji swore that would not happen.

 Chapter 56 - Scourge by Fire

    "Keep falling back, hold ranks - right flank brace for the charge!" Phillip roared, a dozen screaming satyrs flinging themselves from a wall of flame to crash into Warden Company''s flimsy lines.


    The crusaders held, as did the woodsmen, but those village folk that were brave enough to fight were cut down like lambs. Phillip waved to the bands of hunters to focus their fire, arrows bringing down the enemy reinforcements.


    Despite the burning landscape, the satyr and their monstrous servants continued to push through and attack. Despite being burned, despite choking on ash and dying to falling trees the enemy were seemingly immune to fear as they launched harrying strikes.


    Damage continued to be dealt, and their company had taken yet more losses. Turning, Phillip eyed the fortified village of Armsworth, the last such village to go on their path to Tariak.


    "Warden! Defend your warden!" Phillip yelled, seeing Jack fling tongues of flame into the enemy ranks, the blaze behind them scarcely holding off the near suicidal goatmen.


    With their ranks spread thin to catch those zealous goatmen that managed to make it through the inferno, Phillip was forced to charge himself or see his Captain overrun.


    "Rally to me! The Warden must not fall!"


    To either side appeared a battered squad of villagers and crusaders. Together they charged Jack''s position, all the way at the rearguards most forward line. Where the fighting was thickest.


    Alone he had held off an army by copying the Pyromancers power to wield flame, but he was no god. They pulled him away a wounded man, drenched in red, burned across his face and arms, breathes rasping in Phillip''s ear.


    Arrows sung through the air, pegging Phillips'' warriors to the ground. Jack''s retreat broke the balwalk, the enemy commander sending fresh troops accompanied by starved monsters.


    From their flank came a trio of Minotours, the half bull men cleaving through entire men and throwing broken bodies high in the air with horns drenched crimson. Hunters bravely held their ground and fired a volley, the arrows tinkling aside as they were too weak to pierce the monsters hide.


    From the battle appeared the Flower Knight, her blade piercing one Minotours through the side of the head. By drawing away the Minotours attention, the hunters could escape to higher ground.


    "Come on fellas, it''s just little old me," the Flower Knight giggled as the other two swung their axes in wide arcs. Dancing past their guard, she thrust her blade through one''s head and nlew dust into the face of the last.


    Roaring the Minotour swung wildly, it''s powerful strokes screaming through only air as twin daggers were thrown to plunge into its eyes. Maddened and blind it thrashed and crashed, the Flower Knight giggling as she led it away to attack it''s own allies.


    The Satyrs were thrown around just as easily as the humans, more then a few parted in two or sent howling back into the burning forest. As for the dead pair, sparkling yellow flowers burst from their mouths and were added to the Flower Knight''s flowerbed mane.


    Retreating back to the village, Phillip found the squads neatly arranged. His priests were out of blessings, and instead busied themselves by organising the defence. Several villages had been contacted on their retreat path, the fastest horses and runners despatched to send families fleeing to Tariak and available fighters here.


    Warden Company now stood several hundred strong, and under the banner of the Inquisition Jack addressed his warriors even while the battle continued behind him. Pushing aside those that had been holding him up, Jack forced his damaged body to stand proud.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation."Today, we will inspire a legend. Thank you heroic people of this land for heeding my call, we will show these monsters that humanity is not so easily cowed!" a roar of men, a clatter of steel and the banshee shrieks of the experimental all female contingent.


    While the inquisition allowed female crusaders, even Phillip had balked at first in allowing the women to fight entirely on their own. Yet the ''Wiltedwives'' as they had so affectionately called themselves had proven a potent tool. Widows, filled with the rage of lost love ones, they fought tooth and nail against the enemy with a resolve of a hardened crusaders and the ruthlessness of the criminal competents of Warden Company''s forces.


    Their leader strode back to meet then after another days work, the Flower Knight welcomed by her followerers. Perhaps to copy her, they too wove flowers into their hair, and while such activities could be considered pagan, Jack has given the order to let them be.


    "Surely some words for the Three, Warden," Phillip advised, Jack brushing off the comment as he continued to their planning table. Their forces were represented by blue tokens, mostly here in Armsworth village. Some few had gone ahead to escort the wounded and noncombatants, while many more had simply been unable to reach here and were forced to make their own way to Tariak.


    The enemy were represented in red, and wilt scattered they bathed half the map crimson.


    "The Three have delivered victory, we should-"


    "You said it yourself, Phillip. The Three do not intervene in this plane except through their blessings. Today was one due to the brave hearts of men defending their homes, I will not take that from them," Jack said, brushing away one of the local priests who still had the blessings to spare.


    "I''m fine! Go heal someone who needs your attention," Jack rasped, the priest giving his many wounds a long look before turning away.


    "Jack, you can''t sustain this. Your not a god, not even chosen as a saint. If we don''t beg to be saved, this land will be lost to those creatures of nightmares."


    Phillip rested a hand in Jack''s shoulder, and lightly placed an icon to the Three in Jack''s hands.


    "Pray, display your thanks," Phillip urged him.


    "Have you noticed Phillip? The enemy have not sent any of the demonically enhanced for days now, I think they''re pooling their forced elsewhere for the moment."


    "What I have noticed, Warden, is the lack of faith. By not holding yourself to a high standard you risk promoting pagan beliefs in those who look up to you. Already I think allowing the villagers to display their own crests and prepare for battle without prayer is a dangerous precedent-"


    A horn blew, one of the formations had been breached. Jack let the holy icon slip from his hands and into the mud, as he ran to direct the army''s defence.


    Deeply troubled, Phillip watched his long time friend charge into the fray almost with a deathwish. And while godless at that.


    Phillips lips pulled back into a sneer, as he continued to watch Jack''s heroics inspire the warriors and steer them further from the light of the Three.


    Phillip would give him one more chance, but if Jack continued to show doubt in the faith of their all powerful and all mercyfull gods...


    "Prepare our loyal crusaders, tell them to watch the Warden carefully."


    "Watch him for what, Inquisitor?" said the crusader behind him.


    Phillip lifted his chin up high as he watched the Warden send far too many saytrs into the next world for a mortal man unaided by the gods. No mere human could achieve so much with but determination alone, it wasn''t natural.


    "For the signs of heresy."

 chapter 57 - Mustering a Defence

    Jack approached the old stone walls of Tariak with grim eyes. Even while he felt blissful relief to have somthing between his men and the enemy, the knowledge of their numbers and the capacity for war quashed any semblance of comfort in their future.


    His long ragged band approached with slow dragging steps. The goats had harried them for days now, and several times Warden Company had escaped only through a great many losses.


    Still, Jack''s troops marched in somthing resembling a formation and with the high eyes of a soldier. His crusaders, his criminals and the retired soldiers had been all made officers and given command of ten warriors each.


    "The Three''s banner should be held higher," Phillip said in that needling tone. Jack rolled his eyes and focused on the coming messenger. The crusaders could hold the banners as low or high as they liked for all he cared. His brothers and sisters had fought for days with more bravery than Jack had ever seen in the old fossils of the church''s leadership - they deserved to think for their own.


    "Are you the Wild Warden the refugees have been speaking about?" the messenger shouted, pulling his horse to a stop at a suitable distance.


    "This is the Warden of the inquisition! Show your respect if you wish for the Three''s favour!" roared Phillip, with several of those priests closest to him pressing their fingers to their forehead and giving the messenger a dark look. Come to think of it, Jack had noticed then making the gestured to ward off evil when he was around.


    Strange, Jack couldn''t even remember the last time he had mirrored such superstitious behaviour. It just felt as distant as his hunt to him now, a cold empty act when compared to the burning feeling of his contentment in his chest whenever he pushed himself to fight for those that could not. He did not feel forlorn about the lack of battle however, for even if others would be taking care of the ear now it would still be Jack''s duty to see this villages warm, fed and respected.


    "Apologies, I did not realise you were members of the inquisit-"


    "Enough, my people need food, water and lodging. Have that seen too, and then lead me to whoever has taken command of this town''s defense," Jack said as he strode past the fuming Phillip.


    "Then come this was Captain, your people will be tended to but your wisdom would aid the council greatly."


    Turning his horse around, the messenger dismounted and gestured towards Jack. Another horse approached for Phillip, with a wagon for a handful of crusaders to follow.


    "You too Flower Knight, Carthas too and Burgeon," Jack said gesturing to his most powerful warrior and the two top performing villagers.


    Carthas had the stern temperament, talent for learning and truth of heart required to make a fantastic knight. With Jack''s help, he would be called Sir Carthas before long.


    Burgeon meanwhile was a mountain on the move, his sons just as large. Travellers from a far away land, the huge men of the mountains had worked wonders in the forge until a satyr attack had brought out the beast within again. Of all the villages Jack had sent messengers too, only the village of Lufas had both resisted the Satyr threat and readied for travel. Since then Burgeon and his sons and proven natural war leaders, and the most fantastic soldiers Jack could hope for.


    With both his loyal crusaders and most trusted warriors behind him, Jack steered his horse towards Tariak with his head held high. Approaching, the walls were filled with people, colourful petals dousing the air and blaring horns announced Warden Company''s arrival.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.Passing through the gate, Jack was met by a great crowd. The Late Lord''s soldiers, local mercenaries and adventurers of all stripes were peppered through a huge crowd of hastily armed and armoured militiamen.


    They looked like the ragged bunches Jack had collected on his way through the villages, and already plans run through his mind as to how he could increase the chance of their survival. He''d whip them into shape in no time, give them capable leaders and elevate all those who already had some natural talent or learned ability within war to whichever positions they could handle.


    Yet whoever led the defense wasn''t doing too bad a job, streets being walled off with barricades, huge squares of peasants training with spear and bow while the old and young crafted all the materials required.


    Wizards were binding magical traps into shields, while rogues constructed a web of paths across Tariak''s roofs. Warriors battled lessor fighters incessantly in an attempt to teach a few some warriors skills, while Rangers guided collections of hunters into firing arrows with increased power, precision and accuracy.


    Lastly were the priests, blessing everyone with [Crown] an ability of those following the Bountyheart. The [Crown] blessing increased XP gain, and no doubt was responsible for a great many trainees hastily being raised to match the very lowest form of adventurer.


    Interestingly, the messenger led Jack not to the Lord''s manor, but the old fort of the Golden Goose Guild. Somewhat repaired, and with its moat deepened and filled with fresh water, the structure had returned to some portion of it''s former glory.


    Outside the proud banners if the Kingdom flew beside the Three and a Silver Swan. The last was a knight''s order of some renown, even Jack having heard of their exploits .


    Soldiers with the Silver Swan badge marched in and out, actual Knights of the order busy leading training sessions on the Guild''s first floor within.


    Jack was escorted up to the second were the nobles, rich merchants and greatest warriors of the guilds had been gathered.


    Passing into the third floor, Jack was ushered in by a catgirl into Almanacs room turned war room. Chairs were pulled around a grand table, a rough map of the region outfitted with dozens of coloured pieces that servants moved as new messengers arrived.


    Both Almanac of the Golden Goose Guild, the Heads Hunter''s Guildmaster and several Guildmasters from adventurer guilds Jack did not know argued endlessly with wealthy nobles and stoic Silver Swan Knights.


    "Be calm, all of you! This is us versus the monsters now, just follow the plan and all will be well!" the boy knight shouted, Jack''s blood running cold as he stared at his forgotten prey right in the eye.


    "You," Phillip screamed, pointing at the boy knight with a crazed look, "Sieze that heretic, for the Three he must not live!"


    Steel rasped into the air, crusaders pushed themselves forward while adventurers pulled out their own weapons the to resist. Amidst the mayhem Jack held his silver knife, and paused.


    Before he could figure of what to do, purple fire clad crystal erupted from the ground, a purple elf with sinewy ears and dull iron bracers staring with Violet eyes that spat embers of purple flame.


    From behind appeared a gigantic wolf from seemingly thin air, a huge moon appearing before turning silver to bind those that stood with the boy knight in a silver glow.


    "Stop, we don''t have to fight. If you care about the people of this town, then please stop!" the boy knight said, his golden eyes filled with concern.


    Seeing that pure worry even while his own life was being threatened, Jack out his silver knife back in the sheath.

 chapter 58 - War Party

    Kenji would happily admit if asked, that he had very much forgotten about the Warden''s existence. Yet most intriguingly, those confused eyes of the Warden has seemingly also forgotten about Kenji.


    "Halt.  Phillip, I said HALT!" the Warden roared, both the angry priest and his up tight crusaders skidding to a stop. If looks could kill the Warden would have died then and there, instead he continued to fiddle with a silver knife at his belt and stare at Kenji.


    "What are you doing here, why come back?"


    "Jack, cease this foolishness. You are commanded to bring the heretic to the Three''s justice!" the priest hissed, his fellow priests behind him mirroring the outrage. Although Kenji noted the muscular warriors lacking the inquisitors symbols seemed far less perturbed, actually seeming to look at the crusaders as if they were the threat.


    "I came back to save this town, what else? Just your run of the mill saviour here, although I could use some help," Kenji said, watching the Captain tighten and then loosen his grip on that weird knife.


    Sighing, the Captain let go.


    "The people come first, and if everyone here is already in agreement then I will as well," the Captain said, while the crazed priests stared as if the Captain had sprouted horns.


    "Excellent , Captain," muttered the Lord Swan of the Silver Swan knight order. "Your capacity to fight through the enemy lines, and save as many people as you have is truly a feat worthy of recognition. If not for  your vows to the Three, perhaps a life in the Silver Swans would have proven a better fit."


    "I have been absolved by the One himself, Lord Swan. So when this is all over, perhaps I will take you up on that offer," Jack''s fearsome features managed a blood thirsty grin, the fervent priest having gone dangerously still by his side.


    As Lord Swan continued his speach of heroism and glory, Kenji realised somthing he hadn''t thought of for awhile. Looking at the Captain as he seemed completely without fear with the thought of the coming army, Kenji felt he had a hero grade.


    A pretty good hero grade too: [D]


    "Kenji, he asked you a question," Violet whispered into his ear as she pulled on his sleeve. Eyes refocusing, Kenji realised everyone was looking at him.


    "Mind repeating that? I felt a disturbance in the force and missed what you said," Kenji said with a mysterious tone, wide eyes and softly waving his hands.


    "I said, if the Hero Knight here could explain his plan we could return to the discussion of how to array our forces," Lord Swan said stiffly, Kenji barely managing to hold his composure.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings."Yes, so. We will need to bash down the enemy forces just long enough to find out where the enemy general is. Once identified me and my companions will corner the general, and force him to reveal his master. From there Violet here will use these fancy bracers I recovered while gathering Intel on the enemy, and hopefully pull apart the enchantments that control the monster hordes."


    "So they are enchanted?" Jack said nodding, "that would make sense to me. I''ve seen far too many starved, weakened and unskilled creatures fight like zealots. If they are forced to fight with magic, then breaking the spell should be our top priority."


    "Which is something those braces can do," Kenji grinned, really liking how quickly his greatest enemy was with the uptake. "The iron not only augments magic to be on Starfire, but breaks that which links the Fae to this world. It won''t just free their armies from being mentally dominated, if used perfect we could banish their master from this realm for some time. A but more permimant a salvation then merely withstanding against this current threat, without dealing with the Far King himself he can simply keep sending more agents and fighters until the land is drowned in blood and deceit."


    "Then it''s settled, leave conducting the prelart for a siege to my Silver Swan Knights. Master Almanac, I could use your insight as to where place our lines of retreat," Lord Swan said, his shining regalia thinking as he twisted to address the wizard dripping golden mist.


    "The Golden Goose Guildhall is the most heavily fortified building apart from the late Lord''s mansion. Yet his family and many of their troops have claimed that space for themselves, and so my guild is willing to throw open our doors and accept the townspeople that require shelter. Although I still stress that space is limited, and continuing to evacuate to other cities. While I have your attention too, Kenji, the blacksmiths were wanting to speak to you about that project of yours."


    Kenji grinned as he stood tall, and tried to ignore the smouldering looks of the inquisitors.


    "My thanks Guildmaster, I''ll head off then. May we see the victory screen," Kenji said, waved to the table and led his companions away.


    Jack watched Kenji go, their eyes matching for a moment as Kenji waited at the door.


    "Want to come see?" Kenji said, unsure if he should be revealing so much to his mortal enemy and yet unable to see passed the hero grade dangling around Jack''s head.


    "Aye, that I would. Stay men, I''ll go alone," Jack whispered harsh words with his frothing priest, before he brushed the cold eyed man aside and stomped after Kenji and into the night air.