《Chains》


 Chapter 1 - Summoned Heroes

    "Fuck," said Eric, wiping blood from his mouth. He was currently surrounded by more guys than he had time to count, each one of them armed to the teeth with knives, baseball bats, and even a gun or two. ''I''m so dead,'' Eric thought with a cheeky smile, looking around at the various adversaries. ''This is what I get for fighting like a madman. Guess I''ll go down kicking ass. Still it would be nice if I had a-'' Eric tried to stand up, but he almost tripped on something. Looking down, Eric saw a section of chain links that might just work.


    "Alright, fuckers," he shouted at the surrounding forces of delinquents, "LET''S SEE WHAT YOU GOT!?!" Holding the chain at both ends, Eric was smiling like a madman as he started a fight he couldn''t possibly win. Eric Bane, seventeen years old, fought with more than a hundred people at one time. He was a human war machine, a one-man army like a terrible avenging Icarus fighting against the impossible odds of the gods'' wrath. Eric fought with the tenacity of a cornered lion, the chains in his hands being painted red as he went wild with the people who were attacking him.


    When all was said and done, Eric Bane walked home with more than everything in pain. For some reason, he was still dragging the chains behind him, leaving a trail of blood as he walked home. He was young, but he was built like a beast of a man from constant workout and the genes of a father who was built like a brick shit house. Still, he wasn''t immortal, so he felt the pain with every step, but he was alive. His breathing was heavy enough to inhale an orange without noticing.


    As he walked, there were several things he should have noticed. One was the enormous crack in the sky that stretched right over his head. The other was that the chain he held tightly were glowing with a mysterious white light. Eric Bane, the biggest, baddest delinquent from the toughest part of town, suddenly disappeared into the crack in the sky, dragged in by the chains that he held. He was barely conscious as he was pulled into the mystery.


    Eric Bane woke up in an unfamiliar place, which wasn''t out of the ordinary for him. Looking around, he quickly analyzed the situation on basic instinct. He was in a place that looked unsettlingly like an old fashioned hospital, the medieval kind of hospital. There was a curtain with patches stitched in places, the bed was made of a very soft and puffy material, and the sheets were heavy enough to anchor a cruise liner. Eric sat up, looking around the wooden walls with a curious glance as he tried to figure out where he might be. This had to be someone''s cabin, or shed, but he wasn''t restricted at all, which was new.


    The door was two beds over and as Eric looked around, the door opened as a middle-aged woman wearing a nun''s outfit entered the room. She looked up to see Eric, who stared at her with an intense gaze like a cornered animal. "Oh," she said, "it''s good that you''re awake. The king demands your presence as soon as you''re feeling well enough to make the trip."


    "The king, huh," said Eric, assuming he was some kind of gang leader, "crappy nickname." Eric looked at the clothes he was wearing, noticing that they weren''t the same ones he had on before. "Might as well give him the courtesy." Eric stood up, his huge feet steady on the cold stone ground that bumped in an irregular fashion. He stepped over to the strange nun lady, who he didn''t question because he had seen stranger fetishes.


    "We''ll prepare your clothes," said the nurse nun, "and then give you the royal makeover."


    "Listen," Eric chuckled, "I''m fine as I am. Just take me to the king and I''ll be on my way after that." The nurse was slightly taken aback by Eric''s brazen attitude, but the seriousness in his voice was quite apparent.


    "V-very well," said the nun, looking frightened at her predicament. She turned and led John through a confusing labyrinth of twists and turns, each time making him wonder what exactly this ''King'' person was. All of the things he saw, the torches on the wall, the intricate rugs, the powerful paintings of royal men; they were all incredibly well detailed and impossibly expensive. It was whittling away at his doubt that he was in some strange mansion, or that he even truly understood what was going on here. The nun then exited the regular hallways, and Eric felt all of his expectations dashed in that single instant.


    They entered an enormous hall with towering pillars of blocks holding up an extravagantly decorated ceiling. It was unbelievable, giving Eric''s mind a relapse that this wasn''t real somehow. As he stood awestruck at the magnificent splendor, taking in every detail as his blown mind tried to piece together how this was in any way possible. He went to one of the pillars and touched it, feeling the roughness of the stone''s grain on his hand.


    ''This is real,'' he thought, his mind bending just to accept this castle as a part of his reality. ''Wait, then that means this king is an actual king!''


    "Excuse me," said the nun, looking at Eric with some concern, "but the king is in here."


    ''Shit,'' thought Eric, unable to come up with anything else as he numbly followed the nun. The end of the enormous hall was an intricately carved pair of doors that had a series of human images engraved into it. It was just a line of people carrying weapons, and at the very center was a projection of light. The nun pushed on the door with all of her might, barely able to open the massive door. Eric stood above her and reached out to the door, pushing it open as easily as a person would open a normal sized door. The voices inside abruptly stopped as the door swung open on rusted hinges.


    The inside was a throne room, a single long carpet stretching from the doors to a set of stone stairs that led up to a large pair of thrones. Sitting on the larger throne was a man dressed in a flowing red robe and a crown, the crown bringing to mind the words ''compensation''. He had greying hair and a fair number of wrinkles, but there was something about him that seemed young. There was a small crowd at the base of the stairs, people dressed in old fashioned armor carrying various weapons. On instinct, Eric got into a position to defend or attack if necessary, but nobody moved.


    "Majesty," said the nun, instantly getting on one knee, "I''ve brought the final hero. I apologize for his attire, but he was insistent on meeting as quickly as possible."


    "Ah, all is forgiven," said the king, then he waved his hand dismissively. "Your timing is impeccable, as we are just about to separate the volunteers into groups. Come here, we''ll start introductions again." Eric followed the directions given to him, and as he approached the king said, "It''s good that you were revived, else you would have gotten only the spare volunteers. Heroes, would you kindly introduce yourselves to this man?" Eric got to the front of the group to see five people standing in front of the king himself, all of them with insanely detailed weapons.


    "Hey," said the first one, a blonde pretty-boy who carried a massive spear, "the name''s Tyler Jinx. I''m a spear-wielder and heartbreaker. Listen man, this is some strange shit here, but don''t let it worry you too much. We''ve been talking," he gestured to the other heroes, "and we''ve got some stuff to share with you. Do you see an icon over your right shoulder?" Eric turned to see something was over his right shoulder, it was a little white cog inside of a square with rounded edges. "Focus on it for a second, and you''ll get your inventory screen."


    "What," Eric said, unfamiliar with the lingo Tyler was using.


    "Just focus on it," said Tyler with a cheeky smile. Eric looked at the tiny cog, staring at it intently. Without warning, a large light-grey sheet appeared in front of him, blocking his view of Tyler. It was a wide open sheet with a large section of boxes in the lower left, a profile picture of Eric in the top left next to some titles, and a series of tabs on the right side of the sheet. Tyler stepped around to look at the white sheet, and he began to explain, "This is like a video game where you can use this as your inventory screen. See in the top left? That''s your hero status and title, so you''re... ''Hero of the Chain''?"


    "What''s that mean?" asked one of the other weapon wielders. "Hi, the name''s Benny, by the way."


    "Look at this," said Tyler as Benny, a nerdy guy with messy black hair stepped around to look at Eric''s inventory screen. In the top left, next to his picture, were the words ''Eric Bane(lv1)'' and under that ''Hero of the Chains''.


    "Maybe it''s like chain combos," suggested Benny. "He''s good at successive hits, or something."


    "No," said a girl with dyed purple hair, "we all have weapons, so he must have chains as a weapon. I''m Emily, by the way, Hero of the Sword."


    "I''m John," said a black guy with a scraggly goatee, "Hero of the Fists, and chains aren''t a weapon."


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Maybe it''s like God of War," guessed Benny, "and he''s got some weapons on the end of the chains?"


    "Try summoning them," said Tyler, only to receive an unphased look from Eric. "Oh yeah, there''s a tattoo somewhere on your body. Just focus on that and your weapon will appear." Tyler acted this out as he said it, pulling his collar to the side to reveal a small lance tattoo in the center of his chest.


    "It''s on your wrist," said Emily, pointing it out. Eric lifted his hand to see that there was a chain tattoo going around his wrist like a bracelet. Once he looked at it for a little while, there was a quick flash of light as though someone had taken a picture, and he was suddenly holding a length of chain. Everyone was quiet as Eric held the chains, then he remembered the last thing that happened to him.


    "That''s strange," said the king, "I wouldn''t expect something like this being a divine weapon. Is there some secret to it?" Tyler touched it, feeling the links one at a time.


    "I think... it''s just a regular old chain," Tyler surmised, his face contorted in confusion.


    "That''s stupid," remarked Benny, "how are you even supposed to fight with a chain?" Eric was staying quiet through this whole debacle, his mind fractured from all of this new information coming at one time.


    "This is certainly unprecedented," said the king, scratching his chin in confusion. "We should not underestimate a hero, regardless of what his weapon may be. Hero," the king regarded Eric with authority, "reveal to us your name."


    "Eric," announced Eric, "Eric Bane."


    "And what was the last thing you remember?" the king asked curiously.


    "Well, some guys were ganging up on me," said Eric, slowly sorting out what happened, "then I saw this chain next to me and picked it up. After the fight, I was going home, then... that''s all I can remember."


    "Hmm," said the king thoughtfully, "and is that the chain you used to fight?"


    "No, the one I found was rusted, but, yeah, it was this long."


    "I see what might have happened," said the king with a cheery smile. "You''re quite something, taking something that isn''t a weapon and turning it into a divine weapon! Because you fought with this chain, you''ve accepted and acknowledged that it was a weapon, so it became your weapon."


    "Dude, that''s sweet," said John with a broad smile. "I just found these gloves in a pawn shop and thought they looked cool."


    "Yeah, I just got this in an attic," said a skinny guy with glasses. He showed everyone a long wooden handle that lead to a curved blade weapon that Eric vaguely remembered seeing in a cartoon once. "Oh, I''m Todd, by the way," he said, offering his hand for a handshake. "Hero of the Scythe."


    "Now, I''ll speak with you later about the specifics, but for now, we have volunteers waiting eagerly to aide you," said the king. "For now, the volunteers will group with the hero of their choice, then funds will be passed around." The people in armor started walking around, approaching the other heroes and speaking with them. Eric looked in his inventory screen, trying to figure out how to close it. He fiddled with the boxes, pushed on the sides, then he experimented with the tabs on the right.


    There were four tabs, labeled: inventory, stats, settings, help. Eric pressed the help tab, only for a pop-up screen to appear telling him that the help section was for learning information on the world around him. He was then confronted with a table of contents listing more information than he could handle at once. He read through some of the names, then he found a section about inventory. He pressed it with his finger, then the screen changed to a long paragraph with occasional pictures with highlighted areas.


    Eric spent most of his time reading through this, discovering what could be done with his inventory screen. He could store items, some of which could stack over each other, but the weight of the items would be cumbersome. The picture and title would change as he grew and leveled up(''whatever that means''), and the title could change based on achievements. Eric was so engrossed by all of this information, when he read to the end and found out how he closed his inventory screen by focusing on the small cog over his shoulder, he realized that the adventurers had all separated. And he had no one.


    "Now that you have your parties," said the king, oblivious to Eric''s predicament, "you''ll each receive 800 silver pieces as the starting pay. As word spreads of your deeds and you grow stronger through your experiences, you''ll receive greater pay as heroes." The king stood, then he announced graciously, "Now go! Prepare yourselves for the coming demons! Be the heroes you were destined to be!" There was a cheer from the crowd as Eric stood there, just now hearing that he would be fighting demons. How exactly was he supposed to be fighting demons? The king looked at him, then motioned for Eric to follow him.


    Eric walked up the steps, past the thrones as the king slowly walked towards a side door neat a curtain. The king stepped inside and Eric followed to find what could only be described as a stage set. "I would first like to extend my gratitude towards the Eric Bane for being a hero. As I had explained to the others before, our kingdom is under attack by demons that appear in waves. Normal soldiers are ineffective against the hordes, so we require the aide of heroes to fight for us. We''ve summoned you from a land we know nothing of to fight for us, giving you whatever you ask as compensation for your efforts."


    "What all heroes have to fight the demons are divine weapons from the other world that can change and adapt with the hero, in your case, your chains. These weapons are the staple with which you fight the demons and monsters you encounter on your trip. You can never get rid of them, as they are a part of your person."


    "I must warn you, there is only so much leeway I can give you as a hero. There are laws you must follow, rules you must adhere to. Should you break these laws, you will be punished as any citizen would be. The time before the next wave is still a few weeks, so I implore you that you prepare in any way you can. The wave is merciless, and it will rend your body if you aren''t properly prepared for it. For now, you must go and train yourself, become powerful for the wave so that you may defeat these monsters which assault our people. I suggest you begin with the fields around the city, where the monsters are weakest."


    "Yes, sir," said Eric, and he left with his brain on full learning mode. As he walked out of the enormous rooms, he noticed a group loitering by the door. The black haired nerd, who seemed anemic, suddenly broke from the group of adventurers and approached Eric.


    "Hey," said Benny with a friendly smile, "I was wondering if you know what''s actually going on here?"


    "Yeah," said Eric, "the king just told me there''s a demon infestation." Benny smiled and shook his head in a way that made Eric want to punch his lights out.


    "No, that''s not what this really is," said Benny like a know it all. "Have you ever played video games?"


    "Not really."


    "Then this is going to be hard. Well, this world is kind of like a video game. The inventory screen you can conjure is a feature of video games, the same with the stats screen. Look at this," Benny opened up his inventory, then pointed to the parentheses next to his name. "This is another thing in video games called a leveling system. When you fight monsters, go on quests, and other things, you gain experience points that level you up so you can get stronger. I don''t know about anything else, but we''ll figure it out as we go along."


    "Okay," said Eric, getting the gist of what Benny was saying. "Hey, what''s your weapon, by the way?"


    A quick flash later and Benny was holding an old longbow, which he proudly held up and declared, "I''m the Hero of the Bow."


    "Don''t you need arrows?"


    "Check this out," said Benny, and he pulled on the bow string. Like magic, a shimmering shaft appeared between Benny''s fingers and the notch in the longbow. When he pulled it back as far as it could go, there was a glowing arrow between the two points. "Pretty cool, right?"


    "Dude, that''s sweet! Do you have infinite arrows then?"


    "I don''t know, but I''m going to test it out right now. Want to come with us and see how these ''divine weapons'' work on monsters?"


    "Hell yeah!" shouted Eric excitedly, looking at his chains as he tried to imagine the best way to fight with them. He had a feeling in the pit of his stomach, a sensation that he hadn''t felt in a long time. Eric smiled as wide as his mouth could stretch when he stepped outside with Benny to explore this brand new world.

 Chapter 2 - Kindness Lost

    "Woah," said Eric, looking around at the unfamiliar landscape. Benny and his entourage had come to the outskirts of the town to test out the divine weapons. There were mountains in the distance with snowy peaks, but before that was a large grassland Eric now found himself in. The grasses didn''t even reach his waist, while Benny was stuck into it down to his stomach. As soon as they entered the grasses, a group of tiny orange balls suddenly appeared with mouths as their only features. They had sharp teeth that looked dangerous, but they could only float slowly through the air.


    "This looks perfect," said Benny, looking at the orange floating slime like a hunter. He raised his bow, pulled the string back so the glowing arrow appeared, then he leveled it at the orange ball and let the string go. The glowing arrow shout out of the bow like a bullet, piercing the orange ball so that it popped like a balloon. There was a slight spray of blood around where the orange balloon had been, but Benny didn''t notice that as much.


    "Woah, look at this," said Benny, looking at a small white screen that had suddenly appeared in front of him.


    Eric looked over Benny''s shoulder to see what the screen said.


    ''Exp:2 $:0''


    "So, that''s experience," explained Benny, "and it looks like we can earn money from slaying monsters."


    "Seriously?!" cried Eric, suddenly enthusiastic about this adventure. He spied another orange ball a little ways away, and he charged towards it with his chains in hand. Eric swung from a short distance away, putting all of his strength into the swing. The chain smacked into the orange bulb, then it popped like before. The chain kept swinging, coming around and hitting Eric in the side. "Shit," said Eric, reeling from the hit. Eric pressed on the area he had just hit himself, feeling the bruise already forming.


    The little warning popped up, telling him he had just earned three experience points and no money. "Hey," said Eric, motioning for Benny to look at this, "I got more experience than you!"


    Benny inspected the message, then he said, "Maybe it has something to do with your title?"


    "Title?"


    Benny opened his inventory, touched the title underneath his name, and a little window popped up. "The title you have changes your stats," said Benny as Eric looked at the window. It read: ''Bow Mastery[Passive]: The hero''s accuracy and skill inspires his comrades to match his excellence. Long ranged attacks do 15% more damage for all party members.'' "See, my title implies that long-ranged attacks are automatically better for my party. The passive option means that I don''t affect it, it will happen automatically without me doing anything. Check out yours." Eric opened his inventory, then pressed the ''Hero of the Chain'' title, then a window opened up.


    ''Chain Links[Passive]: The bonds created in life are stronger than the hardest chains. For every member in the party, party experience gain is increased 100%.''


    "Woah, that''s so broken," said Benny, reading the title as well.


    "Is it really?"


    "Yeah, think of what happens if you have a big party. You''d have a shit ton of experience in no time."


    "Cool," said Eric, glad that he would have such a big head start. Eric created a party with Benny and some of his entourage and they killed the orange things late into the evening, the experience gain increasing massively. They stopped to go back into town for lunch, then they got the tour of the town itself. Eric only remembered the area for the armorer shop, which was run by a strong black man who looked unsettlingly like Black Dynamite. He was pretty cool, since he was also a big guy who could sympathize with Eric''s big guy problems. To show his appreciation for all of the help, Eric payed for a new set of armor for Benny to wear.


    "Woah, thanks," said Benny, checking himself out in the mirror. It was some classy light armor chosen because of Benny''s smaller frame and need for speed. "Hey, why don''t I let you have one of my NPC''s?" Benny offered.


    "What''s and en-pee-see?" Eric asked.


    "NPC stands for ''Non-Playable Character'', and refers to the people that aren''t controlled by players. The shop owner here is an NPC."


    "What did you just call me?" demanded Black Dynamite aggressively.


    "Sorry," Benny said with no emotion. "Anyway, I could lend you one of my followers since it''s such a big bonus for you."


    "You aren''t even going to ask them first?" Eric said disapprovingly.


    "Dude, NPCs don''t actually have feelings," said Benny confidently, "they just act like they do. Trust me, it''s all well and good. Besides, your title bonus makes it sound like having companions is your forte." Benny went outside to his followers, while Eric payed for the armor, then went out to join them. He found Benny whispering in the ear of one of his group, who nodded to him. She was a beautiful woman who had fine armor on and who Eric remembered seeing with two fast daggers.


    "Hey, my name''s Judy," she said with a pleasent smile, "and I''ll be your follower from now on!"


    "Cool," said Eric, "I''m Eric Bane. Do you know where we can go to get some rest? I''m really tired right now."


    "Sure," said Judy, "there''s a little inn that is friendly with my family. We can get a discount there."


    "See you later," said Benny, "I''m going to go hunt some more of those orange things."


    "See you later," said Eric, waving as Benny and him seperated groups. "Come on, let''s go see about that inn."


    Eric found himself waking up to the sight of a knife in his stomach, the pain shooting through his body as he shot up. In the few moments he had before he woke up screaming, he saw Judy, his supposed ally, releasing the handle of the knife and run away. Eric didn''t worry too much that her appearal was ripped, or that she was carrying his bag of money, he was too focused on the powerful pain that was arcing through his gut. Every movement he made moved the blade inside of his body, driving him crazy as yelled out in total pain. It took a few seconds for somebody to come up and check on him, and when they did, they saw he had a knife in his gut.


    Eric pulled the knife out, feeling every moment it spent sliding across his insides. He finally pulled the knife out completely, then grabbed the nearest sheet and pressed it onto the wound. He was breathing heavily as the pain started to become manageable. Then he looked to the guy that had entered the room to see him with his legs apart and fists clenched. "You bastard!" shouted the man, looking at Eric with intense hatred.


    "I need thread and a needle," said Eric through clenched teeth.


    "What for?" the man demanded angrily.


    "So I don''t BLEED TO DEATH," Eric shouted at the top of his lungs. The man left the room for a few moments as Eric tried to get an idea of the damage the knife had caused. The cut was only two inches across, but the knife itself was five inches along. This was going to take more than a few stitches and crossed fingers. Maybe there was something in this world that could heal him magically, though there were niggles of doubt that undermined the accountability of that idea. The man reappeared and threw a line of thread at Eric, who was sick of this guy''s attitude. "Where''s the needle?"


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    "I gave it to you," said the man with a sneer. Eric picked up the thread, then he looked around for the needle which he found in the bedsheets he clutched. Eric pulled the sheets off, then he tied the thread through the needle and began his second-hand surgery. The thread was coarse, not the type of thing a person would want to stitch up a wound. Still, Eric gritted his teeth and stuck the needle through his skin, making a cross pattern in his skin. Once he was done, he pulled it tight enough that it wouldn''t open, then he glared daggers at the man who carried such an attitude.


    "What the hell''s your problem?" Eric growled.


    "You raped that girl in my inn," said the man angrily, "and you wonder why I have a problem?"


    "I didn''t rape anyone," growled Eric through clenched teeth.


    "I''ve got a crying girl in ripped clothes sitting in my room that says otherwise."


    "I didn''t rape her," Eric shouted, "she just stabbed me for no reason!"


    "I don''t care," said the man, "but you''re not moving until the guards get here." Eric let the pain soothe down to a dull roar, then men in armor showed up carrying very sharp lances. He was handcuffed with cuffs so large they felt like he was having his arms pulled off. Since his abdominals were killing him, he ended up lifting the cuffs over his shoulders so that his hands were behind his head. He was poked and prodded by the lances so that he stood up and walked out of the room where more men in armor leveled their lances at him.


    Eric was forced to walk through the street with a steadily bleeding wound in his stomach. The blood soaked his shirt, then it soaked into his pants, and it finally started to make a trail in the street once he was a getting closer to the king''s palace. With the blood running down his shirt, Eric entered the immaculate palace and dripped blood in there as he was sorrounded by guards at all times. He was prodded into the throne room, noticing that the lances were starting to make small incisions when they poked him. He was bleeding all over by the time he stood in front of the stairs that went to the thrown.


    "What is the meaning of this?" said a very annoyed voice as the king entered the room from the back door. He saw Eric standing with guards sorrounding him, the blood slowly collecting to a small pool at his feet.


    One of the armored men, wearing a feather in his helm, announced, "Sire, this man has been caught in the act of rape. The inn keeper claims that he was raping one of his followers when the girl stabbed him and made a getaway."


    "That''s not true," shouted Eric, but he was silenced when the circle of armored men pointed their lances at his neck. Eric went silent, not wanting to waste his life just yet.


    "Sire, the girl... it was Judy," said the guard slowly. The king adopted an expression of loss, then of extreme hatred which he aimed at Eric.


    "You bastard!" the king shouted, anger filling his voice as he stood at the edge of the stage he had raised. "If you weren''t a hero, I would execute you myself! As of this moment, you are hereby banished from this palace, and if you ever get close to my daughter again, I will drive nails into your body until you die of suffocation! Gaurds, get this man out of my sight!"


    "I didn''t do anything," Eric shouted in his defense, but they fell on the deaf ears of the king. As Eric was leaving the building, he saw Judy standing next to the blond pretty-boy, Tyler Jinx. Judy had her face in Tyler''s shoulder, making heavy sobbing sounds, but Eric saw the malicious smile she hid underneath her hair.


    "Bastard," said Tyler, looking sternly at Eric as he passed by. "I will make sure everyone knows what you''ve done! You will never get away with this!" Eric was being poked and prodded by the men in armor, forced to walk with the heavy cuffs on his shoulders. Once he was outside of the city, the guards kicked him in the back so that he fell with the heavy cuffs on his neck. Getting up after that was like lifting the weight of the world, but he got onto his knees as he reflected what had happened.


    Eric Bane realized that he had been set up, either by the girl, Benny, the king, or the entire group. Eric Bane had decided to trust them because he had no sense of direction otherwise, and they turned his trust inside out to take what little he had for themselves. Eric Bane was left with no money, a lot of bleeding holes, and the accusations of a crime he didn''t commit. Eric Bane felt a strong sense of deja vu, because this had happened to him before.


    When Eric was a child, his parents divorced and his father was dragged away because his new wife didn''t like children. When he was ten years old, his mother buckled from the pressure of raising two children and left him with an eight-year old sister who was chronically ill. When Eric was twelve, a woman saw him picking a fight with some kids, introduced him to underground fighting, then cheated him out of most of the money he won. When Eric was fifteen, his sister was hospitalized, but Eric''s cry for help was ignored by his sponsor, and his sister died at thirteen. When Eric was seventeen, he was confessed to by a girl, who turned around and betrayed him by luring him into a fight with an army of thugs.


    Eric was tired, he was so tired of all of the betrayal that he just wanted to die. It was a gut-wrenching feeling that could have broken the stitches as Eric felt the weight of the cuffs on his hands. He sat there, looking into the fading darkness as light appeared over the horizon behind him. He could see the field of wild grasses in front of him, the forest beyond, and the mountain beyond that. He heard the voice of the king in his mind, that he would be helping out with the demon waves that plagued this world, so he needed to get stronger.


    When Eric''s dad left, he got stronger to support his woeful mother. When his mother left, Eric got stronger to support his sister. When his money was stolen, he got stronger so he could get more money. When his sister was in the hospital, Eric got stronger to be her crutch. When Eric was at the lowest point in his life, he always got stronger and pushed on, no matter the circumstances that conspired to push him around. Now that he was on his knees, everything lost to him, nothing mattering anymore, he knew what he had to do.


    Get stronger.

 Chapter 3 - Divine Weapons

    T


    Eric found himself in the forest, killing monster animals that crossed his path with no feeling as to why. He had survived for three months in the forest before, so he knew at least the bare necessities which he needed to live.He had killed enough monsters that he leveled up twice, but he didn''t know what that meant beyond his chain getting a little stronger. He himself had also gotten stronger, he had gained some stat points, but that meant nothing to Eric. He was working off the frustration of being betrayed again so he would let those sit and gather dust until he was ready to make sense of them.


    On the third day of traveling through the forest path, he came upon a small village that had wooden hut houses and a single well in the middle. It was dirty and cheap, not the kind of place where Eric wanted to train, so he had half a mind to pass it by. As he was walking through the town, he was suddenly approached by an old man with more wrinkles than a tree has leaves. The man blurted out that the village needed help from someone strong enough to take care of a monster. Once he said that, a little message popped up and displayed the following message:


    ''Quest: Save the small village from the jackal infestation by killing all of the jackals. Exp:100  $78''


    Underneath the description was a simple ''yes-or-no'' choice. Eric chose to take the quest, and then he was told the direction of the jackal hideout. Eric started hiking towards the jackals, until he discovered a dark cave with a broken sign at the front with a warning to stay out. Eric summoned his chains, which had grown by twenty links, and started smashing them around outside the cave while shouting at the top of his lungs. Just like his expectation, the jackals confronted him at the front of the cave.


    They were odd creatures that walked on four legs the way bats crawl around, but they had no wings or fur. They had long heads that reminded Eric of a pterodactyl''s elongated face, and the three fingers on each hand had claws. Eric started by folding his chains over in his hand so they had a loop, then he swung it at the first jackal he could see. The fight went over for a while until an exceptionally large jackal came out, almost twice the size of the others and half the size of Eric. The jackal lunged at Eric, who dodged by jumping to the side. Unfortunately, the chains he was holding caught the arm of the jackal chief, and Eric''s arm was suddenly lurched back.


    Eric shouted in pain as he felt his arm pop out of it''s socket, but he popped it back with a hard punch from his other arm. As he turned to face the chief jackal, a message popped up obscuring his sight. Eric quickly closed it and continued the fight, finally catching the jackal''s neck in his chains so that he could give it a quick snap. Once he was done, Eric stopped to take a breather, then a little message popped up telling Eric he had completed the quest. ''That means they''re all dead,'' thought Eric with a smile, then he felt a slight warmth in his hands.


    Eric looked down to see that the dead body of the large jackal was turning to dust and flowing into the chains that he held. Another message appeared over the quest completion notice, and it said that his chains have gained a new ability. Pressing the screen, Eric was suddenly assaulted by an entire paragraph of text that he read through. It informed him that his divine weapon[chains] had absorbed the essence of the jackal chief, raising it''s durability and control, as well as adding a few links. Eric closed the message and the quest completion notice, then he thought about what might be in the cave.


    With a few cuts and bruises, Eric ventured into the dark cave, feeling safe now that the jackals had been taken care of. When he got deep enough, he resorted to repeatedly summoning his chains just so the brief flash would illuminate his next step. Finally, Eric came to a larger cavern that reeked with a horrible wafting stench in the stiff breeze. The only thing Eric found that might have been of use were a few plants and what looked like a few eggs. After travelling back to the small village, he was rewarded with the experience and the money, then the villagers told him the eggs were good to eat with the flower as seasoning.


    While eating, Eric opened his inventory and went to [stats] to see something unusual. There was a skills section that had previously been empty, but now there was a skill there. Eric tapped it and read about it: ''Bind[Lv1]: Sends out several chains to constrict the opponent.'' He read it through, wondering if it was as useful as it sounded. After the delicious meal, Eric thanked the people and left on the road with the money in his inventory and a new skill. While he was walking, he did some embarrassing experiments to learn how the bind skill worked.


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    If he made a direction with his hand, then called out "Bind", chains would shoot out and constrict whatever his palm was aiming at. This didn''t affect his regular chain whip, but it caused him to think about what exactly divine weapons could do. Going directly to the ''help'' tab, Eric found a section all about divine weapons, which he read while he walked.


    Divine weapons are holy creations that grow with their hero. Each weapon has it''s own special attributes to aid the hero in battle against the demons. Eric skipped down until it talked about skills, then he read that skills are special movements for each divine weapon. Skills can be created by thinking of special movements or situations in which a skill could be used. Skills can be altered and tweaked to suit a certain style of battle, but skills can not be erased or destroyed. Skills can also be leveled through repeated use, growing more powerful as it is trained.


    Eric thought back to his fight when the message popped up that he needed to get rid of quickly. It was just when he caught the chains on the chief jackal that the skill must have been created. It was such a brief moment, but for a skill to be created by such a small movement meant that more would certainly come. As he walked and practiced his Bind skill, another message appeared saying that his bind skill had reached level two. The new higher skill increased the size of the object that could be bound, the length of which a monster would be bound, and even the number of binds that shoot out.


    ''Well that was easy,'' thought Eric with an evil smile. Now, while Eric walked, he bound every tree he passed to quickly level up the bind skill, experimenting with different variations until he got a few that he liked. By the time Eric got to the next city, he had created ''Bind Mine'' and ''Area Constriction''. He was feeling good until he passed a building with a lot of posters and signs nailed to the side. There were a few wanted posters, one of which was a picture of him. Eric pulled it angrily off of the wall to see that it wasn''t a bounty, but an official warning.


    ''The Hero of the Chain, Eric Bane, has committed the grievous sin of raping the princess. His is to be avoided at all costs.''


    Eric put the picture in his inventory, then he walked through the city with his head down. He found a small restaurant that seemed decent enough, so he went in and took a seat. One of the waitresses approached him with a menu, but he just said, "Give me the cheapest meal you have." As he sat there, waiting for his food, a guy stood up and approached him with a glass of water. Without a word of warning, he poured the drink over Eric''s head. Eric stood up, confronting the man by standing a foot taller than him, but the man didn''t back down.


    "Get out of our city, rapist," said the guy boldly. Eric paused, then without a word he sat back down. The guy stayed standing there as Eric expertly ignored him, then his food was put in front of him. It was a biscuit with a brown slice of meat and a mashed white substance. Eric was about to eat when he felt pressure on the back of his head that slammed his face into the table. It was painful, but when the hand left his head, Eric''s face stayed in the food. When he finally returned, the waitress was there with a handkerchief to wipe his face off. Eric shooed her away, then he picked the food from his face and ate it silently.


    "Didn''t you hear what I said," the guy shouted, raising his fist. "Get out of our city!" The fist came down and punched Eric in the back of the head, but it wasn''t hard enough to cause any real damage. Eric ate his food in silence, and when he was finished, he told the waitress how much it cost. She told him and he opened his inventory to take out the money. He put it down, then the man smacked the coins off the table. The waitress and everybody sucked in breath as Eric stood up, but then he silently went to pick up the coins. He handed them to the waitress, then he went to the guy who had hit them and he looked him in the eyes.


    "You''ve got the right idea," said Eric sadly, "if there was a rapist or murderer in here, I''d want somebody to stand up to them. Keep doing what you''redoing." With those words, Eric left the restraunt and kept walking along, thinking about who was truly at fault for the pain in his head and heart. He knew that people would find out, but he also understood that it was a natural reaction that he be attacked. As Eric left the city, he felt his eyes were getting dry, so he decided a good cry would soak them back up.

 Chapter 4 - The Wave

    T


    A month into his travels, Eric Bane was growing stronger and stronger. He was now level fourteen, his ''Bind'' skills were around level thirty each, and he had invented two new skills; ''Chainmail'' and ''Ball-and-Chain''. The first one created an interwoven vest of chain links for protection against bodily attacks, and the second skill put a huge mass of connected chain links on the end of his normal chain to create a better weapon. He was passing through another city with the usual abuse a convicted rapist gets when he suddenly felt a strong pull in his gut.


    Everything went black for a moment, then he was suddenly in a different location surrounded by trees. Eric looked around to see an unfamiliar group of warriors and fighters, but there were a few hateful faces that he did recognize.


    "So this is what happens when a wave starts," mused John, the black kid from the first day. The simple gloves on his hands were now gauntlets that stretched down to his elbows, and they looked much more badass.


    "Uh oh," said an obnoxious voice, "who invited the rapist?" Eric ground his teeth as the pretty boy, Tyler Jinx, stepped out of the crowd wearing glittering armor that shimmered where the sun spots hit it. "What is it, not going to defend yourself?"


    "Enough," said Emily, her purple hair now the natural black color. "As much as we don''t like it, he''s still a hero with a divine weapon." Emily stepped up with a sword in her hand, which she leveled at Eric''s neck. "If he plays nice, I won''t have to cut his head off." Eric, whose hair had grown wild down to his shoulders, didn''t respond to the threat. Instead, he looked around, feeling an odd sense of familiarity about the forest. Looking at one of the trees, he suddenly realized what it was.


    A tree nearby was crushed around the bark, as if something had tightly bound the outside. Eric slowly began to realize that the town he had first visited was nearby, the poor one with wooden buildings and the old mayor. Before he could say anything, a loud cracking noise was heard. The heroes and their followers all looked around, but there was nothing to see. A sudden scream rang out from down one edge of the path.


    "Shit," shouted Eric, and he began running towards the sound of the scream. As he got down a short hill, he saw the village from before, only now there were monsters in the town.


    Eric ran down to the town without a second thought, summoning his chain in his hand as he heard the screams and cries from the villagers. What he saw were demonic monstrosities about the size of a normal human, climbing out of the well two at a time, there were already six or so in the village. Blood splatters and remnants of the few that have died remained, and people all over the village either ran or cowered. There was one woman who clutched a small child dearly as a monster opened it''s hideous mouth filled with rows of spiky teeth.


    "Bind," shouted Eric, and ten lengths of chain shot out of his hand with the force of a shotgun, blasting the monster away and tying him up at the same time. "Bind Mine," shouted Eric loudly, and a single chain link appeared in his hand. He tossed it at the well, and after a moment a series of chains exploded from the well, grappling all of the monsters as they tried to crawl out. The other beasts turned their heads, which Eric used to shout, "Come at me, fuckers!" He used his chain to pound one of the monsters over a house, then whipped it around to smack another in the chops.


    Finally, a battle cry sounded from the road and the rest of the heroes charged in with their own weapons. Benny shot his arrows, Tyler lanced one of the monsters, Emily sliced one up like deli meat, John punched one so hard it blew up, Todd waved his scythe with deadly efficiency, and the other adventurers took on the other beasts. In the confusion, Eric ran from house to house checking inside for any villagers that were hiding. He found a few, then he ushered them out while taking out any monsters that were coming after them. The battle was heavily one-sided, since the monsters were fairly weak and could only appear two at a time, it wasn''t long before the heroes were just slaughtering the monsters that were coming up through the well.


    Eric ran from house to house, ushering people out of the town while the coast was clear. He noticed all of the other heroes crowded around the well, trying to get more experience for their kills. Eric ignored them, running around getting the town evacuated before coming back to the well. The well itself was now just a hole in the ground that produced monsters, which were all killed the second they showed their ugly faces. Benny was standing off to one side, his bow half strung as he waited for a chance to get a shot in. He noticed Eric approaching and cringed, which Eric was now used to.


    "Can you tell me what''s going on?" Eric asked nicely.


    "This is a wave," said Benny in a stern tone. "It''s caused by a crack in the world which monsters pour through, and we need to close that crack. If we don''t, a boss monster''s going to come out."


    "Then it must be at the bottom of the well," said Eric, biting his upper lip in frustration. He tried to remember anything about the town that might be some use, but all he could remember was the cave the jackals had made their home. Suddenly, a horrible idea occurred to him, one that used simple physics to seem real. "Benny, I need your help," said Eric suddenly, putting his large hands on Benny''s shoulders. "There''s a cave not far from here that might connect to the well, but I need you and your arrows."


    "What are you talking about?" Benny demanded, angrily shrugging off Eric''s hands.


    "I was here on a quest a month ago, and there was a cave that had a breeze going through it," explained Eric. "I think that cave is connected to the well." Benny looked unsure of whether to believe Eric or not, which really struck a nerve with Eric. "Fine, I''ll do it myself." Eric ran off towards the cave, his chain in hand as he tried to picture where the people had run off to. As he was almost there, he saw monsters gleefully running in all directions. "Area Constriction," called Eric, slamming his hands on the ground.


    Instantly, any monster within a hundred yard radius of Eric was suddenly confined by chains that shot up from the ground. Eric ran to the cave entrance, hoping there was a way to stop this before these monsters got out of hand. He called upon his ball and chain, then threw it into the cave to demolish a line of monsters coming out. Eric ignored the various experience counters as he created a few ''Bind Mines'' which he tossed into the cave before entering. Inside, it was still as dark as ever, so Eric resorted to flinging his chain around and trying to listen to where it hit the floor. He also killed a few monsters this way.


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    Suddenly, a piercing light shot through the cave, striking a monster in the head with a perfect headshot. "You missed a few outside," Benny shouted, then he rapid fired two more as they leaked from a crevice in the wall.


    "Thanks," replied Eric, "but we need to do something about these guys! They just keep coming!"


    "I''ve got an idea," said Benny, "but it''ll take a while to charge!"


    "I''ll protect you," cried Eric, his voice bouncing off the walls of the cavern. Eric slapped his hands on the ground and shouted, "Area Constriction!" From the crevice, the sounds of chains catching all of the stray monsters suddenly erupted in one large gust of air. "Bind, Bind, Bind," repeated Eric with his palm at the crevice, shooting repeatedly to create as thick a barrier as possible. The light inside of the cave was growing, and Eric looked at Benny to see that the arrow he had notched was glowing brighter as it grew bigger around him. The monsters started to claw through their bindings, pushing out like the disgusting puss of a pimple.


    "Piercing shot," cried Benny, and he released the arrow he was holding in. It''s power was like a cannon, blowing air around as it entered the crevice and disappeared. The glow was left, and without much thought, Eric followed it. The crevice was narrow, just large enough for him to get through, and when he got to the other side he saw it. There was an enormous fissure in space, and on the other side was a hellish red color and monsters. They were using each other''s bodies as a ladder to climb to the well entrance above the pool of water, a mass of writhing monsters that would give Eric nightmares later.


    He created a few ''Bind Mines'' and the ''Ball-and-Chain'', then tossed the mines at the ladder while his weapon went to work on any stragglers. The ladder came down, meaning there were more for him alone to deal with as he smashed the huge chain links into the scum that attacked him. He called for ''Chainmail'', figuring he would need the protection more, when a crazy idea came to him. "Bind," he shouted, aiming his palm at the fissure, and it wrapped around the fissure itself. "Close," he called, and the chains slowly pulled the fissure closed until they fell out of the air and disappeared.


    Eric''s accomplishment wasn''t done yet, there were still monsters left inside of the aquifer. He smashed and battered as the well opened up, lighting the spring in a very powerful, blood red. As Eric smashed the last demon, he looked at the well waters in sullen silence. They were the color of thick blood, swirling and mixing, definitely not safe to drink. Eric felt like he had won with a heavy loss, the loss of the townsfolk that now had to leave their village. "Hey," came a shout from the well opening, "is there a boss monster down there?"


    "No," Eric shouted back, "I closed the rift! The Wave is over!"


    "You asshole," came a shout that sounded like it was from Tyler, "we were supposed to fight the boss monster! It would have given us a ton of experience and money, why the hell did you close the rift!"


    "Because that would have endangered the village," Eric shouted back. "We have a different problem, the water down here is filled with blood and dead bodies! It''s not safe to drink!"


    "So?"


    "So we need to purify it or the townspeople will need to leave," Eric shouted back angrily.


    "Is it a quest?" came John''s voice.


    "No... maybe," said Eric, unsure if it would be made into a quest. "Who cares, we should think of some way to purify the water!"


    "Oh, that''s disgusting," said Benny, appearing through the crevice.


    "Benny, is that you?" came Emily''s voice. "What the hell, where did you run off to?"


    "Eric knew about a cave that connected to the well," said Benny, "so we were fighting the monsters over there. Nice job on closing the fissure, by the way."


    "Thanks," said Eric, "but the waters polluted now. Do you know a way to purify it?"


    "There''s a way to purify water," said Benny, "but only in small amounts. There''s no way we know of to purify a spring this large."


    "Craaap," cried Eric, pushing his palms against his face. "Ugh, the villagers aren''t gonna be happy about this."


    "Forget this," said a voice from the well, "I''m leaving."


    "I''m just gonna leave, too," said Benny. "I''ll tell the king you helped out, but I don''t think he''ll care."


    "I didn''t do it," declared Eric strongly. "Ask me a million times, you''ll get the same answer."


    "Then why didn''t you represent yourself in court?" asked Benny curiously.


    "What court?" said Eric, and that''s when he heard a story that got his blood boiling. The king doesn''t actaully have a final say in judicial matters, there''s a court for that. When Eric left, the court hearing was obviously weighted agaisnt him, so the funds that Eric would normally use are now passed among the other five heroes. Eric is cut off from returning to the city and getting anywhere near the king''s daughter, who is, coincedentally, in Tyler''s group now. After hearing this, Eric was almost ready to bring about democracy.


    Eric and Benny left the cave, making their way back to the village to see that the other heroes had left, and a few villagers were coming back. Eric yelled loudly that the danger had been averted, Benny left as Eric stayed and waited for the people to come back. Once the people of the village had gathered, Eric told them the news, listened to their woes, and he helped bury the dead. Eric stayed with the people, he cried with the people, and he left with his mind on the people.

 Chapter 5 - Uncle Tom

    T


    Eric found himself in the same position he has been in since the start of this horrible adventure. Outside in the woods, alone, looking at his stats trying to figure out which ones he should raise. There were five stats that he could grow, and they were fairly self-explanatory. STR for strength, VIT for vitality, INT for intelligence, WIS for wisdom, LUK for luck. His base luck stat was zero, so it was his first choice, but he didn''t want to waste any points needlessly. He was level fourteen, and with ten points per level, Eric had more than a hundred and thirty points to use.


    He had read through the help section, which explained a lot, including the difference between intelligence and wisdom. He also learned that doing certain actions like exercise and reading could raise the stats naturally. He had been increasing his strength periodically, his wisdom had gone up some, but other than that his other stats were still at their base. He was deep in thought when he came up with an answer that satisfied his point allocation.


    Since he was in control of an unconventional weapon, he needed to think quickly in a fight. That meant more wisdom, but he also needed strength to wield the chains as they became larger weapons. More so, he needed the stamina to draw out a fight, so more points into vitality. Wisdom would be raised to a fixed point, then he would focus on strength and vitality while putting a few points into luck. Eric did that, raising his wisdom forty points, then putting ten points into luck. The other eighty points was split between strength and vitality, then Eric was out of points to spend.


    Eric wanted to test out his new strength, so he punched a tree. The force of the blow was enough to crack the trunk, then the entire tree slowly started to buckle. Eric watched it fall, then he got another idea. Slowly, he reached underneath the fallen trunk and picked the tree up, feeling how heavy it was as he swung the trunk around. He leaned it against another tree, smiling like an idiot. Eric was definitely satisfied with his decision, he was going to have a much easier time now that he was fully leveled up. Still, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he needed a companion. Forget the experience bonus, he just felt lonely.


    As Eric lay down to bed that night, he wondered if there was anyone crazy enough to actually go with him.


    "Excuse me, dear sir," said a very pleasant voice, "it seems as though you''re rather lonely." Eric stopped in the street, looking down a suspicious alleyway to see a short, round man with fancy clothes and a monocle. "Yes, you," said the man, pointing at Eric, "you could use a travelling companion, couldn''t you?"


    "Are you offering," Eric asked, crossing his thick arms. This man had a certain look in his eye that reminded Eric of Judy.


    "I was just hoping that you might take a look at my selection of travelling companions," said the man, obviously trying to dodge the direct answer of what he was selling. "I happen to be in the business of buying and selling trustworthy companions." It took Eric a second, but then he smiled broadly as he realized what this rotund man was talking about.


    "Show me your selection," said Eric with a malicious smile. The rotund man shared Eric''s evil smile, and he motioned for Eric to follow him into the back alley. Eric complied, entering a tent that was set up in the center of the surrounding buildings. The small guy held open the flap of the tent, which Eric had to duck to make it in, and once he was in he saw the cages. There were hundreds of them, stacked on each other in rows of two. There were large cases and small cases, some with animals and some with very human characteristics.


    "This," said the man, grandly revealing a large beast that sat angrily in a huge cage, "is the best that we have. A ligro, a strong beast with unstoppable strength and horrifying fighting power." Eric looked at it closely, seeing it''s snarling complexion and jagged teeth.


    "You should know I can''t afford this," said Eric flatly. "You wanted to show me this so I get an idea of what''s in my price range?"


    "You''re quite the intuitive shopper," said the stout man. "Yes, the ones worth less than a silver coin are this way." He walked past a row of cages that rattled as the animals inside hissed and swore at the two men. They moved into the area where the cages were mostly smaller, but the people inside were no less rowdy. Eric surveyed some of the strange animals, then he noticed something behind the cages.


    "What''s back there," Eric asked, standing up and looking through the bars of the cages.


    "That''s where our ''problem products'' go," said the round man in disgust. Eric saw a head of hair on the other side, hair that looked distinctly orange with black spots in it. Eric walked around the side of the cages to the back where the poles that held the tents were. He saw through the darkness that there were cuffs chained to the pikes, and there was a figure stretched between the farthest two poles. It was a small figure whose hair stretched just past the shoulders, showing the tiny naked body that was so skinny, it could fit through a cheese grater.


    Eric bent down to look at the small person face to face, and when he did they pulled on the chains that bound them. Eric smiled, "I''ll take him."


    "She isn''t properly taught," said the round man, "there''s still some fight in her. She''s almost done, but we can''t unravel that attitude she has."


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    "Don''t bother," said Eric with a degrading look, "I''ll put that attitude to good use."


    "As you wish," conceded the round man, "then that''ll be fifty copper coins." Eric paused, then he opened his inventory and pulled out a bag that clinked with the sound of coin. He handed it to the small man, then Eric pulled his jacket off and handed it to the round man.


    "I''m three coppers short, but that jacket is worth five," said Eric. The round man squinted his eyes, then he emptied the bag of coins onto a nearby table. He counted out the coins, looked at the jacket, then gave Eric a sly look.


    "It works, I suppose," he said, "then let''s get this over with." The slave trader went over to a table with an ink well and brush, dipped the brush in the ink, then he approached the girl as if he was going to write on her. "What''s your name?" the slaver asked.


    "Eric Bane."


    "Child of human and beast," said the slaver softly, painting an insignia, "you are now under the sacred oath of the holy church. You shall serve your lord, Eric Bane, where his orders are your laws. Should you defy his words, you will feel the pain of your impotence." When he was done, the slaver had painted a spiral with a tail on the girl''s flat chest, directly under her collar bone. Eric watched without a word, and when the slaver was done, he put a dot in the center of the spiral. The insignia glowed briefly, then the slaver put the brush down and took a key from his pocket. The guy unlocked the girl''s chains, then without the support, the girl fell down to the ground. "Give her a command," suggested the slaver, stepping to the side.


    Eric stood in front of the girl on her knees, and he said in a cold, emotionless voice, "You are mine now. You will not leave my party, you will stay with me, and you will not betray me. Now answer me, can you stand?"


    "No," croaked the girl weakly, "I can''t stand." Eric bent down, his huge mass covering the girl''s body, then he stood up with the girl cradled in his arms.


    "Sir, you may not want to treat the slave like that," suggested the slaver. "She might get ideas of independence."


    "Don''t tell me how to treat my slaves," said Eric coldly, walking around the cages with the girl cradled in his arms. He left the tent to feel the breezy air on his skin and the light of the sun shining down on his face. Now that he was in the light, he looked closely at the little girl in his arms to see the small whiskers she had under her nose, and the bumps on her head perked up into cat ears. Her orange and black hair was certainly an oddity, but her eyes looked exactly like a cat''s would.


    "C''mon, let''s get something to eat," said Eric, feeling the bones of the girl underneath her skin. "I need you strong if you''re going to stay with me."


    A few days had passed, and Eric was glad to say that the little girl was at least eating healthily. Eric remembered some spots from around this area where he could get a good amount of meat. His ''Hero of the Chain'' title wasn''t just for show, the boost per party member was already showing as he hunted the wildlife. His priority was food over experience, but it was still a high experience. With this armament, he would be able to quickly surpass the jackass in the kingdom, though another few slaves might be needed.


    The girl he had bought was some sort of cat, and with the orange and black hair, he wanted to say she was part tiger. But her hands were human and her feet were human, only her teeth, eyes, and ears were animalistic. She had been recuperating, eating what Eric brought and cooked while lying down and letting the nourishment fill her body. On the second day, the girl and Eric were sitting around the fire at night, eating some fish he had caught with his ''Bind'' skill. The silence was still going, but Eric was about to break it.


    "Tell me," he commanded, "what is your name?"


    "Lucia," she said, but pronounced it as Lue-sh-ah.


    "Okay Lucia," said Eric, "can you fight?"


    "I will do whatever you want," she said submissively.


    "That''s great," said Eric, "but I need to know if you know how to fight. We''re going to be doing it a lot, so I need to know your preferred style."


    Lucia was silent for a while, but she finally squeaked, "I''ve never fought before."


    "Then I''ll ask someone who knows what works better for you," said Eric soundly. He breathed in deeply, then said, "The reason I bought you is so you could boost my experience gain, but I don''t want to protect you all the time. You''ll fight and level up as well, until you can protect yourself. I''m not going to hold back, but I won''t let you die." Eric reached his hand towards Lucia, "I promise to protect you, if you promise to fight with me, Lucia."


    Lucia looked at Eric''s large hand, she seemed afraid to take it. With fine trepidation, Lucia let her hand go out to Eric''s, and he grabbed her hand. It was an oddly warm feeling, but also extremely rough. Lucia felt the calluses on the inside of Eric''s hands, feeling the hard life he''s had. When Eric let go, Lucia had the strangest thought.


    ''He''s just like me.''


    T

 Chapter 6 - Ever Questful

    T


    Eric stood in front of a young man who carried a pickaxe and wasn''t dressed any better than Eric himself. The young man was talking to Eric about the mine problem, how some creatures had taken it over. "It just so happens I run a pest control business," said Eric with a cheeky smile. "Who can I talk to about payment?"


    "The mine owner is just over yonder," said the young man, pointing to a small hut near a well worn path of rocks. Eric and Lucia set off in that direction, and just so happened to meet a man barging out of the hut. He was clearly in a bad mood, and seeing the huge body of Eric made it worse.


    "I''ve told you yokels a hundred times," the angry bald guy shouted, "the mine is closed because it''s too dangerous! Why do you keep expecting me to pay you when I''m not getting any ore!?"


    "Actually, I''m not here to mine," said Eric humorlessly. "I''m here to take care of your pest problem. First, I''m gonna need to know how much you''re willing to pay."


    "I''ve got fifty coppers ready for you if you kill the beasts in my mine," said the owner enthusiastically.


    There was a brief silence before Eric said, "I''m waiting for the punchline."


    "What?"


    "Fifty coppers?" said Eric offended, "I brush my teeth with fifty coppers. It''s a silver at least, or I''m gonna leave."


    "I don''t have the money for that," said the owner desperately. "It took everything I had just to buy this mine!" Eric turned around, already walking away when he was called back by the mine owner.


    "Fine," he said angrily, "I''ve got fifty copper here, I''ll put up a collection from the men, see if I can''t get the other fifty."


    "I''ll hold you to that," said Eric, then he looked down at Lucia. She had some meat on her bones now, no longer malnourished from her captivity, but she didn''t have any muscle on her. "Do you have any weapons?"


    "You don''t have your own," the owner said credulously.


    "I''m more than enough for this problem," said Eric, crossing his arms and glaring down at the owner. "I wanted to know if you had anything for the kid."


    "You don''t expect her to fight, do you? She''s a demi-human. She''s probably related to the monsters you''re going to kill." Eric paused for a moment, then he looked at the owner in such a way that the mine owner began to fear for his life.


    "You can say whatever you want about me," Eric growled angrily, "but don''t you ever say anything bad about Lucia." With that, Eric took the money and left, marching out with a tense look on his face. As he started for the mine, Eric asked Lucia, "What was that about?"


    "Humans hate demi-humans," said Lucia sadly.


    "Why?" Eric asked.


    "We''re part demon."


    "You''re part animal, there''s nothing demonic about it."


    "I heard that long ago, demons took over human blood and turned them into monsters like me."


    Eric put his hand on Lucia''s small head, "You''re not a monster, and don''t ever let anyone tell you otherwise." They walked into the mine, hearing their footsteps echo around the low ceiling of the mine. Eric had to duck, his size was too much for the small mine to accommodate, but he was used to his height causing problems. With his head low and Lucia around his feet, Eric delved into the mind where torches burnt with a complete lack of responsibility towards possible gas leaks. As the duo travelled further into the caves, they came to a larger open area with several different ways to go.


    "What do we do?" asked Lucia, looking at the seven different paths. Eric kicked the ground a few times, etching out an arrow pointing the way they had come.


    "This is so we know where where the exit is," explained Eric. "Can you tell where the monster is?"


    "I can smell blood from that way," said Lucia, pointing down the very middle path.


    "Then we go that way," said Eric, summoning his chains with the bright flash. Eric delved deeper with Lucia on his heels, her tiny hands gripping her dirty shirt. Eric noticed this, so he bent down and put his hands around her waist. "Chainmail," he said, and small chains started to crawl across her body like snakes. Lucia shivered as the chains squirmed across her, but then the movement stopped and she had a full body covering of chainmail. "I already told you I''d protect you," said Eric sternly, "so stop being afraid." Lucia grinned, but the grin died quickly when Eric stood up.


    They kept walking, getting deeper and deeper until Eric saw the first body. It was clearly a miner, his ripped shirt a little ways to the side next to a broken pickaxe. The mangled and twisted body was ripped open from gullet to groin, and some of the insides seemed chewed or dissolved. Eric''s eyes avoided the face, continuing on down the cave to the monster. He wondered what sort of beast he would be facing, maybe something that was too much for Lucia to handle. He didn''t want to traumatize her, but he needed her to overcome her fears at least.


    As they went farther down, Eric passed a group of three people who had swords lying near their bodies. There were armor plating pieces ripped apart, Eric bent down to examine the metal to find that it was rent all the way through. He bent it himself, feeling the general weakness of the armor under his hands. "It looks like we have a troublesome creature," said Eric with a crooked smile. "This armor is weak, but it''s still armor. My chains are tougher than that, so you''re protection''s intact."


    They kept going until they reached a strange place where the cave suddenly became rectangular. There were two pillars on either side that started the rectangular caves. The cieling went a little higher as well, giving Eric enough room to stretch his neck out. Without truly noticing it, Eric found himself in a stone hallway with a torch in hand and Lucia behind him. He walked fearlessly, his heavy feet making clapping sounds on the stone floor. "This... is not a cave," said Eric, channeling powers from the legendary superhero, Captain Obvious.


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    Before going any farther, Eric said, "Wait, I''ve got an idea." He jogged back to the cave where the three armored bodies lay, then he picked up the smallest sword there was. It was perhaps the size of his forearm, and just heavy enough to be a good pick for Lucia. He handed it to her with the handle towards her, saying, "Trying swinging this around." Lucia took the sword, feeling the weight in her hands, then she swung it at Eric. Eric had to dodge the sword as it swiped right across his eyes, then he saw Lucia''s body twist to go with the momentum of the swing.


    She did a half-turn, and once her back was turned, Eric thumped her on the head with his fist. "Don''t kill me," he chastised lightly, then watched as Lucia immediately dropped the sword and fell to her knees. She put her head to the ground and covered it with her arms, tucking her legs in like a turtle until her feet were all that could be seen under the chainmail armor. Eric heard the clicking of the chains as Lucia violently vibrated from her immense fear of being severely punished.


    "Please," she hissed desperately, "I didn''t mean to!" Eric looked down at this pitiful girl, seeing her cower on the ground for a punishment she hadn''t received.


    "Stand up," said Eric soundly, his seriousness reverberating off of the stone walls. Lucia slowly stood up, following orders like a good little slave, tears streaking down her face as she turned towards Eric''s imposing form. She felt the salty tears sting her eyes, until a soft pressure on her head made her flinch. Lucia felt it again, so she slowly looked up to see a very sad pair of eyes looking down on her. Eric''s strong hand was patting Lucia''s head, and a smile crossed his lips.


    "That was a good swing," he said with a deep voice, "keep practicing so we can kill monsters." Lucia had this odd feeling, a sensation she had almost forgotten existed until this moment. She remembered her life before the slavery, she used to feel like this so often she took it for granted.


    "Okay," she said, a weak smile forming as she continued to cry.


    "C''mon, we''ve got a mine to clear out," said Eric, holding his hand out to Lucia. She took it on instinct, despite the ''lessons'' that had taught her not to touch her master, and they continued further into the strange cave. They got to a point where the wall was blocked off, but there were creases and edges that suggested the section of wall might be a door of some kind. There were strange markings that Eric couldn''t make out, and Lucia was still sniffling from the episode earlier. Eric reached out and pressed on the door, then a loud cracking sound broke through the room, and a section of the ceiling behind Eric and Lucia fell down.


    Standing ready on four legs was a mechanical panther covered completely in stone armor. It moved like a cat, with the joints clicking and cracking as it got into a crouching stance. Eric knew when the rear was stuck in the air that the panther was going to pounce, and with Lucia behind him he couldn''t dodge the blow. Raising one of his arms, Eric shouted "Bind!" right as the stone animal leaped into the air with powerful hind legs.


    The stone jungle cat was hit by the chains in mid-air, but the high mass and large momentum kept it travelling at Eric unabated. Eric pushed Lucia roughly to the side, then he swung his chains at the cat before it hit him. The stone broke at the impact from the chains, breaking the strange stone animal in half. However, the momentum carried the top half into Eric, pushing his head into the stone wall behind him with violent force. The lining suddenly broke down, pushing Eric through the solid stone door and out of sight.


    Lucia cowered in the corner of the hallway, looking out at the loose section of door. She heard the sound of hard pounding, then a ruckus as a loud shout echoed through the caves. The sounds of fighting were echoing across the cave, then something appeared from the doorway. It was the bottom half of the jungle cat, still standing somehow as the insides whirred and clicked with  incomprehensible complexity. Lucia stared at this strange occurrence like it was a nightmare come true. She gripped her sword with shaking hands, then Lucia closed her eyes and swung the sword at the bottom half.


    The mechanical bottom half leaned back enough that the sword missed, so Lucia was pulled around in a circle with her back to the mechanical monster. The stone cat leaped a little, getting enough air that it could reach it''s hind paw out to attack Lucia with the impossibly sharp claws. Lucia was turned around, the only protection was the chainmail that covered her body.


    "Look out!" shouted Eric, and Lucia brought the sword around again. The edge hit the leg of the beast, cutting part of the way through before it stopped. The sword suddenly jerked out of Lucia''s hand, skidding across the stone floor as the bottom half of the stone panther took another swing.


    A sudden mass came out of the doorway, pulverizing the lower half into a bunch of shards as it flew past. There was a long chain connected to the mass that had destroyed the dangerous rear, that suddenly went slack once the mass connected with the far wall. Lucia saw the chain links along the ground, then they slowly became tight again to drag the huge mass back towards the door. As it got closer, Lucia saw that it was a huge group of interconnected chains that made up a circular sphere.


    Eric stepped out of the doorway, blood covering his shirt from wounds around his chest, his huge arms pulling the mass of chains back towards him. He looked at Lucia, then smiled and said, "Nice swing." A little message popped up in front of him and Lucia, telling them they both got a mass of experience points and some money for killing the strange mechanical beast. Lucia fell to her knees, a feeling of being alive filling her as she almost started crying again. "Oh yee of little faith," said Eric playfully, rubbing his finger against Lucia''s cheek, "I told you I''d protect you."


    <del>T</del>

 Chapter 7 - Ruined

    T


    Eric stepped through the door once again, carrying a torch to illuminate the cavernous room he found himself in. He had already examined the monster he had demolished, but there was no blood, only mechanical parts that went over his head. Eric decided to explore further to test if any other creatures dropped from the ceiling, so he grabbed a torch and headed into the unknown. He walked with Lucia behind him, her fears satiated with Eric in front of her. As he stepped into the room, her heard the sound of humming that reverberated through the cave itself.


    Eric walked forward, looking around to keep track of what might be around him at all times. He didn''t want to release any traps, so he stepped carefully and warned Lucia to do the same. They crossed the room, arriving at the crest of a half-circle. Eric walked around the room, being careful about traps, but what he found was that the room itself was in the shape of a half circle. The curved wall had seven rooms attached with a pedestal in the middle of the attached rooms, but there was nothing on the pedestals. Eric approached one of the pedestals and brushed the top off with his hand.


    When he touched it, the pedestal suddenly flashed a bright light before Eric instinctively recoiled. He looked around, expecting the ruin to shake or the walls to release a poisonous gas. When nothing happened, Eric touched the pedestal again, letting it glow as he waited for something to happen. When nothing did happen, he took his hand off and went to a different room, putting his hand on the pedestal. That one glowed as well, and Eric thought about what this could mean. "Why don''t you try?" Eric asked Lucia, who stepped up and put her hand on the pedestal.


    Nothing happened.


    "Hmm," said Eric, looking at the pedestal curiously. The sound of chains clinking gave him an idea, so Eric laid his chains across the pedestal. The humming suddenly grew into a very fast vibration, making Eric''s feet tickle and his hand was tingling from the chain''s shaking. "So they react to my divine weapon," said Eric, then he looked at the other rooms. "I wonder what happens when they all have a divine weapon touching them?" Eric felt like an idiot for saying that, then he picked his chain up and looked at it. He grabbed the bottom link, then he slowly pulled it off of the rest. He set the link down on the pedestal, then saw it erupt with light once more.


    "Here," said Eric, taking two more links off and handing them to Lucia, "put these on the other two altars." Eric did the same, and with a final piece, every altar was glowing like the sun itself. It was hard to see with the new bloom in the room, but Eric felt the shifting and motion of something moving in the center of the connecting room. He waited for something to happen, his chains at the ready in case something big was coming. The light was suddenly shut off, leaving only the torch Eric held as the source of light. Eric was still clearing the bloom out of his eyes when a soft glow in the center of the room caught his attention.


    "What is it?" Lucia asked, hiding behind Eric with her head poking out around his waist. Eric looked closely, but all he could see was the soft glow. It was almost as if nothing was there, as though he could see through the glow.


    "I don''t know," said Eric, "but it has to be something amazing. If the only way to unlock it was by six divine weapons placed on the pedestals, it will be priceless." Eric walked towards the glow, which was on a newly raised altar in the center of the half-moon. He reached for it, and when his hand closed around the light, a sudden gust of wind blew the torch out. Eric was in complete darkness, the sudden darkness accompanied by the sudden silence of Lucia and himself. "Lucia, where are you?"


    "Over here."


    "I''m going to summon my chains, then I''ll find you in the light and we''ll leave."


    "Okay."


    Eric summoned his chains, then the light illuminated the room enough for Eric to get a sense of where he was in relation to Lucia and the exit. He went to Lucia, grabbed her hand, then walked towards the exit with Lucia. Eric would repeatedly flash his divine weapon until Eric and Lucia came to an area where torches were illuminating the cave. They were both breathing steadily, hand-in-hand until they had left the cave. As they climbed the short distance to the surface, they could hear some yelling over the hill. Eric stopped, and he motioned for Lucia to be quiet.


    "If you''re not going to pay us, then we quit!" shouted a voice over the hill. "We''re not going to wait around while more people die trying to save you money!"


    "Guys, please," came the voice of the mine owner, "think of what we could excavate from these ruins! There could be priceless pottery, ancient tomes, long forgotten knowledge! We could live like kings!"


    "That ruin is cursed," shouted another voice. "It killed Ohm, and now it''s killed two more! We won''t stand for this slaughter! We know you have the money for the army it would take, you cheap bastard!" Eric winked at Lucia, then he walked up the hill with his chains hidden. Lucia followed, looking at the crowd facing them as they approached the bald owner. The bald man followed the eyes of his miners, turning around in surprise to see Eric and Lucia walking towards him. Eric stood in front of the mine owner, looking down at him with hard eyes that the owner cowered beneath.


    "The mine is safe," said Eric, then he leaned down until he was almost kissing the mine owner. "Where. Is. My. Money." Each word was like a punch in the face to the mine owner, so much so that he staggered backwards towards the crowd of burly miners.


    "I''m just getting it now," said the owner nervously, slinking past the miners into his trailer. He slammed the door shut as Eric was approached by the miners, all of whom seemed hesitant to speak.


    "Is it safe enough to go down there?" one of the guys asked finally. "Ohm, he was killed down there letting us escape, and he deserves a proper burial."


    "I killed the thing that was protecting the ruins," said Eric, and a few guys breathed easily. "I also investigated the ruins, made sure that there were no other dangers. It''s safe to get back to work for now, but I''m curious as to how this place was discovered?"


    "The foreman just told us to start mining here," said one guy, "but we haven''t found anything besides some silver veins! He''s been throwing money at this accursed mine, but there''s nothing down there save for the ruin!"


    "You said you went inside," another guy cut in. "Did you find anything in there?"


    "Yeah," said Eric with a cheeky smile, "there was a room with six other rooms around it, and pedestals in the rooms. It''s too bad there''s nothing else in there, but you never know, you might get lucky."


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    "That''s all it was," said one of the miners, disheartened by the spoiler of the ruins.


    "That''s all I found," said Eric, playing it off coolly. "Anyway, this guy is going to keep paying you, so why not take the money and just try mining? It''s not like it hurts you any."


    "We''re miners," said one guy, older than the others, "and we have nothing to mine. You are a fighter, it would be the same for you if you never had a decent fight. There is no challenge or accomplishment to be had here, it is just an empty hole in the ground."


    "I can''t help you there," said Eric, sighing deeply, "I''m just a fighter. I''ll keep an eye out for any work I might be able to swing your way."


    "Anything you could do would be appreciated," said the old miner. "We are a mining crew, not a ruin excavation crew." Eric left the miners to their woes and walked back up to the office of the owner, who was counting out coins from a drawer.


    "I have your money," he said quickly, "just give me a second."


    "I''ll give you a choice," said Eric broadly, "you tell me everything you know about that ruin and I''ll forgive the rest of the money."


    "Huh?" said the mine owner, suddenly affixed at Eric.


    "I found something very, very hard to believe inside of that ruin," Eric growled through clenched teeth, "so some clarification is required."


    "What might you want to know," asked the mine owner, looking nervously at his drawer filled with coin. Eric slammed his hand down on the table, making the poor bald man flinch as though he had been smacked.


    "How does that ruin relate to the divine weapons?" Eric asked in a low breath.


    "W-w-what," stuttered the bald man, sweat running like athletes down his forehead.


    "I happen to be in possession of a divine weapon," said Eric, summoning his chains to his hand, "and there was some strange shit going on down there that didn''t affect Lucia. Now tell me everything you know, or give me your money. I''m fine with either."


    "You''re a hero," said the bald man in shock, then he scrambled over to a desk where he frantically pulled out papers. He scattered a few hundred across the ground, but finally found one of the pages he was looking for. "Th-th-this is what led me to this site," he said, handing the paper to Eric. It was a cryptic message that Eric couldn''t read, but luckily the man began rambling, "My father used to work for the church of the trinity, and he used to tell me stories of the heroes and the justice they brought! He died a few years ago, and I was going through his stuff when I found these translations from old catacomb sites claiming there used to be ''seven'' heroes."


    "Seven heroes," said Eric in his own surprise, looking up at the mine owner.


    "Yes, yes, yes," said the mine owner, "b-but, the seventh hero from a long time ago went crazy, so the other six had to seal his power. I''ve been researching for years about historical sites of past heroes, and this town, right here, has an old legend about a hammer-wielding god. It was a long shot, but I finally found this town and the mining crew, and I''ve been searching relentlessly to find this seventh divine weapon! It must be fate that you''re here, now we can bring the other heroes here and try to unlock this final piece!"


    "I have a lot of bad news," said Eric, looking the miner straight in the eye. "One is that I''m not on any good terms with the other heroes, I doubt they''d listen to anything I say. Secondly, is that I really don''t like you. I understand the idea and motivation behind this whole ordeal, but I don''t agree with your methods. Thirdly, the thing that killed your men was a machine, which I''m sure was priceless in this world, but I kind of scrapped the whole thing. Lastly, I have no way to contact the other heroes, so you would need to wait for the next Wave to come before I could even talk to them." As he listened, the bald mine owner fell into despair, collapsing at the final word as Eric''s words tore down his entire life''s work.


    Eric reached out a helping hand with a wide smile, then said, "Here''s the good news." Eric picked the bald man up, then Eric turned and lifted his shirt and chainmail vest just over the waistband of his pants. He pointed to an area that he remembered a burning sensation and asked, "What do you see right here?" Lucia went around to look as well, then a pair of icy fingers traced out a capital ''T'' with a very wide top.


    "Oh god," gasped the bald man breathlessly, "it''s true.... The seventh divine weapon, it''s... a hammer!"


    "Let me see if I can do this," said Eric, and he focused on his right hand trying to bring something with a hammer and wide top. It wouldn''t appear, so then Eric looked at his other hand, the empty left hand he had. He focused for a moment, then a brief flash told him that he was right. Eric turned with a triumphant look in his eye, hefting up his left hand which held a very large, very strong hammer. The handle was a ribbed, straight length of metal that Eric could grip easily, while the head of the hammer was a large stone, not unlike a cinderblock. It was cut at the edges, giving it slight slants instead of corners.


    The bald mine owner dropped to his knees, looking at the hammer like it was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. "I was right," he shouted, tears forming in his eyes, "Oh gods, I was right! All of this time, every moment I spent looking for this weapon was worth it!" The bald mine owner gripped the hammer, feeling it and making Eric a little uncomfortable. "It''s beautiful," he said breathlessly, "everything I''ve dreamed of."


    "Hey, I need to get going," stated Eric, pulling away the hammer.


    "Of course," cried the man, getting up and frantically pulling papers together. "We must get going! You are a hero and there are things to do!" Eric watched for a few moments as the guy hastily packed a bag with papers and coins.


    "What are you doing?" Eric asked.


    "I''m coming with you," said the bald guy determinately.


    "No you''re not," said Eric, crossing his arms in intimidation.


    "I have been studying this hammer religiously," the bald man said whilst grinding his teeth together. "I will not let you leave without me!"


    "I''m not taking you with me," Eric told him.


    "You don''t have to! I''ll just follow you on my carriage," said the bald man enthusiastically. "We''ve got to show everyone that I was right! Those fools at the church need to know there are officially seven heroes!"


    "Oh my god, just pay me so I can leave!" shouted Eric angrily.


    <del>T</del>


    <del>     </del>In case some of you were wondering, I picked Mjolnir as the design for the hammer. Look it up.

 Chapter 8 - Growing Pains

    T


    Eric entered a locally owned restaurant, Lucia on his heels as he tried to think of how he could safely spend his money. The mine owner gave him three silver pieces just for opening the ruin and finding the final divine weapon. He was keeping those aside for getting Lucia proper weapons and armor. She had the sword from the ruin, but it wasn''t proper for her and Eric was annoyed each time he had to recreate the chainmail armor.


    Eric was slowly learning about his second divine weapon, and it seemed like an entirely separate division of his body. The hammer had it''s own everything; inventory, stats page, skills section, and even title. The title was clearly the reason why the hammer was the strongest weapon, it doubled the strength of the wielder after the stat points. That meant his current strength of seventy-two was doubled into one-hundred and forty-four. He could feel the overpowering strength in his limbs, but there was something Eric was curious about. In his hammer''s inventory, his name was ''Eric Bane(Lv1)'', which made no sense.


    "How can I help you," repeated the young waitress, snapping Eric out of his doldrums.


    "I''d like two of the cheapest meals you have," ordered Eric, then he glanced down at Lucia. She was staring at something across the restaurant, at a small kid with his parents who was eating a big kids meal with a toy. Lucia was practically drooling at the sight of the delicious food, though Eric thought it looked like a Happy Meal. "Wait," said Eric, calling the waitress back, "I''d like one of the cheapest meals, and then whatever the kid wants." He put his hand on Lucia''s head, but felt something different. Looking down, he noticed that Lucia was now standing up to his waist, when before she was barely above his thigh.


    "Yes, right away," said the waitress, going into a back room where the smell of cooking food wafted through to the hungry customers. Eric spied an empty table for four and he walked towards it with Lucia behind him.


    Once the sat down, Lucia asked, "Master, thank you for your generosity."


    "I told you, don''t call me ''Master''," said Eric in aggravation. "Call me ''Eric'', or you won''t be getting any more special treatment."


    "Yes, Eric," said Lucia, straining out the word as though it was a kidney stone. Eric rolled his eyes, figuring that he would need to get used to her like this. Now that he noticed her height difference, he looked more closely at Lucia to see there were a few other things about her that seemed to be different. Her hair was much longer, almost reaching down to her feet in the characteristic orange and black stripes. Also, her cat ears that had unfolded on the first day were a bit more pointed, giving the impression that she was more tiger-like. Her teeth seemed larger and much sharper, too; and the whiskers that were poking out of her upper lip were now farther than the side of her face.


    "Eric," said Lucia, looking down at the table, "can I ask you a question?"


    "Sure," said Eric simply.


    "Why did you choose me?" Lucia asked, still looking down at the table. She seemed sad about something, and that pulled at Eric''s cold, flinty heart strings. "I''m always afraid, I don''t like fighting," the longer the list got, the more Lucia started to cry. She went on about her bad qualities, until Eric reached across the table and petted her head right between her ears as though she was a cat.


    "I guess... you reminded me of my sister," said Eric, his hand resting on Lucia''s head. "She was like you," an image of Lucia in chains crossed his mind, then a very similar image of a little girl hooked up to various types of medical equipment.


    "Where is your sister?" Lucia asked, and Eric did something strange. He looked down, his black mass of hair flopping forward to conceal his face. Lucia waited for the answer, but Eric was taking so long, she feared she had offended him. "I''m sorry, it was a-"


    "She died," said Eric heavily, and Lucia''s eyes went wide. She felt guilty that she had drudged up a painful memory, but then it got worse. "She died because no one would help her, nobody wanted to stick their neck out to take better care of her." Eric spoke in a very hard, emotionless tone that implied his rage towards the unhelpful people that let his sister die.


    "I''m sorry," said Lucia in heartfelt apology, "I didn''t mean to make you sad."


    "Don''t worry," said Eric, looking up with a single tear streaking down his cheek. "I just don''t want that to happen to anyone else. So I knew that I had to buy you, even if it cost me my jacket." He chuckled at that, but Lucia didn''t seem convinced.


    "Hey," said Eric in an attempt to change the subject, "have you been growing recently?"


    "Yeah," said Lucia, "it''s because I''m a demi-human. We grow a lot at one time, rather than growing slowly."


    "How old are you?"


    "I''m fifteen," said the little girl, and Eric choked on something that had mysteriously appeared in his throat. She was so small and light, he had been judging her for a ten year-old.


    "F-fifteen," said Eric, looking wildly at Lucia. "I thought you were younger than that!" There were a hundred thoughts running through Eric''s mind, many of them involving the various procedures a woman''s body goes through during puberty. "Are you... bleeding...?" Eric asked, trying to hint at the menstrual cycle without mentioning it.


    "Not at the moment," said Lucia, looking around to try and find the spot she was bleeding from.


    "Alright, nevermind," said Eric dismissively, figuring he would deal with that problem when he crossed that bridge. The food came out, Eric getting some cold mush and pink meat while Lucia got a nice hot meal with some breaded nuggets and vegetables. She smiled, her eyes brighter somehow as she looked at the nicest meal she''s ever had. "Eat your fill," said Eric happily, and he watched as Lucia''s ear flicked to the side.


    Eric turned his head to see a chair in mid-air, flying towards their table. He reacted on instinct, grabbing the chair by its leg and stopping it immediately. He held it in midair, and his eyes scanned the room briefly before he zeroed in on a single man who was standing with his body bent in a way that suggests he had just tossed something. Eric put the chair down in front of his table as the entire restaurant looked at him as though he was going to start something. Eric did nothing but pick up his fork, and start eating his meal silently.


    "Come on," Eric said, gesturing towards Lucia who was cowering over her meal. "Don''t worry about them, they won''t hurt you. Just enjoy your meal." Eric smiled in such a way that Lucia relaxed, and she picked up her utensils and started eat. She stabbed one of her nuggets, then put it into her mouth so that her cheeks were stretched as far as they would go. She chewed, making Eric smile as he ate his own food. His food had no taste, but it was nourishment that he needed, so he swallowed without complaint.


    The entire time he was eating, he was watching out of the corner of his eye the guy that had thrown the chair. He was a wide man, his belly extending out across his rope belt tied around his waist. He had atrocious sideburns and a crew cut that made him look military, but his face was well-worn with age, mixing wrinkles with scars. The man approached the table where Eric and Lucia were eating, making Lucia''s ears fold down over her hair as she tried to make herself seem smaller.


    "Can I help you?" Eric asked politely, but the distaste in his voice was evident.


    "Get out of our town, monsters," said the man angrily, his fists clenched so that his knuckles were white.


    "''Monsters''," hissed Eric, looking across the table at Lucia who ate her food in smaller portions. "I''m the only monster here," said Eric, looking at the man, face-to-face.


    "You sit across from a demon child, and you tell me you''re the monster," said the man credulously. Eric put some food into his mouth, then he set the fork down gently. Eric stood up slowly, relaxed his shoulders, then all at once he towered over the man like a brick wall about to fall. His eyes had the same cold dispassion of a murderer, and with his enormous body reaching over the fat man, he could really be intending to kill this man.


    "You can hit me," Eric said, "you can spit on me, and you can call me whatever you want. But if I ever hear you talk about Lucia like she is anything besides a little girl, I will not take it quietly." Eric summoned his chains, letting them hit the ground heavily just to drive his point home.


    "You''re a hero," came the voices from around the restaurant.


    "Why''s he with a demi-human?"


    Eric looked down into the eyes of the guy he was facing against, his expression reading that he was ready to kill. The man wasn''t ready to die, so he backed away from Eric, going back to his seat while privately nursing resentment against Eric and Lucia. Eric waited until the antagonist was safely back in his seat, then he sat down as well to continued eating his meal. The whispers had retreated until he couldn''t hear them anymore. Eric looked up at Lucia to see that she was looking down at her food with a very pained expression.


    "What''s wrong," Eric asked gently, "does it not taste good?"


    "No," Lucia said, shaking her head as she felt the need to cry, "the food is delicious. I''m just so happy!" Eric smiled at that, glad that he could make Lucia happy.


    Eric stood in front of the blacksmith''s, wearing a large blanket that he turned into a robe. Lucia stood next to him, wearing a smaller robe as they entered the blacksmith''s shop. They were incognito because the most recommended blacksmith in the country was in the capital city, the city that Eric was forbidden from entering. However, if it meant getting proper equipment, Eric was willing to risk discovery. He strode into the blacksmith''s workshop to see the big black man leaning over his front desk reading something. He still had the goatee from the first time Eric had seen him, and generally looked the same as he had a few horrible months ago.


    "Is there anything that I can help you with," asked the blacksmith in a very deep baritone. He looked at the two hooded figures suspiciously, but then Eric stepped forward and removed his hood. The blacksmith recognized him immediately, giving Eric a hard sneer before saying, "Get the hell out of my shop, or I''ll call for the guards."


    "I''m here to buy a weapon and some armor," said Eric, holding his hands up in surrender. "I''m not going to make any trouble, I just want to know how much I can get for three silver coins?"


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    "I''m not making anything for you," said the blacksmith angrily.


    "It''s not for me," said Eric, then he pulled Lucia''s hood away, "it''s for her." The blacksmith was surprised when he saw the little tiger girl, her feline eyes and whiskers making her look like an innocent child. One of her ears flicked to the side as she looked up hopefully at the blacksmith, who was secretly a sucker for kids.


    "What''s with you, bringing a child into dangerous fights," chastised the blacksmith.


    "I didn''t have a lot of choice," said Eric, then looking down at Lucia, "and neither did she."


    "She''s a slave?" the blacksmith guessed.


    "How did you know?" Eric replied, but the blacksmith just shook his head in disappointment.


    "The church sees demi-humans as demon spawn crossed with humans," said the blacksmith sadly. "Slave traders see them as easy money since the church and all of their followers won''t step up to help demi-humans. There was a town of demi-humans that was completely picked clean by slave traders, men, women, and children." The blacksmith sighed deeply, looking at the tiny Lucia with some pity. "You said three silver coins?"


    "Yeah, that''s all the money we''ve managed to scrape up," said Eric, looking with some pride at Lucia. The blacksmith saw this, and he noticed how Lucia acted affectionately towards Eric''s words.


    "You''ll get the hero discount," said the blacksmith, hiding his smile, "and I''ll need to check that sword she''s carrying."


    "Thank you," said Eric meaningfully.


    "Thank you," repeated Lucia, bowing a little towards the blacksmith.


    "Just don''t get yourself killed," said the blacksmith with the double meaning in plain sight. "I''m George, by the way. We never were able to introduce ourselves."


    "Eric," said Eric, shaking George''s hand. It was nice shaking hands with someone who could actually fit Eric''s hand.


    "Come on in the back, I''ll get you suited up with the right measurements," said the blacksmith as he motioned towards the back of his shop. Lucia followed with Eric close behind, still untrustworthy of anyone in the capital. Over the next hour, while George the blacksmith was measuring and fitting Lucia, he talked with Eric about the recent goings on at the capital city.


    The other six heroes were questing around the city, gathering experience with their followers while the king planned expeditions and received requests for aid from various places. It was a system that the king got to take full advantage of, raking in the money the heroes brought in while getting the adoration of the people for the heroes'' actions. Prosperity was slowly increasing as the names of the heroes became even more famous. Meanwhile, Eric was slowly becoming more infamous, with the other heroes going around spreading his name like a disease. It was entirely unfair, but being framed for assaulting a princess is only believable if everyone believes it.


    Eric asked about this church he kept hearing, so the blacksmith told him a twisted tale. Since the sword, lance, and bow were the only three recurring heroes, a religion was based around them being apostles from god, known as the Holy Trinity. The sign was a lance and a sword with a bow in the middle, which looked unsettlingly like a frowning cross. They believed in demi-humans being part demons, the other heroes were simply protectors for the holy trinity. Eric was pure evil in their eyes, for having abused his hero status and insulted the name of heroes. No doubt they would come after him as well, spreading his name as the epitome of evil.


    The blacksmith asked curiously if he knew that slavery was technically illegal, to which Eric responded, "What do you mean ''technically''?" The king was outright against slavery of any kind, but a lot of officials in government were slave owners themselves. There was no real crackdown on slavery, it just continued behind the scenes without any true dent in the operation. There were some allegations that the Holy Trinity church were using slaves, but the allegations never went anywhere. Still, anyone found in possession of, or using, slaves is instantly confined to prison with a heafty fine. George then asked Lucia how Eric was treating her, only for Lucia to then look at Eric as if he was supposed to supply the answer.


    "Just tell him the truth," said Eric dismissively.


    "He treats me much better than I ever hoped," said Lucia, much to Eric''s and George''s surprise. "When we''re eating, he gives us the same amount of food, even though he''s much bigger than I am. He also pushes me to learn fighting, but always protects me when it''s too much. He can be mean sometimes, but I know he does it because he wants me to be able to take care of myself someday. Even though the trader always told me I should be ready to fulfill any needs my master has, Eric doesn''t touch me inappropriately. Except this one time, when we were in the mountains at night and it was cold, he let me sleep on top of him so I was nice and warm!"


    Eric and George exchanged a look of shock, wondering if Lucia was only seeing the silver lining. "Actually," said Eric, "I drag her from place to place killing monsters and doing quests, I can hardly ever put a roof over our heads, and I''m really mean when Lucia slacks off."


    "He hits me like this," said Lucia, bonking the blacksmith on the back of his afro.


    "Don''t hit other people," said Eric, bonking Lucia on the back of the head. Then came an unusual sound, a deep, throaty laugh from the very bottom of George''s stomach.


    "Once I finish getting Lucia''s sizes, you''ll have to wait a day for the armor to be made," said George with the remnants of his laugh still on his lips. As George finished, he got up to see the duo out, but then said, "Hero, would you mind if I spoke to you in private for a moment?"


    "Sure," said Eric, then he motioned for Lucia to stay while he went into the back room with George. "What is it?"


    "I need to hear your answer, right now," said George seriously. "Did you rape the princess?" George''s tone was no-nonsense, ''you give a wrong answer and I will never talk to you again''.


    "No," said Eric, looking at George to see if the big man would actually believe him. They held eye-contact for a long time, until Eric sighed and looked down. "Who cares, nobody believes me anyway," Eric said disheartened, but as he turned to leave, George put a hand on his shoulder.


    "I''ll trust you," he said, "but only because I know something''s off about that princess. I''ve seen what rape does to people, and that girl is not showing any signs she was assaulted."


    "Hey George," came a very cheerful girl''s voice, one that Eric sorely remembered, "how''s my favorite blacksmith doing?"


    "Is that Emily?" Eric demanded, his voice on edge already at the sound of another hero.


    "Oh, and who are you?" came Emily''s voice as a crowd could be heard entering the smithee''s shop.


    "Lucia," said Lucia happily.


    "Oh, what pretty ears," said Emily cheerfully, "can I touch them?"


    "You don''t want to do that," said another voice, "you might catch something." Eric suddenly stepped out of the back room, his hood back so that everyone could see the anger in his expression. He saw Emily in full armor, her sword in one hand with a helmet under her armpit. The look of surprise she had was indomitable, which quickly changed to a look of apprehension.


    "What are you doing here?" Emily demanded, getting into a stance that suggested she was about to attack him.


    "I''m getting my only party member some armor," said Eric with such a heavy tone it added a few pounds to everyone in the room. Emily''s followers slowly got ready for the brewing fight, until George stepped in front of Eric.


    "All of you sheathe your weapons or I''ll smash''em to bits," he shouted, crossing his arms as if defending Eric.


    "This ain''t your fight," said Eric.


    "This isn''t anyone''s fight," replied George crossly, "especially not in my shop! Lucia''s armor will be ready tomorrow, you can come by and pick it up then."


    "You''re actually making armor for that bastard," Emily said in disappointment.


    "It''s for her," said George, pointing at the little girl with cat ears and striped hair. "If you''ve got a problem with who I make armor for, then you can tell me without your sword."


    "Come on, Lucia," said Eric soundly, "we''re going."


    "Hold on," said Emily, blocking Eric''s path with he sword still in one hand. "How do you expect a child to fight in the waves?"


    "Lucia, tell them how old you are," said Eric soundly.


    "Sixteen," said Lucia on command.


    "That''s too young," said Emily, lifting her sword once again. Eric stared at Emily so hard, she actually began to think Eric was going to do something.


    "I had to do a lot worse, a lot younger than that," said Eric threateningly. "Lucia, let''s go somewhere that doesn''t reek of hypocrisy." Eric took Lucia''s hand and they left the room, but Emily was clearly frustrated by Eric''s appearance.


    "I can''t believe you," said George, crossing his thick black arms in disappointment.


    "What," said Emily defensively, "I didn''t do anything! That man started this!"


    "That man was unarmed, unprotected, and alone," George pointed out, "and you were all ready to slice him to pieces! Not only that, but you had your sword pointed directly at that little girl before he stood between you two!" Emily looked at where Lucia had been standing, then recreated the moment to realize that her sword had been aimed directly at Lucia''s head. "Now, tell me what you need, then kindly get the hell out of my store."


    A little ways outside of the store, Eric asked, "Hey, I thought you told me you were fifteen?"


    "Most growth spurts don''t start until a demi-human is almost sixteen years old," explained Lucia.


    "Why didn''t you tell me about your birthday?"


    "I don''t know when it is," said Lucia weakly, then she felt a tug on her hand.


    "I''ll be damned if we don''t at least get some cake," said Eric sternly, much to the delight of Lucia.


    T

 Chapter 9 - Getting Complicated

    T


    Eric stood outside of the smithee with a strange feeling of deja vu. It could have been the number of guys in metal armor standing around stealing glances towards the blacksmith''s shop. Eric stood there in his large sheet with the hood up, Lucia standing next to him in the same outfit, then he decided he should enter. The only reason he went in was to justify the three silver pieces he had spent on Lucia''s armor. Once he went in, he saw George leaning on his counter reading something just like before. His glorious moustache twitched as he looked up to see the two hooded figures enter his shop.


    "What''s with the added security?" Eric asked, gesturing towards the door.


    "It''s probably for you," said George simply, scratching his afro. "Sorry about that, but they threatened me to spill the beans."


    "What do you mean they ''threatened'' you?" demanded Eric, his outrage clear.


    "They were gonna burn my shop to the ground if I didn''t tell them."


    "Are you hurt?" Lucia asked kindly.


    "No," said George quickly, "they wouldn''t hurt the best blacksmith in the country. Naw, they just told me they''d burn my shop to the ground and blame it on the forge. Sorry, but I told them everything about you."


    "As long as you''re fine," said Eric passively. "You didn''t, by any chance, actually make Lucia''s armor, did you?"


    "After those thugs came in and threatened me?" said George as though the answer was obvious. "You bet you''re ass I did! And it''s free, now that I''ve got a taste of what happened to you. Some of my finest work, if you ask me!"


    "Thanks," said Eric with a kind smile.


    "Don''t mention it," said George as he led the two into the back room, "and don''t be afraid to look me up when your sword and armor need buffed." George went into the back room with Lucia, who peeled her robes back to reveal the new clothes Eric had bought for her yesterday as birthday presents. They were a little baggy, but that was for expecting more growth. Once George went over how Lucia should strap herself into her armor, he helped her put it on for the first time. "Hah," shouted George happily, "I''ve outdone myself! This should do fine for anything from hellhound bites to medium sized swords!"


    Lucia went out to Eric, then displayed the various pieces of leather and steel that strategically protected her body. "It''s nice and light," said Lucia, jumping up and down a few times.


    "Say that when you''re finished hiking," said George with a fond slap on the back, "you''ll be whistling a different tune then! Here''s your sword, too." George handed Lucia a sword about as long as her arm, with a flare near the middle that widened it a little before coming to a finely cut point. "It''s a gladius," explained George, "made for wide swings and strong cuts. It should cut through most normal plating, but you''ll have to get creative for the better armor."


    "Thanks again," said Eric, but he was blown off by George.


    "This one''s for my store," said George with a hardy smile. "Now get out of here before the king comes looking for ya!" Eric walked around the front room and he opened the door to see a circle of armed guards pointing lances at him with a single man in the center carrying a scroll.


    "Now where have I seen this before," said Eric sarcastically. "Oh right, this is what happened when you falsely accused me of rape!" He spoke with such sarcasm, it made the guards want to run him through, but the man in the center unrolled his scroll more than was necessary for what he said.


    "By royal decree, the Hero of Chains, Eric Bane, along with any companions must be taken to the castle to answer for allegations to-"


    "Shut up and take me there," Eric cut in, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "Come on, Lucia, let''s find out what this is about." Eric went up to the castle in much the same way that he had done before, only this time it was during the day so he couldn''t be repeatedly poked without people noticing. He was led through the streets until he came to the wall surrounding the entrance of the castle. It looked no different from when Eric had last seen it, but now he knew that it was built on lies and treachery. As he entered the general courtyards of the castle, Eric felt the deja vu again.


    Once they passed through the courtyard, two enormous doors were opened to let Eric and Lucia pass. A sudden scream came from behind Eric, so he twisted around to see that the guards behind him were dragging Lucia away by her throat.


    "HEY," shouted Eric stepping towards Lucia when he suddenly saw a wave of blond hair accompany a powerful blow to his stomach. Eric felt the pain of his diaphragm suddenly emptying his lungs, then he saw the horribly pretty face of Tyler. The hero seemed passively angry, his face tense as the end of his lance embedded itself in Eric''s gut.


    Eric watched as Lucia had a cloth put in her mouth, then tied around the back of her head. She was panicking, her hands going for her sword when Eric finally got a breath in. "Stop," he ordered weakly, and Lucia''s struggles ended.


    "I can''t believe you," shouted Tyler in disgust, "taking a slave just because nobody wanted to be with you? You''re a sick human being." Lucia tried to protest, but her struggling arms were bound behind her as well. Eric was on his knees with lances pointed at him from all sides, only to look into Tyler''s eyes with a rage that could have burned him completely.


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    "What do you want?" Eric growled, his breathing labored as he sucked in air through his teeth.


    "We want you to release this little girl," said John, coming from the side just as Tyler had. Eric looked that way to see that everyone was here, Emily, Benny, and Todd(Hero of the Scythe).


    "Not gonna happen," said Eric in determination, then Tyler''s lance came down like an executioner''s axe.


    "Stop," came a shout from Emily, blocking Tyler''s lance with her sword. She deflected the blow into the ground, where it cut cleanly through the stone.


    "Why do you defend him?!" Tyler shouted at Emily.


    "Why are you so quick to kill him," Emily retorted, holding her sword at the ready. "At the very least, we should give him a chance to explain himself!"


    "I ain''t tellin'' you shit," said Eric, standing up with an arm over his stomach.


    "I''m giving you a chance to explain yourself," said Emily, annoyed that Eric was being so pig-headed about this.


    "Why," said Eric accusingly, "so you can twist my words around? You want to take what little I have for yourselves?! I made the mistake of trusting you fuckers when I got here, and I fucking payed for it! You''re not taking anything from me, especially not Lucia!"


    "You thought we''d condone rape," Tyler shouted angrily, trying to get his lance out of Emily''s lock. "You think women are objects you can own, how could we accept that?!"


    "Fuck you," Eric cursed Tyler, and they looked at each other like they wanted to kill each other.


    "Stop this immediately," came the authoritative voice of the king. He was walking out of the throne room with armed guards all around him, his eyes on the three heroes clashing with lances all around them. "Heroes are strictly fobidden from killing each other, that is not good for the people and it won''t do anything for yourselves either."


    A girl with red hair stepped up behind him, her beauty like a radiance that almost made Eric puke with disgust. Judy walked out wearing very fancy armor that must have been torture to make. "Father, I''m certain that the hero is regretting what he did," said Judy graciously.


    "Hero of the Chain," said the king, "my daughter has decided to forgiven you, despite recent events. Know that I do not share her forgiving heart, nor will I tolerate any more of your grievous actions. Release your slave and apologize to my daughter, or I will have you banished from the country." Eric looked at his situation, he saw Lucia in the back still being restrained by the guard.


    "Eric," said Emily, looking at him trying to gauge his reaction, "this is your chance for forgiveness. This can all go away if you just apologize." Eric realized he had heard those words before, the last time he had spoken to his sponsor. They were the same words she had told him just before the army had shown up, right before this entire adventure had happened. Eric remembered that he refused, and he had to fight for his life because of it. Eric looked once more at Lucia, who was struggling against the guard that held her. Eric turned to look at Judy, who had her nose turned up at him with extreme prejudice. She smiled once their eyes met, making it clear to Eric that she had planned this all, expecting him to fall into line like a good little sheep.


    Eric laughed, tears streaming down his face as he laughed out his pain. "Look at all of you, staring down at me like I''m some sort of animal. Judging me from your ivory towers, thinking I''m just the dumb fucker you can walk all over. I''ve suffered my entire life because of people like you, and I''m sick to death of it! If you think I will bow down before your bullshit, then you will hear me laughing to my grave! I did nothing to that lying shit of a princess, and I will never abandon Lucia for anything! I have had more fun in the last two months with Lucia than in the eighteen years before I got here, and I will not let that go because you fucks were tricked into thinking I did anything to that beast of a woman!"


    The silence in the room was deafening, with only the sniffling of Lucia as she cried mixed tears of joy. Eric stood there with Emily in front of him, Tyler just beyond that, a circle of guards pointing lances at him, Benny on one side, John and Todd on the other, and the king with his lying daughter next to him. They were all wide eyed at Eric''s words, and for the time it would take to breathe deeply, nobody moved.


    "I challenge you to a duel, Eric," said Tyler gravely, pointing his lance right at Eric''s face.


    "You don''t want to do that," said Eric, not flinching from the blade mere inches away from his face.


    "I do," said Tyler in a low voice. "God help me, I do. I want you all to myself."


    "Then we''ll have a duel," said the king, "the Hero of the Lance versus the Hero of the Chain. For the time being, the Hero of the Chain will be imprisoned beneath the castle until the duel commences."


    "What about the demi-human?" one of the guards asked.


    "Put her in the cell across from his while we figure out how to remove the slave''s seal."


    T

 Chapter 10 - Left to Fester

    T


    Eric was led down to the prison with Lucia behind him, lances pointed at their back to make sure they hurried up. The air got thicker and more moist until Eric found himself entering a dank dungeon with rough stone floors, iron bars set up like cubicle farms to give prisoners five square feet of floor space. Eric was prodded into one that he could barely fit through the door, while Lucia was almost tossed into the one directly across from his. The doors were shut and the keys were put into a guard''s pocket, then the guards left them completely alone. Lucia was struggling to position herself in a sitting position with her hands tied around her back, but then she did, she noticed Eric was standing right in front of his door.


    "Let me help you with that," he said, then summoned a single chain to his hand. It was long and thin, well enough that Eric could insert it into the lock and jiggle it around. The lock was immediately unlocked, and Eric swung the door open before doing the same to Lucia''s door. Once he was inside, he untied her bindings and took her gag out. Immediately she reached up and hugged Eric as though he was her comforting teddy bear. "It''s alright," said Eric slowly, "I promised I would protect you."


    "Why didn''t you just apologize?" cried Lucia, tears streaming down her face.


    "I''ve done this before," said Eric soundly, "if I apologized to them, it would mean I had done something wrong. I didn''t do anything wrong, so I didn''t apologize. Besides, I''m not going to give you up just because some freaks want me to be the bad guy."


    "You''re so stubborn," cried Lucia, "couldn''t you just do what they said?"


    "Alright," said Eric, grasping Lucia''s shoulders. "Lucia, I release you from your contract with me. You no longer hold any obligation towards my commands, you are free to go in any direction that you see fit. I will not stop you, I will not hold you back, I will only wish you luck." Once he said that, the black spiral on Lucia''s chest disappeared as if it had never been there in the first place. She looked down her own armor with tears in her eyes, noticing that the mark was completely gone.


    "Why didn''t you do that earlier?" Lucia asked, her tears running in rivulets down her puffy cheeks and across her whiskers.


    "I''m not one for following orders," said Eric with a cheeky grin. "I''ll do it when I want to do it, or when you ask me to do it."


    "We have to tell them that you freed me," said Lucia happily, "they won''t be as mad if they know you''re not a bad person!"


    "Do what you will," said Eric sadly, going back into his cage and closing the door. The lock clicked with a mighty thunk, and Eric sat down on the floor against the cage, his back facing Lucia.


    "What are you doing?" Lucia asked.


    "I''m conserving energy," said Eric with a deep sigh. "I don''t trust whatever food they bring, so I''ll need to fast until the fight."


    "But you just opened the door," said Lucia, "aren''t you going to escape?"


    "I''m just going to sit here," said Eric in a depressing tone. "You can leave, ya know? There''s nothing stopping you." Lucia was quiet for a long time, unable to take this. "I''m sorry, by the way, if I ever hurt you too badly."


    "You didn''t," said Lucia, wiping a tear away.


    "That''s good," said Eric, then the sound of footsteps echoed through the dungeon. Eric stayed turned away in the dim light as Emily entered the dungeon with Benny and Todd. They all wore full armor, which gleamed in the light of the torches as they approached Eric''s cell.


    "What the hell is wrong with you," Emily commanded. "Are you proud to be a rapist or something?"


    "I didn''t rape her," said Eric adamantly.


    "Then why didn''t you show up at the hearing?" Emily retorted.


    "Actually," said Benny, "he didn''t know about the grand jury. He thought this was an entirely monarchal system, so the king told him to leave and he did."


    "How do you know?" Todd asked curiously.


    "At the wave, he told me in the cave the king shouted at him, so he left without knowing there was a jury."


    "But still, there was evidence," argued Emily.


    "Actually," said Benny, as he thought about it, "the only evidence found was the bloody knife and Judy''s torn clothes. There was no semen found at the scene, and none of the patrons reported hearing noises beforehand."


    "Did it never occur to you," said Eric with bubbling anger, "for even a fraction of a second, that I might be TELLING THE TRUTH?!?" His shout echoed through the dungeons with a strong vibration, but he was still faced away from the others. The three heroes stood there, now looking at it from Eric''s point-of-view where he hadn''t done anything. Eric finally sighed after a long time, "It doesn''t matter. It''s going to be over tomorrow."


    "Eric, if you''re truly innocent," said Emily nervously, "then this duel is moot."


    "Don''t even start with me," said Eric with a depressing lack of enthusiasm.


    "Eric, I''ll stand on the side of justice," said Benny heroically, "but I need to know that you have justice on your side."


    "This isn''t a game, Benny," Eric said loudly. "You''re not Robin Hood, this is real life! This is the way it''s always been, change the setting all you want, people are people."


    "Eric, you need to stop this," said Todd seriously, "Tyler really plans on killing you tomorrow."


    "Good," said Eric, finalizing his thoughts on the matter.


    "You just plan to let him kill you," Emily said credulously.


    "Who cares?" Eric asked the three heroes. "Nobody cares about me, nobody''s ever cared about me. I don''t want to here you guys talking about how life is precious when you don''t care either way."


    "I care about you," said a small voice from behind the heroes, and they turned to see Lucia cradled in her cage with the door wide open.


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    "No you don''t," said Eric dismissively. "I know how it is, you want to run away when things get tough. You don''t want to get hurt, just like everybody else in the world."


    "I''m not running," shouted Lucia with tears in her eyes. "You saved me from the slaver, you saved me from the ruins, you saved me from my fears! I''m not afraid, Eric, I don''t want to leave you! Please, I want to stay with you!" Her voice was cracking as it echoed through the empty dungeon, bounding repeatedly around as the heroes listened.


    "Tell the truth, Lucia," said Eric in a low voice. With his back turned to the others, nobody could see him crying even as he kept his voice even.


    "I love you, Eric," said Lucia in heartfelt emotion, coming out of her cell and putting her hands around his shoulders. She felt the wetness around his chin, then her small hands traced the tears up Eric''s face.


    "Just go," shouted Eric loudly, his tears driving his words, "I''m tired of all of this! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" Eric shook Lucia''s arms from his shoulders, then he crawled in a different part of his cage and sat there silently crying to himself.


    "Come on," said Benny to Lucia, "he wants to be alone." Todd and Benny dragged Lucia away kicking and screaming out Eric''s name repeatedly while he huddled in the corner of his cell. Her screams died out as Eric could only listen and wait for them to be gone, his heart in indescribable pain.


    "Why don''t you fight," said Emily, her voice like a rock thrown into a calm pond.


    Eric was silent for a long time, then he said, "What was it like... in your old life?"


    "I had everything," said Emily with a deep sigh. "Loving rich parents, good grades, top athlete getting ready for national tennis. It was disgusting, I felt like everything was handed to me. I never lifted a finger I didn''t have to, even my future college was already paid for. I never took any of it for granted, I always showed my appreciation, but I felt like it was all too easy. There was no challenge to it all, so I rebelled in little ways that wouldn''t affect my success."


    "Like your purple hair?" guessed Eric.


    "Yeah," said Emily with a smile, "like my purple hair. What about you?"


    "The exact opposite," said Eric with his head between his knees. "My dad left when I was six, with a woman who I remember said she hated kids. My mom got abusive, but she never hit my little sister, it was always me. Then my mom left when I was ten, because my dad''s debt had piled up and she was sick of it. I had to grow up real fast back then, trying to get jobs without telling anyone we were orphaned. I tried to drop out of school, but that got the police sent to my house. I was so afraid they''d find out we were alone, it was all I could do to lie to them.


    "Everything that wasn''t stolen was garbage, including our food. We were homeless for a while, until my sister got sick and wound up in a hospital. They billed our old house, then the hospital said they''d stop treatment if the bills didn''t get paid. Then I got a sponsor for an underground fighting ring, she was a real classy lady, too. She payed the hospital bills, then gave me just enough food to survive to the next fight. The fights were brutal, but I got better and started winning. I saw my sister whenever I could, but then the sponsor got greedy. She was holding more and more money from me, but I was, like, fifteen, I couldn''t do shit about it.


    "Then my sister died, and I started losing again. I didn''t see a point, so I tried to quit, but they just beat me up some more. I remember Genny going on and on about how much I owed her, but I really didn''t care. I won and lost some, just based on how I was feeling about it. When I was eighteen, I ran away from the ring and tried slumming it. I did things I''m not proud of, least of all ate out of garbage cans. Some thugs would show up, trying to get me to join their gang, then I''d beat them up and run. Just before I got here, there was an army of dudes coming after me, and that''s when I grabbed these chains and started fighting my way through it all."


    Eric looked at his hand, picturing the blood stains that once soaked through his pores down into his bones. "I don''t know if I killed anyone or not, I just thought of walking home. I was so out of it, I didn''t even remember I had no home." Eric was silent for a while, then he said, "I didn''t know what to expect when I got here, but something made me think everything would be different this time. Maybe there was a way I could forget my life and be who I wanted to be." Eric''s voice was growing more and more insecure, until his final words were quavering with emotion, "I''m just so tired. I want it all to stop! Just stop it."


    Emily had no response, nor possible answer for that. She still wasn''t entirely sure she could trust Eric, but he was certainly acting like a broken man. There were too many doubts raised in her mind to keep quiet about this, so Emily decided she''d investigate for herself.


    Right before she left, Emily heard Eric shout, "Wait.... I''d like a last request." There was a time when the echoes were all that could be heard, but then Eric requested, "Make sure they don''t get to Lucia." Emily nodded her affirmation, then continued up the stairs like a woman on a mission.


    When she reached the top of the stairs, she ran into a guard with a plate of food in his hands. Emily excused herself, then asked him if he had seen Lucia. He replied that he didn''t, so Emily continued through the castle until she found Benny in the castle courtyard, staring up into the brilliantly lit sky. "Where is Lucia?" Emily asked, trying not to make it sound too demanding.


    "She''s with Tyler," said Benny simply enjoying the sheer number of stars. "He offered to take her around the castle, so we let him give her the tour."

 Chapter 11 - Wraths Rage

    T


    Eric sat down in the dungeon with the empty plate of food next to him when several guards carrying lances stormed down the stairs. The came to the entrance of Eric''s cell while he stood, looking through the cast iron bars at his tormentors. "Eric Bane, Hero of the Chain, you are hereby summoned to a duel with the Hero of-" the monologue stopped when Eric swung open his cell door as though it was nothing.


    "Let''s get this over with," said Eric sadly, his hair a tangled mess. He took the lead, stepping past the armed guards as though they were irrelevant pieces of paper. He walked past them, then exited the dungeon to see more armored men at the top of the stairs. The leveled their lances at them, but Eric couldn''t have cared less. He followed their paths like a good little sheep, winding up at a raised platform in the courtyard. There were theater seats raised along the castle wall to one side where several overly dressed people watched with amusement as Eric was poked and prodded onto the stage.


    Eric felt an odd sense of familiarity towards the stage, the white tiles giving it the same resemblance of the few professional boxing rings he had been in. This square section of raised ground had white stone plating that was easy to get traction on with Eric''s bare feet. He could see the blood already across the stage, soaking into the ground with a sweet final release. Tyler approached from the other side, his lance gleaming against Eric''s eyes just to annoy him.


    Tyler was wearing some sort of white ensemble of robe and shirt, adorned with laced gold and magnificent embroidery. Behind him was the red hair of Judy, her azure dress also laced with the finest trimmings. Eric felt his anger flare a little at their nice clothes, but it was quickly satiated by an ocean of depression. Eric looked around to see Benny, Todd, and John with similar clothing, but Eric couldn''t get irate about them. Emily was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Lucia.


    "If I may have your attention," said the king from his highest throne, "we will begin the duel shortly. Today we have the noble Hero of the Lance, Tyler Jinx, fighting against the blasphemous Hero of the Chain, Eric Bane. The prize for this duel shall be the rights to issue a single command to the other, anything is fair game. Now then, will the fighter state their intentions of this fight!"


    "I am here to protect the chastity and pride of all women," announced Tyler in a noble way. Judy took that as her cue, then she pulled the white robe away the same way someone would reveal a large present. Tyler was shirtless underneath, displaying his perfect physique to everyone, but he also had the most ridiculous looking pair of pants Eric had ever seen. They seemed to be inflated around the ankles, that or Tyler shit his pants and tied them off at the ends. "Eric Bane, today will be your undoing! I shall stop your evil today!"


    "Do your best," responded Eric with a lack of sense. Tyler scowled at Eric, then he took the stage with his lance at the ready.


    "Today we shall have a duel between heroes," announced the king. "Now that both heroes have entered the fighting area, the fight may begin!" Tyler wasted no time, rushing Eric with his lance ready to pierce through Eric. This was going to be an execution, and Eric spread his hands out to let it happen.


    "TYYYLLLEERRRR," came and enraged shout from the sidelines. Tyler skidded to a halt with the tip of his lance just inches away from Eric''s stomach. Everyone looked to the side to see Emily carrying Lucia on her back, the tiger-girl wrapped in a bedsheet. Emily was so angry, she was almost ready to attack Tyler outright, but she was holding Lucia delicately.


    "What happened?" askedEric in shock, looking at Lucia to see that she had a swelling cheek, and some of her hair was cut short.


    "Emily, this isn''t the time," argued Tyler sternly.


    "What did you do to her!?" Emily shouted from off stage. She was enraged, and her eyes were starting to swell with tears. Emily unconciously held Lucia closer, like a child that had fallen from a tree.


    "I was trying to cure her brainwashing," desperately explained Tyler, "but it''s rooted too deep! Just let me deal with this!"


    "What did you do?" Eric demanded heavily, his eyes bearing heat down like two atomic bombs had gone off. Tyler looked at Eric, then he thrusted his sword the last few inches, but Eric moved faster than could be seen. When the lance was just about to enter his gut, Eric grabbed the shaft and stopped it. Tyler felt the jolt as the lance suddenly stopped, and despite his repeated efforts to push the blade through, Tyler could no longer move his lance.


    "Eric," cackled Lucia weakly, making Eric look down at his companion as Tyler repeatedly failed to move his lance any further. Lucia''s eyes only barely opened, and with one hand she reached out towards Eric''s form. Eric saw it then, the bruises that went up her bare arm and onto her bare shoulder.


    It was hard to describe exactly how Eric felt, but to say he felt ''empty'' would be appropriate. He had flashbacks to a doctor and a waiting room, the day he learned an ugly truth about the world. The memories resurfaced as terrifying and painful as the day they were made. The emptiness Eric felt was being very rapidly replaced by pure, unbridaled rage.Eric lifted the spear with Tyler on the end, holding it up so that Tyler was dangling in the air like a pinata.


    "What did you do?" Eric repeated in his deepest baritone. He was anger was clear, but he was only just forcing Tyler to talk.


    "I gave her special treatment," said Tyler, "but she fought back. None of this would have happened if you weren''t such a-" Eric''s fist smashed Tyler right in the face, carrying behind it enough force to blow Tyler away completely. His body flopped against the white tiles, sliding just barely to the edge of the platform. Eric summoned his chains, listening to the metal clink together as the chain dangled behind him, his eyes focused solely on Tyler. Tyler stood, holding his shoulder as Eric approached slowly, his huge body and long chain giving the appearance of a monster.


    "Lighting Lance!" shouted Tyler, and the blade of his lance began to cackle with electricity. He moved then, rotating his lance around his body like a bo staff, flipping it and spinning it until the light of his lance was a line through the air. "This can cut through anything," explained Tyler as he violently spun the lance around himself. He charged Eric then, running towards him with the lightning cackling at the end of his lance. Tyler leaped into the air for the added momentum, then he brought the lance down on Eric from above. Time seemed to slow down as the blue energy of the lance nearly cut Eric in two. Yet, even then, nobody could see what Eric had done.


    Tyler''s lance suddenly stopped, all momentum ceased, and Tyler was blinded as to the reason why. Then he saw it, the fingers clamped over the blade of his lance. Eric had stopped the blade mere inches from his head by grabbing it with his bare hand. Tyler fell, his own momentum wasn''t stopped, and he fell right into Eric''s hand. Eric held Tyler up by his throat, squeezing it just enough to pinch his trachea. Tyler looked down at Eric to see the cold, dead eyes of a killer, and Tyler then began to fear for his life.


    "Bind," said Eric, and chains blew from his hand with the force of a shotgun. They wrapped around Tyler''s throat and sent him flying, but Eric reached out and grabbed his leg while the pompous lust machine was still airborne. Eric pulled back on Tyler''s leg, pulling him around and slamming the lance hero into the ground. The very stone of the arena cracked from the impact. As Tyler lay in a small, human-shaped crater, Eric straddled him with fists clenched.


    "This is what happens when you hurt the ones I love!" Each word was another fist brought down on Tyler, the merciless beating turning the hero of the lanceinside out. Every punch shook the stage slightly, breaking apart the hastily created platform.Eric finally stopped once Tyler was beyond unconscious, then the chains around his throat disappeared into a shower of light. The shocked silence from around the raised platform was enough to give Eric a very ominous feeling.


    Not that he cared.


    "I lose," claimed Eric firmly, stepping off the side of the stage towards Emily and Lucia. Emily was shocked into silence, so when Eric approached, he took Lucia in his arms without any trouble. "Thanks for trying," apologizedEric depressingly, cradling Lucia in his arms like a small child. Tears streamed down his face as his imagination cooked up the horrors that she may have experienced. "Where is her armor?"


    "It''s in Tyler''s room," said Emily slowly, still reeling over Eric''s overpowering strength.


    "Can you take me there?" Eric asked with tears in his eyes and an infinite sadness in his tone.


    "Sure," said Emily, and she started walking away with Eric behind her. He was looking down at Lucia, her eyes closed and her mouth in a pained frown that pulled the whiskers out. Her hair was patchy in places, and as Eric examined her body, he was at least thankful that he didn''t see any blood. As Emily and Eric walked through the castle, Emily finally asked, "How did you do that?"


    "Do what?" asked Eric, clueless as to what she could have meant.


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    "Tyler''s the strongest of all of us," said Emily. "He''s at level twenty already. I''m only at seventeen, and even Benny''s only at nineteen."


    "Heh," laughed Eric briefly, "no wonder he was so weak. I''m at level thirty eight for my chains, and twelve for my hammer."


    "You''re hammer?" said Emily in confusion, leading Eric through a royal doorway into a very classy bedroom.


    "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you," said Eric plainly, placing Lucia gently on the bed as he spied her armor. Eric let the flash of light accrue in his left hand, revealing the powerful hammer that he had found earlier. "Apparently, there used to be seven heroes that showed up, but one of them went crazy. They sealed his power in some old ruin, but I opened it up and got this."


    "You have two divine weapons," said Emily, "of course you do, you''re a level thirty-eight."


    "Actually," said Eric, picking up Lucia''s armor, "I have two separate inventories and stats pages. It seems like the one that I use is the one that gets more experience, and my levels grow at different rates, too. When I level my hammer up and distribute the stats, the increase is shown in the chain stats window as well, but the level of my chains doesn''t increase. So altogether, I''m level fifty."


    "That''s just not fair," said Emily as Eric undid the bed sheets around Lucia''s body. He saw the bruises on her arms, a few around her stomach, and a lot around her legs. Her nubile young body was flawless behind the bruises, and her growth spurt had triggered the growth of her secondary sexual characteristics as well. (That was a dry way of putting it. Tits!)


    "Nothing''s ever fair," said Eric dryly, sliding Lucia''s panties up her legs to cover her most delicate area. "The good news is, this is the first time it''s been unfair in my favor." Eric was putting on Lucia''s pants when her ears flicked and her body twitched. He found his mouth growing more and more dry as he tried to dress the beautiful naked girl without giving too much thought to it.


    "Maybe I should do that?" suggested Emily.


    "Yeah, you probably should," agreed Eric, stepping away to let Emily finish dressing Lucia. While he stood back, Eric thought about whether or not it was a good idea for Lucia to keep following him. It was her choice ultimately, but Eric wanted to keep her safe above all else. He thought of it while Emily put the armor on Lucia, but he wasn''t any closer to reaching a conclusion.


    Once Lucia had her full armor on, Eric thanked Emily and then once again lifted Lucia. He carried her like a princess, her striped orange and black hair cascading across his arm like a dyed waterfall. Eric left the room, headed back down the castle staircase towards the main exit, and was confronted by several armed guards all pointing their lances at him.


    "What sort of trickery is this?" demanded Judy, waltzing towards Eric with a lance of her own. "How could you have defeated Tyler, he is the strongest of the holy weapons!"


    "I''ll tell you how," said another voice, and Benny appeared with Todd and John behind him. "Do you know the game rock-paper-scissors? Which one do you think is the strongest?" Benny let that sit there for a few moments before saying, "None of them are. Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, and paper beats rock. They have their own strengths and weaknesses which balance each other out. Let''s say that Tyler is scissors and I''m paper. He''s obviously going to beat me, because his strengths work against my weaknesses. Though Tyler is scissors, Eric is a rock whose stronger against Tyler''s weaknesses."


    "Then what am I?" Todd asked.


    "You''re probably paper," joked John, "but I''m a rock."


    "That''s enough of that," said Benny, "it''s a lot more complicated anyway. Suffice to say, Eric beat Tyler fair-and-square, so he gets to demand something from Tyler."


    "I demand he wear a chastity belt," said Eric humorlessly. "Now let me leave."


    "Oh, that''s going to kill him," said Todd, sucking air in through his teeth. "I think his entire party is just one big orgy."


    "It is not," shouted Judy, stomping her foot on the ground, "we are civilized and decent humans!"


    "Will you just let me go," stressed Eric. "I''m trying to leave, why the hell are you blocking me?"


    "I''m not letting you go that easily," said Judy, pointing her spear right at Eric''s face. "You and the horrible beast can rot in hell!" Eric moved fast, snapping the heads of every lance in his way with a single swipe of his bare foot. Then he landed and rotated his hips so that his other foot could fly out and hit Judy right in the face. His foot stopped an inch before her nose, but the wind it kicked up blew across her face and pulled her hair back.


    "Care to repeat that?" Eric taunted, wiggling his toes in Judy''s face.


    "You whoreson," Judy angrily shouted. "I''ll have you beheaded for this!"


    "Judy, that''s enough!" said the king, entering the hall from an adjacent corridor. "Eric has proven that his strength far exceeds the strongest hero. He must not be made an enemy of at this crucial time." The king looked at Eric then stated, "The neighboring country of Mordrid has invaded our borders to the south. I''m afraid we need every available strength at our disposal to combat their forces, and that means you as well."


    "Hell no," spatEric, "I''m not about to help you guys after all of this!"


    "That is why I have incentive," said the king with a cocky smile. "Do this for us, and we''ll consider you a full fledged hero again. Your entire slate will be wiped clean, no need to apologize for anything." When the king said that, a small message appeared in front of Eric, a quest message for him to complete. It read: "Quest: King''s Gambit: You have been tasked by the king to help fight the approaching army. Bonus 5% experience for every kill, applied to all party members. Restored status with Lorain. Y/N" Eric read the message, then he looked up at the king who stared intently.


    "I''ll need to know all the facts," said Eric, "and not just the ones from this side. Tell me where the army is coming from, and I''ll judge for myself if they are worthy to be taken out."


    "Mordrid is a hellish place where winter is eternal," said the king. "The region is mountainous and tough, and access to the sea is blocked by year round ice. The people there are just as tough and hardy as the landscape, and they are strong from fighting the monsters that share their home. Though their numbers are small, they are fierce fighters. They have attacked our cities before, and now they launch a large-scale assault against our lands."


    "Great," said Eric, "now I''ll listen to what they have to say for themselves." He looked at the circle of guards around him, then shrugged them off as he stepped past. Once Eric was outside of the castle, he hoisted Lucia over his shoulder. He walked through the streets until he came to George''s blacksmithing shop, then he popped his head in to see an older gentleman at the counter with George.


    "Hey, just wanted to see how you were doing," said Eric, walking in with Lucia over his shoulder.


    "Woah, what''s wrong with her," said George in sudden worry.


    "Tyler Jinx," said Eric, bringing Lucia into the shop and setting her gently against the counter. "He thought I had ''brainwashed'' Lucia, so he tried to ''un-brainwash'' her."


    "He didn''t..."


    "Oh he tried," said Eric, "but it looks like Lucia put up a fight. As far as I know, she wasn''t hurt besides bruising all over her body."


    "That bastard," said George as the chubby man on the side looked between the two titans.


    "I got him back, though," said Eric with a hidden smile. "Beat the crap out of him."


    "Serves him right," said George happily, "wish I got a few hits in myself."


    "You know what I found out," said Eric interestingly. "I''m actually several times more powerful than the other heroes." Eric went on to explain how he had found his second divine weapon, how his level was three times their own, and how his bonuses gave him overpowering strength. "Oh, that reminds me," said Eric with his massive hammer in hand, "does this look like it could be used to smith?"


    "You want to dirty a divine weapon inside of a forge," said George as though Eric was crazy.


    "I was more wondering if armor created by a divine weapon had any special attributes," said Eric. George spaced out for a moment, his eyes unfocused on anything within the shop.


    "Come on back, I''ll show you some basics," said a newly resetGeorge, motioning towards the back of his shop. "Oh, but before that, I''ll put Lucia on my bed." George picked her up with the same ease that Eric had shown, then carried her into an adjacent room where Eric looked back into. There was a very fancy bed with trimmings and other things, which George gently laid Lucia out on. After that, they began working on the forge together, Eric getting the lessons on what he wants the forge temperature. After learning the basics, a small message popped up claiming that smithing was a skill.


    T

 Chapter 12 - Another Story

    T


    Eric entered a very familiar town while heading north, and he happened to pass by a very familiar man that stood at the end of an alleyway. He was a round man with a top hat and fancy clothes, Eric spied him as the slave trader that had sold him Lucia. Lucia''s ears flattened at the sight of him, and she reflexively hid behind Eric''s huge mass.


    "Ah, my very favorite hero," greeted the slave trader happily. "I have something very special for you," said the slave trader, gesturing for Eric to follow. Eric summoned his chains, then followed the slave trader back into his tent.


    "Are you sure," questioned Lucia cautiously, coming behind Eric.


    "You don''t have to be afraid of him," said Eric comfortingly. Eric''s gaze shifted to the slave trader, his eyes cold and heartless as he stated, "She doesn''t, right?"


    "You payed for your product, I have no such disloyalty to a paying customer," said the slave trader. "Once you buy it, good or bad, it''s yours."


    "I''d say good," said Eric, petting Lucia''s head between her ears. He noticed then that she had suddenly grown up again, now she was as tall as his own chest.


    "That''s great," said the slave trader, "but this time I have a very special lottery." The stout man lead the duo to a small table in the front of his store where a basket of eggs sat. Each egg was three times the size of an average chicken egg, and each one was painted with the spiral that Lucia once wore. "You see, I unfortunately misplaced the information on which egg was which, so I must unfortunately sell them at random. Each one costs only twenty copper coins, and there is a chance you could get a minor dragon."


    "Aren''t minor dragons basically like cats and dogs?" Eric pointed out.


    "Yes, but they can be traded for the same price as a decent house," said the slave trader. "So, what do you say?"


    "I''d like to look at your other selections," said Eric, "then maybe we''ll come back to this."


    The slave trader complied, but asked on the way back, "Out of curiousity, how much are you willing to spend?"


    "Behind living expenses, I''ve got twenty silver coins this time," said Eric, looking at the various animals in cages. "But for now, I''m looking for quantity over quality."


    "I see," said the slave trader, looking at Eric and Lucia. "I think I have just the thing for you. I''ve been getting more and more new arrivals recently, and I''m running out of space for them. If you''re okay with training them yourself, you can have your pick of the new arrivals for cheap. It saves me time and space, plus gives you your quantity." Eric was taken behind a rack of various creatures that clawed at the group as they passed. Behind the stacked cages were a group of animal people chained together like a chain gang arranged in a square.


    "Oh my gods," hissed Lucia, running around Eric and bending down to someone on the corner of the chain arrangment. "Lilly, is that you?" A little girl with rabbit ears poked her head up, a snuffly little bunny rabbit,nose twitching as she looked up at Lucia with enormous eyes.


    "Lucia?" said the rabbit girl weakly, then Lucia and the girl embraced each other. Lucia petted the girl''s pure white hair back across the collar around her neck.


    "What happened to you," Lucia asked desperately, "I thought you had gotten away from the village with your parents!"


    "We did," sniffled the bunny girl, "but we were caught on the run a few months later." Lucia looked around at the faces, but there were no more rabbit ears in the group. There was another child, a boy who had a lizard''s tale and was sitting on the opposite side of the group.


    "I''ll take the two kids," said Eric, pointing at Lilly and the lizard boy.


    "Very well," said the slaver, going to the table nearby and grabbing the quill as he had done before. He recited the words of the slave contract over Lilly, then released her to hug Lucia with all of the vigor she could conjure. The slaver then went to the boy, but he snapped at the slaver when the brush touched his skin. Eric went over to help, wrestling with the boy until the slaver was able to make the mark, then he let go as the young boy snapped angrily. "Ugh, good luck with that one."A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The slaver unlocked the boy''s collar and other chains, then Eric commanded, "Tell me your name."


    "Draco," said the boy through clenched teeth. He clearly hated Eric with all of his heart, but Eric saw the same eyes he used to witness in the mirror. This kid had it tough, and the only way he knew to cope was to get tougher.


    "I like you," Eric said with a cocky smile, "so let''s fight together. Draco, I want you join my party." A little message popped up on the same white board as always asking Draco if he wanted to join ''The Hero of the chain''s Party''. "Hit yes," Eric instructed, and Draco did so whether he wanted to or not. "Good, now we''re getting somewhere. Lilly, I want you to join, too. Press ''yes'' when it comes up." The message popped up, and Lilly automatically pressed the join button.


    "Mister Slaver," said Lucia, looking down at Lilly, "could you please redo the contract between me and Eric?" Everyone was surprised by these words, especially the slaves who didn''t have a choice in the matter.


    "Lucia, you don''t have to do this," said Eric softly.


    "I want to do this," said Lucia, looking determinedly at Eric. "I want you to trust me absolutely, with no doubts about my loyalty." Eric wanted to say that she didn''t need to do this, but he couldn''t honestly trust her without the slave contract seal. It was the great comfort that he could never be betrayed by his companions, that there was a failsafe in place to keep her trust absolute. He wanted to trust her, but he knew from experience there were worse things than a slave contract.


    "Alright," conceeded Eric, "then let''s do this." The slaver painted on the symbol, uttering the same mantra as he had the first time Eric had met Lucia. Eric payed the slave trader three silver coins, then paused as he looked at the random assortment of eggs near the entrance. He did want to buy one just in case, and the price was certainly affordable, but there were a lot of costs that came to mind about taking care of an animal. In the end, Eric left without a fragile shell in hand.


    On the third day into their journey, Eric, Lucia, Lilly, and Draco were almost at the supposed encampment of the approaching army. Eric''s smithing skill had gotten him a crude dagger and bow, but he was casually resmithing metals repeatedly so as to level up his smithing skill artificially. The group came out into a grassy field where smoke billowed up from firey encampments, tents were set up with the colors of red, and banners of war hung from huge flagpoles. Eric and his group approached from the south where a large field had them seen from a mile out. As they neared the camp, an ensemble of burly men and women wearing heavy winter gear underneath massive armor plating rushed to greet them.


    One of the lead men snarled and grunted at him, then spit on the ground and demanded, "Who be ye?" Eric and his group were still far enough away that they couldn''t properly size up the group, getting incorrect assumptions about them.


    "I am just someone who wants to talk with you," said Eric loudly, bridging the gap between them with his booming baritone voice.


    "And what say ye expects to speak about?" demanded a woman with braided pigtails.


    "I just wanted to ask what you were doing in this country," Eric said simply.


    "Ah, you must be one of the king''s men," said the lead man once again. "You''re a loony if ya think we''ll let ye sabatoge our escape! We know ya tricky deeds that gave ya the run of da place, but your mind must be tiny if ya think we''ll let ya do it again!" Eric''s eyes went wild, and he marched up to these people who almost laughed at how angry this little Lorain wuss was getting. But as Eric got closer, he got bigger, until his 8''6" built body was looking down at these 7''7" stocky Midrardians. His presence was like a furnace burning with rage as he loomed over the armored travelers.


    "Don''t you EVER associate me with that coward of a king," threatened Eric right out. "I will have nothing to do with him or his dirty daughter." These people all looked at one another slowly, then they started laughing boisterously.


    "Even the most unloyal king''s man wouldn''t threaten his name!" cried the nearly delirious leader happily. "You''ve got me wetting me''self!" These people laughed at Eric''s hatred of the king, making Eric a little disillusioned that they were in the same boat. The lead man wiped a tear from his eye, wiped it off on his dirty clothes, then extended his hand for Eric to take.


    "The name''s Baldur," said the lead man, "and I was the jarl of Midrard just a few days ago." Eric only figured from context what that meant.


    "Eric Bane," said Eric, grasping Baldur''s thick hand with his own as if they were arm wrestling. They held it there, then let go much to Baldur''s amusement. "So, what do you say? Will you tell me what you''re doing here?"


    "Aye, we''re fleeing," said Baldur, his smile disappearing from his shaggy face. "A demon''s taken up residence in the mountains, and it''s been destroyin our villages an killing our people. Even me own son..." Baldur looked hurt, but he pressed on, "went after it with a company of his best mates.... They never came back."


    "What does this demon look like?" Eric asked curiously.


    "Nobody''s seen it," said Baldur. "It hides in a snowstorm like a predator, ''en it freezes people solid the instant it touches them. It''s a demon of ice, come through tha portals to plague ar'' land!"


    "I see," said Eric, looking closely at the bearded man. "That is a big problem, but it''s one I can do something about. You see," Eric summoned his chains, "I''m one of the heroes."


    "Hah," laughed Baldur, "then it must be fate that brought you to us!"


    ''It was a kill order,'' Eric thought, but he didn''t say that.


    "Tell me, Hero of the... chains," said Baldur uneasily, "what makes ya think this ice demon is gonna be such a pushova''?" In response, Eric summoned his hammer as well, and Baldur smiled with a missing tooth. "That''s a good answer."


    "Just tell me where I can find it," said Eric, "then we''ll go and do the rest."


    T

 Chapter 13 - Curse of Ice

    T


    Eric stood at the peak of a mountain, his breath making mist coil around his face as the howling wind whipped at his cheeks. He looked across the perfect hills and serene valley''s of Midrard, a sight that he had never appreciated before. The pine trees mixed with the fur pines, making the few forested areas a miasma of green-blue and forest green. As Eric stood at the peak covered in snow, he looked out across the various other mountains with excitement. He was feeling excited, and not just because his vitality went up five points just from the exercise of climbing the mountain.


    "How can you stand this," Lucia demanded through chattering teeth. Eric looked back at his group to see Lucia bundled up with the heaviest coat they had, Lilly behind her in a heavy coat while Draco was still in his regular shirt and pants. It had taken four days to climb this mountain, but Eric wasn''t getting cold somehow. He was certainly chilled, the hair on his arms standing up from the frozen winds that howled across the top of the mountain, but underneath his skin was just fine.


    "He''s got the heart of an ox," said Lilly, "they can keep themselves warm in the coldest weather."


    "Maybe he''s part dragon like me," said Draco, insisting for the tenth time that he was part dragon. "We keep ourselves extremely warm."


    "Just look at that," said Eric, looking out to the mountains beyond in awe. "I wish there were snowboards in the world."


    "What''s a snowboard?" asked Lilly.


    "It''s a length of metal that was used to fall down hills with style," explained Eric. "They were fun to use, once you got used to them."


    "Do you see where this ice demon is supposed to be," Draco asked, annoyed that this was taking longer than necessary. Eric looked for looming clouds in the distance, and just between two mountains he noticed a dome of white that made the entire side of the mountain larger.


    "I think so," said Eric, pointing it out to the rest of his group as they hiked the crest of the mountain.


    "That''s probably the ice demon down there."


    "So how do you plan to fight it," Lilly asked, looking curiously at Eric.


    "No idea," said Eric, looking down at the enormous cloud of white that appeared with no correlation to the sky. "Come on, we need to get down there."


    "What happens if we defeat it?" Lucia asked, "do you think the Midrardians will return to their homes?"


    "Hopefully," said Eric, looking down across the mountain range. "I wonder if they have a Divine Clock in this country."


    "What''s that?" Draco asked curiously.


    "It''s something I need if I want to keep levelling up my chains," explained Eric, opening the inventory and pointing to his profile in the top left. Everything was normal, except there was a little star next to his level. "I read that this is as far as I can level up, but if I find something called the Divine Clock, then I can increase my rank."


    "What does increasing your rank do?" asked Lilly as they began hiking down the mountain.


    "It unlocks variations in my divine weapon," said Eric, "and lets me increase two new skills of speed and dexterity."


    Eric stood on one side of a pure white wall, looking at a strange dome of constantly moving snow. "This is suicide," claimed Draco, "even I wouldn''t survive in that."


    "I wonder," mused Eric, and he summoned his chains into his hands. "Winch," he commanded, and the chains shot out from his palm with new links constantly being made. The line went a little slack, so Eric commanded, "Retract." The chain links were slowly coming together, pulling whatever the chains had attached to until it was out of the swirling storm. The chain was firmly wrapped around a man''s arm that had frozen, and was now as solid as a rock.


    "That''s horrible," said Lilly, reeling at the sight of a severed limb.


    "Everybody stay here," commanded Eric, "I''m going to have a look inside. If I don''t come out in a full day, then all of you are set free." With that harrowing command, Eric stepped into the swirling snowstorm and disappeared instantly. The three were silent as they stared at a wall of white, looking after their master as he went in alone.


    "So we just have to stay here for one day and then we''re free," summarized Draco.


    "He''ll be coming out," said Lucia, hugging the fur coat to her body as the air brushed coolly against her.


    The team waited until nightfall, when they went through the process of gathering sticks and other things for a fire. They camped a short distance away as the swirling storm changed from moment to moment. Sometimes it would be light enough to see some fuzzy images inside, other times it would increase until the snow was almost packed completely. Lucia was sitting with her back towards the snow while Draco and Lilly were huddled together just opposite of her. They settled down for the night, following Eric''s orders as they waited for his return.


    Eric was caught in blinding snow, unable to tell the difference from the darkness and the white. His entire body stung from the cold, his breath coming in difficult heaves as he inhaled the snow. He couldn''t get a sense of direction, or even his elevation. As he walked further into the snow, his body slowly became numb as he trugded on, wishing for the first time that he had brought a coat. He had slept on the streets before wearing nothing but a trash bag, but this was walking through a blizzard dressed for the beach. As he walked further, the howling winds and snow clogged his ears, and he thought it was a delusion that he heard.


    Through the snow and the ice, Eric thought he heard the familiar sound of crying. He could hear the sobs, the sniffling, and the heavy breathing that came with prolonged sadness. It was an oddly familair sound, one that he had made more than enough times himself. Even though it might be caused be delerium, he followed the sound of crying, wading through the snow as thick as water to reach the tears he couldn''t see.


    Eric suddenly stumbled into a very dark area where the air around him seemed frozen. He breathed heavily, his lungs cold as ice while the crying abruptly stopped. "W-who''s there?" said a small voice that quavered from the fear and sadness caught in the throat.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    "My name''s... Eric," said Eric as he breathed in and out slowly. "Who... are you?"


    "My name''s Elas," said the small voice, sniffling once more.


    "Where are... you," Eric asked, taking a step forward. "I can''t... see anything." Eric felt something


    press against his skin, something that felt frozen. Eric reached out to touch something that felt like an arm, but


    his fingers went numb at the first contact.


    "Don''t get near me," warned the voice fearfully, "I can''t control myself!"


    "What does... that mean?"


    "People freeze when they''re around me," said the small voice with great sadness in it. "I can''t stop it, I don''t know what to do! It''s out of control!"


    "So you... are the ice demon," said Eric, summoning his chains and his hammer. In that breif flash of light that comes with summoning his divine weapons, Eric saw more than he had ever intended. A girl stood in front of him at just a little below his height, her hair and skin the same pale white. She had a face filled with fear and self-loathing, her eyes a noticable red from constant crying. She stood within herself, keeping her arms close so she didn''t touch anything unnecessarily. Once the flash ended, the darkness returned and Eric was holding his divine weapons, but he no longer felt that he needed to use them.


    "Are you here to kill me?" the girl asked hopefully.


    "Maybe," answered Eric, "but I need to know... if you''re a bad... person." Eric''s breathing was getting slower, which wasn''t a good sign as he got colder.


    "I''ve killed so many people," said the girl, frightening herself even more.


    "Did you mean... to kill them?"


    "No, but that doesn''t change the fact that I killed them! I''m dangerous, and I deserve to die!" Eric could hear the desperation in her voice, but he chuckled to himself.


    "If you didn''t mean... to do it, then it was... an accident," said Eric calmly.


    "An accident that killed a lot of people," clarified the girl.


    "I know an accident... is always someone''s fault..., but that doesn''t mean... they''re responsible... for the... outcome." Eric''s breathing was getting slower as his body slowly started to seize up.


    "You don''t get it," shouted the girl, "I''m a monster!" Eric released his weapons, letting the bright flash illuminate the girl once again to see that she was crying. Eric stepped forward in that instant and put his arm around her back, his fingers painfully placed against his own shoulder as he clutched this emotionally wounded girl.


    "You are... what you chose to be.... There is no one... who can tell you... what you are.... That is your... decision." As Eric hugged this girl, he felt her body freezing his own, her extreme cold slowly draining his heat. "Hero..., Monster..., All that matters... is what you... decide." A small message appeared in front of


    Eric, informing him that he had successfully ranked up, and that he had unlocked a new set of chains. With a hand that violently shook, he pressed the okay, then scrolled through a long list of chains with various names. Then he saw something that might help the situation, so he chuckled and hissed with numb vocal chords, "Chains of Hellfire."


    The air suddenly swirled as a long line of chains clutched in Eric''s hand seemed to be made from fire itself. The heat was like a furnace suddenly introduced into the snow, burning with purple light as Eric hugged Elas. The white all around them was illuminated by the purple flames, like a swirling vortex of purple light as


    the heat clashed with the freezing snow. Eric''s skin felt like a hundred pins and needles had been inserted under his hairs, spiking him awake as the cold sleep that was slowly approaching became a hellfire blaze. The girl felt the warmth, but to her it was a bed of embers rather than a roaring bonfire. It was a very comfortable heat that felt like it was coming from Eric, the large man still having his arm around her.


    They stood there like that for a while, Eric taking in the pain silently while Elas felt his warmth comforting her. The tears seemed to melt away, replaced by a calmness that she had almost forgotten was possible.


    Elas had spent day to day living with the guilt and shame of her power killing the people around her, but this warmth felt like a baptism by fire. Elas breathed easy, caught up in the warmth and wise words that Eric had offered. As they stood there, Elas slowly reached around Eric with her long arms and returned the hug she was getting. To her, it was like the warm bedsheets one feels after having an icy nightmare.


    "How are you feeling?" Eric asked, his breathing returning to normal as the purple blaze continued to drag away the cold sensations.


    "Better," said Elas, looking at Eric for the third time. In the brief flashes of light before, she had been unexpectedly blinded by the light and didn''t trust what she saw. Now she saw Eric''s massive size, his huge face and strong features which seemed leathered by a rough past. "You''re big," said Elas, resting her chin on Eric''s chest to look up at his face. He had scraggily hair that went down to the bridge of his nose, his green eyes peeking out from underneath.


    "That''s good," said Eric with a smile, revealing his pearly whites under his plump lips. "It looks like the snow is starting to fall," said Eric, and he was right. The powerful snow that had once been swirling all around in a maelstrom of frozen flakes were now falling with such slow grace, it felt as though time itself had


    almost frozen. To Eric this was a pretty moment, but for Elas it was her first christmas to remember. The barrier around her was starting to fall, freeing her from a prison of her own creation. For the first time she could remember, Elas cried tears of joy that fell in rivulets down her cheeks.


    "Oh, hey," said Eric, raising one of his hands to wipe the tears away. Elas smiled, her own teeth shining like the pure white diamond flakes that fell around them.


    "You don''t need to cry anymore," said Eric, looking at Elas in the purple light of the hellfire, "you have it under control." Elas looked around, realizing that Eric was right. The snow was falling around them, gentle and peaceful a little at a time that quickly melted in the impressive heat of the hellfire chains.


    There were no words to express how thankful Elas was, but she tried anyway. "Thank you," she cried, putting her forehead against Eric''s chest as she continued to cry tears of joy and sadness. The hellfire chains burned with a purple light that warmed the entire snowglobe Eric found himself inside, and as the snow dissolved, the light from the outside became clearer to him. He began to see the red light of the falling sun that played on the clouds, and he wondered how long he had been inside of the swirling snowstorm. He looked around to see a large group of people frozen into popsicles, stuck in the stance they had done last. Men and women in heavy armor clutching swords and large axes placed around like life-sized toy soldiers.


    Eric hugged Elas closely, then slowly started moving with his chains dragging behind him. The hellfire scorched the snow and ground behind him, turning the ground black as it followed Eric though the town. Elas found it difficult to walk with Eric dragging her around, but she kept up with him enough to not fall.


    "Lucia, Lilly, Draco," Eric called out, hearing his voice echo off the mountains, "come here!" Three figures rose from a patch of pine trees and started walking towards Eric. Lilly and Lucia were still wearing heavy coats that they tugged to themselves, and Draco was calmly wearing his shorts and t-shirt. Lucia was delighted to see Eric, Lilly and Draco were less excited.


    "Everyone, I''d like to introduce Elas," said Eric happily, putting his arm around Elas. "She helped me to stop the ''ice demon'', so be nice to her."


    "What happened inside of there?" said Lucia, clearly suffering from excessive stress.


    "I was walking through the storm," began Eric, "when I heard Elas. She was stuck in there too, so we met up and talked about it. I don''t know how, but my rank went up, so we were able to stop the ice demon together."


    Elas looked at Eric, but Eric didn''t return her gaze. "Check this out, I''ve got different chains!" Eric showed the group his hellfire chains, the purple glow and fiery heat making Lucia squeal with delight at the beautiful warmth. As Eric and his group began experimenting, Elas''s feet seemed frozen to the ground as she watched Eric mess around with his divine weapon, seemingly unaware that he was close to death mere moments ago.


    Elas watched the amused faces of the three demi-humans, all of whom were companions of Eric''s. She felt nothing towards demi-humans, neither hatred nor concern, but seeing Eric interact with them in such a comfortable way made her feel left out. It was as if Eric had just forgotten about her the instant he had returned to his friends.


    T

 Chapter 14 - The Second Order

    T


    It was another five day journey of hiking mountains, where Elas was also made a part of the group. On their journey, she explained her special ability as it had been explained to her. There are three types of magic: natural, crafted, and demonic. Natural magic exists rarely with people that are born, much like Elas''s case where she can craft snow and ice on command. Crafted is mainly used in spells, taking magic from the world and contorting it into the desired spell. Demonic is synonomous with dark magic, the type that corrupts what it touches like a virus.


    Elas integrated very quickly into the group, much thanks to Lilly and Lucia''s openness. They talked about girl things that Eric tried his best to listen to, but he was out of his league in their conversations. Things like the perfect wedding, cramps, and who had the better figure. Eric was forced to judge, which he took the diplomatic route and labeled out the different fine features of each lady. After that, he avoided getting caught in anymore judging contests.


    Eric had a long list of different chains that he could integrate into an ever-changing array of attacks and skills that he was slowly leveling up. His bind skill was so high, it would last for an entire day and was unbreakable by anything below Eric''s own strength level. His ''Bind Mines'' were now projectiles that could reach farther than he could throw, and his Area Constriction now had a mile radius around him. He had more than a dozen new chains: barbed, hellfire, point tipped, grappling-hook tipped, web chain, spiked ball-and-chain, heavy, large, super-sized, light, ice, and grinder chains. Combining these variations with his skills create interesting new ways to defeat opponents, such as the ''Iron Maiden'' skill that combines ''Bind'' + ''Barbed Chains''(Ouch).


    On the travel back to the camp site of the Midrardians, Eric and company defeated sevearl monsters that had come out of hiding to attack the group. They weren''t much trouble, but defeating a big poisonious frog gave Eric a new variation that produced a poisinous slime over the chains. It seemed that defeating monsters unlocked new chain variations, a very interesting discovery. The walk back was spent with Eric primarily using his hammer to attack so it would gain experience and become stronger. Compared to his chains, the hammer was severly lacking in skills and power, though his massively increased strength was enough to do without the hammer.


    The trip back to the Midrard camp seemed to pass by faster, even though it still took four days. The group finally climbed up a hill, passing through a scattered forest to come out to a level plane with wild grass waving gently in the breeze. The Midrard camp was nowhere to be seen, neither flag nor tent was on the grassy field.


    "I could have sworn this was where the camp was," said Eric, looking around with some confusion. "Span out and look for signs of the camp, maybe they moved on."


    The group seperated, looking around the area for any signs of where the Midrardians had moved to. As Eric walked around the grass, trying to find signs of a camp, he tried to accurately predict where the area had been before. Judging based on the treeline they had exited and the features from the opposite side of the valley. Eric judged the camp to be just a little ways away where Lucia was searching. He watched Lucia put her hand to her mouth, her body siezed up as her eyes stared at something spread around her feet.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "ERIC," Lucia yelled, looking up to see that Eric was already looking at her. Eric made his way through the tall grass to the area that Lucia had been searching, and he finally saw the clearing of the Midradians. Eric saw the piles of ash that lay scattered around the camp, the sets of armor that lay scattered around the empty field with the bodies of the slain turned to ash inside. Lucia had tears welling up in her eyes, looking at the field of the dead that had once been the lively Midrardian camp. Eric was just as shocked, his eyes wide and his hands out to his sides as if intending to grab one of the fallen Midrardians.


    "Who?..." said Eric, then he saw saw a large group of body armor just a little ways away. It was Baldur''s armor, the Midrardian symbol displayed proudly on his chestplate with a single puncture to the heart. The puncutre was tall and wide enough to suggest a blade, but the Midrardian armor was thick and couldn''t have been punctured by ordinary weapons....


    "What is this?" came Elas''s voice, and Eric looked at her with great sadness in his eyes.


    "This is the camp of the Midrard refugees," said Eric, getting on his knees and putting his hands on Baldur''s helmet. His face was still noticable through the gaps in his helmet, his eyes closed and his feature rested with some skin eaten through by insects. Eric felt a cold sensation, both in his heart and on his back. Eric turned to see Elas with her fists clenched and snow beginning to swirl around her as tears streaked her face.


    Eric stood and hugged her, his huge arms chilled to the touch as he pressed his body against Elas. "It''s alright," said Eric soothingly, petting Elas''s hair to calm her down.


    "But I''m so angry!" cried Elas with a quiver in her voice as her emotions slowly got the better of her. The swirling snow slowly got thicker, but Eric was there to hold Elas.


    "I know," said Eric calmly, "I''m angry, too. But this isn''t the place to take out that anger. We have another job to do, then we''ll use that anger to fight the people that deserve it." Elas shook as she emotions bubbled up inside, but the swirling storm slowly resided.


    "What happened here?" demanded Draco as he and Lilly entered through the grasses. Eric looked at them, still holding Elas, his eyes were cold and emotionless.


    "The other heroes did this," said Eric, his own anger boiling violently. "I was ordered by the king to do the same, but he must have sent the others after me."


    Eric''s meaty hands were clenched in fists of rage, his anger at himself for not expecting something like this to happen.


    "But they''re heroes," said Lilly innocently, "they wouldn''t do something like this."


    "No," said Lucia, remembering the way Tyler had come after her, "they would do something like this." There was a heavy silence before Eric let go of Elas.


    "They deserve to be buried," said Eric soundly. "We''ll give them all proper funerals, then we''ll go have a talk with the king. Maybe then we can vent this anger."


    For an entire day; Eric, Elas, Lucia, Draco, and Lilly covered the ground of the decimated Midrardian camp in solemn silence, gathering sets of armor and setting them into makeshift graves. By nightfall, there were over a hundred sets of armor that had no bodies to be buried with, and half as many holes to dig. Elas gave the Midrardians their last rights, but she needed to take breaks to avoid freezing the entire country side. When Eric filled in the last grave, he looked at the rows upon rows of graves he had just created. These men and women, chased from their homes and made to die on this empty plain, did they deserve this?


    No, they didn''t.


    And Eric would make damn sure the king knew that.


    T

 Chapter 15 - Chains of Wrath

    T


    It was dawn when they approached, five figures coming down the dirt road as the overcast sky portrayed a gloomy morning. Eric stood tall, his steps small so he would keep in line with the others. He had a tired expression on his face, as though this was a tango he had danced too many times before. Lucia walked next to him, a passive form of anger displayed in her movements and facial expressions. Draco was calm and composed, entering into this with a level head and a clear goal for himself. Elas had a very clear form of suppressed anger in her eyes, a slight twitch to her lips as they approached the item of her maddness. Lilly had an almost comical expression of anger, puffing out her cheeks as she psyched herself up for what was to come.


    "You guys know the rules," said Eric as they approached the main city gate. "No killing, but breaking bones is fine." A pair of guards came out with lances on the side, which they leveled at Eric as soon as he was close enough.


    "The king demands to see you," one of them said, but the tips of the lances were swiftly cut off in a single swipe by Lucia''s sword. Lilly followed suit, bouncing up and smashing the two guards in the face with her powerful legs. Their helmets were caved in as they fell to the ground, Eric''s group walking past their crumpled forms without even a sideways glance at them. They continued their walk, entering the city as if nothing was wrong while people went about their daily lives. A few more guards saw the group, but were apparently uninformed that Eric was a fugitive once again, so they passed by without any trouble.


    Eric and his entourage were walking past a particular shop when Eric waved at them. "I want to check in with an old friend," said Eric, and he walked into the store. "Draco, Lilly, Elas, you''re with me; Lucia, guard the front door." A huge black man with an afro and handelbar moustache looked up, and he smiled with his pearly whites gleaming in the candlelight of his store.


    "Eric Bane, the hero of heroes," said George happily, thrusting his hand for a handshake. "How have you been? Is there a problem with the weapons and armor?"


    "The weapons and armor are working beautifully," said Eric, smiling at the chance to have a friendly conversation. "I was going to ask for two new sets, and whatever you can cook up for Elas. She''s a magic user." George looked at the two new youths who were also growing up very quickly, then his eyes shifted to Elas who stood taller than most women.


    "Magic users wear thick clothes to defend from the elements," said George, "armor won''t be necessary for her. I''ll size up the kids, see what we need for them." As George got to work, he began talking with Eric about what had been going on.


    After the great debacle a month ago when Eric took down Tyler, it seems that people were losing faith in the heroes. Rumors that were spread about Eric were no longer viable since he had been generally helping everyone he had come across with a problem. The most of the people in the country knew what Eric had actually done, saving the village during the wave while the others were mindlessly fighting the monsters. It seems that rumors spread faster than wanted posters.


    Once George was done, Eric payed with ten silver coins, then he said, "George, if anyone asks, you might want to tell them we didn''t come here."


    "Why," George asked, "did you do something?"


    "We''re about to," said Eric meaningfully. "The king slaughtered a group of refugees who were escaping Midrard."


    "Is that so," said George with piqued interest. "What exactly do you plan to do about it?"


    "I think it''s better that you don''t know any details," said Eric, walking towards the door. "Plausible deniability and all that." Eric opened the door to see Lucia standing outside and twenty armored guards all around her. They were clutching limbs and groaning in pain, some of them weren''t moving anymore. Eric stepped over a few arms and legs that lay between him and Lucia, the others following him out as George''s eyes went wide at the scene in front of him.


    "Have fun?" Eric asked Lucia plainly.


    "Of course," said Lucia, "I had such good company to keep."


    "Lets go. The king requested our presence after all," said Draco, then Eric took point with Elas and Lucia to one side, Draco and Lilly to the other. They walked away from the mass of fighters groaning and sleeping through the pain. The group was slowly approaching the castle, the source of misery for the people around them. Eric and his party had a vendetta to keep, and they weren''t ones to be late.


    "Tell me, father," said Judy, her black hair falling over her shoulder, "what devious plan do you have for that chain-wielder?" She spoke over a table adorned with the finest foods royalties could buy. The king, wearing his crown and his spotted robes, smiled maliciously with his cheeks stuffed to the crown with fruit juices.


    "I asked Lord Benny to follow the bastard and to follow through with the orders if the chain-wielder didn''t do his job," said the king. "Benny has returned with news that the chain hero abandoned his mission, so he safely brought the entire camp down from a distance and came back."


    "Defying the king''s direct orders," said Judy with a naughty smile, "that''s execution worthy material." There was a vibration that tickled the wooden seats the two royals sat on, not even large enough to be noticable by either party. "How angry do you think he''ll be? We''ve been messing with him for so long, it must have driven him to the brink. Do you think he''ll try to attack us directly?"


    "Ha," shouted the king in disbelief. "Him and his pet demi-human may be strong, but they are nothing compared to the entire armed forces we have stationed in the castle. Let them die if they dare come for us. It''s two people against an army, what could they-" another vibration shook the room, this time making the candles flicker and a ring of water wave inside of their cups. The king paused, looking around the room as if something was the matter. "Besides," he continued, suspicious of the vibration that had shaken the room, "we still have Benny, John, and Tyler in the castle. Together they should more than be enough for a weaponless hero."


    A sudden shockwave shook the room with such violent force, the king tipped over in his chair and splashed water all over his elegant robe. Judy was almost sent flying as well, but she reached out in time to grab the table''s edge and stabalize herself.


    "What was that?" demanded Judy in bewilderment, looking around the room in fearful recognition.


    "In here?" came a muffled voice from the thick wooden door.


    "Yes," came a desperate cry, "please! I don''t want to die!"


    "That depends on if you''re lying," came the other voice, then there was a gentle knock on the door. Both Judy and her father had a horrible feeling in their stomachs, a mix of dread and impending doom.


    "Somebodies attacking the castle," came a shout from the door, "we need to get the king and princess out of here!" Judy and the king looked at each other, then they rushed to the door and cranked it open to try and get to their protection. Once the door opened, they both saw the huge figure of Eric Bane, his chainmail covering his body as he carried a man wearing full armor with purple highlights. Eric smiled like a madman at the two royals, his cheeks reaching to his ears like the cheshire cat.


    "Behind door number one," he said like a television game show host, "are a pair of lying cowards!" Judy pulled the daggers that she carried everywhere with her, but Eric didn''t even acknowledge her drawing her weapons. She lashed out at Eric, but he simply batted her hands to the side like a professional martial artist. With a single stroke of his palm, Eric struck Judy on the bridge of her nose, making a torrent of blood shoot out at the impact. Judy fell back from the strike, landing hard on her padded backside while the king just stood there with his tail between his legs. "Oh, it looks like I won''t be getting my money back. I didn''t get the reciept!"


    "You bastard," shouted Judy offensively, "how dare you attack me! I''ll have my guards after you for the rest of your life."


    Eric tossed the man in purple armor next to Judy, saying, "Explain to her where she stands right now." The man landed hard, which prompted a coughing fit that lasted a few seconds, then he breathed in deeply.


    "You have to run," choked the man, looking from the two royals to Eric, then back. "His gang habe taken out the barracks, took the men down before they could get their bearings."If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Oh please," said Eric, "we just walked through the door without so much as a gentle breeze to stop us."


    "We had a hundred men!" the guard shouted in rage, which started him coughing again.


    "And they were less effective than a gentle breeze," said Eric with a cocky smile. "To be fair, we didn''t give you much of a chance. I mean, you had, like, five minutes of us doing nothing before you were even in position to do something? Oh, and about those archers? They should be fine if you put them in warm water for a while."


    "What happened to the archers?" the king asked with a trembling voice.


    "Frozen solid," said Eric plainly, "by one of my new friends. She can use ice magic even I couldn''t fight against."


    "Where are the other guards," Judy cried, grasping the man by his dented helmet.


    "They were decimated," said the man in purple, much to Judy''s disgrace.


    "Useless," Judy cried, shoving the man back down before facing Eric once again. She pulled her daggers out, facing Eric with a determined look in her eyes. Eric''s cheeks inflated, then he couldn''t hold back and laughed with such violence that he was in danger of choking in his own phlem. He wiped a tear from his eye right as Judy attacked, her dual knife play eviscerating the air in front of her. Eric moved much faster, his fingers pinching both blades before they could even cut his fingernails.


    "Useless indeed," said Eric, pulling the blades out of Judy''s hands. "These should go to someone who will actually put them to good use." Eric put the knives in his inventory, then he looked at the king who was holding a scepter across his chest. Eric grabbed it, then pulled it out of the king''s hands to put it into his inventory. Once that was done, Eric grabbed them both by the back of their necks and dragged them out of the room. They crossed hallways filled with unconcious guards in dented metal gear and some blood dripping across the stone floors. Eric dragged them to the throne room, where thirty more men lay unconcious spread around the room.


    There was a deathly silence broken every few seconds by the heavy breathing of a man whose chestplate had been crushed inward by a powerful blow. Eric dragged the two up to the thrones where four other figures stood. Eric pushed them down to their knees so they were bowing to the four figures, then he said in a deathly low whisper, "My hands are around your necks. Right now, I really want a reason to strangle the both of you. You don''t want to give me a reason, it''s hazardous for your health. So here''s what''s going to happen:


    "Each of my friends are going to step up, and you need to apologize for everything you''ve put them through. Once you''ve apologized to everyone, myself included, then I''m going to let go and leave you to your coward''s dinner."


    Draco stepped forward, and he declared, "You promised to protect the demi-human village of Smallwood, but you did nothing as it was picked apart by slavers and raiders. My dad was killed trying to do your jobs for you, bastards."


    "Now apologize," commanded Eric, putting some pressure on his captives'' necks. The sound of dripping water, alerted Eric, but he could only see a pungent, cloudy liquid dripping from a large wet spot forming on the king''s crotch.


    "I-I''m ssssorry," said the king, his fear made evident by the rapidly moving hands and pungent aroma of piss.


    "I''m sorry," said Judy, but her conviction was so absent it was practically meaningless. Eric jerked her neck to the side, making Judy groan from the pain in her neck. "I''m sorry," repeated Judy begrudginly, but with enough heart put into it that Eric didn''t punish her. Draco stepped back, then Lilly stepped forward looking angrily down at the two with tears in her eyes.


    "My parents were taken away by slavers," said Lilly, tears streaming down her bunny cheeks. "You were supposed to protect us, keep our families safe! I hate you!" Lilly screamed at the two royal''s angrily, then she got quiet when Eric squeezed the necks of the two imperials.


    "I''m sorry," they said in unison. Lilly nodded, then smiled with her slight buck teeth showing before passing the apology mantle to Elas. Elas had this imposing power to her as she towered above Judy and her father, looking down at them with such strong rage it sent chills up their spines.


    "Now be really sincere with this one," said Eric with a cocky smile. "She''s a lot more pissed than I am, even though I''m the one who''s gonna strangle ya if you misbehave."


    Eric nodded at Elas, who began, "I am Elas Novac, a proud Midrardian who was responsible for forcing my kinsmen out of their country. You took my mistake and slaughtered them in cold blood, cutting them down like animals without even burying the bodies! If Eric didn''t have his hands around your necks I would-"


    "Elas," said Eric cautiously, "they''re begging for their lives here. I''m sure they understand that by now." There was a sudden chill in the room as Elas''s rage boiled up before simmering down to a simple anger.


    "For your crime of taking the innocent lives of my people, I demand your apology," said Elas with a heavy sigh.


    "I''m so sorry," said the king weakly, but Judy stayed silent. Eric pressured her neck, but Judy remained silent. Eric smacked Judy''s head against the stone floor pressing it into the stone until a trickle of blood appeared around her forehead.


    "I am sorry," said Judy as she noticed the blood around her head. Elas sneered at her in superiority, then stepped back to let Lucia step forward.


    "You are horrible people," she said sternly. "You lie about Eric, you try to assault me, and you kill innocent men, women and children for your own selfish desires. You are sad people, living empty lives. You have my pity, and the pity of everyone around you."


    There was a brief silence before Eric said, "I have never been more proud than this moment." Lucia blushed lightly, then they waited for the king and his daughter to respond.


    "Thank you for sparing us," said the king, but his daughter remained silent.


    "You rape me, insult me to my face, then you think I''m going to apologize to your fucking pet," Judy shouted in outrage. "I''d rather die." Eric was a second away from throwing her down the stairs, but then Lucia stepped forward and bent down so that she was eye-to-eye with Judy.


    "How big is Eric''s penis?"


    The question reverberated throughout the room, shocking Eric into forgetting everything about Judy''s insolence.


    "You see, I''ve been with him for five months, and I haven''t once seen him with his clothes off. I''ve tried to watch him bathing, but he is beyond cautious when it comes to his naked body. You have experienced how big he was, his girth and length, so please tell me how big his penis is."


    Eric suddenly caught on to how genius this question was, because Judy couldn''t possibly know how big his junk is. Judy seemed to realize this too, because she was quiet about how to answer this question. The room was silent, silent enough to hear a pin drop from outside in the hall.


    "You don''t know, do you," said Lucia, "because Eric never actually raped you."


    "Fine," Judy shouted, "the bastard never raped me! What are you going to do about-"


    "Is that true?" said a voice from the rear of the throne room. Eric turned his head to see Tyler, John, and Benny standing in the entrance of the throne room, Benny with an arrow notched in his bow. "Princess, is it true that Eric never raped you?"


    Eric stepped forward, letting go of his two hostages, then he stepped in front of Judy and flipped the front of his pants down. Judy could only stare at his back, watching the big man''s back as he did something in front of her.


    "Tyler, you should know best," said Eric. "Does it feel like Judy was ever touched by something like this?" Eric was positioned so that neither Judy nor the king could see his front, but Tyler, Todd, and Benny had their eyes wide and glued to Eric''s crotch.


    "How long is it?" Lucia asked Judy, an undertone of accusation in her voice. "Come on, tell us the size and shape of the object that raped you!"


    "Judy, give us the truth," said John, his faith in the princess currently entering freefall. Judy was at a total loss for words, looking at the back of Eric''s hips trying to figure out how big of a dick he had.


    "She can''t tell you," said Eric, putting his junk back into his pants, "because she''s never even seen it." Eric turned back to his group, Judy looking at his crotch to try and estimate his size, but his pants gave no indecation to his size. He walked back to his group, then said, "Let''s go. We''ve done enough for now." Eric, Lucia, Draco, Elas, and Lilly stepped past the two royals that remained on their knees. They walked down the steps where men in armor littered the floor, then Eric stepped right up to Benny, who lowered his bow finally.


    "Eric," said Todd, rubbing his hand over his short blonde hair, "I''m sorry." His scythe, a deadly looking weapon that was leaning over his shoulder, disappeared in a brief flash. He extended the same hand to Eric, then said, "If you ever need anything, I''ve got more than enough stuff to help you out."


    "Me too," said John, extending his hand out to Eric. Eric looked at both of them with a very grim look on his face, and he looked away from them.


    "Five months, guys. We have been spit on, ridiculed, and I was stabbed a few times because of this. To be fair, I don''t give a fuck what you do, but don''t think this is going to fix anything. As far as I know, you were all a part of it. Until I''m proven otherwise," Eric raised his middle finger to the heroes as he walked away. When Lucia passed them, she did the same, as did the rest of his group. They walked through piles of people laying all around the castle in full armor, legions of guards knocked unconcious or pretending to be sleeping so they were no longer hurt by the unbelievably powerful group walking through the castle uninhibited.


    Once Eric and his entourage were outside the city gates, they started to talk about their invasion. Lilly giddily recounted how she had tossed one guy into five of his friends, making them all fall down a flight of stairs. Draco excitedly told the group how he fought off twenty guys at one time, using their own weapons against them expertly. Lucia bragged about how she dropped seven of the elite guards with only a candlestick she had been intending to steal from the castle. Elas was silent, but she had a smile that wouldn''t disappear.


    Eric didn''t add his own story, but he had one in mind that was terrifying. When he had entered the throne room, Eric was confronted by more than fifty men in armor, including twelve of the purple guard. He created a few winch mines, a new skill he had made with a variation of his chain. He tossed them into the crowd, then watched as they exploded into streams of chains. Then he stood there and listened as the chains all became tighter, the men screaming for release as they were bent and squeezed beyond their limits. Eric felt a pang of guilt, because he had immensely enjoyed their screams.


    "Alright, now we need to start training in earnest," Eric announced past the city limits. "You all did great, especially you, Lilly and Drake. Unfortunately, we aren''t always going to be fighting those kinds of rent-a-cops. We''re facing off against demons here, so we need to be ready for everything! I don''t care if I need to throw you punks into a cave of wild bears, we''re going to be busting our asses every day until the next wave. Can I get a ''Hell Yeah''?"


    "Hell yeah!" Lucia shouted energetically, but the rest just fumbled the words.


    "We''ll work on it," Eric sighed exasperatedly.


    T

 Chapter 16 - The Second Wave

    For those of you who don''t like how similar this story is to the shield hero''s, you may want to bug out now. No spoilers, but it''s going to be similar to chapters 16 and 17. Not 18, though.


    T


    Eric and his group were walking along a mountain pass with pine needles scattered across the rocky ground and the cold breeze of the mountain air brushing past his grizzled face. He had been shaving his face with the edge of a small dagger he had ''found'', but he hadn''t done it in a while and it was starting to show. It had only been a few days since him and his group had raided the castle and made the princess confess, and so far there weren''t any assassins trying to take their lives. Still, he had set up a rotational watch overnight to make sure nobody would surprise them.


    Lucia was fully grown, her features and size were that of a nineteen year old, even though she was only sixteen. Her breastplate was now pushed out to it''s full extent, made perfect by George''s expert smithing and decision making. She had pouty lips and the same striped hair that she always had, but now it was down to her hips, which flared out seductively from her tight waist. She had grown to a level fourty, recieving the same message that Eric had before about ranking up. Once again, instead of finding this thing known as ''The Divine Clock'', just hugging Elas seemed to do the trick for ranking up. Sadly, Lucia didn''t unlock anything beyond the new skill upgrades, which she allocated a few spare points to.


    Elas was the same, taller than everyone but Samson with her powers now completely under control thanks to Eric''s party ability. Now her magic was focused entirely through the skills that popped up when she thought of a different way to form ice. She could still free-form the magic, but now it doesn''t riot out of control when her emotions flare. She was more than thankful for this ability, so much so that she claimed undying devotion to Eric.


    Eric was still sketchy about her, but trusted her enough to keep her on the party.


    As it turns out, Draco wasn''t lying about being part dragon. He was levelling up fairly quickly, and he eventually unlocked the skill to breathe fire. He showed promise in incorporating his fire and sword skills into his fights, but he was only thirteen years old, so Eric didn''t want him tackling more than he could handle. Draco was fairly headstrong, charging into battle before he could accurately measure the strength of his opponent, and when sparring, he always picked Eric as his sparring partner. Eric wore his chainmail and taught Draco points to hit, allowing himself to get hit just to articulate those pressure points.


    Lilly was different, though she was beginning her growth spurt as evident by a sudden spike in growth. She wasn''t even close to Lucia, but she had grown two inches in a week, which was unheard of where Eric came from. Eric was able to teach sword skills without actually knowing them himself, by putting leaves in his chainmail and having them attack those spots while he defended himself. George had crafted powerful boots and gauntlets for Lilly, making her a martial arts user by trade. Even Eric wavered when hit by one of her kicks, taking some damage even in his chainmail.


    The whole group was getting together like a family, so much so that they were comfortable even in uncomfortable situations. Excreting waste used to be soemthing done a quarter mile away from the rest of the group, but now it was as easy as walking behind a tree. Elas had a habit of sleeping completely naked, something Eric found out when he was waking everyone up and unwillingly glimpsed her morning stretches. Draco was fine with burping and farting openly, even when he was down-wind from the rest of the group. Inside jokes were now a common thing, referrencing things from funny looking people to misunderstanding moments.


    Yet, as close as they got, Eric always seemed to be at an arms length with his own party. Everybody else had given context clues as to their pasts, but Eric was still a mystery to everyone. One night when they were around the campfire, Lucia initiated story time fore everyone to talk about themselves. After some convincing, Draco went first, but he didn''t seem happy to tell it.


    "I grew up in a small town with Lilly, but we didn''t talk a lot back then," he began, looking at the camp fire as he spoke. "I just lived with my dad, who protected the town from bandits and slavers with strength and power. He was teaching me how to fight since I could last remember, telling me I was going to be strong. Then the slavers came, and they killed my dad and burned the village to the ground. I was in slavery for a few weeks before Eric bought me, then I started getting stronger again. I knew it then, when we took down the castle fighting all of those guys at one time. I knew that I was strong, just like my dad was." Draco looked at Lilly, who realized that it would be her turn next.


    "I lived with my parents in the same town as Draco," said Lilly. "We used to have a lot of fun lying in the meadows and swimming in the pond, before... you know. We were dragged away, then seperated into groups that would go into different ways. I was put into a cart before we could ever see them again, and then we went to the slaver''s tent. This might be a little twisted, but I thought two silvers for me was a little cheap." There was a round of chuckles from the group as Lilly looked at Elas.


    "I used to live in a small village just below the snow line," said Elas sadly. "I was one of the rare few that are born with natural magic, which I practiced on the snow in the mountains. The village knew about it, so they treated me like a monster. The kids used to thrown stones at me, parents would discourage talking to me, and even my own parents didn''t get too close to me. I remember it started to snow, then it never stopped. I didn''t know I was why it was always snowing until some kids tried to attack me. I froze them solid, then I lost all control over my power."


    Elas looked sadly to Lucia, who began, "I don''t remember ever having parents. I was raised by the mayor, but he was part tortoise so I knew that wasn''t possible. I remember being caught in the forest, but I can''t remember what happened after that. I wound up in the same slaver''s tent that you guys were in, but I was always fighting back. I remember thinking I''d find a way to escape if I could just keep fighting, but I never had a chance. The slaver kept his keys in his pocket, and none of the other animals would help me escape. "Then Eric came, and he saw me through the cages somehow. I felt like I was going to die, but I knew that


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.I could kill him and escape somehow. But... Eric was always different, even though I was a demi-human slave. He always treated me fairly, fed me good food, and even did his best to teach me how to use weapons. I remember once in this mine, he gave me a sword to try out, and I almost cut right through his head with it. I was so scared, I could only think that he was going to beat me, or leave me there. That''s when I realized I didn''t want to leave him, because Eric was the best person I could have wished for.


    Lucia smiled as she said, "He just told me it was a good swing, and to keep practicing. I thought he was crazy, but I was so happy I just started crying. Then we were attacked, but Eric protected me even though he was hurt badly." Lucia was freely crying as she looked at Eric, but he was staring at the fire with a stone face. His eyes seemed distant, focusing on something deep into the fire as he listened to the stories of his party. "Eric," Lucia said, then she saw a single tear break free from his eye and make it''s way down his cheek. This was a horrific moment for Lucia, because she had seen Eric bleeding in more places than a leaky damn, but never once had Lucia seen him shed a tear.


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t think my past has anything to do with this," said Eric, trying to dodge the question.


    "Oh, come on," said Draco, annoyed at Eric''s lack of participation, "I went first, now it''s your turn."


    "Yeah, we want to know what this other world was like," said Lilly, casting a disappointed glance at Eric.


    Eric sat there, looking into the fire with a tear tracing his cheek, then falling to his chin.


    "I''ll tell you in the morning," said Eric, suddenly standing up and turning away from the fire. The othersjust watched him go, disappointed that he wasn''t willing to talk about his past.


    "Guys, maybe we shouldn''t make him talk about it," suggested Lucia.


    "Why not," said Draco, "we talked about ours, what''s his problem with talking about it?"


    "Yeah, it couldn''t be any worse than ours," said Elas, gesturing towards each other.


    "I''ve been with Eric the longest," said Lucia pointedly. "I have seen him stabbed, gouged, bitten, poisined, and betrayed several times over." Lucia pointed in the direction Eric had gone, then said, "That''s the first time I have ever seen him cry." There was a brief silence around the campfire, before Draco spoke up.


    "Still, it couldn''t be worse than us, right? We were put into slavery, dragged away from our friends and family."


    "The divine weapon wielders are not from our world," Elas said, "so we don''t know what could have happened to him before."


    "Well, what''s the worst it could be," asked Lilly, but then something happened. Each of the party members felt a strong pull in their guts, then they were enveloped by blackness. In a brief moment, they reappeared, only now the moon was shining down without any disturbance from the trees. The campfire was gone, but now they were confronted by a huge crowd of adventurers in different special variations of armor. There was some murmuring before Eric climbed his way through the crowd towards his group.


    "What''s going on?" Elas demanded in fright, but Eric put his hand up to calm his party.


    "This is a wave, where demons are going to attack through a crack in the world and we need to fight off the demons," explained Eric quickly. A loud crack like the sound of glass breaking suddenly emanated from somewhere above. Everyone looked up to see an enormous rift stretching across the sky, a crack in the world itself that opened up to reveal a blackness just beyond. As they watched, monsters with wings began to pour out by the dozens, but arrows of light fired like an automatic weapon. The first group was obliterated, but the winged monsters continued to pour out despite the endless barrage of arrows that assaulted it.


    "Looks like this is our fight," came Benny''s voice in jovial recognition. The arrows were like fireworks, but Eric was looking around to see the faint lights of a small town not too far away.


    "Elas, support Benny with your ice magic," Eric ordered, "Lucia, Draco, and Lilly, you''re with me. We need to evacuate the people in case the fight gets any worse." There were nods from all around, then everyone went off to do their respective works. Elas was summoning a constant barrage of impaling ice fragments to pelt the incoming hordes while Eric and the others ran towards the town at break-neck speeds. They arrived to start shouting at the tops of their voices that the demons were coming, everybody needs to evacuate! They went from house to house, practically throwing people out of the doors to get them awake and moving.


    The fight at the rift was going smoothly, the influx of demons countered by the hundreds of arrows and ice spears being directed at the onslaught. The other adventurers were in stunned awe at the power of Benny and Elas, while the other archers could only fire occasional shots until their quivers were empty. While in town, Eric would recieve continual alerts that his experience was rising, but he ignored them to push more people out of the town.


    The evacuation was going quickly thanks to the terrifying shouts from Eric and his entourage. Nothing was scarier than suddenly being shouted out of your home by an enormous man and a few demi-humans holding deadly weapons.


    After the entire town was evacuated, Eric returned to the field to find that Benny and Elas were doing just fine. Emily approached Eric and said, "Where did you find this girl? She kicks ass!" Eric passed Emily by as though she wasn''t even there, approaching Elas who was gritting her teeth with the effort.


    "Elas, the town''s been evacuated," said Eric seriously, "you can rest for a while."


    "Are you kidding me," said Elas overconfidently, "I''m just getting warmed up!"


    "Yeah, but you''re making everyone else jealous," whispered Eric with a slight smile.


    "Good," said Elas, returning the smile as she redoubled her efforts. The ice formed from crystals in the air, then were suddenly launched up at the space fissure to pierce some unsuspecting demon that was crawling through the cracks. It was probably a good thing Eric had talked Elas down rather than fighting her for it,


    because that was a fight he would have lost.


    "Hey," said Emily rudely, "what''s your deal?" She stood in front of Eric looking up at him, and he looked down with a stone expression.


    "What?" he said as though this was a total waste of his time.


    "Why do you have such an attitude!?" Emily demanded.


    "Ask Tyler," said Eric, turning away from Emily and looking up at the fissure. Emily huffed out air, then returned to the group of adventurers that were sitting around doing nothing while the long-ranged fighters took care of everything. After a while, Elas was starting to noticably strain herself.


    "Elas, that''s enough," said Eric sternly. "We''ll need your energy later, just be prepared for something big to come." The sound of cracking wood suddenly blew up the fissure to massive proportions. As the adventurers watched in horror, something droppd out of the fissure. It was huge, round, and made of wood. It fell slowly, then it came out so that everyone could see what it truly was. It was a ship, one of the old caravel kinds with three masts, though this one was somehow suspended in the air. The ship had a haunted, ragged feel to it as made evident by the ragged flags and the torn skull and crossbones which waved in the breeze.


    "That''s not good," said John, a sentiment shared by the entire crowd of heroes.


    T

 Chapter 17 - The Wave Boss

    T


    "Hook," Eric shouted, and a grappling hook shot from his palm towards the enormous ship in the sky. It laced around the edge, hooking on something that tightened the chain in his hand. Eric grabbed Lucia and Draco with his other arm, then commanded Lilly, "Watch after Elas." Returning his attention to the ship, Eric shouted, "Retract!" and the chain started coming back into his palm to pull him higher up into the ship. He swung gayly through the air with Lucia and Draco in his arm, approaching the ship at breakneck speed. Once they were pulled up to the side, Eric tossed Lucia and Draco over the side, then pulled himself up.


    The deck was classic style, with cannons placed at strategic positions around the side and a raised aft and bow section. There was a door leading deeper into the ship and a square in the center that could be removed for transporting cannons and large groups of barrels around the ship. The space above was a confusing mess of tangled ropes and pulleys tied between the three masts. There was a large wheel at the rear of the ship on the raised aft to steer the ship, and someone was casually turning it side to side.


    "Aye, what be ye doin'' on my ship?" he spoke like a true pirate. The guy was a decaying body with a ragged trigon hat and ripped up captain''s jacket that went down to his leather boots.


    "We''re here to stop this ship," Eric declared, summoning the spiked chains and hammer. "Are you the wave boss?"


    "Argh," shouted the captain, "I don''t know what you''re on about, but I be the captain of this here vessel!" The captain pulled out a long sword that was absurdly curved at the end in a similar fashion to a machete.


    "Iron Maiden," Eric shouted, and spiked chains shout out of his fingers with the blast of a shotgun. They wrapped around the decaying captain, then the spikes grew to pierce in all directions like a sea urchin. The captain went down, and Eric recieved a little message with a decent experience and money bonus. "Well that was easy," Eric remarked, then an enormous roar shook the entire ship. The wooden floorboards lifted up as though they were alive, and they began connecting one at a time.


    Eric found himself faced with a series of wooden boards and ropes that were moving on their own. Draco and Lucia were behind him, swords raised as the ship came to life. There was a roar once again, shaking the ship before the ropes and planks started attacking the group. Eric swung his hammer and chains wildly back and forth to deflect and destroy any oncoming appendages. Lucia was behind him hacking and slashing to cut the floorboards into woodchips with accuracy and speed. Draco was spewing a firey jet of flame across the area in front of him, setting fire to the deck in front of him.


    "Damnit," Eric shouted, "it wasn''t the captain! The ship is the wave boss!" Eric heard the cannons firing with enormous socks to the deck itself, and Eric thought about the people below. His blood began to boil, his heart started beating with the force of a carpet bombing, and his mind raced with what to do. ''I guess I could try that,'' Eric thought, and then something changed in his movements.


    "Chains of Wrath," Eric shouted out, and a bright light appeared in his hands. What appeared was a massive group of chains large enough for a single link to be grasped around the metal. It had spikes, was on fire, secreted a mysterious green liquid that dissolved the floorboards, it was large, heavy, had a spiked wrecking ball on the end, and looked deadlier than a man armed to the teeth. Eric swung the chains at the center mast and obliterated the entire middle of the deck. He laughed angrily, and then began to rampage mindlessly around the deck, destroying everything unlucky enough to get in his way.


    The chain whipped past Draco, pulverizing the front mast and making it fall over onto Lucia. She dodged quickly, cutting up the floorboards in her way before shouting back, "Watch your chains!" She didn''t get a response, instead she saw Eric pound away at the floorboards and falling inside of the ship. He disappeared with a glorious smile on his face, revelling in the destruction he was causing as he dug deeper into the bowels of the ship. There was laughter that sounded exactly like the Tazmanian devil''s.


    "Is it just me," Draco said while deflecting some ropes, "or was that not Eric?"


    "He said ''Chains of Wrath'', maybe he''s gone kill-crazy," Lucia brainstormed while slicing through the violent floorboards. There was another roar before the ship lurched to the side, tipping Draco and Lucia as the flames of Draco''s dragon breath set the deck ablaze. The ship slowly descended, giving the two demi-humans a feeling of weightlessness as they fell with the ship. It rolled a little and they could see that the ground was slowly approaching, with the city directly underneath them.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "This is going to be bad," said Draco, grabbing one of the ropes attached to the mast before the impact began. The massive flying ship, now filled with more holes than a fifty pound block of swiss cheese, rammed into the ground at full force, kicking up a wave of dirt and debris as it fell onto the city. Entire houses were wiped out under the moving weight of the ship as it luckily slid across the cround leaving a crater large enough to turn into a pond. Eric and Lucia were holding on for dear life as the ship crashed, and when it ended they were still bracing themselves.


    The sound of silence was back, giving Lucia and Draco enough of a warning that everything was over. They looked around the deck of the ship, an eerie sensation as the light of the moon was the only illumination. Lucia and Draco looked at each other, then they began to laugh with the jovial feeling of having survived. The sky seemed fresh and new, the fissure now closed since the wave boss was defeated. The post-''life threatening situation''-high was stronger than most aphrodisiacs, though it was always better not to enter life threatening situations. Draco and Lucia went over to the side closest to the ground and stepped off the side.


    The devestation was like nothing they had ever seen, entire houses gone while others were standing on their last legs. Draco and Lucia walked around the front to see something that terrified them more than the previous fight. The bow of the ship had an enormous monster face, with three eyes on each side and a distended jaw holding row after row of jagged teeth. It was monstorous, and made all the more poinoient when the other adventurers ran to the scene where Lucia and Draco stood.


    "Holy hell," shouted somebody, "you two were on that thing!" There were lots of similar phrases as people congratulated them on surviving the monster. After a few minutes, Emily came forward and slapped them each on the back, thanking them before looking around.


    "Where''s Eric?" Emily asked, and as if in response to her question, the monster ship slowly began to fade into black smoke as all demons do once defeated. There was a rousing cheer from the adventurers in the moonlight as the monster slowly dissipated. Once it was gone and the black smoke was clear, a figure stood in the crater with a white message in front of him. He walked slowly out of the crater, his massive size leaping easily to the lip of the crater as he navigated the notices that popped up in front of him.


    "Looks like I got a special item," Eric said nonchalantly, working through his menus. "Seems like a jacket of some kind."


    "Eric," said Emily apprehensively, "were you..., inside of that monster?"


    "Probably," said Eric plainly, still navigating through his inventory. He pressed on something, then a bright flash sorrounded his entire body. It was a totally black trench coat large enough to fit Eric comfortably, hiding his face just enough to make him seem more mysterious. "Oh, there''s a hat, too!" A brief flash later and Eric was wearing a trigon hat just like the captain had been wearing. It was a black get-up that could easily scare most people, but there was something else. "Wearing this gives me a bonus to survival. Apparently I won''t suffer from scurvy. What''s scurvy?"


    "It''s a vitamin C deficiency," said Emily, "but wait, you just said that you were inside of that monster! You don''t see anything wrong with that?"


    "I got out," said Eric, "it''s not like it ate me."


    "Why do you do such dangerous things," Emily shouted angrily. "Do you have a death wish or something?!"


    "You could say that," said Eric, turning to Lucia and Draco. "Sorry about almost hitting you guys, but the downside to using ''Chains of Wrath'' is that it''s hard to control myself. I just get so angry."


    "Just don''t use it when anybody''s around," Draco chastised.


    "Yeah, it''s too strong to use when people are around," agreed Lucia, her hips cocked to the side.


    "We should probably tell people that the wave is over," said Eric, scratching the back of his head underneath his hat. "Then we''ve got to get to rebuilding, but there''s no forest really nearby. Wood''s gonna be hard to come by, especially if there isn''t a loggin mill."


    "What are you talking about?" Emily asked as though Eric was crazy.


    "I destroyed these people''s houses," Eric said, "so I need to help them rebuild."


    "That''s not your problem," Emily said. "You saved their lives, that should be more than enough."


    "Emily, they didn''t ask for this fight any more than we did," said Eric wisely. "They will not see it from our point-of-view that we saved their lives. They will hold us responsible unless we do something about it."


    "I''ll help too," said Tyler, appearing from the crowd. "I''ve left people behind before with the bill, it''s about time I take responsibility."


    "I''ll join in," said John, "just to help these people out a little."


    "I could probably use my scythe to cut through a few trees for the lumber," said Todd, joining the others in a coalition to aide the downtrodden.


    "My group could probably give us some needed manpower," Benny offered his party of fifty members.


    "Let''s start tomorrow," Tyler added, "everyone probably needs some sleep.


    T

 Chapter 18 - Rebuilding

    I realized after posting that this chapter was short, so I played with the fonts and characters trying to give it some life. Short and sweet.


    T


    It took a week of very simple directions and simple crafting. As it turned out, the heroes only needed the raw materials required for building houses. With Eric''s smithing skill creating nails and the amount of lumber Todd could cut through, creating seven houses was simplicity personified. Some wreckage could be reused, but creating a house suitable for living in was much easier than the heroes were used to. Walls and a roof were good enough, and with their parties and neighbors working together, it was as easy as pie.


    After a week of work, the town had a feast for the heroes as a celebration, taking the best meats and grains from miles around. Eric and his group ate graciously, but the others were surprised by the profound quality of the food. They compared everything to the food they were served in the castle, and everything here was much better. The party had music and dancing around a large communal fire, where they burned all the extra wood and scraps from the ruined houses. Everyone had a great time, even Emily, who had been griping constantly about something or other.


    The heroes even learned a few more new things between each other. Eric was able to teach them that physical work increased strength and vitality naturally, something even Benny didn''t know. Eric also discovered that the Divine Clock was actually a possession of the king, an object that would count down the time until the next wave appears. It was made out of materials that leaked natural magic, and after absorbing enough natural magic, divine weapons would rank up. Eric figured that Elas''s natural magic must have been able to increase his rank, something that Benny was very interested in. The Church of the Holy Trinity condemned spellweaving according to Benny, but natural magic was okay with them.


    After the festivities, Eric and his group were preparing to leave when Emily approached Eric. "Hey, I heard about what happened at the castle," Emily said nervously. "I''m sorry for everything."


    "There''s nothing to apologize for," said Eric flatly, avoiding eye contact. "You did what you did without knowing the facts, that''s all there is to it."


    "Also, about what you said...." Eric looked up at Emily who was looking down at Eric as though he was a lost puppy. "Was your home life really that bad? I mean, I know it''s possible, but I''ve never known someone who could take all of that abuse and still be okay." Eric''s group all looked at Eric, wanting to hear more about his past. Eric finished packing his things into his inventory, then he made his trench coat disappear. Eric stood up, grabbed the hem of his shirt, then pulled it off in a single fluid motion.


    Emily could only stare at Eric, Lucia felt her compassion reach its limit, Lilly almost puked, Draco gained a new respect for Eric, while Elas felt her knees get weak. Eric was huge, his muscles pulling at his tight skin like balloons that were inflated to their maximum extent. But what everybody saw were the scars and the permanent bruises that discolored his skin a sickly yellow color. There were jagged scars, thin scars, small round scars from what looked like bullets. His body was a testemant to the extreme abuse and mental devestation he had gone through as a child, and with his horrible scars showing he stepped up to Emily with horrible eyes.


    "What the flying fuck makes you think I''m okay? I keep slaves because I can not trust people otherwise," said Eric in a hollow voice. "The only reason Elas is tagging along is because I have a countermeasure for when she turns on me. I wake up every morning from the same nightmares that I had every night before, and you seem to think that I am of sound mind? I would laugh if I even knew what my laugh sounded like." With his words out in the open, Eric put back on his shirt in a sour mood. Emily looked at Lucia who seemed to be filled with an unfathomable sadness.


    "Does he really have nightmares?" Emily asked, even though Eric could still hear. Emily nodded her head as tears permeated her eyes.


    "I''ve seen him tossing and turning in his sleep," said Elas, "and he''s always the first one to wake up. But he never told us that he has nightmares, he just says he''s restless." They all looked at Eric, who was packing his bag and ready to go before everyone else.


    "You know what, if you''re all so serious about it, I''m going to tell you," said Eric sourly. "Just know I don''t want your pity."


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ??"I''m curious as well," said John, appearing from a short way down the road. Tyler, Todd, Benny and John appeared from around the side of the building, all of them looking expectantly at Eric. This was more than uncomfortable for Eric, he hated when people wanted to hear his story so badly that they would go to any lengths.


    "My earliest memory is my parents arguing," said Eric, "and then my dad left with a woman who said she hated me and my sister. Once my dad left, my mom was left with all of the debt and the mortgage. She got angry, so she took it out on me with her fists and her words. I learned how to cuss and fight back, but that never helped back then. I got good at fighting back, but that just made my mom leave, too. So I was ten with a house, a debt, and a little sister to take care of. We had no money, no food, and nobody to take care of us. I had to grow up real fuckin'' fast, get a part-time job when I was in elementary school and start payin'' taxes.


    "We were always hungry back then, but my sister always told me that I had to eat more because I was so much bigger. She wouldn''t accept sharing food equally, she always made me eat more or else she would throw it away. I used to beat kids up for their lunch money because I never had my own. Some lady saw me fighting once, then she told me I could make a ton of money if I was willing to fight for her. She became my sponsor for illegal underground fighting, and shit was she right."


    "I went from a hundred dollars a week to a grand every night! It didn''t matter if I won or lost, but weapons and illegal moves were allowed, so I did my best to win. I didn''t see my sister a lot after that, trying to hide the cuts and bruises, trying not to limp from the broken bones. It was good for a while, we were pulling in enough money to live comfortably and I was actually getting the house paid off. I knew the sponsor was holding back a ton of money from me, but I didn''t care, as long as I could live comfortably with Sarah."


    Eric was silent for a long moment as he put his head in his hands, his hair draped over his head. "Then my sister got sick. I got more violent in fights after that, trying to get more money to keep up with the hospital bills. She was on seven different drugs at all times, the doctors told me all of these procedures they wanted to do, but I told them only do what would make Sarah healthy. I came in every day, injured or not, always telling her that ''everything was going to be alright''. I was going to take care of her, then we would go home and rent a movie or something."


    Eric slammed his fist into the ground, sending out a shockwave that shook the feet of everyone present. "But nobody would cut me some fucking slack!" Eric pounded his fist repeatedly, taking out his frustration on the ground as he shouted, "Nobody would help us! Not the doctors, not my sponsor, not our own fucking parents! They watched as Sarah died, they didn''t even try to help her! I was her gaurdian, her brother! I couldn''t even...." Eric was openly crying now, but his head was down so that nobody could see his tears.


    "Do you know what that''s like," Eric shouted accusingly, suddenly standing up with clenched fists and red eyes. "To tell someone it''s going to get better when you know it''s not! To lie that the pain would go away when they woke up, when you really know it would ONLY GET WORSE!" Eric realized that he was throwing a temper tantrum, so he relaxed his muscles and focused on not crying. He took some time to return to his calm state, then went back to sitting against the tree.


    "So, my sister died," he recapped, wiping his face to hide the tears some more. "After that, nothing really mattered anymore. I stopped going to school, going to fights, paying the bills. My sponsor was getting angry with me, sending gangs after me to try and get me into the ring. She must have been holding out more money than I thought, because she eventually sent something like an army after me." Eric summoned his chains, looking at them with a vague nostalgia. "That''s how I got these, I guess. Turning them into a weapon."


    There was a heavy silence after Eric revealed his past, but he just sat there with his head down. Everyone looked at him, their minds blank as they expected him to do something else. Eric''s huge mass didn''t move, but the sound of sniffling and soft whimpers made it clear. Without a word, Lucia stepped forward to put an arm over Eric as he cried, then Lilly stepped forward to do the same. One-by-one, Eric was sorrounded by his party members who offered their sympathies to the ailing man.


    There was nothing the heroes could have said, so they each left after watching Eric and his party get together to share in their sadness. After the session of tears, Eric''s party packed up and they headed out, with Eric back to his usual self. He hiked ahead of the pack, a feeling of uncertainty sorrounding him as he tried to reason with himself. Finally he stopped and turned around, and he liked what he saw. He could see concern in Lucia''s eyes, Lilly had deep compassion when she looked at him, Draco held a very strong respect for his strength, while Elas saw him as the same mountain of a man as always.


    Eric smiled, and then continued walking without saying a single word. This was something he would never admit to, but what he hated most about recounting his past was the looks of pity that come afterward. That pity would remind him he was broken, that he had fallen from grace into the tar pits of hell itself. It was his greatest fear to see that look of pity in the people he regarded as his closest friends. But they didn''t pity him, because they knew what it was like to be the universe''s chew toy.


    Eric felt new somehow, as though this was his baptism of tears.


    T

 Chapter 19 - Protection Detail

    For those that have read the shield hero, read the chapter and decide for yourselves if it''s a copy or not.


    T


    Eric sat as still as a statue, listening to the cackling fireplace as the fire died out. He was on gaurd duty tonight, which meant that he was watching everyone else sleep while he waited for the time when he could wake Vivian up so she would be on guard duty. He stared at his group, looking at each person in turn to imagine what they were seeing in their dreams.


    Lucia''s cat ears would flick occasionally, her nose twitching as she bared her teeth. She had grown suprisingly within the last three months, she was now up to Eric''s chin. That was quite tall for a normal person, but Eric guessed that it had something to do with being tied to him. Lucia''s entire body had gone through the growth, making her thicker around her hips in a way that would attract the eye. Even her chest was pleasingly plump, especially now that Eric looked at it and saw how her breasts were wrapped tight against her ribs, but still managed to hold out.


    Lilly was similar, only she was still a child to Eric''s eyes. She was tall enough that her forehead reached Lucia''s chin, about as tall as a normal person. Lilly still had her adorable rabit ears, and the baby fat on her cheeks made her seem like a child still. Her body was considerably more lithe than Lucia''s, but even that could be found attractive.


    Draco was a little taller than Lilly, but he was a lot thicker than she was. He had broad shoulders and powerful muscles, his multi-colored hair pulled back as the reptilian skin around the back of his neck gave him a unique look. His face was at peace as he rested, which relaxed Eric somewhat. He had the cool style of a dragon, so his reptilian tail was thick and had erected scales over the spinal column.


    Elas was still at her same height, somehow up to Eric''s nose despite him being larger than the previous Midrardians. Her long white hair that was tightly braided and made Eric feel as though she was the only one who kept her hair looking nice. She had breasts and hips that sized with the rest of her, making them larger than Lucia''s but seemingly smaller.


    Eric realized he had been staring and quickly shook his head, chasing out any dirty thoughts from his mind.


    That''s when he heard it, the scream that echoed through the forest at night. Looking at the others, he saw that they remained sleeping, but Eric was burning with fear at the possibilities of that scream. Crawling over to Lucia, Eric shook her lightly to wake her up.


    "Wzat," she muttered, opening her eyes to the darkness.


    "Hey, pay attention for a few moments, I need to check something out," said Eric, then another scream elliceted through the night. Lucia sat up quickly, but Eric stopped her with a large hand.


    "Stay here, this could be a lure," he whispered, then he ran off in the direction of the scream. He pushed through the forest''s small hills and brief dips in the ground, approaching the main road that they had left to make camp. As he got closer, a sudden burst of light shot out through the forest as something erupted in flames.


    Eric ran with reckless abandon now, hearing laughter permeate the forest as the fire burned heavily.


    Eric burst out of the forest too quickly adapt to the situation. There was a cart that had been set fire to, and there was somebody inside of the cart. Several guys stood around while another few men were lying on the ground in pools of red liquid. On a hunch, Eric broke through one side of the carriage, then grabbed the person inside before his momentum broke through the other side of the carriage. He could feel the heat dissipate from around him, his incredible strength and powerful momentum carrying him through the air and into the forest. He hit the ground hard, rolling a few times as he made his body a steel cage for the person inside.


    When everything finally stopped, Eric could hear the confused voices of the men standing around the burning carriage. Releasing his tense body somewhat, Eric became aware of the person struggling in his arms. He looked down in the poor light to find that the person he had rescued was a small girl with a gag in her mouth and a terrified expression. She was crying deeply, the tears streaming down her face as she was rescued from her fate.


    Eric placed the girl against a nearby tree, then gestured for her silence. Standing up again, Eric looked back at the burning carriage as the men slowly approached the forest where Eric hid. A glow appeared in his hand as he summoned his chains, then he nearly disappeared. One by one, the enemies fell as he moved in the darkness with near invisible stealth. His speed was beyond comprehension, and within moments the hostile were cleared with barely a sound. Eric appeared once more, stepping seemingly from nowhere into the sight of the little girl that he had just saved.


    "It''s over," he said in his deep baritone voice. "Don''t worry, the bad guys are all gone." He didn''t approach the girl as she cried her eyes out, keeping a distance before he would know exactly what had happened. Eric returned to the bodies, then began looting them for money and anything useful. He found a few daggers, some currency he had never seen before, and each guy wore a necklace with a frowning cross.


    "The Church," said Eric, looking at the cross in disgust.


    "Thank you," came a weak voice, just barely audible over the crackling fire of the carriage. Eric looked at the little girl, who was standing up once again with tears still clear in her eyes. It was clear she was in distress, so she must have been forcing herself to act politely. Then, Eric did something he had never done


    before.


    Eric got on his knees and embraced the girl in an enormous bear hug. To Eric, he was doing it because he wanted to stop the tears. To the little girl, that hug was a strong, yet gentle blanket that enveloped her and made her feel safe. The girl started crying in full force, no longer needing to hold back now that she was in the arms of a savior. Eric was kneeling there with the little girl crying onto his shoulder, letting his feet fall asleep as she blubbered onto his shoulder.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    After a while, Eric began to worry for his own group, but he didn''t want to stop this girl''s tears. After a moment, he finally just picked her up and said, "I''ll take you somewhere safe." Eric carried the crying girl like a baby, walking through the forest as her pain-wracked sobs became blubbering whimpers. He carried her back to the campfire and set her down in his own bed. Eric stayed awake through the night as the little girl fell asleep, nuzzling his pillow and blankets.


    When the time came for Draco to take watch, Eric woke him up and explained what had happened. Draco nodded, still half-asleep as he took the position to take a lookout. Eric took Draco''s bed, pulling the covers over him as the exhaustion that had accumulated over the day led him to a deep sleep.Eric woke up to see Draco was staring off into the distance, then Draco crawled out of bed to start his morning stretches. It wasn''t a routine as much as he just stretched whatever he felt was tight. Eric bent and stretched, forcing his muscles to relax and cool down.


    After that, Eric summoned his chains and went out to hunt, waking the others up as he ran into the woods.


    The little girl nuzzled the pillow in her sleep, attracting the attention of Lucia and Elas. They approached the little girl, looking at her curiosuly until Elas asked Draco, "Did Eric turn into little girl?"


    "No, she was there when I woke up," Draco explained. "Eric found her, or kidnapped her." Eric appeared a moment later with a large, green-skinned buck over his shoulder. Draco used his claw-like finger nails to skin the poor animal, then Eric pulled out a length of his hellfire chains to cook the meat over. Everybody got evenly sized selections of meat, even the little girl who was apprehensive about cooking raw meat over the hellfire. The heat coming off of Eric''s chains cooked the meat very quickly, meaning breakfast was very short and satisfying.


    "So, little girl," Eric addressed the young goth girl, "why were you attacked last night?"


    "I''m from a very wealthy and influential family," the girl stated evenly. "They must have wanted to hold me for ransom. Thank you for saving me." The goth girl bowed her head, then looked around at the odd assortment of characters that sorrounded her.


    "I''m Eric," Eric said, then he looked at Lucia.


    "Lucia."


    "Elas."


    "Draco."


    "Lilly."


    "I''m Vicky," introduced the goth girl. "So, why are Midgardians and demi-humans traveling together?"


    "We''re getting stronger," Eric simply explained. "I''m a hero and these are my companions."


    "Oh, you''re a hero," said the girl, looking at the chains that bled fire. "So you use chains as a weapon?"


    "They''re suprisingly effective," Elas agreed to Vicky''s suspicion. "Having seen him fight, I wouldn''t want to make an enemy of Eric."


    "So, what about yourself," Eric asked Vicky. "Where were you going, and do you need help getting there?"


    "I was on my way home, back to Lorain," she said. "That''s when my protection detail was attacked."


    "What would you be willing to give us in exchange for your safe passage?"


    "Are you truly so greedy," Vicky chastised. "You already recieve a pay through the kingdom, yet you ask for more money?"


    "We don''t get payed," Eric plainly stated, "because of a minor disagreement I had with the king."


    "We stormed his castle and disgraced him," Elas pointed out.


    "But we didn''t kill, or seriously harm, anyone inside," Eric ammended the situation.


    "You took over the castle," Vicky shouted suddenly. "Do you know how disasterous it would be if Lorain were attacked right now?! The entire country could fall!"


    "Relax," said Eric, putting his hands up to stop the tiny girl from attacking him. "If the kingdom was attacked, I go and personally see the invader''s victory without bloodshed."


    "You would allow the county to fall because you don''t like the king," Vicky shouted at Eric.


    "I have the power to annihilate the country without the help of a foreign army," said Eric simply. "Not only have I witnessed the king neglecting his duties, he has slaughtered innocent people in cold blood. I''m surprised the people haven''t risen up agaisnt him, but he''s woven enough lies to cast a wide safety net. So, I''ve decided to let nature take it''s course, and if the world decides that the king is unfit, I will aide the world in whatever way I can."


    "So you would just supplant the king without a thought as to what it would do for the people," Vicky argued.


    "The people won''t care. Take me, I used to be ruled by a thousand different hands, but the impact they had on my life was the same as a fly. A large percentage of the population will be unaffected by a change in leadership. So tell me again, why would it be such a bad thing that the king be supplanted?"


    "Because then the queen would lose control over the country, and all negotiating would be for naught!"


    "So what if the queen isn''t in control?" Eric questioned.


    "Lorain is a matriarchal monarchy," Vicky stressed. "The king''s decisions are second to the queen, and if the judges don''t deem his decisions to be the best for the country, the decision is put on hold until the queen can analyze it."


    "So the queen is rotten, too," Eric murmured to himself.


    "No, she''s not even in the kingdom," Vicky almost shouted at Eric. "She''s visiting neighboring countries trying to stop a war!"


    "Alright, that''s enough politics," said Eric, pushing the topic aside. "We need to get moving or we''ll never make it back to Lorain." The group packed up, then set off on foot. Vicky wasn''t wearing shoes meant for long journies, so she had to borrow a pair from Lilly.


    On the walk back to Lorain, Vicky insisted pulling her own weight but felt helpless when sorrounded by the likes of Eric, Lucia, Draco, Lilly, and Elas. She couldn''t keep up with anything they did, and felt almost entirely useless the entire trip. In the end, they arrived at the border of the capital city, leaving Vicky there before changing direction and heading away from the city.


    "Aren''t you coming to recieve your reward?" Vicky asked at the gates.


    "We don''t have time," Eric said sourly, "so we''re leaving."


    "Princess Vicky," came a shout, and several guards from the city ran out to her. "We recieved word that your carriage had been attacked! Quickly, get into the city limits!" Vicky was dragged away as Eric and his party walked away slowly. They were all silent, looking at the ground as Vicky was removed from their party.


    "When did you figure it out?" Elas asked Eric with a light tone.


    "When she was being attacked, the carriage had the same sigil as the Lorain flag," Eric admitted.


    "Then why did we help her?" Draco asked with a hard edge to his voice.


    "Because she''s a kid," Eric explained with a weak sigh, "and kids don''t know better. She might turn out evil like her sister or father, but if we don''t give her the chance to grow up, then we''re worse than the people we condemn."


    T


    If you enjoyed this story so far, try reading my other written work, ''I am the Villian''. The views on it are straight-up pathetic, while this one is killing it. That''s too bad, because I prefer the superhero genre more than the standard fantasy genre. Hopeless pandering aside, I hope you all enjoy anything you read on Royal Road.

 Chapter 20 - Maxed Out

    T


    "Well, shit," Eric said, gazing intently at a small help screen. He would use them to pass the time, learning the intracicies about the world and the system of the divine weapons. Now he was face to face with a very serious issue. He had just finished a passage on the Divine Clock, about how the ones held by the countries are merely recreations of the original. The location of the original, dubbed the Celestial Clock, was lost after the country hosting it fell. Apparently, the next rank up was at lv100, which Eric was dangerously close to with his chains.


    "Where should we start looking?" Draco asked when Eric broached the subject to them.


    "Right now, the only one I know of for certain belongs to the king," Eric said. "Which means it''s going to be very hard to find."


    "We should find another country that has one," Elas suggested. "At the very least, Bagonia might have it."


    "Bagonia? Isn''t that a flower?"


    "It''s a small country whose almost as powerful as Lorain," Elas elaborated. "In terms of resources, Lorain is much larger and varied, but Bagonia is the center of the world when it comes to magic. If the two went to war, it would be a close call as to who would win."


    "Then we should head to Bagonia," Eric said decisively, but a still silence told Eric otherwise. "What''s the problem?"


    "Bagonia is a nation of mixed species," Elas said nervously. "Humans aren''t treated very well over there. It''s almost synonamous with how demi-humans are treated here."


    "Then there''s no problem," Eric said simply. "If we protect each other, nobody''s going to do anything."


    "It may not be that simple," Elas claimed, looking at the demi-humans. "If three demi-humans arrive with slave sigils on their bodies tied to a human, that''s automatic execution."


    "Alright," Eric waved the idea off, "I was thinking of setting you guys free anyway."


    "Really?" Draco and Lilly questioned simoultaneously.


    "Sure, I trust you guys," Eric explained. "Besides, you should know me well enough, I don''t have any ill intentions."


    "I''m afraid it''s not that simple," Elas cut in before the celebration began. "There are ways of tracing old magic that''s been erased, even years after it''s been cast. If you''re going to Bagonia, it''s going to take a miracle. Or maybe, a show of good faith." There was a hint behind Elas''s words, so Eric listened to hear what he needed to do.


    "Ah," said the plump slave trader out the front of his tent, "I see my heroic customer is back." Eric and his party approached the alleyway leading to the tent where the slaver held his stock, then stopped at the front entrance. "Tell me, how have my products been working out for you?"


    "I''m afraid I''ve come across a dilemma," Eric said, his voice soft and mellow.


    "Is it discipline?"


    "No, it''s with their level," Eric lied to him quickly. "They''ve maxed out at level fourty and I''m at odds on what to do."


    "Ah," the slaver said in understanding, "I see the issue. The Divine Clock requires a good relation with Lorain and the church, both things you lack."


    "Yeah, so I''m here for a different purpose," Eric spoke as if he didn''t want to say what he was saying.


    "Do tell."


    "Well, after some discussion, it was decided that another Divine Clock would most likely be in Bagonia. The problem is, I''d be killed for having slaves there, even if I free them. So, I was really left with one choice."


    "You want me to mark you as a slave?" guessed the slaver in some surprise. "I suppose that would grant you passage through the marks, and would explain a magical connection between master and slave. As long as nobody looked closely enough, that could get you into Bagonia without a problem."


    "That''s not what we where thinking," Eric said, looking back at his companions. With a heavy sigh, Eric told the slaver, "I''m going to be stealing all of your slaves, and then I''m going to be attacking your suppliers."


    "W-what?! How could you do such a thing?!"


    "As a grand gesture of good faith towards the non-humans, I''m going to be ending slavery," Eric announced to the slaver. "It''s nothing personal, but I suggest you tell me everything, then find another line of work."


    It took almost two months to track down the final organization that operated in the slave trade. It had been long and tedious work, more so now that Eric had an entire city worth of people following him wherever he went. Freeing slaves wasn''t difficult, it''s what you did with them once they were freed that became the problem. The caravan would move slowly, often taking longer routes just so that everyone could fit along the roads. Eric was annoyed at the delay, but constant thanks and prayers from the various people he''s freed often sidetracked his annoyance. When Eric was dragged to a wave, he would eradicate the entire horde within a few minutes and close the door before going back to his caravan.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    When the cages were broken and the slaves were freed, families reconnected and many tears were shed. Sometimes Eric would be attacked out of pure fear, but he kept a profound understanding that these people didn''t know how to react to freedom. Sometimes they would call to fight back against the injustice, but Eric ignored those particular calls. He didn''t want a revolution, he just wanted a way into Bagonia.


    The final base was actually close to the Bagonia border, most likely to attack any caravans that were passing through. Some of the freed slaves picked up weapons to fight, but Lucia, Draco, and Lillith held them back. Eric and Elas approached an old ruin that had been cut into a mountain, then Elas stood by the entrance while Eric entered into the ruin alone. After a while, tremors could be felt inside of the ruins, as if the mountain was shaking.


    People started coming out a little at a time, passing Elas who stood at the entrance with an aura of ice around her. She guided the slaves to freedom, taking them in groups to the people waiting. It took all day to clear the entire cave out, but eventually, Eric emerged with a group of children that were missing limbs or had other disabilities.


    "These are the last ones," Eric said grimly, holding the hand of a a little girl with one arm.


    "Oh my gods," Elas said, putting her hands to her mouth in horror. "Who could do something like this?"


    "Someone who got theirs in the end," Eric confirmed, looking back at the entrance of the ruins. "Come on, we need to get these kids to their parents."


    Elas helped a kid who only had one leg while Eric carried a boy with no legs, making their way back to the encampment. When Elas and Eric arrived, there were tears of joy and of pain. Not everybody was accounted for, some parents were missing children, some wives were missing husbands, leaving most families incomplete. It was an intensly sobering day for people, even though slavery had all but been abolished. Eric was silent for most of the night, even as a celebration/fugue had begun.


    "What''s the problem?" Lucia asked, sitting next to Eric with a drink in her hand. "You just did something amazing! No one else has to suffer because of those people." Lucia''s happiness was not as contagious as she had hoped, because Eric just gazed at the bonfire as people danced wildly to improvised music.


    "When I was homeless, the thing I hate the most was being pitied," Eric confessed. "There was always this look in people''s eyes that told me they felt sorry for me. It made me so angry back then, I used to take it out on people who didn''t deserve what I did to them. That look made me feel like nothing would get better, as if I couldn''t escape from being poor without people giving me money. Like I was helpless.


    "Now, when I''m freeing these people, taking the chains from around their necks, I feel like I had that same look on my face.... I don''t want to pity them, they don''t deserve pity. They just want to be happy." Lucia had a sweet smile on her face, feeling that Eric had somehow said something romantic.


    "Everybody wants to be happy," Lucia said, offering the rest of her drink to the big man next to her. He took it, then sipped it to get the right taste down.


    "What is this?" he asked with his spirits raised.


    "It''s a kind of juice," Lucia giggled, looking at Eric with a distant gaze. "Eric, do you like me?"


    "Absolutely," Eric confirmed, and he wrapped his arm around his tiger companion.


    "Do you think I could... kiss you?" Eric had a chill run down his back while he was drinking, then some of the juice became caught in his throat. He started coughing heavily, trying to clear his airways while glancing at Lucia.


    "I''m sorry," Eric apologized, "I don''t think that would be a good idea." He had a weak smile, and Lucia tried to match it with a tear in her eye.


    "Why would it not be good?" Lucia asked, the smile fading quickly.


    "Because you deserve better than me," Eric claimed, and he believed every word. Even if he didn''t want to.


    "Why? What makes you think that you are any worse than us?"


    "Because I''m the bad guy," Eric said plainly, "and I''ve come to terms with that."


    "But... you''re a hero?" Lucia said in confusion.


    "I''m not a hero. I''m just a bad guy who needs to fight something worse because of some stupid, divine quest. What I did in my old life, I had to drag people into my own personal hell just so I could hope to get out. There are things that I did, people I hurt, it''s all just so messed up when I think about it, there''s no way to justify it." Eric looked at Lucia and said with a solemn tone, "I''m the bad guy."


    "Well," Lucia hugged Eric''s big arm and pulled him close, "I like bad guys." Eric scoffed with a mean grin, then he petted Lucia between her cat ears. Eric sat there, drinking and watching people dance as he thought and thought. As much as he wore the label of ''bad person'', he always wanted to be a hero to someone. To save someone when they were at their lowest, to be the one person who could be counted on to save the world.


    But he would never be able to do something like that. A dumb brute who can''t even save his own sister, how could he be a hero?


    In the morning, Lucia woke up with a pounding headache and a bottle in her hands. She was located on the log that she had been sharing with Eric, but the big man was nowhere to be seen. She walked around the impromptu camp that had been set up to house the hundreds of demi-humans, watching as families slept together in the early morning hours. She saw Draco with some part-gecko girl, Elas was in an igloo, and Lilly was nuzzled next to twenty other rabbit demi-humans. Lucia searched and searched around the camp, but nowhere she looked could she find Eric.


    ''Maybe he''s out hunting,'' she convinced herself, but there was a niggling doubt that betrayed her. On her search for Eric, she hadn''t even caught a whiff of his scent. Normally she could track a person by scent, but Eric''s had almost completely disappeared from the camp.


    "Hey, there''s a note on your back," said an old man who was part dog. He peeled off a piece of paper and handed it to Lucia.


    ''Lucia, take the others and search for the Celestial Clock. There isn''t a lot of time before the next wave, so I''m going to get some experience. Make sure you move quickly, you don''t want to miss out on the experience! Don''t worry about seeing each other, we''ll all arrive at the wave in five weeks. See you there!''


    ''PS. You''re all free. Make sure you rank up!''


    Lucia practically ripped her chestplate off right there, and true enough, the slave sigil was no longer present. The tiger-girl informed the others, only to realize that Eric had actually left them. Draco and Lilly were ecstatic, Elas seemed level-headed about it, but Lucia was on the verge of tears. It took the entire trip to the Bagonia border for her to calm down and see reason behind it. This way, Eric wouldn''t be hindering the three as they went to find the Divine Clock, and with them seperated, they could earn a lot more experience points.


    Fifty miles away, Eric was running at a full sprint towards the capital of Lorain. He was using various skills as he went, levelling them up as he moved faster and faster towards the center of the country. He had just remembered something he had seen during the assault on Vicky''s carriage, and he needed to confirm it at the castle.


    It had nothing to do with the tears in his eyes, of the breaking in his heart, or the idiocy of running from a good thing.


    He just really needed to be somewhere else.


    T

 Chapter 21 - Something Amiss

    T


    Eric arrived at the capital of Lorain the next day, an amazing testament of speed and stamina. Upon his arrival, he went straight to the blacksmith''s and walked in without warning.


    "Welcome," George greeted happily, looking at Eric with a huge smile. "I heard what you''ve been doing with the slaves, and I''d like you to know you have my suppor-"


    "Where is the queen?" Eric suddenly blurted out at the black blacksmith.


    "Uh, she''s away on business," George said wearily.


    "Where? Where did she go?"


    "Bagonia, I think," George answered, and Eric''s eyes opened like fireworks. "Why? What''s going on?"


    "I need to speak with Princess Vicky," Eric told the blacksmith, "do you know how I could do that?"


    "Well, unless your divine weapons let you talk to someone across the country, you won''t be able to speak with her. She left shortly after her mother on a trip towards the east. It''s been a while, and the whole country is starting to get nervous about whether negotiations broke down or not."


    Eric''s expression of annoyed outrage suddenly calmed, his eyes suddenly closed slowly before opening up with sudden clarity. He had dropped the hier-apparent off almost three months ago, yet there had been no news that she had returned after an attempted assassination. Moreover, even after Eric had assaulted the castle, the queen had not come back to deal with a war on her own turf. Something wasn''t adding up, there should have been some sort of reaction about these royals having their asses handed to them.


    "George," Eric said very slowly, "where is the main headquarters of the Trinity Church?"


    "It''s in Celestial City," George said slowly, "about three days ride west of here."


    "Thank you," Eric said, and he turned to leave.


    "Should I pretend you were never here?" George called before Eric left. The big man paused at the doorframe and honestly thought about it.


    "You might want to leave for a few weeks," Eric suggested, his tone as dead serious as a tombstone. With that, Eric Bane left the smithees workshop and trudged directly to the castle.


    This time, he didn''t even bother displaying his power. He wasn''t trying to send a message, he needed efficiency. Eric ran straight past the entrances, not even registering the guards as he sped into the castle. Eric grabbed a maid and forced her to divulge where the dungeon was, then he let go and sprinted there.


    "VICKY!" Eric shouted as he passed iron cages with heavy iron locks across the doors. He repeatedly shouted until John arrived with his gloves ready to fight.


    "Eric, what are you doing?" he shouted at the frantic man.


    "John! Thank god! Have you seen a little girl dressed in a goth dress with black hair and green eyes. She was this tall," Eric held his hand out at the approximate height, "and was kind of snotty?"


    "What?" John couldn''t keep up with Eric''s sudden description.


    "Princess Vicky," Eric shouted, "I escorted her here two months ago! Did you not hear about this?"


    "Eric, there''s only one princess here," John said in all confidence. "Are you okay? You seem kind of crazy?"If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Okay, is there somewhere you''re not allowed to go? Somewhere that the king forbade you from visiting?"


    "Um, not really," John said, wierded out by Eric''s apparent depravity. "Well, actually, the temple in town won''t allow Todd or me to enter. What''s this all about?"


    "John, two months ago I saved a girl from assassins who claimed to be Princess Vicky," Eric explained while carrying Todd out of the dungeon. "When we got to town, the guards even recognized her as Princess Vicky, but I have a feeling she might have been kidnapped later. Also, I think the queen''s in trouble. Why didn''t she show up after I attacked the castle?"


    "We were told that she hadn''t been told," John said whilst being carried. "The king didn''t want to disturb the negotiations."


    "The news should have reached them regardless," Eric said heavily. "This is all on a hunch, but it''s a damn strong hunch."


    Eric kicked down the door to a large cathedral, entering with John still under his arm.


    "So this is what the inside looks like," John mused as the spectator. There were rows of seats that were illuminated by fantastic stained-glass windows, each one depicting a frowning cross. The stone of the building was a young grey, almost as if it had been cut yesterday.


    Eric marched in as nuns and priests emerged from every corner to see who had entered with such brazen noise. "Somebody is going to tell me where Princess Vicky is right now!" Eric''s voice thoomed with violent authority, but more than that, it actually pressurized a shockwave that shattered some of the windows. People screamed as glass rained down, John squirming a little at the sudden destruction.


    "Hey, you didn''t need to go that far," the hero of the fists complained.


    "The Demon of the Chains," one of the priests cried. "How dare you assault this holy sanctuary!"


    Eric ignored both of the disturbances, instead he turned to the right and began to search through every nook and cranny. Finally, he reached a group of stairs that lead down into a basement. He followed them quickly as nuns and priests tried to resist, but it was futile. Once in the basement, Eric saw what looked like and enormous hourglass with glowing sand inside.


    "This must be the Divine Clock," John mused before being hauled to the side with Eric. The big man went up to the hourglass, then reached out and touched it with his bare hand. He could feel a surge of energy rising within him, so he quickly removed his hand. He looked back at the Divine Clock, and a question came to mind. He watched the sand fall slowly, very very slowly into the bottom chamber. The sand didn''t look like sand, it seemed different somehow.


    "Priest, which part of this clock contains the magic necessary for ranking up?" Eric demanded. The priest spit in response, so Eric kicked him in the teeth. "My my, don''t you know it''s herecy to spit on holy ground?" After that, Eric began breaking down doors one by one until he found what could only be the head honcho''s office. There were cabinets with various papers, but Eric had become proficient enough in the language to know the gist of them.


    After an hour of searching, Eric found the right paper.


    It was a bill of instruction to kidnap the queen and heir princess, signed by some name Eric couldn''t make out. He rolled up the paper and put it in his inventory, then he left the room and returned to the Divine Clock. The longer he watched, the more certain he was that the falling sand inside contained strong magic. Eric remembered seeing a storage room that contained chests full of items, which gave him a wicked idea.


    Two hours later and Eric was finished with his ''de-construction'' project. John had been speechless the entire way through, and now he didn''t even have the capacity to think straight.


    "Come on, let''s go," Eric said, letting John stand up on his own. Eric led the way back into the light of day, and once he made it to the top of the stairs he felt the difference in the air. Five people in similar clothes to the assassins that he had taken down protecting Vicky were stationed around the room. They said nothing, which was fine with Eric.


    He was never good with small talk.


    They moved first, swift and together like a team should. Eric whipped his empty hands in front of him before summoning his divine weapons. The flash blinded his enemies momentarily, giving Eric the advantage he needed to dodge their hidden blades. With practiced efficiency, the chain user snapped and cracked the assassins down to the core, dismantling their swiftness with his own inhuman speed. Once they were dealt with, Eric strolled confidently out into the streets.


    There were no city guards coming to arrest him, no call going out to the army for his head on a pike. The church must have wanted this settled in house to avoid drawing attention to themselves. That made things perfect for Eric, it meant his name wouldn''t be dragged any farther down into the dirt than it already has. And if the church wanted to keep this whole thing quiet, it meant that they wouldn''t ask for help.


    Eric left the capital of Lorain on a mission to change the world in the most fantastic way.


    The thug way.


    T

 Chapter 22 - Templar Conspiracy

    T


    Sitting in a chair that stared out into the seemingly endless forest sorrounding Celestial City, Princess Vicky tried to subtlely get someone to notice her predicament. She was in traditional trinity robes that betrayed her loyalties to her country, but they were the only clothes provided. As the days had passed, she felt that her chances of being rescued were getting closer. Her sister was in on it, there was no doubt about that, but it would take only until her mother returned to the castle for her missing presence to be acted on.


    Someone entered the princess''s room, no less a prison than if she had been thrown into the dungeon. It was a young man with a frowning cross displayed proudly on a laurel that had been placed on his head. His trinity robes were almost identical to the one''s Vicky wore, only they didn''t revolt him as they did the princess. He walked lightly, as if every step was a courtesy he extended.


    "Exalted Princess," said the young man, "the cardinal wishes to have dinner with you."


    "Tell him to use his invitation as a suppository," responded the princess.


    "Princess, if you wish to return home then a certain amount of manners are required," the young man stated as though scolding a child. "The cardinal has not asked you to remain for your health. If he cannot at least attempt to speak with you, then your stay here will be prolonged indefinitely."


    "You will not keep me prisoner here forever," Vicky threatened. "When my mother learns of my disappearance, she will bring the armies of Lorain upon your throats!"


    "Princess, your mother would never do something so foolish. To defy the church would bring a kingdom to it''s knees long before the soldiers begin to march."


    "Then you do not know my mother," Vicky huffed as the final word.


    "You will be taken to dinner when it is time," the man said, then he left Vickey to her own devices. The young princess returned her gaze to the foilage beyond, imagining a sailing ship riding across the leaves as though they were the waves of the sea. She sighed, wondering if anyone would be able to notice her in the window of this infernal building.


    When lunch came, the meal was given to her by a nun who set the food on a table before leaving. Vicky ate graciously, never once losing her manners of finesse despite the situation. By the time she was retrieved for dinner, Vicky had managed to dirty her robes sufficiently to not be worth replacing, but enough to notice and annoy.


    Vicky followed the nuns who retrieved her, and in turn she was followed by two knights in the order of the church. She was guided to a large table where a man wearing an appalling wig sat at the head of the table. He wore heavy, red robes and had already begun to eat the food that had been set at the table. He regarded Princess Vicky with a tempermental nod, to which Vicky responded in kind. Sitting to the cardinal''s right, Vicky sat in sullen defiance without taking any of the food offered.


    "Child, you are skinny enough as it is, now eat," commanded the cardinal.


    "I will not," Vicky stated with absolute certainty.


    "Very well," the cardinal responded without much concern, "then your portion shall go to our other guest. The matter that we have attempted to discus at length continues to remain sealed within your lips, and I would like to hear it."


    "I''ve told you repeatedly that any opinion of mine will be said when I''m able to return to my castle without church supervision."


    "You know very well that situations do not arise that are always beneficial to travelers," the cardinal claimed as a threat. The doors on the far end of the dining hall opened, then a woman who was also dressed in trinity garb entered with a full gaurd surrounding her. Vicky''s eyes went wide, her heart stopped as she drew breath in sharply.


    "Mother!" she shouted at the other end of the table, but the two knights to either side roughly held the young princess down. "Let me go you horrid beasts! Mother it''s me!"


    "That won''t do much good," said the cardinal maliciously. "Your mother is much more reasonable than yourself. She''s been slowly learning our doctirine of her own accord."


    "You bastard," Vicky cried helplessly, tears flowing to her eyes. "YOU DEMENTED BASTARD, LET GO OF MY MOTHER!"


    "Hush, child," the cardinal said confidently. "You will be joining your mother soon. Once you two have the proper education, we''ll release you to your kingdom." Vicky tried to struggle uselessly, a feeling of helplessness driving further and further into her mind. The guards took the princess back to her chambers, locking the doors behind her.


    Vicky couldn''t think properly, she couldn''t even comprehend how her mother had sat there while she was taken away. There wasn''t even a spark of recognition that her child had been kidnapped. Her tears didn''t stop until they hurt as much as the pain in her heart. This was all too much, there was nothing she could do that wouldn''t cause more harm. She needed help, she needed an army to march in and take the cathedral.


    She needed a hero.


    Eric stood at the entrance to the Holy Cathedral, the home of the pope and every high-ranking member of the Church of the Holy Trinity. He was sorrounded by tourists, nuns, and monks who all wanted to witness the epitome of their faith. Eric stood there in the open, gazing up at the vast cathedral that would have taken up seven office buildings in his home world. He needed to think, to gather information covertly from the shadows until he was ready to strike like a dagger in the night.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    As if.


    Vicky felt the shaking from her room, the way vibrations would pass through her feet and into her hair. The glass of water that was always full had waves in it every few seconds as the vibrations became stronger and stronger. Vicky could hear shouting in the distance, so she went to her window and looked out to see that there was a cloud of dust settling over the front court yard.


    ''Is someone attacking?'' Vicky thought as she felt more tremors and heard the sounds of crashing. ''Who in their right mind would attack the church? Maybe I could ask them to help me and my mother?'' It was an incomplete idea, but Vicky went to her door and started pounding it as hard as she could.


    "LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!" she chanted as she tried to make all the noise she could. After a few minutes, Vicky doubted that her noise could be heard over the sound of marching and fighting that would be happening.


    Then, something strange happened. Vicky could hear loud footsteps in the hallway, but her attempts at escaping she assumed had already failed. The footsteps stopped in front of her door, then there was a light knock.


    "Is anybody there?" came a familiar voice.


    "Eric?" Vicky guessed, though him being here was far fetched.


    "Oh good, I found you," came the voice from the other side of the door. There was a loud thump as the door was removed from it''s hinges, tearing at the stone they had been attached to. The door swung to the side, and there stood Eric carrying it as he looked around the room. Vicky was in pure shock while Eric gently set the door on the side of the room.


    "Eric, what are you doing here?" Vicky had to ask.


    "I''m saving you," Eric replied, frowning at the expensive furnishings inside of Vicky''s room. "I wish my prison cell was this nice."


    "How did you know?"


    "I''m not an idiot, like the rest of the country. Have they marked you yet?"


    "No," Vicky stated, not entirely sure what Eric meant.


    "Good, that makes this easier," said Eric, just as the sound of crackling armor could be heard running through the halls. The big man rolled his eyes, but meekly returned to the hall to deal with the onrushing people. Eric disappeared from sight, but Vicky clearly heard the snaps, cracks, and thooms that he caused. He returned to Vicky''s room with no sign of damage or effort. He also happened to be holding a particular man dressed in trinity clothes with a laurel on his head.


    "Do you know your way around?" Eric asked the princess.


    "I''ve been in this cage since I arrived," Vicky told her savior.


    "Do you have a bathroom?"


    Vicky pointed to a connecting door, which Eric approached with the unconcious man in hand. A brief splash of water and some sputtering later, the man was awake and confused.


    "Welcome to the ''Ruin Corrupt Religious Cults Funtime Hour''," Eric cheerfully told Vicky''s caretaker. "As our special contestant, you get to be the little fairy who gets me where I want to go."


    "What... what are you talking about?" the man stuttered, puzzled by Eric''s phrasing.


    "Let me simplify this for you," Eric said, then he punched the mirror that hung over the sink. Not only did the mirror shatter, but the mirror''s frame bent at the force of the blow. The hulking hero raised his fist to the priest and threatened, "Give me directions, or I do that to your face. Clear?"


    "Crystal," the priest swallowed nervously.


    Princess Vicky was not one to act her age. Being the heir to the throne, she had needed to steel herself on more than one occasion in order to act appropriately. She was practiced on etiquette, diplomacy, and authority, each one more important than the last. Living a somewhat sheltered life, Vicky had only witnessed violence when the knights sparred or when an assassin tried to attack her. She had no illusions about death or war, and had even attended a few funerals of famous people.


    However, the unbridaled, unyielding efficiency Eric showed when decimating another horde of twenty heavily armed guards was almost too much. The crunch of bone and snap of necks made the princess''s stomach churn, and her head swam whenever blood started leaking too readily. She knew that these people weren''t going to die, but piles of limp bodies didn''t help the nauseous feeling that accrued in the pit of her stomach.


    The sensation peaked when Eric and Vicky entered a massive courtyard where more than a hundred sentinels were rushing through at that very moment. They had mainly been in hallways where the cieling limited how far attackers could be thrown, but Vicky finally got to witness Eric ''in-his-element''. The Hero of the Chains was very much a one man war machine, almost balletic in his movements as he cleared dozens of 300 pound soldiers over a fence 100 feet away.


    After he was finished, Eric shook his bare knuckles that were starting to bleed from punching such heavy armor repeatedly. He looked around to get a sense of direction, then turned to see Vicky leaning against a wall in the garden. She was holding her mouth closed, but couldn''t hold the bile that she eventually ejected from her stomach.


    "Woah, are you okay?" Eric asked, returning to Vicky''s side as the young girl wiped her mouth.


    "Yeah, just... I''d like a minute," she reasoned. Despite her obvious incapability, she didn''t want to seem weak in front of Eric. The mountain of a man patiently waited for the princess to recover, looking around as she breathed in steadily.


    "Hey, I know we''re looking for your mother," said Eric nervously, "but can we do some sightseeing? I heard about this great hotsprings in the area, and the architecture of this cathedral is really amazing."


    "No, I don''t think that''s going to happen," Vicky told Eric.


    "I think we''ve got a few days while they," Eric looked around at the stacks of bodies, "gather their forces."


    "So," said a voice that reverberated throughout the air, "you''re the heathen who has decided to attack the church."


    Standing at one of the several entrances to the courtyard, a man dressed even more regally than a king glowered at the two escapees. He was fairly old as was evident by the wrinkles all around his face, but carried a staff that was twice his size. He also had a hat that made up the difference between the man''s head and staff. His clothes were so pure white they almost appeared to glow, and when he sneered at Eric, his teeth were prefectly white as well.


    "Who''s he?" Eric asked Vicky.


    "That''s the Pope!" Vicky shouted in fear. She grabbed Eric''s arm and started to pull on it, trying to get him away from this old man.


    "What''s the rush?" the pope asked in a classical old man''s voice. "You''ve made such a mess, you should at least clean it up."


    "You''re right," Eric agreed, looking at the pope with a grin.


    "Don''t!" Vicky urged, still trying to pull Eric away. "He''s not someone you can win against!"


    "Oh, don''t be silly, child," the pope laughed. "A strapping young man like him can certainly defeat an older gentleman such as myself."


    "Where is the queen of Lorain?" Eric demanded, approaching the pope against Vicky''s wishes.


    "She''s just this way," the pope pointed in the direction he had come from. He turned around with a soft grin, walking back into the cathedral. Eric and Vicky exchanged a glance, then watched after the pope.


    "Aren''t you coming?" the pope called from a distance away.


    "What do you think?" Eric asked.


    "It''s definitely a trap," replied Vicky, looking up at Eric uncertainly.


    "Perfect," Eric said with a cruel grin.


    T

 Chapter 23 - The Truth Behind the Church

    T


    "Mom!" shouted Vicky, running to her mother and embracing the woman that the pope had led them too. It was a room not disimilar to Vicky''s, with no expense left out in it''s design and maintanence. Eric watched as Vicky reunited with her mother, but the older woman showed no expression to such an emotional moment. The pope watched with a gentle smile, a seeingly old man who enjoyed the simple pleasures in life.


    "What did you do to her?" Eric asked, his voice hard but not forceful.


    "Personally, I''ve done nothing," the pope answered like a politician. "Queen Senovia of Lorain has recieved nothing but the teaching of the church and every expense that we could offer."


    Eric eyed the pope, who simply smiled with teeth as white his robes. He watched Vicky smother herself into her mother''s church garb, but the queen was not making any motion to embrace her child.


    "Dear queen, will you not share this moment with your child?" the pope suggested.


    That''s when the queen started to break down, her eyes tearing up as she got on one knee. Vicky and her mother hugged each other with all the fervor that they could muster, but there was something off. It was nagging at Eric that something wasn''t right, but he just couldn''t put a finger on any one specific reason.


    That''s when it happened, Vicky grabbed the top button on the back of the queen''s robes and pulled as hard as she could. The buttons came off like shots from a gun as the robes were opened. The white cloth fell to the floor revealing the voluptious contours(milf) of the queen of Lorain. Vicky pushed away from her mother, pulling the robes with her to fully bare the woman to the eyes of everyone present.


    The queen was left sniveling on her knees, her arms stretched out to her daughter, and the mark of a slave displayed on her sizeable chest.


    Eric smirked at the pope, whose gentle smile was now a frown of disapproval.


    "Well," he said, glancing up at the goliath next to him, "didn''t expect that."


    Eric put a massive hand on the pope''s shoulder saying, "Neither did I."


    "I didn''t want this to get ugly," sighed the pope, then he tapped his scepter on the ground. There was a bright flash of light that blinded Eric, and once he could see again, the pope had disappeared.


    "Shite," Eric exclaimed, looking down the hall to see if the old man made a run for it.


    "We need to get out of here," Vicky said, tugging on her mother''s hand. "He''ll be back any minute with reinforcements."


    "Alright," Eric said, approaching the crying mother who clung desperately to her daughter. With a quick chop to the back of the neck, the woman was knocked out and laying on her daughter. Eric picked the queen up and set her across his shoulders, then grabbed Vicky and lifted her onto his shoulders as well.


    "Woah," Vicky exclaimed, unprepared for the sudden movement.


    "Hold on tight," Eric told the princess, "this is going to get bumpy."


    Eric sprinted through the hallways, breaking every land-speed record ever set on this technologically poor continent. The princess flopped and flew a few times, but she held on desperately while her mother was tossed around like a sack of potatoes. They burst through the courtyard and into the open area where bodies still littered the ground. Eric stopped to look around, trying to judge where to go when a high pitch screech started to annoy his ears. Looking around, the noise only got louder as Eric suddenly felt hotter and hotter.


    Without warning, Eric tossed the queen and the princess to either side, right before an unholy energy came down from above and obliterated everything within a five foot radius of Eric.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Eric roared as he was bathed in light that superheated the air and everything around him. Vicky felt the heat like a furnace right next to her, searing her clothes and tanning her skin. The queen didn''t register the pain, but she would have a one-sided tan on her back for a few months. But Eric, he was scorched by the energy as it poured down on his body.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The light stopped, and Eric was left in a ten foot wide crater, his entire body scorched black by the heat. He was in a kneeling position, as though even the weight of a killer ray from the sky couldn''t floor the goliath man. The residual heat was enough to flambe a salmon, leaving trails of smoke from the crater that almost masked Eric at the center.


    Unbelievably, Eric started to move, every miniscule cell in his body screaming out for sweet release. He took a step forward then inhaled sharply as the pain registered. He took another step, inhaled, then turned his head to see Vicky. The princess was staring at Eric as though his survival was more cruel than his death. He struggled over to Vicky, each step a flare of searing pain throughout his body. His eyes were open as wide as they could and his lips were stretched to their limits, giving him the appearance of a buff, black skeleton.


    When he managed to reach Vicky, he grabbed the princess and lifted her off the ground, then turned towards the queen. Whether he could think or not, it seemed the singular thought in his mind was to get the royals to safety.


    That''s when he heard it, another high pitched scream in his ear.


    "NOOO," he screamed, his voice cracking as he ignored his disabilities. He dashed to the queen, grabbed her, then started to chant.


    "Chainmail, chainmail, chainmail, chainmail, chainmail," over and over again, creating layer upon layer of thick chains on both the queen and her daughter. The pitch rose as Eric encased the two royals in repeated layers chains. When it reached a certain point, Eric shouted, "Hammer toss!" A line of chains linked the two balls of chains that encased Vicky and her mother, then Eric grabbed it and ran as far as he could before running out.


    "FIND MY FRIENDS!" he shouted, then pulled with all of his might on the two balls. They gained immediate air, flying straight over Eric''s head and beyond the walls of the cathedral within moments. Eric wanted to break down from the pain, to lose his mind as the high pitched noise reached it''s crescendo.


    Right before everything went white, a small message appeared in front of him.


    Vicky didn''t quite understand what Eric had done, but she was suddenly miles away from the cathedral encased entirely in chains. She couldn''t move, could barely breathe, but she could see the cathedral a great distance away. Everything that had happened was slowly being processed in her mind, then she saw it.


    A beam of light descended from the heavens, illuminating the world for miles around. It hit somewhere inside of the cathedral, but Vicky could feel the ground shake even from where she was.


    The chains around her disappeared, letting her drop onto the ground. Her mind slowly caught up to the situation, tears filling her eyes as she started to realize what had happened.


    "No," she mouthed, "no, no, no! Eric!" The princess lay there, feeling a sinking feeling as she pictured the blackened corpse that must have been left after that second blast. The princess cried, it was the only thing she could think to do. Despair reached her heart, and she cried to the world, swearing at the church and the pope specifically.


    The last thing that Eric said came to mind. Find my friends. Vicky looked at her mother, feeling the tears almost ready to burst. She clenched her eyes shut, demanding that her sadness be saved for later. Right now, she had something she had to do.


    Standing at the edge of a crater, the pope, two deacons, and a host of holy soldiers were all staring at the deep hole that had been made by the devestating beam.


    "That was quite effective," one of the deacons remarked.


    "All that power for just one person?" the other deacon clarified angrily. "We nearly had to drain the Celestial Clock to fire it a second time."


    "Now, now," the pope calmed his arguing delegates, "the Celestial Clock holds ten thousand years of natural magic. Firing such a simple cannon would hardly drain the clock in it''s entirety."


    The three men all stopped talking as a flare of heat surged from the pit. The soldiers all sorrounded the scorched abyss, drawing their swords as if preparing for a monster to emerge.


    "There''s no way," remarked both of the deacons, staring in awe at the edge of the pit.


    Time seemed to slow as the group waited for some sort of movement, but the only ones who moved were the soldiers who repositioned themselves for comfort. Everyone''s heart beat heavily agaisnt their chests, but even after several minutes passed there were no signs of life from inside of the crater.


    The pope breathed a sigh of relief, and the two aides laughed at their foolishness. Nobody could have survived the kind of power that the church had invested in the beam. The pope stepped forward fearlessly, going over to the crater and leaning over it to look for himself. The pure darkness that enveloped the deep hole was impenetrable, making the entire hole appear bottomless.


    "This is what happens when you go against god!" the pope yelled into the pit, a thin smile appearing on his lips.


    The smile disappeared when a tiny flash of light appeared and disappeared inside of the hole.


    T

 Chapter 24 - The Iscariots

    T


    Driving a wagon made from crude cuts of wood and pulled by a mule, the princess Vicky sat next to her mother. The young girl looked aged, as if the time since she escaped from the holy city gave her canyon-like wrinkles. The older woman was less aged, but that didn''t mean she was okay. Ever since they left the cathedral, the queen hadn''t moved or visibly responded to anything. Just getting her onto the cart was a herculean task for Vicky, and the queen only ate when food was put directly into her mouth.


    As the wagon continued towards the horizon, Vicky reflected on how far she had come. At first she was careful about who she trusted, but realized that her and her mother''s entire existence was completely unknown to the outside world. Displaying her authority and the queen''s face was a risk, but it is what had gotten them food and transportation. One especially helpful old farmer happened to lend her his carriage. Now she was riding along with her mother towards the castle in order to gather some men for the expadition.


    The traveling was difficult for a princess, who had considered herself a very capable person. The more the days dragged on, the more the young girl realized how incapable she was. Such basic things as finding food and water required her to beg whatever locals she happened to meet. More than once, Vicky was forced to bow or kneel in order to get basic neccessaties.


    It was a week into the travel when she finally saw the central spire of her castle. It was such a relief that she was going to finally get home.


    From a distance, a figure was watching through the slits in his featureless mask. The figure was obviously male, with thick muscles and dressed head to toe in black leather. As he watched the carriage plod along slowly, the figure reached into his pocket and pulled out a very old necklace. On one end was a tiny trinket that happened to look like a frowning cross. The man raised it to his forehead, then a moment of silence passed before he put it back in his pocket.


    Arriving at the gates of the city, Vicky commanded the guards to immediately go tell her father what had happened. As she was travelling towards the castle, a large group happened to appear around the corner.


    "Emily!" Vicky shouted in surprise.


    "Princess Vicky?" Emily looked at the young girl curiously.


    "Thank the god that I was able to meet you! Listen, my mother and I were kidnapped by the church! Eric got me out, but my mother was already labeled as a slave!"


    "What?" Emily questioned, this young princess trying to throw information too fast for Emily to process.


    "Look!" Vicky urged, climbing onto the cart next to her mother. She pulled down the nape of the queen''s shirt, revealing the mark of a slave. The queen didn''t react at all, her eyes unfocused as she was revealed to the party of adventurers.


    "Come with me," Emily urged in a deep voice. The hero of the sword suddenly grabbed the queen and pulled her from the cart, a little surprised at the dead weight the queen was supplying. With no grace at all, Emily lifted the dead weight over her shoulder, then began the trek back to the castle with Vicky in towe. On the way, Emily got a more complete version of what had happened, but at the end the heroin stopped in her tracks.


    "You mean, Eric is dead?" Emily asked, looking down at the little girl. There were tears in Vicky''s eyes, but she managed a nod. Emily couldn''t exactly beleive what Vicky had said, no matter what the princess said.


    Eric wasn''t just the strongest person Emily had ever met, he was also the most righteous person that she had ever met. He always stuck to his guns, even when an entire kingdom seemingly declared war on him. For the entire time that Emily had known Eric, he had show that he was the most pompous, arrogant, troubled, indestructable person that had ever lived.


    That''s when something caught her eye, a large man turning the corner dressed entirely in black leather. He looked like a ninja, but his sheer size would make sneaking a lost cause. The man stepped wide, adopting a stance that was prepared for a fight.


    "Give me the queen," the man commanded, his mask muffling his voice.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ??"Princess, would you mind stepping back?" Emily suggested, never looking away from this mysterious stranger. Vicky moved away from the two, while Emily slowly lowered the queen onto the ground. Once the queen was safely away, Emily summoned her sword and charge at blinding speeds. She was there before Vicky could even register the movement, her sword slicing the air where the man was.


    Like a whisp of smoke, the man disappeared. Emily registered the absence of feedback, then quickly repositioned her sword to swipe behind her. She flashed her sword backwards, but the man in black was not there. He was ten feet away, picking up the queen.


    "Rapiere!" Emily shouted, and her sword flashed into a very thin, yet very pointy, rapiere. She dashed forward, trying to stab at the man''s legs in order to not hit the queen. The man sidestepped, dodging the blow so that the sword went straight into the ground. Emily pulled the tip out, then started to rapidly stab at the man''s feet. The guy started to tap dance around Emily''s sword, all the while moving backwards to avoid any direct hits.


    The man finally stopped dodging and tried to kick Emily in the chin, but she was able to lean back far enough to avoid the hit. With his leg so high in the air, Emily aimed her next stab at the man''s crotch. She pierced the air with her sword, but the man wasn''t as immobile as Emily had thought. From a near-perfect split, the mysterious kidnapper brought his leg back down and stomped the sword into the ground. Emily looked up at the featureless mask, but the man could only shake his head.


    "Queen, stand up," the man said, then he let the queen fall to the ground. While before she would have just laid there lifelessly, the woman now got to her feet and stood straight.


    "Gladius," Emily said, but the man was able to step off before the sword regained it''s edge.


    "Queen, stop the hero of the sword," the man said, and the queen amazingly stepped between the two fighters.


    "You BASTARD!" Vicky shouted from the sideline in outrage. "You''re controlling my mother!"


    "Queen, give your daughter a spanking," the man ordered, then returned to his fight with Emily.


    The queen looked at her daughter with only minimal apprehension, but she started towards the little girl with a determined walk. Vicky looked at her incoming mother, suddenly fearful of what the automatic woman would do. The queen roughly grabbed her daughter by the back of her shirt, then got down on one knee to bend her daughter over her knee.


    "Wait! Mom, don''t -" a loud smack reverberated through the air as the queen smacked her daughter''s butt. Vicky felt a shooting pain in her rear, then her mother raised her hand to repeat the process. The two fighters were going at it like a cat and dog, all the while the princess was recieving a spanking from her mother in the middle of the street.


    The fight ended when the man in black managed to landed a blow to Emily''s back, causing shooting pain to fill the girl''s nerves. Emily went down with an involuntary gasp for air. The black clad figure stepped over the hero, walking over to where the queen was repeatedly beating the princess''s bottom.


    "That''s enough," the man commanded, so the queen stopped mid-spank. "Leave her, we''ve got business elsewhere. Follow me and don''t speak." The two turned and left, even as Emily tried desperately to get up.


    The hero of the sword managed to hobble onto her feet, then started to follow after the man who had kidnapped the queen. She stuttered every other footstep, but Emily''s tenacity got her as far as the edge of the next building. Her eyes suddenly went wide, and a sickening bile rose through her throat.


    Her entire party, around fourty members, were laying strewn across the street as though an explosion had gone off. Some of them bled, most of them were unconcious, and a few managed to be blown through a nearby window. The very center of the street was cratered down to the dirt, where the cement and stones had been scorched by the power of the blast. Emily noticed that the people thrown the farthest also happened to be bleeding very heavily.


    Emily hadn''t heard a sound, neither a large explosion or a flash of light. Whatever had done this, it had done so in near silence. The only explanation had to be the man in black, the man now in control of the queen.


    The princess!


    Emily gingerly stepped to the princess, who was crying helplessly on the ground. The hero grabbed the girl by the shoulders, pulling her up before the pain in her back snapped. It took a second for Emily to regain her wits after the shock of pain.


    "Who was that?" Emily asked, hoping that Vicky might know.


    "He''s an Iscariot," Vicky sobbed, her chin quivering from the mental trauma.


    "What''s that?"


    "An elite..., from the church," Vicky breathed as snot slowly dripped from her nose. "They are supposed to be a myth."


    "How was he so strong?"


    "It''s the purpose of the Iscariots, to fight heroes. They are the neccessary evil, the ones who are willing to commit the ultimate sin for the sake of the church."


    "How?"


    "The Iscariots are myths because it is said they possess Demonic Weapons. They are-"


    "Anti-heroes," finished Emily, thinking back to the carnage that she had witnessed. "We need to tell the other heroes. We probably have a war coming."


    Vicky grabbed Emily''s collar, then ordered, "Find Eric''s team. It was his last wish."


    Both of the girls soured immediately as thoughts of how Lucia would take the news that Eric was dead.


    With only one day before the next wave, this was going to be one of the hardest waves since the team had arrived.


    T

 Chapter 25 - Devastation Wave

    T


    The world went dark, then the group found themselves in a desolate wasteland of rocks and heat. There was a massive mountain next to them, as silent and docile as a sleeping cat. There was a small army of adventurers gathering near the base of the mountain, all of them dressed in heavy armor and armed to the teeth. For four particular people, they all gathered on the outskirts of the mass.


    "Has anyone seen Eric?" Lucia asked desperately.


    "He''s hard to miss, but I haven''t seen him," Draco answered, and Lilly agreed.


    "I don''t sense his magic anywhere," remarked Elas. "Lucia, have you grown?"


    The tiger-girl now stood almost up to Elas''s nose, with a much more filled out form that was begging for release from the tight armor. Her face had filled out some, with pouting lips and a cat''s nose that twitched whenever something hit her whiskers. Her eyes were still the same cat-eyes that she always had, but they carried a certain confidence that had been lacking previously.


    "Yeah, I think I''ll need to visit George''s smithee," Lucia said, pulling at the edges of her armor. She looked up to see Emily standing a short distance away, her expression grim. When their eyes met, Emily let out a single tear. The hero of the sword started to approach Eric''s group, silent even as the planes below started to break apart. Draco, Elas, and Lilly all joined in the cry with the adventurers as they swarmed the mountain, but Lucia was grabbed by Emily and held back.


    "What is it?" Lucia asked, but Emily seemed to have a hard time vocalizing what she wanted to say.


    "It... it''s Eric," Emily finally managed to squeak out.


    "Did you find him?" Lucia asked, her hopes suddenly raised. Emily avoided eye contact, wishing she was facing off against demons rather than doing this. But this was her mission, she needed to do it.


    "Eric is... not coming back," Emily finally forced from her gullet.


    "What?" Lucia questioned, confused as her mind failed to accept what Emily had told her.


    "He went to rescue Princess Vicky, and... the church killed him," Emily breathed, looking at the ground to avoid Lucia''s reaction.


    "That''s not... they wouldn''t... the church couldn''t," Lucia was trying to think of any and every reason why this wasn''t possible.


    "Princess Vicky saw it herself," Emily said softly. "The way she described it, I doubt anyone would have survived. The church used a strange magic that brought light down from the sky. The first time they hit him, he was half-dead. The second time, he would have needed a miracle to survive."


    "No," Lucia said, "Eric''s not dead."


    "Lucia, I''m-"


    "NO!" Lucia screamed, "ERIC IS NOT DEAD! HE CAN''T BE-" Lucia was cut off by an explosion that nearly concussed everyone present. All eyes turned to the top of the mountain where an enormous plume of liquid rock suddenly rose into the sky. The magma fell as the ground shook, creating an immediate lava flow.


    Then came the eruption.


    It sent out a shockwave that cleared the skies of any clouds, blowing dirt up and around the mountain. Everyone who had the misfortuned to be standing was sent flying, blowing over each other without even the common courtesy of a ''heads up''. A plume of smoke was sent into the heavens along with a tidal wave of searing magma that came crashing down far too close to comfort. People screamed as the tiniest flecks of burning ground touched them.


    Down at the vally, the confusion of the volcano eruption gave the demons the edge they needed. There was a slaughter down at the base of the volcano as demons ripped people apart, decimating the front line. The bright flashes from Benny''s arrows didn''t even hit any demons, meaning Benny was as disoriented as everyone else. Emily and Lucia looked up at the free flowing lava, then down at the encroaching demons coming from the rift in the center of the valley.


    Everything seemed weighed against the heroes, until THEY showed up.


    Ten figures in pure black suits, each one wearing a single piece of armor over their black cloth. They started to fight the demons, every punch or kick sending monsters twice their size flying like ragdolls. One of the men in black wore nothing but a helmet, yet he managed to headbutt every enemy with devestating effects. The ten figures weren''t just amazing by themselves, they frequently passed monsters between each other, dealing destructive combos with blazing speed.


    Then came a roar as the ground in the valley which had loosed the demons suddenly broke open further to reveal a monster from the nightmares of everyone present. It was easily a hundred yards tall, wearing a white mask with hair covering it''s five arms and eight legs. The monster unfurled massive wings twice as long as it was high, then it opened a mouth that spanned the entire top half of his body. Rows upon rows of jagged teeth filled it''s maw, each one larger than the average person.


    Every adventurer dispaired, crying out in agony or facing the oncoming lava and running for it. This was not a demon they could face, it wasn''t a demon that anyone had the mind to even stand up to. This monster was the sheer embodiement of fear, a creation of terror come to lay ruin to the existence of man.


    Which made it all the less real when the monster suddenly lurched to one side as one of the black clad members was launched at it. What followed was a series of blows that meshed perfectly, creating a web of attacks that both trapped and beat up the monster. A figure wearing boots kicked the one wearing waist armor, sending the waist armament crashing into the monster while another figure went at it from the other side. They worked in perfect harmony, one hit leading balletically into the next. It was almost too perfect.


    "What..." Emily started to say, but she could barely explain what she was witnessing. The fight was breaking up the ground even more than the crack already had, kicking up dust to obscure the exchange. The sound of the monster roaring in pain was as deafening as the volcanic eruption, blowing away some of the people who had stood up. Lucia was in a state of equal distress, her fear and confusion peaking.


    Then came the final combo, when the figure wearing gauntlets tossed the one wearing a helmet while the figure wearing shoulder pads launched the figure wearing boots. They two airborned fighters met in the middle over the monster as it roared at them from below. The two got ready, with the helmet holding onto the boots of his companion. The guy wearing boots started to spin both of them, generating tangential force as they gained speed. The monster let it''s wings flap, pushing itself off the ground with it''s mouth wide open.


    Then the helmet figure let go at the right moment, falling like a meteor directly into the mouth of the leviathin. The helmet fighter disappeared into the abyss of the monster''s mouth, then appeared on the other side having pierced the giant''s body. The beast fell, hitting the ground with a tremor that reverberated across the mountain.


    Everyone watched with baited breath, wanting to see an end to this monster once and for all. There was too much dust in the air, then a sudden plume of dust rose from the ground as the guy wearing boots came sailing down into the dust. The whole world seemed to remain still in that moment, as if Gaia herself wanted to know.


    Then came the crackling sound as the crack in the ground closed. The adventurers started to run, away from the ever encroaching lava that was flowing steadily down the mountain. Having been trapped between molten rock and a hard place, everyone felt unmeasurable relief at having a way out. They ran into the valley as the fissures in the ground closed, watching the body of the mob boss desintigrate into ashes.


    Everyone was ecstatic, except for Emily.


    She rushed in with her sword drawn, swinging it in a graceful arc at the head of the guantlet wearer. There was a strong resistance as the guy wearing armored boots kicked the sword away, narrowly saving his companion.


    "What are you doing?" Benny shouted, "Those people saved us!"


    "They''re the ones who kidnapped the queen," Emily shouted as she held off against the armored figures. "They''re working for the church!"


    Lucia suddenly came flying in, brandishing her own sword to join in the fight. The sheer ferocity of her attacks matched her tiger appearance as both she and Emily worked to fight the black clad figures.


    "Where is Eric," Lucia ordered, plowing her sword into one of the figures. It cut the fabric of the man''s cloth, revealing a thin slice in his skin which steadily bled. He backed up, but couldn''t entirely dodge the tiger-girl''s onslaught. More of the black figures joined, deflecting the blows and defending themselves against the two adventurers.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ??"Stop this," ordered the man wearing the helmet, who stood to the side watching.


    "Then tell me where Eric is!" Lucia cried, slashing hard against one of the men.


    "We have him in custody," said the man in the helmet, crossing his arms. "He''s gravely insulted the church, but he remains useful even while bound."


    "Give him back to me," Lucia ordered, tears blurring her vision. She felt a sudden crack on the back of her head, a pang of pain that disappeared along with all the feeling in her limbs. Lucia fell to the ground, not even using her arms to brace her fall.


    "Eric was a hundred times more powerful than you, and he still fell to the church," said the man wearing the helmet. "You would need to train for years just to match his power, and even then the church would fell you just as they did to him. Give up on your friend, demi-human. You''ll live longer."


    Lucia couldn''t respond, her jaw didn''t work properly, but tears still streamed from her eyes as the men in black walked away. The adventurers stood aside, watching in anger as the men who had captured their friend walked away unabated. Lilly went to Lucia''s side as Elas and Draco both went to confront the black figures.


    "Stop," ordered Benny from the side, "let them go."


    "Don''t give me orders, human," Draco seethed.


    "There''s no reason to fight them," Benny tried to say.


    "They hurt Lucia," Elas growled, "that''s more than enough reason."


    "And they also hurt Eric," Benny said loudly. "He was stronger than everyone here combined, yet they defeated him. I''m not telling you to make peace with them, but save the fight for later when you''re stronger."


    Draco gripped his mace as though he was contemplating attacking Benny, but the dragon demi-human seethed and nursed the wound in his ego. He shrugged off the anger and went to Lucia''s side where he could only watch as a medic from a different party examined her. He felt powerless, even as one of the strongest people in the world, he felt like he couldn''t even lift his mace anymore.


    The previous wave was perhaps the worst in recorded history, with the death toll at nearly half of the entire heroes'' parties. The number of bodies that needed to be carried back were almost too great for the surviving members to handle. If it hadn''t been for the ten mysterious men in black, the heroes may not have made it back at all.


    And that was the most bitter pill to swallow.


    The funeral procession that went through the streets of the capital took the entire day to finish, and by the end, even Juliet was tearing up. The king stood by, said a few solemn words, then asked for others to step up and replace those fallen. A memorial would be made to commemorate those fallen, a large stone monument with all of their names listed on it.


    Emily, John, Benny, Tyler, and Todd all felt like shit, now that reality had reared it''s ugly head. Eric had been such a major influence during the waves, being without him cost the heroes dearly. It was such an ugly realization, the heroes had a meeting afterward in an empty tavern.


    "What are we going to do?" Tyler asked, taking a long drink of hard liqour. "Now that Eric''s not there, the waves are going to be much harder."


    "We could petition the church for Eric''s release," suggested Emily, taking a sip of her own drink. "If the heroes they worship demand it, they might be forced to do what we ask."


    "That would make them look bad," Benny said, "having the chosen heroes asking for help from one of the non-chosen heroes. If anything, we would need to phrase it in a way that discredits Eric."


    "I don''t think they''ll let him go," Todd added some doubt. "I mean, he attacked the church directly. It probably took a lot of convincing just so they wouldn''t kill him."


    "How do we know that he''s even alive?" Tyler asked, looking around the table. "Eric has nothing that the church needs, they can kill him and parade his body in the streets in total justification."


    The scene was all to familiar, a behemoth of a man trapped in a dungeon. Only this time, he was shackeled to two enormous boulders that would have pulled apart a normal man. Each one was the size of a house and weighed three times as much. The man himself was covered head to toe in straps and black cloth, giving him the appearance of a tortured gimp.


    Not Eric''s worst friday night, but it was in the top ten.


    The only door into Eric''s particular chamber opened with intolerable screeching of metal that tore through the eardrums of anyone listening. Once the door had been fully opened, a group of old men wearing red robes entered, their tiny hats looking comically religious on their bald heads. Eric didn''t react to their entrance, remaining as motionless as a cadaever. Once the men had entered, they looked at the bound men in anger. Only his mouth was visible, but that didn''t stop the old man from shaming him.


    "Eric Bane," said one of the deacons dramatically, "I am Deacon Gregory Havershad of the eastern order of the church. I have come here to ask you a few questions."


    Eric didn''t move, not even a twitch as Gregory addressed him. The deacons talked amongst themselves, then Gregory eyed Eric curiously. He clutched the holy book as the bravest deacon approached Eric''s motionless form, getting closer until he was right underneath him.


    "Is he dead?" one of the other deacons asked.


    There was a sudden snort from Eric, then his breathing became noticable as the deacons all leaped in shock. They looked at each other, then Deacon Gregory massaged his temples to calm himself down.


    Finally, Gregory hurled his book at Eric while shouting, "Wake up!" The book smacked Eric''s leg, which made him suddenly snort himself awake at the sudden feeling in his legs.


    "What?" Eric asked drearily as the deacon recovered his book.


    "I''ll repeat myself," Gregory seethed in anger, "I am Deacon Gregory Havershad of the eastern order of the church. I want to ask you a few questions."


    "Didn''t your interrogater get everything you guys wanted? How is he, anyway?"


    "He''s still recovering," Gregory answered in annoyance.


    "Still? I guess I shouldn''t rush recovery. After all, the guy did have his intestines around his neck."


    "Yes, that was," Gregory swallowed a lump in his throat, "gruesome. I thought that I might ask you a few more questions that the interrogator didn''t get to."


    "Shoot," Eric said casually.


    "The most recent wave happened without your interference, and the heroes faired far worse than we had expected. As happy as I am that the magic barrier around the island keeps you from escaping, I need to know the secret for your massive strength."


    "Luck," Eric said simply. "Most, if not all of it, was pure, dumb luck."


    "Would you care to elaborate."


    "No."


    Deacon Gregory breathed in through his teeth, having never been this insulted as a high ranking member of the church. He needed to keep calm, but the usual reverance with which people had regarded him made his skin soft to disrespect.


    "You know, I find it humorous that the hero of the chains are bound by the very things he controls," Deacon Gregory observed.


    "I think it''s funny that a church that worships the Divine Weapons has a full set of Demonic Armor," Eric responded. The deacons suddenly started murmuring amongst each other as Gregory tried to regain control of the situation.


    "Who told you that?"


    "You did," Eric said as honestly as he could muster. "I wasn''t entirely certain, but now I know for sure." Of course, Eric had discovered them a while ago, but the old men didn''t need to know that. The continued murmuring from the deacons made Eric smile triuphantly. He might not be able to see, but he could guess what was happening.


    "You are going to die horribly," Gregory grimly stated.


    "Aww, I love you, too."


    "Do you know what we do to heathens? We strip their flesh bare, keeping them just barely alive with the lightest of healing magics. When they are free of flesh, they are hung from their toes and dragged through the streets as the believers throw glass and lemon juice. Only when you have gone mad will you be granted the sweet release of death."


    "Really? I thought you''d go for the standard crucifixion treatment. To each their own, I suppose."


    "I did not finish," Gregory hissed. "Then we will kill anyone who has ever talked to you as though you were a disease. Every book, every pamphlet, every scrap of paper with a reference to you will be burned to erase you from history. All of the people you''ve tried to help, every soul you''ve attempted to save, even your closest friends; they will all be purged from this world so that you will not even be a memory."


    There was a long silence in the room as Eric''s smirk disappeared, transferring to Deacon Gregory''s lips instead. Believing he had won, the deacon turned around, only to hear a throaty noise from Eric. It slowly grew in volume and frequency until Eric could no longer hold it in anymore. The laughter exploded like the pop of a balloon, filling the dungeon with uncharacteristic cheer. It irked Deacon Gregory to no end at Eric''s apparent lightness of the situation.


    "What is so funny?" the deacon asked with ire in his tone.


    "It''s just," Eric had to force himself to stop laughing, "the interrogator from before said the exact same thing." The laughing grew louder as the leather around Eric''s arms started to bend, the chains that tied him to the two boulders starting to lift the enormous weight.


    Eric was breaking free with a laugh that communicated sheer madness.


    The deacons panicked, rushing from the room as the doors closed with a sickening lack of urgency. Two flashes appeared before the door closed, then the door suddenly crushed the two knights attending it as it was blown outward from the room. The deacons all made a mad scramble for the exit, but Eric stepped out with the mask of his gimp suit torn off.


    Even with a malicious smile on his lips, his eyes communicated an infinite sadness that plagued him. Scars covered his cheeks and around his mouth, taking up most of his face.


    Eric was starting to lose his mind.


    In the dank dungeons of the church, the sounds of screams filled the ears as Eric succumbed to his emotions. Once again, he needed to be subdued, and the surefire way the church had was to fill wherever he was with toxic gas. That caused quite a lot of collateral with their dungeons, but it was all to keep Eric inside. If he were to escape, none of them would be safe.


    Eric woke up once more inside of the same room, only this time he was upside down with his legs pulled in a perfect split to hold up the two boulders. He was once again trapped in the gimp suit, only now there were five times the number of buckles. The more he assessed his situation, the more Eric felt tired.


    He felt like things were coming full circle. This was almost exactly what had happened before he had gotten here. Sure, the order was different, but the pain was the same.


    The pain never stopped.


    So Eric laughed through it, feeling the pulling in his crotch.


    In a solitary cell in the deepest part of a prison nobody knew about, laughter filled the air as the insanity became thicker.


    T

 Chapter 26 - Erics Replacement

    T


    "Lucia, if it isn''t my favorite tigress," George greeted happily. Even when the black smith smiled at the customer, the girl did not smile back.


    "George, I need your help," Lucia said in all seriousness. The air in the smithee became tense as George understood the gravity of the situation.


    "What could I help you with?"


    "Eric''s in trouble," Lucia began, then she went through the story about what Eric had done. George listened intently, absorbing the information as best he could. It took a while for the story to finish, and by the end, the old smithee had a deep frown that accented his wrinkles.


    "I''m sorry," George said sadly, "but I can''t do anything to help you. You would need an army to break him out of there. Nobody in this world is going to help you."


    "What if I told you, we already have an army?"


    George cocked an eyebrow at Lucia as the tigress smiled to show her pearly white.


    "You need armor?"


    "And weapons," Lucia added. "Lots and lots of weapons."


    "How big is your army?"


    "I don''t know," Lucia answered honestly, "I haven''t had time to count."


    "Give a rough estimate," George responed.


    "Maybe... ten thousand?"


    Amassing on the outskirts of Celestial City, a great number of demi-humans were gathering around the city. There was no explanation to their presence, but the church didn''t like it either way. Members were repeatedly sent out to speak with the demi-humans, but the delegates were all sent on a wild goose chase trying to find the ones in charge. The question of why they were there didn''t seem to have an answer, until one of the members came up with an idea.


    "What if they''re here for Eric?"


    "That''s impossible," the pope said calmly, "they don''t have the armaments to wage a war."


    "They don''t need to wage a war with violence," said the attendant wisely, "they only need to wait outside the walls. If they attack any caravans that carry food, we won''t have enough to sustain ourselves."


    "Do you think that''s what they''re trying to do?"


    "No, sir," the attendant answered, "that was only an idea. Although..."


    "Yes?"


    "I was thinking that they might try a night raid," the attendant strategized. "The demi-humans are well known for their superior eyesight at night. If they were able to sneak in during the hours of darkness, we wouldn''t have the defenses to fight them off."


    "Start putting more lights outside immediately," the pope said, his hand sliding up and down his scepter. The attendant bowed gracefully, then turned to leave.


    "Also," the pope called, "send in Deacon Hershel." The attendant bowed once again, then exited the room. The pope sat on his throne with a thoughtful expression until Deacon Hershel arrived.


    "You asked for me, my prophet?" the deacon questioned with a graceful bow.


    "I want you to implement the Iscariots," the pope said.


    "S-Sir, are you sure?" the deacon questioned, a cold sweat appearing on his forehead. "The Iscariots are only for emergency use, shouldn''t we wait until-"


    "Are you questioning my judgement?"


    His voice was natural, but the pope''s threat still reached the deacon''s ears.


    "No sir," the deacon said while walking back towards the door. "Your will be done, I shall arrange to have the Iscariots assembled."


    "Good," said the pope as the door shut behind the deacon. The old man sat on his throne and looked off into the distance, constantly thinking. This situation was unique, it was something that no pope had ever encountered before him. If he could solve it, this would immortalize him in the history of the church. Every measure would be taken to ensure his success.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    The pope sat on his throne for hours, thinking about scenarios and outcomes. It plagued his mind the many thousands of ways this could go badly, but it lightened his mood when he considered the church''s clear superiority. Time didn''t pass for the pope, who was stuck in his own mind.


    At least, not until Deacon Hershel came racing back through the doors in sheer distress.


    "They''re gone!" he shouted with such severity that his voice cracked. "They''re all gone!"


    "What''s gone?"


    It was almost a week later when Lucia came to the edge of Celestial City with several dozen carts of lightweight and easily made armor and weapons. George had worked ceaselessly along with ten other smiths that had been contracted out to complete the order. It drained the combined funds of Eric''s party and some sponsors from Bagonia, but the price was well worth it. When Lucia passed out the plates of armor and swords of iron, she realized just how large of an operation this had grown to be.


    Demi-humans now ringed the city, outnumbering both the population of Celestial City and the local wildlife. The cathedral stood tall and proud, but with the demi-humans completely circling the city, it had become a monument to sin. While Lucia had expected a large number of former slaves to appear, there were a lot of people that had weapons and armor of their own.


    As Lucia helped pass out armor, she was approached by the Midrardian Elas with an envoy of demi-humans wearing purple armor.


    "Lucia, this is General Vener from the Bagonia Royal Gaurd," Elas introduced an alligator with a beard. "General Vener, this is Lucia of Eric''s party."


    "It''s a pleasure to meet with you," Lucia said respectfully, exchanging a handshake with the old alligator. He had the same green scales as all alligators, and his mouth extended a foot out from his head. His white beard jutted out from under his neck down to his belt. General Vener carried himself like a military man, but his reptilian skin seemed to sag from old age. Despite his age, he commanded the immediate space around him just with his presence.


    "The pleasure is all mine," said Vener with a smile. "You can throw aside the formalities, I''m no longer a general of the Royal Guard. I come here on personal business."


    "Okay, do you want to talk about it?" Lucia asked, gesturing to a nearby seating arrangement.


    "I come here to settle a score with the church," General Vener said with a snarling alligator growl. "When I was a Second Lieutenant in the army, my wife and I vacationed here in Lorain while the old king still ruled. We were expecting a child, but then my wife was taken away by slavers. For years I''ve followed her trail, rising up the ranks trying to find out where she had gone. It took a while, but I eventually had to accept that she wasn''t coming back."


    "I''m sorry to hear that," said Lucia sincerely, and the old alligator nodded.


    "It wasn''t until you and your friends liberated the slaves that I felt hope once again that I might meet with my wife," said the old general sadly. It was clear this was hard to talk about, but it wasn''t his first time telling his tale. "When Bagonia finally managed to sort out names and unnamed ones, I happened to see my family name with a first name I didn''t recognize. When I went to meet with this person, I saw a strong young alligator man with a hard look in his eye.


    "He looked so much like me, I couldn''t deny who he was. I felt more guilt in that moment than I had ever felt in my life. To think I had searched for so long for my wife, but I didn''t think to search for my own child. I listened to his story, and I hold no shame in saying that I cried like a babe. When he mentioned that one of his slavers marked him on his back, I asked to see this mark.


    "When I saw that damnable frowing cross, I knew that the church had been holding my boy. I wanted to go to war with them, and probably would have done it alone if you hadn''t organized this militia. I may have given up my position as general to fight, but know that you have soldiers of the elite under your command."


    "Thank you, Sir Vener," Lucia said, "but I''m afraid I don''t command these people. I asked that they come of their own accord, but I never presumed to lead them."


    "An army without a leader is a mob," stressed General Vener wisely. "A single spark could ignite this entire effort. You need to have a strong voice to keep the people in line."


    "I''m afraid my voice isn''t as strong as I''d like," said Lucia, her ears flattening against her head.


    "Why don''t you lead us?" Draco asked, appearing behind Lucia suddenly. "As a General, you''ve got more experience than anyone here to lead an army."


    "I''m afraid I stepped down from my position," said Vener sadly. "The men who have followed me are not under my control, they simply share my experience."


    "Mister Vener," Lucia said, her voice suddenly heavy, "if what you said is true, then this fight may end in disaster. I''m not going to ask General Vener to lead an army, I''m going to ask the father who cares for his son: Please, let us use your voice." Lucia stood up, then kneeled to the old alligator. It was a sign of utmost respect and desperation on Lucia''s part, filling the old gator with a sense of purpose.


    "Men," Vener said loudly, standing up from his seat, "prepare to be soldiers once again."


    Turning away from Lucia, Vener added, "We''ve got a war to win."


    That night, under the many hundreds of fires that ring the city, a figure dressed entirely in black with a knarled helmet walked silently through the camp. He walked like a shadow, staying close to the trees and avoiding the light. As the figure made it''s way through the encampment, he seemed to pause every so often whenever a noise reached his ears. He had the caution of a cornered wolf and the movement of a cat practicing Olympic gymnastics. The density of the demi-human militia became thicker as he got closer, but eventually the figure made it to a large group of purple tents where guards in purple armor stood outside.


    The figure went to the back of the tent and lifted the flap to let himself inside. The inside of the tent had an old alligator looking at a map of Celestial City. General Vener looked up at the black clad figure, narrowing his reptilian eyes at the intruder.


    "Are you an assassin from the church?" General Vener asked quietly.


    "Not in the slightest," said the figure wearing a helmet. "I''ve come here to give you some advice."


    "And what kind of advice would that be?"


    "If you manage to capture the pope, don''t kill him."


    "And why shouldn''t I?"


    "Because that''s my privilege," said the figure angrily.


    T

 Chapter 27 - Discovery

    T


    The attack started without warning, giving Celestial City no time to react. It had only been two weeks since the troops had started to assemble, and now they were attacking with zero training and hardly any expertise.


    Of course, these were not humans who needed swords and shields to fight.


    This was an army of demi-humans, who have claws and scales and teeth. As docile as they can be, when demi-humans move en masse, they are a force to be reckoned with.


    The army sorrounded the city from all sides with arial units dropping in infiltration units from above. The high walls that sorrounded the city were no problem for the hundreds of thousands of climbers, jumpers, and fliers that were invading the religious cult. The front gates fell within minutes of the invasion, increasing the sheer number of demi-humans who were attacking. General Vener had planned the attack, but he was the first one inside the walls to draw his sword.


    Blood was shed from the city guards, who ran in terror from the monsters that were attacking. For a lot of the invading force, this was a chance for revenge. Former slaves, those that have been descriminated against, and the people who have lost loved ones were able to display their rage. Blood flowed like rivers through the streets, driving a lust for revenge like never before.


    This was a crusade.


    Lucia, Elas, Draco, and Lilly all started in the four cardinal directions, then met at the gates of the cathedral. The templars who protect the walls of the church were fighting back with equal ferocity and predjuidice, but the demi-humans had the obvious advantage. The templars fought from behind their shield, the wall that kept the cathedral safe for thousands of years. This was more than a temple of god, it was a fortress.


    Standing in front of the large doors leading into the cathedral''s walls, Lucia, Elas, Draco and Lilly all looked at each other with a smile. They all felt the same way, a mix of adrenaline and deja vu.


    "Allow me," said Draco, stepping forward to the doors. He wore a blood red captain''s jacket that went down to his ankles and boots that belonged to a navy admiral. His face had changed to grow two pairs of horns around his head that were shaped like a crown. He stood boldly in front of the barrier, looking at the armored men that decorated the top.


    "You will never make it in, demons!" shouted one of the door guards. "Turn around or you will suffer the wrath of god!"


    "You should realize by now," Draco yelled back, "that the wrath belongs to us!"


    Draco breathed in deeply, expanding his chest like a frog''s gullet. When he had breathed in as much as he could, he braced himself and blew at the barrier. A jet of fire like the pure, concentrated force of the sun spread across the magical barrier. Draco kept up the flames until the entire barrier was consumed in the flames of a dragon. When he stopped fueling the fire, Draco stood by and watched the fire disappate.


    The barrier stood strong, but the men inside were terrified for their lives.


    "Let me give it a crack," Elas offered, stepping up to the plate. Draco backed away like a gentleman, giving the Midrardian the spotlight.


    Elas braced herself as well, then created a storm of ice and snow that pelted the barrier like the relentless force of nature. It was a spectacle to watch as the entire barrier was encased in ice that swirled and stormed around it trying to break in. There wasn''t a single area that didn''t recieve ample pressure, until the ice was thick enough to support the weight of the entire invading force. Elas stepped back to watch her handiwork as the ice cracked and broke apart.


    The barrier remained, the shards of ice falling off and sliding through the streets onto the demi-humans.


    "Damn," Elas remarked, looking back at Lilly and Lucia to see if they wanted a turn.


    "Wait," Draco said, stepping up to Elas, "let''s try something." Elas bent down so that the dragon boy could whisper in her ear. A smile slowly crossed the big girl''s lips, and she nodded to her tiny dragon friend. They stood a short distance away from each other while remaining close to the barrier, then braced for impact.


    Like twisting anacondas, the two forces of fire and ice encircled the barrier in unison. The two opposing forces generated deafening force, pushing the barrier to it''s limits as the two friends put their all into breaking down the dividing wall. Ice an fire squirmed and struck the barrier, enveloping the entire half-sphere in a magnificent display of power. When they were too tire to continue, Elas and Draco stepped back together to observe their work.


    The barrier remained, still as invisible and impenetrable as always.


    "Hah!" went the cheer from the templars, "We are invincible!"


    As the templars cheered in their safe zone, General Vener stepped forward to regard Eric''s party.


    "How goes the diversion?" he asked in hushed tones.


    "Seems to be working," Lilly giggled at the secret. "Can your guys really bring down the shield?"You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "Of course," said Vener with a smile. "The Church of the Holy Trinity is many things, but it is not mole-proof."


    As he said that, the barrier suddenly glowed a bright blue color, then it began to degrade from the top down. The cheer from the templars were replaced by an overwhelming roar from the demi-human forces. There was a mad scramble inside the cathedral wars to prepare for combat. The arial units already were dropping in from above, the cries of the templars reaching outside the walls to the glee of the ragtag troops.


    When the barrier finaly fell, Lucia, Draco, Lilly, and Elas stormed the castle first. They broke through the doors and fought with devestating ferocity, cutting, pounding, freezing and burning their way towards the main entrance. They made their way to the doors, opening the doors to the cathedral proper. When they managed to get in, they were met with a team of starnosed moles.


    "Oh," Lilly said in suprise, "''mole-proof''."


    "Did Vener tell you that?" one of the giant moles asked.


    "Yes," Draco answered, and they all sighed.


    "The most successful infiltration unit ever, but it''s the same old joke," one of them said exasperatedly.


    "Hey, you guys are the primary fighting team. We can lead you to the dungeon."


    The moles gave Lucia the grand tour with everyone following behind. They passed a circular room that led down another hallway, which opened up into a wide stairway. Lucia felt her heart beating, awaiting her reunion with Eric.


    On the way there, they met with an attendant in white robes who very nearly wet himself at the sight of the dangerous insurgents. Lucia blazed forward, grabbing the attendant by his hood and forcing him to the ground.


    "You''re coming with us," Lucia said solidly, dragging him behind her like a dead weight.


    "Why?" Lilly asked curiously.


    "If Eric isn''t here, we''ll have someone to ask," Lucia explained, gritting her teeth at the thought.


    The moles continued to lead the team further down into the cathedral, passing various empty rooms while the battle raged all around them. The sound of fighting faded as they entered a dank underground, a pure darkness inside. One of the moles grabbed a nearby lantern and headed down first, giving everyone else the light to follow him. The sound of footsteps echoed across the walls as the party made it to the bottom of the stairs.


    Instead of a row of cells or a series of iron bars, there was a single, solitary door. It was heavy, and looked newly installed. It was clear that there was something valuable behind the door with the amount of security required, but that didn''t mean it was Eric.


    Lucia stepped forward and pulled on the door, demanding it be opened either through power or sheer force of will.


    "Hold on, we need to think about this," Elas said, trying to be the force of reason.


    That is, until the edges of the door groaned and the hinges snapped. Lucia pulled with every muscle fiber at her disposal, slowly pulling the giant door from it''s casing. Lilly stepped forward and grabbed ahold as well, pulling with all her might. Draco stepped up, too, then Elas. All together, they made a team effort and pulled the block of metal free from it''s passage.


    Lucia stepped inside and her eyes went wide as a bright glow illuminated her world.


    Sitting in the middle of a room lit with candles and incense was an hourglass about the size of a soda can. The sand inside of it glowed as it flowed endlessly from one end to the other. Lucia stepped forward and picked the hourglass up, looking at it very closely. Though on the outside the top and bottom were covered by wood, the inside simply had a dark void from which the sand would routinely fall. It was an endless cycle, magic pouring in from nowhere and going nowhere.


    "What is this?" Lucia asked, her tone severly wounded. "Where is Eric?!"


    Lucia tossed the hourglass away in frustration, going back to the attendant she had snagged earlier.


    "Where did you take him?!" Lucia shouted angrily, tears breaking through her eyes and falling down here cheeks.


    "That''s enough," said a commanding voice in the room.


    Standing where Lucia had thrown the hourglass was a figure dressed all in black wearing an armored helmet that looked demonic. He held the hourglass in one hand while gazing at the group in the shocked silence. Lucia felt her temper flare, so she released a tiger''s roar that echoed boldly through the cavern. With a leaping twist, Lucia kicked the man in the shoulder, his body twisting at the applied force without breaking. Lucia then pulled around and punched him in the stomach, hearing his breath come out through his visor.


    "Tell me where Eric is you-" Lucia pulled off the man''s helmet in anger.


    Lucia''s voice suddenly failed her, her anger draining away as the man''s face was suddenly revealed. It was horrifying, the entire left side covered in mangled scar tissue. The eye on that side of his face was white, his lips attached by skin that had melted together. All the way around the back of his head down to the hair follicles was just a massive scar. It was entirely lopsided, and the entire room stared in horror at the disfigured human being.


    But the most shocking part, was that the right side of his face belonged to Eric.


    It was Eric''s jaw, his chin, his hair that grew out of control. It was Eric''s eyes that carried an infinite sadness, the same ones that avoided eye contact with his friends. It was Eric''s ghostly smile, the way he seemed to want to smile but couldn''t. It was Eric''s nose, strong and powerful even while half of it was just a scar.


    The black clad figure, the Iscariot with the helmet, had half of Eric''s face.


    Lucia felt her knees go weak as she stared at half of Eric''s face, but the big man caught her with his large hands. Her eyes were pools of salty tears, filling endlessly with no release.


    "I''m not as pretty as I used to be, I know," Eric said now that his voice wasn''t muffled. The silence got even deeper, nobody daring to speak even after Eric''s comment.


    Finally, Lucia was barely able to mouth, "Why?"


    "I think they should explain that," Eric said, pointing to the door.


    Everybody turned around to see nine dark figures blocking the exit. They all had a single piece of armor on their bodies, and each one of them were as tall and broad as Eric. The one in the lead reached up and grabbed his mask, pulling it away to reveal a scarred and disfigured left side and a right side of Eric''s face. One by one, the men in masks all took them off to reveal the exact same face, copied and pasted exactly.


    "Who?" Draco asked.


    "What?" Lilly asked.


    "When?" Elas inquired.


    "How?" Lucia squeaked.


    All of the Eric''s exchanged nervous glances, then in unison, they all answered:


    "It''s complicated."


    T

 Chapter 28 - It Is Very, Very Complicated

    T


    The team of moles politely excused themselves, confused as to what was happening but sensing the upcoming drama. The ten Eric''s all sat around in a circle with his team on the other side. He looked like a class of children about to get scolded.


    "Start from the beginning," Lucia said, "and try to keep it simple."


    "So, I was wondering why Princess Vicky hadn''t retorted to the church on her attempted assassination," the Eric on the far left began to explain. "I went back to the capital and asked George, but he hadn''t heard anything. Nobody knew that Princess Vicky was back in town, so I stormed the castle again and found John. When he didn''t know, I asked him where he wasn''t allowed to go, to which he responded ''the church''. I followed the lead to this cathedral, and managed to break in when the barrier was down during the day.


    "I found Vicky captured by the church, and then I met the pope. He took us to the queen, who turned out to be a slave. The pope disappeared, then we tried to leave, but I felt like something was off. Then they hit me with some sort of sky laser, but it felt... weird."


    "Weird?" Elas asked in confusion.


    "Like, everything hurt, but I was suddenly full of energy," the Eric on the right explained. "I felt like I could lift a mountain. So, I started to feel the laser coming again, so I threw Vicky and her mom out of the cathedral in order to keep them out of the church''s hands. A message popped up for some experience, (I''m guessing one of you killed something), and that I had reached [Lv.100]. Then the beam hit me, and I died over and over again." All of the Erics clutched one of their limbs, reviewing the pain that had plagued them.


    "It was all white, then it went dark after that. I felt... crusty, as if I was covered in rocks and ash. In the darkness, I wanted to die, until a message appeared. It asked me if I wanted to rank up. It took everything I had just to hit that little ''yes'' button. After that, I started to heal. I was put back together piece by piece, like, on the atomic level. It was... indescribable.


    "I was just weak after that. I could barely move, all I could do was sit at the bottom of that pit and look at my tiny hole in the sky. They eventually dragged me out and couldn''t believe I was still breathing. I couldn''t believe I was still breathing. After that, everything went dark. Next thing I know, I''m in a dungeon with giant boulders pulling me apart. I open my inventory and look at my skills, and I see this new one called ''Legion Link''. When I try it out, it makes him."


    One of the Eric''s raised his hand, then continued the explaination, "Legion Link creates a copy of me every time I use it, and I can control all of my copies. I see through all of our eyes, I listen through all of our ears, I feel all of our pain. Even though my strength is split between my clones, I am Legion." To illustrate his point, all but one of the Eric''s closed his eyes, then the one with his eyes opened looked at Lucia.


    "You''ve gotten taller," remarked one of the Eric''s with his eyes closed.


    "And filled out more," added one of the other Eric''s.


    "You''re still as beautiful as always."


    "I know this is hard to accept,-"


    "-but all of these senses bombarding-"


    "-me at once is giving my-"


    "-actual body severe-"


    "-headaches."


    "I think I''m-"


    "-dying."


    "Woah, that''s amazing," Draco admired, "but totally dangerous."


    "What about the Iscariot armor?" Lucia asked, pointing to the random parts of an armor set on each Eric.


    "I found it when my clones were escaping," Eric said with a smile. "They each act like a Divine Weapon, only much more defense-based. I didn''t understand what they were at first, but they helped us escape from the island."


    "Island?" Elas pointed out.


    "That''s where my original body is being kept," said one of the clones. "It''s an island off of the west coast, five miles out into the sea. Trying to swim with ten bodies at once is a mental exercise that I don''t want to repeat."


    "Why didn''t you come and tell us immediately?" Lucia demanded, her hair falling in front of her face like a sulky teenager. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Because it was too dangerous," Eric told them. "They have eyes and ears everywhere, even in the walls. I needed something, something that I could use to bargain for my own life. That''s why I took the queen and provoked you guys, so that you would attack the cathedral and I could get this," Eric lifted the hourglass.


    "What is that?" Elas asked curiously.


    "This is the Celestial Clock," Eric said, flipping the holy relic in his hand. "It''s the source of all natural magic in the world. These tiny grains come from an alternate dimension or parallel universe or something, but they are filled to the brim with magic. This is the source of power for the Church of the Trinity, apparently it''s a gift bestowed by god onto the first three heroes."


    "What about the queen?" Lilly asked, and all of the Eric''s smirked at each other.


    "We were able to track down the guy controlling her and ''asked him nicely'' to relinquish control," said the main Eric. "After that, we talked a lot about what she had missed, about the experiences I had, and about the church in general. Unfortunately, she wasn''t able to send any troops to help, but she promised me something if I''m able to remove the Church of the Holy Trinity from grace."


    "Oh," said Draco, intruiged at the promise of reward, "and what might we be getting for our troubles."


    "Celestial City," the Eric''s said with a smile. There was a hard silence in the room as group glanced at one another, than at the ten Eric''s sitting in a semi-circle.


    "Wait, we''re going to get this city? The one that we''re currently attacking?"


    "That''s right," said Eric, "and this wasn''t a small gift of goodwill. Celestial City is actually a major trading post that sits in an ideal location on the Grand Plains. That''s what the queen said, anyway."


    "Sweeet!" Draco cheered enthusiastically. "I''m gonna be rich!"


    "Onto more pressing matters," five of the Eric''s said in unison, "getting me out of the prison. It''s on an island five miles away from the west, and I need help getting there."


    "I could make a bridge of ice," offered Elas.


    "Five miles?" Eric posed the question. "I don''t want to doubt your abilities, it would be great if you could, but that''s a long way. If the ice breaks up, it might drift out to sea."


    "How should we go about it, then?" asked Lucia, looking at the Eric''s accusingly.


    "Well, it''s crazy," said the one on the right.


    "-but it just might work," finished the one on the left.


    "Our man on the inside should be able to talk his way out," the Eric''s all said with a crooked smile.


    "Aevum Immortalis Sonus," Eric said with a short smile. "Aevum Immortalis Sonus."


    Eric repeated it over and over, like a mantra of insanity to himself inside of his solitary little cave. Since his last incident, he was now confined to the bedrock itself by bonds that have existed to hold beings much stronger than him. The chant increased until Eric was shouting it at the top of his lungs. He made it into a beat, he made it into a song, he raised his voice until the heavens themselves could hear him.


    The sound of his jail door opening suddenly made Eric stop and listen. He was unable to turn his head, so instead he swiveled his eyes as much as he could to see the man standing just far enough away. He was an old man dressed in white robes with a sour look on his wrinkeled face.


    "Where did you learn those words," the pope ordered, clearly in no mood for jokes.


    "Where do you think?" Eric shot back, his throat dry and his voice depraved. The pope looked at this twisted shell of a man, finding it hard to take him seriously. Those were the words that had been engraved on the Celestial Clock during it''s creation.


    "When were you able to read the Celestial Clock!" the pope shouted in anger, spitting a little.


    "Oh, that''s interesting," Eric said, ignoring the pope''s outrage. "Your real name, it''s Clyde?" The pope was silent for a long time, looking down at the single greatest annoyance of his life.


    "Where are you getting this information?"


    "I have eyes and ears in places you can''t even imagine," Eric growled, hissing at the pope. "I''ve got all of your best toys, Clyde, and don''t think that I''m not willing to use them. Look at you, the pope of the most successful religion in the world stuck on an island forced to ration food. What kind of existence is that for such a powerful individual?"


    "I''ve listened to silver toungues before, monster," the pope said without much interest. "Give me back the Celestial Clock and the Demonic Armor, or you will never see the light of day."


    "Oh, I''m fine with that," Eric said, "I burn very easily, after all. But what is the leader of a cult without any of his little followers? You''re a fake, Clyde, but that''s all fine. I''ve got something you want and you''ve got something that I want."


    "Are you proposing a trade?"


    "I''m asking for a sign of good faith," Eric groaned angrily. "If you''re willing to open negotiations, I''ll have all of my friends come with everything that I''ve stolen from you."


    "You''ll return the Celestial Clock and the Demonic Armor? What''s your price?"


    "All I want, is to be out of here," Eric said, his face contorting into desperation as he tried to fight against his bonds. "All this moisture in the air isn''t healthy for my skin. I''ll get wrinkles!"


    "Very well," the pope agreed, "I''ll agree to meet with your friends under the notion of peace. But take heed, as soon as they step onto this island, the will never leave."


    "Then, you''ll let me go?" Eric asked pleadingly.


    "Sure," the pope said easily, "you can return to the mainland as soon as we recieve the Celestial Clock and the Demonic Armor."


    "Deal," Eric said, tugging at his restraints in order to get comfortable. "Oh, and if you try to stiff me on this," Eric''s voice suddenly became rougher than hell, "I will kill you."


    "I''d like to see you try," the pope smirked, turning away with a regal gesture of insult. What the pope didn''t know was that Eric had a smile on his face, an honest, pure smile. There was finally at a light at the end of the tunnel, a way that this could all work out.


    Eric would finally get his rest.


    T

 Chapter 29 - Negotiations

    T


    The trip to the coast had been more comfortable than Lucia had expected, especially since the entire group was on edge expecting an attack. The church had displayed their diplomacy policies before, and that had almost cost a queen and a princess their lives. The forests were serene, the plains were ideal, and the small villages where they rested were perfect little hamlets. The ride might have been one of the most enjoyable of Lucia''s life if she hadn''t been planning hundreds of scenarios for when they were attacked. It was nerve-wrecking hysteria that made the rest of the group anxious.


    "Where did we get this nice of a cart?" Lilly asked to assuage the tension.


    "We''re loaning it from the queen of Lorain," said Eric, or rather, the Eric that was sitting with his group.


    "Are we friends with them?" Draco asked in some confusion.


    "Not yet, be we aren''t enemies anymore," explained Eric calmly. "The queen and I had a very long talk and we''ve reached an armistice, of sorts. As long as we are against the church, we won''t have any misgivings with each other."


    "What about the king and the princess?" Elas asked.


    "They will be punished," Eric said, then smiled with only half of his face.


    Lucia was listening, but she wasn''t watching. Ever since Eric had revealed the scarred face that he had, she found it hard to look to him. He understood, he didn''t like his face either, but Eric felt alienated by his best friend and it was starting to hurt. The mangled skin was reminiscent of many horrible things that the former slave had witnessed, a chill ran down her spine everytime she saw it.


    Eric tried not to let it bother him, but now that his other copies could peacefully snooze in the back cart, he had enough of a mind to think about things. He thought about his conversation with the queen, the many things that she revealed to Eric during their conversation. He thought about his feelings for Lucia, and the feelings for his squad in general. He thought about why the church would need an island five miles off of the coast.


    When the queen was a slave of the church, she could still hear things that they said while being unable to react. She revealed one of the darkest secrets of the church to Eric in hopes that he might spread the information wisely.


    There were no possible applications that Eric could think of, but this was much more of a conspiracy than he could think with everything he had going on. Despite being the lonliest loner, Eric needed to get help.


    "Guys, I need your brainpower," Eric''s clone admitted.


    "What is it?" Elas asked curiously.


    "The church is researching for ways to open portals into the demon world. They''re doing their research at the island that I''m being incarcerated at." Once again, there was silence in the carriage, but it was Elas who spoke up.


    "So?"


    "I can''t think as to why they would be trying to open up a portal into the demon world," Eric admitted, "and it''s bothering me. They are the ones that worship the heroes, but they keep Demonic Armor and even try to summon demons. Something just doesn''t add up!"


    "They seek power through fear," Elas said wisely. "The church sings of days when the demons will no longer force humans to suffer, but the whole reason the church exists is because of the heroes fighting the demons. If you take away the demons, then the heroes are just normal people with extraordinary weapons. The church needs the keep the demon hordes coming to our world in order to remain in the position of power they have built up over the years."


    Everyone was silent, glancing at Elas in some confusion. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    "That was... insightful," Lucia said awkwardly.


    "Do you think I''m stupid?"


    "No, it''s just... you don''t seem like the conspiracy type," Draco covered.


    "You guys!" Elas cried, offended that her friends thought so little of her. "Eric, did you doubt my intelligence?"


    "I know you''re not stupid," Eric alleviated the situation, "but I didn''t know you were smarter than me." That was exactly what he needed to say.


    "Well, I wouldn''t say smarter," Elas tried to back down from embaressment.


    "No, I never would have thought of that," Eric admitted honestly. "Kudos to you for that."


    Elas brushed a deep crimson, chilling the carriage ever so slightly. "Let''s not make a big deal out of this," Elas tried to calm the waters.


    "No, I think you should give yourself some more credit," Eric splashed happily. "In fact, what do you think we should do for this upcoming fight?"


    "Um, well, I think we should take advantage of the situation as soon as possible," Elas tried to think on the spot. "Then, we can take the island as a whole when the templars are trying to regroup."


    "Okay, how should we deal with the pope?"


    For the entire rest of the trip, Elas was made to plan out the entire scenario with questions constantly bombarding her. It got to the point where she was getting a headache from all of the constant thinking. That night, Eric endeavored to stay up with Elas to plan, but she told him to go away. In the morning, the group continued to pester Elas about plans until she finally said it.


    "I don''t want to be the smart one," Elas admitted, tired of the constant questions and pressure on her ideas.


    "Okay, we''ll stick with your plan so far and just iron out the little details," Eric agreed, but he couldn''t help his smile. The time that he had spent giving Elas a hard time had allowed him to think about what he wanted to do. There were things that he didn''t understand, but he had an idea of what the church had in store.


    If it was how he was thinking, he would need a lot of rest beforehand.


    At the port town of Dunwal, the party arrived with minimal problems. There was a heavy air in the town that the group attributed to the lack of people. It was a total ghost town, not a soul to be seen, and it frayed the nerves of the entire group. They got out and searched the town for any sign of life, and discovered that it was completely devoid of life. The houses looked recently vacated, as though the entire town had just disappeared in the middle of the night.


    As they searched, a man wearing the black robes of a priest approached from the harbor with a gentle smile. He regarded the group with warm welcomes, and they responded in kind.


    "Welcome, heathens," he greeted with an unnatural smile.


    "Nice to be here, papist," Elas shot back, making Eric feel proud.


    "Where are all the townspeople?" Lilly asked curiously.


    "They were evacuated when they heard that the devil''s rejects were coming," lied the priest. "Now, if you don''t mind, the negotiations should begin soon.... Wouldn''t want to further dirty the Celestial Clock, now would we?"


    "That would be a shame, but we mean to give it back anyway," Lucia retorted with a sour sneer. "Show us to the port before we kill you all out of common sense."


    The priest grunted, but turned around and started to walk towards the pier. Even while he walked, he tried to get a few insults in under the guise of talking about the town.


    "This town is usually a trading port, meant for sending cargo around the coast," the priest said as they approached a series of large caravels.


    "The main export is beef, chicken, and some inedible chunks of furry meat in cages. We are the second most profitable city on the continent behind Celestial City, but our tourism trade has been hurt by the recent attacks on the church."


    At the port, the group got onto a small boat that looked like it would be used for war. It was long with only a single sail that could have capsized the boat if it hadn''t been for the metal underneath. The group got on reluctantly, then were told they had to be searched.


    "For what?" demanded Draco credulously. "We''re going to a castle with your guards on your island with your magic? Why would you need to take our weapons?"


    "Are you demons so averse to peace that you carry your weapons to negotiatans," the priest insulted.


    "Fine," Draco begrudgingly unbuckled his sword from his side, then he pointed accusingly at the priest, "but if this goes wrong, I''m killing you first." The priest rolled his eyes, but secretly shivered under his coat.


    The whole team removed their weapons and gave them to the templars, who put them in a chest on the ship. Once everything was settled, they set off from the pier ever so slowly. The templars were watching the group closely, making sure that they didn''t try anything.


    Little did they know that the eight count of men in black would be their gravest mistake.


    T

 Chapter 30 - The Trap is Sprung

    T


    The island was within sight, and the team was able to get an accurate estimation of how large it was. The island was about a mile in diameter with a singular castle in the center made from ancient stone. There was no vegitation on the island, only a small patch of grass around the perimeter of the castle which already stuggled to survive. There could be seen glints of light as the armor of the many templars shined against the break in the storm. The sky grew foggy with dark clouds looming on the horizon, giving the island a sense of imminent danger.


    On the approach, the twelve members of Eric''s negotiation party were all as calm as a still lake. They were liesurely relaxing on the boat, with Elas even building a chair of ice with which to lounge. Draco was lying on a few bags of sand as though he was expecting a platter of delicacies to be brought by one of the templars. Lucia was propped up against the side of the ship with Lilly napping lightly on her thigh. The eight covered clones of Eric were all relaxing in various positions around the ship, completely at ease.


    Once the ship made it to the port, the templars did all of the work to get the ship onto the pier. The party stepped off the ship, stretching their arms and legs until they were told to stop stalling for time. The group then climbed the short way to the entrance of that castle. It was eerily silent for a fortress, but the group entered without issue.


    "This way," said the priest, gesturing towards a neaerby door that led further into the castle.


    "How did you manage to build this entire castle so far away from the shore?" Lilly asked curiously.


    "We didn''t," was the priest''s response, "it was already here when we got here. From the tomes that we''ve been able to decipher, this used to be the home of an ancient hero."


    "An ancient hero?"


    "Yes, one of the oldest summoned heroes from the beginning of recorded history," the priest elaborated. "Back then, the demons were an existence that lived in this world. They were a nation of their own until the heroes were able to push them back into their own world. Those were dark times of which the heroes saved us all."


    The priest led the group through a few halls were templars lined the walls, then into a room with enough chairs to occupy an entire office building. There was a table in the center that already had a lot of the church''s upper echelon discussing something. They immediately went silent when Lucia, Elas, Draco, and Lilly stepped into the room.


    "Stay in the halls," Lucia told the eight figures in black. One of them nodded, then closed the door leaving the room silent with tension. Lucia eyed the pope, who returned her ire with a hard glare.


    "Where are the items we discussed?" he demanded, and Lucia turned to Draco. The dragon-man reached into his jacket and pulled out a glowing hourglass about the size of a softball. He handed it to the rabbit demi-human, who handed it to the tiger demi-human, who set it on the table. A lot of the church officials shifted in their seats that the demi-humans had been so provocative in all of them touching their most sacred item.


    "And the Demonic Armor set?" the pope continued.


    "Not until we have Eric," Lucia told them flatly. She put her hand on the Celestial Clock and said, "This is as much goodwill as we''re willing to forward you without any results. Take us to Eric right now, or you will never see your Demonic Armor ever again."


    "I''m afraid that''s not possible," said the pope with an eery smile. "You see, your owner, Eric Bane, is currently undergoing work to remove his Divine Weapon." If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "WHAT?!" Lucia shouted, almost roaring outright.


    "It''s clear that he doesn''t have what it takes to control the power he was bestowed by god," the pope continued, "so we''ll be taking that power back. Someone who is more appropriate will be the one wielding the Divine Weapons."


    Lucia grabbed the Celestial Clock, tossing it back to Draco who caught it with a single hand.


    "Don''t think you''ll get away with this," Lucia told the pope, but the old man just chuckled.


    "And where exactly do you think you will go?" the pope questioned with a crude smile. "The instant you stepped inside of these walls, the ship you came in on left. You have nowhere to go!"


    "Then neither do you," Lilly reminded them.


    "That''s what you think," said the deacon to the pope''s right. After he said that, the deacon suddenly went entirely limp, dropping to the floor with blank eyes. One by one, every member at the table suddenly went limp and dropped to the floor, giving the impression that there was some gas in the room.


    "What is this?" Elas demanded, covering her mouth in case it was some gas in the air.


    "It''s the slave seal," said the pope, opening his robes to reveal the sigil of the slave on his own chest. "If used on a cadaver, it can be turned into a puppet."


    "You bastards!" Lucia shouted angrily. "Don''t you realize that we still have your Clock and Armor?" Right after she said that, Draco''s hand went to his coat pocket. He reached in, then took off his coat and started to shake it mercilessly.


    "It''s gone," Draco said, looking at the coat with wide eyes, "the clock is gone."


    "It''s your own fault," said the pope with a grin, "you were the ones who decided to fight against the heavens. Now you shall know your sins."


    With those final words, the pope suddenly went limp, with his head rolling forward with dead eyes. He smacked his head on the table, then rolled onto the floor with the rest of the upper echelon. The seething rage that Eric''s team was feeling suddenly subsided, suddenly going from anger to the status quo. Lilly knocked on the door, then one of the covered figures opened the door and peaked in.


    "How did it go?" Eric''s clone asked curiously.


    "Perfectly," said Elas with a wicked grin, "they shouldn''t suspect a thing."


    "And the Celestial Clock?"


    "They took the bait," Draco said with a smile.


    Sitting in a room almost identical to the one that their puppets had occupied, the old pope looked at the table where a glowing Celestial Clock was sitting. It''s shine was enough to illuminate the entire room on it''s own, and the clergy which sorrounded the table stared at it in awe.


    "Brother''s," the pope declared grandly, "today, we have our victory. With this, the scourge of Eric Bain will finally be silenced."


    "Yes, great father," said the clergy in unison.


    "Activate the portal," said the pope with a victorious feeling in his chest. "Let the heathens drown in their own kin." The clergy left the room, giving their respects to the pope as they all left the room. Once the entire room was empty, the pope relaxed a little while staring at the Celestial Clock. It''s brilliant glow seemed to have a calming effect, filling the old man with a sense of justification.


    ''For this,'' he thought to himself, ''I would give my life.''


    The pope reached out for the old fashioned grain clock, but then he squinted his eyes to see through the light. He grabbed the glass containment, feeling the edge of the wood for the engraving around the side. He turned it over, feeling all around it until he finally felt a very short message that had been carved into the side of the clock.


    ''Fooled you.''


    A feeling of indescribable rage filled the pope, and so he threw the fake to the ground hard enough for it to shatter. The old man clenched a wrinkled fist, his blood pressure rising as his anger rose to boiling point.


    Then his face went ghostly white, as he realized the implications of what he had done. The pope sat in a room alone, thinking on the implications that the end of the world was nigh. When the portal was opened, the demons would pour in endlessly, spreading like a plague as the world watched in horror. The silence was as suffocating as any noxious gas, leaving the old man to his misery.


    T

 Chapter 31 - The Final Wave

    T


    Coming out into the chilled, ocean air, Lucia felt an unusually cold chill start to swirl around her. She looked back at Elas, but the Midrardian girl didn''t look disturbed. The stone walls stood strong, bearing the weight of the ocean breeze greatly. Even then, the courtyard started to develop a wind all it''s own, slowly getting stronger until it was hard not to notice.


    "Elas," Lilly started to say, but Elas cut her off.


    "It isn''t me," she told her bunny friend.


    "Then what is it?" Draco asked, holding his captain''s jacket closed.


    "Draco," Lucia pegged curiously, "are you cold?"


    "Yeah, this it''s freezing," Draco hissed, buttoning his jacket shut.


    "How are YOU cold? Even when we were on the mountains you were in the tropics?"


    "I don''t know," Draco whined, pulling the collar up on his jacket as the cold grew colder.


    A sudden burst of wind accompanied a loud cracking sound, like the sound of a canoe snapping in half. The wind all went to the very center of the castle, where there was a fracture in the universe. It bent light around it, creating a fracture in the world itself. This wasn''t an uncommon dealing in the world, but it had never been this close before.


    Draco, Lilly, Elas and Lucia all stood amazed as a demonic portal began to open right in front of their eyes.


    "What the hell," Draco swore, his hand immediately going to his side where he usually kept his sword. He grabbed empty space, looking down only to be reminded that he had been disarmed at the beginning of this little excursion. The sound of crackling reverberated as the group started to shuffle their way out of the castle.


    Then it broke apart completely, a rift into the demonic realm that seemed to drag in everything around it. Only, now things started to pour out of it in excess, hideous monsters that seemed to be half-formed growths which had no true form. There was groaning and growling from the mass, but each individual thing seemed to climb over the next. It was a wave that crawled towards the four adventurers, trying to get at the fresh meat.


    Suddenly, the ground shook as the sound of godly laughter echoed across the world. A message popped up in front of Eric''s party, but they ignored it until they got outside of the castle. They shut the door, then held it back as they looked around for the boat. It was sailing off into the distance, too far to even properly identify it.


    "Woah, that''s a lot," Draco said in shock, looking at the message in front of him. Everybody read the tiny blue screen that had appeared, but none of them could properly vocalize their opinions.


    Exp:13,834,325 Gold:829,485


    "Where did this come from?" Lucia asked, but then she heard a glorious sound.


    "AREA CONSTRICTION," Eric shouted, then the ground quaked. Lilly was shaken to her bones, Draco''s scales stood on end, Elas breathed a frozen sigh of relief, but Lucia could only smile. The sound of fighting was erratic and heavily destructive, with Eric laughing maniacally all the while.


    The group stepped away from the door to let the demons out, watching them scurry down the road without even glancing at the humans. They seemed frightened, moving as quickly as their half-formed bodies could manage. It was all for naught as a hammer suddenly flew out and obliterated them into squishy jelatin. The hammer floated still for a few moments, then it was dragged back through the door by an invisible force.


    Looking into the castle grounds, Lucia almost cried when she saw Eric standing on a pile of bodies that led up to the fracture in the universe. He was standing there triumphantly, looking up at the sky where the storm clouds were encroaching on the blue sky. The fracture was still open, but Eric didn''t seem to mind it''s presence as his eyes finally landed on his four companions.


    "Sup, mofos?" Eric asked, a smile forming on the edge of his lips. "Miss me?"


    "Eric!" Lilly shouted, leaping across the huge gap and tackling the big man down the pile of bodies. They tumbled down together until Eric rolled onto the ground with his little bunny. "Oh my gods, I missed you!" Lilly nuzzled into Eric''s shoulder until his body covered mose of her. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "Fashionably late, as always," Draco said, running up the bodies then sliding down himself even as more poured out.


    "You''ve got a lot of explaining to do," Elas chastised, but she hugged Eric anyways.


    Then Lucia stepped up, looking at Eric with a very stern expression. The tension in the air suddenly rose, even as the portal to a demonic realm remained open. Lucia''s tiger eyes stared into Eric''s sad blues, mixed emotions swirling around. Lucia suddenly lashed out and slapped Eric across the face, the sound of the slap seemingly silencing the world around them. There was a moment''s hesitation as Eric''s head remained facing away from his first friend, and his greatest companion.


    Then soft hands guided Eric''s face down as Lucia pulled the big man in for a kiss.


    Eric didn''t resist, he just slowly closed his eyes as his hands moved on their own. They slowly encircled Lucia until he was embracing her passionately, then he lifted the girl so that she was on his level. The kiss was sweet, like honeysuckle straight from the hive. The two seemed to melt into each other''s embrace until the kiss was broken and they breathed deeply into each other.


    "Ahem," Elas coughed awkwardly, but was then punched by Lilly for ruining the moment. Lucia only now seemed to notice that she was almost two feet off the ground, and Eric didn''t realize how red his face was becoming.


    "I hate to be the dragon of bad news," Draco cut in, "but the demons are still coming."


    He was right. As tender as the moment was, it didn''t stop a demon infestation.


    "Allow me," Eric said, a smile forming on his lips. He took a few steps away, then flexed his entire body with a hard grunt. His shadow seemed to come alive, forming a dust that wrapped around him like a blanket. Eric was entirely consumed by this darkness, which slowly started to take form. Eric had a twisted helmet that led naturally down to a black chestplate with a linked stomach section. The shoulder pads had horns similar to the helmets'' horns, and the guantlets both had minor spikes on the end. His lower body had fewer horns, except for the tips of the boots. All of it was as black as night, deeper than any void and as impenetrable as a diamond.


    "The Demonic Armor," Draco said while Lilly whistled in admiration. Then two bright flashes occured simoultaneously, and Eric was holding the divine weapons of the hammer and chains. Then he disappeared from sight, and a wave of trudging demons suddenly blew apart like water. Liquid body parts went flying as the dual power of Demonic Armor and Divine Weapons gave way to an entirely new class of power.


    Eric was greater than a one-man army, he was an unstoppable force that doubled as an immovable object. He was a war god on steroids with an adrenaline kick. He was a blur, nowhere yet everywhere. Nobody knew what they were witnessing, but they saw the demon numbers quickly dwindle.


    Eric stopped, skidding to a halt next to Lucia. He was drenched in black blood and his face was hidden, but everyone knew that he was smiling under his mask.


    "I know I''ll stop asking this question eventually," Elas began, "but how did you do that?"


    "My dopplegangers all had a piece of Demonic armor that they were levelling up on their own," Eric tried to explain. "When we joined, I got all of that experience as well as all of the perks that we had accumulated. I''m currently level three hundred and forty-three."


    "Cheater," Draco said, but his smile broke the seriousness in his voice.


    "It gets better," said Eric, "Legion Link."


    Eric seemed to seperate down the middle, almost as if he was tearing himself apart. The skin stretched until it started to mirror itself, then the two Eric''s pulled apart completely. Both of them were wearing Demonic Armor and carrying the Divine Weapons, which drastically increased their individual power. One of them disappeared, still as fast as Eric was before, now he was able to divide his attention.


    "Let''s go somewhere quieter," Eric suggested, looking at one of the doors that led into the castle walls. He motioned for his group to follow as he entered, letting them in one at a time. When Lucia passed him, he slapped her lightly on the butt, making her yelp in surprise.


    When the group found a dining hall that had been completely cleaned out, they all sat down to start strategizing.


    "So, what is that thing?" Lucia asked.


    "Best guess," Eric thought, "it''s a portal to the demon realm."


    "Okay, smartass," Lucia retorted, "how did it get here? The next wave isn''t supposed to be for another two months."


    "The church must have opened it. I didn''t think they had the ability, but apparently they do."


    "So how do we close it?" Lilly asked the more pressing concern.


    "Not a clue," Eric admitted, then he looked at Elas for answers.


    "Are you going to make me think again?" groaned the Midrardian regretfully. "Well, we can usually just close the portal by wrapping your chains around it." Everyone looked at Eric for a moment while he closed his eyes. From outside, the sound of fighting was interrupted by an inaudible shout, then the fighting continued.


    "Nope, didn''t work," Eric said, opening his eyes with a scowl.


    "Wait," Lilly cried excitedly, "what if we need to close it from the other side?"


    "What?"


    "Well, think about the way we''ve been doing it," Lilly started to explain. "Whenever the demons open a portal, it''s like a door that swings out to our side so that only someone on our side can close it. Except now, we''re the ones who pushed the door open, so we can''t get to the handle that closes the door."


    "Let me get this straight," Eric said, looking grimly at Lilly, "you''re telling me that one of us needs to go into the demon realm and close it from that side?"


    The entire room became silent except for the ceaseless fighting happening outside. Even though nobody wanted to say it, they all figured it out for themselves. Somebody needed to stay behind in the demon world.


    "Guys, I want you to help me with something," Eric stated, relaxing his shoulders.


    T

 Chapter 32 - The Final Moments

    T


    Eric looked down at Lucia with a brave smile, even though she was struggling not to cry. They were facing each other and holding hands, with Elas next to them. Draco stood behind Eric, even the dragon boy was starting to break down. Behind Lucia was Lilly, who was already shedding tears as quietly as she could.


    "Let''s begin," said Elas, her voice threatening to crack under the pressure. Eric and Lucia faced the Midrardian, so Elas begin, "We gather here today, dearly beloved, to celebrate the union of the two strongest fighters ever to grace the world. In this time of sacrifice, we must look for happiness anywhere it can be found. Would you two please take each other''s hands and tell your truths."


    Lucia and Eric once again grasped each other''s hands, looking deeply into each other''s sadness as the tigress began.


    "When I first saw you, I was terrified. You were three times my size and probably could have broken what little hope I had left. I had been beaten before, crushed until I could barely even glimpse the light, and made to do unspeakable acts against my own kind. I could only think of escaping, of punishment, about what kind of horrors you would put me through. Even when you showed me kindness, I could only think of your betrayel.


    "Then we went to a diner, and I needed to know why you chose me. It was strange to be treated with kindness, I wanted to know what to expect. Then you told me about your sister, and I felt that, in some way, you loved me. Then when you caught that chair, and a guy called us monsters, you did something I had never seen before.


    "You stood up for me, Eric. You were ready to fight a random stranger for someone as worthless as me!" Lucia was starting to break down, tears steadily streaming down her cheeks. "You made me feel like I meant something, as if I wasn''t some trash to be used and thrown away. I was so happy, I couldn''t help but see you differently.


    "Even back then, you stopped being the person who owned me. You became the person I followed of my own volition. Even when you released me in the dungeon, I tried to beg Tyler to speak with the king and have the charges disbanded. You got so angry with him, it made me even happier. I knew you cared about me, that I could always count on you to stay by my side."


    Everyone looked at Eric, who seemed as stoic as ever.


    "When I first saw you, I felt like I was in pain. It just hurt somehow to see you. I didn''t understand it until later that you reminded me of my sister. Whenever you were afraid, of me or anything else, I wanted to protect you. When I thought about my sister, I realized that, if I wanted to really protect you, I''d teach you how to protect yourself.


    "Once you started to grow, I didn''t see you as the little sister I''d lost, but the beautiful girl you had become. I felt so angry inside for thinking of my little sister as a woman, I couldn''t properly come to terms with it. When I ran away, I just hadn''t confronted those feelings and needed time to adjust. I didn''t actually think that the princess thing would turn out to be all of this," Eric gestured around at the situation in which they found themselves.


    "When I was imprisoned, even though I could have escaped anytime, I waited to try and figure out my feelings. It was back then that I decided, if I ever got out, I would marry you. I planned out dates, things we could do, how I wanted to propose. You have no idea how far this is from what I was planning." Eric laughed nervously, looked at the ground as some tears started to well up within his eyes, then he met Lucia''s gaze.


    "I love you, Lucia," Eric said with no shame, "and I always will. Every second I spend in this other world will be looking for a way out. If I ever manage to find you again, I will make it the greatest day of your life." Eric looked at Elas, giving her a short nod.


    "Then, we shall begin the ceremony," Elas announced to all four attending people. "Draco, will you please offer up the rings."


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ??Draco stepped around Eric, then handed Lucia and Eric each a ring. The shaking and rumbling outside intensified, but Eric gave no indication of being troubled.


    "Eric, do you take Lucia, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"


    "I do," Eric said, sliding a ring that was a little too big over Lucia''s finger.


    "Lucia, do you take Eric, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"


    "I do," Lucia said, trying to force a ring that was way too small onto Eric''s finger.


    "I think our rings were switched," Eric guessed, chuckling a little as Lucia removed her ring. She slid it easily over Eric''s finger, then he did the same.


    "With the power vested in me by the hero of the chains," Elas announced ceremoniously, "I now announce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."


    Eric could have planted the heaviest, sloppiest kiss onto Lucia''s face, but he took a different route. The huge man leaned down and planted a very light, very delicate kiss onto Lucia''s lips, then let her take over. She got the message somehow, then grabbed Eric around his neck and pulled onto him. Lucia was practically climbing on top of Eric like a tree, smashing their lips together until Lucia initiated some tongue.


    What followed was five minutes of the wettest, soggiest, drooling, moist make-out session that any of them had ever seen. Lilly started to blush until her hairs were standing on end and her bunny ears were curled into corkscrews. Elas, the ice queen, was suddenly warmer than she had ever been. Draco was turned around, his hands in his pockets as he tried to cover up a growing issue.


    Lucia finally broke for air, leaving a winded Eric to inhale desperately though his mouth. They had to take a second to breathe before glancing around at the incredibly embarressed atmosphere.


    "Lucia," Eric breathed, "I swear if I ever get back, we''re celebrating our honeymoon immdediately."


    "I''ll be waiting," Lucia coughed as some phlem got stuck in her throat.


    Eric stepped outside dressed head to toe in Demonic Armor with a massive hammer in one hand and a long line of chains in the other. His clone was out waging war against an ever increasing mass of monsters. They stood on a pile of bodies that had already filled the courtyard so that the original ground couldn''t be seen. Eric leaped into action, swinging his chains and destroying the most recent addition to the horde.


    The two Eric''s leaped at each other, slamming hard into their shoulders. Like a closing mirror, the two combined until they were one and the same. Then, Eric began a crusade of slaughter that ended with him disappearing into the portal.


    From the vanguard of the castle, the four adventurers watched as the portal began to close slowly in three sections. Once it was closed, even the placad Elas broke down. Draco was the only one who remained on his feet, acknowledging the sacrifice Eric had made. Lilly and Lucia were hugging each other and crying desperately, needing a shoulder to cry on.


    On that day, Eric Bane made the ultimate sacrifice. Some people say that they would walk into hell for the people they love, but Eric Bane was the only man ever to put his money where his mouth is. He had lived through more pain and suffering than most people would encounter in three lifetimes, but he rose above all of it. His team solemnly returned to the mainland walking over a glacier of ice, and told the heroes of Eric''s fate. At first, they didn''t believe, but the Divine Clocks no longer counted to the demon''s return.


    In Celestial City, at the gates of the former Cathedral, stands a statue of Eri Bane. It depicts him rising from the ground, bearing chains wrapped around his body and the mark of the slave on his forehead. Around him is a tiger, a dragon, a rabbit, and a warrior. It''s made of solid gold and was donated by the monarchy of Lorain to commemorate Lucia''s installment as mayor. At the base of the statue there is an inscription that reads:


    "Here stands the eternal memory of Eric Bane, Hero of the Chains and savior of the world. On ?? day in the ?? month of the ??? year, he gave the ultimate sacrifice to close the very gates of hell and end a reign of terror that had plagued the world for generations. Because of his heroic sacrifice, the Waves have ended and the demon threat is no more.


    May you never be forgotten, and may your words live eternal."


    Underneath the inscription were four quotes:


    "You can hit me, you can spit on me, you can do whatever you want; but you will never call my friends monsters."


    "Nobody can tell you what you are. Hero... Monster... all that matters is what you decide."


    "I don''t fight for myself, I fight for the people I care about."


    "I do."


    T

 (Extra) A Happy Ending

    T


    Standing at the edge of a forest, a figure in a wide cloak stepped from the shade of the leaves into the light of the day. Beyond the forest was a wide field that had a river cutting through it, and over the river was a large city with an enormous white building in the center. The figure stopped his march, staring out across the scenery with awe. The distant hills appeared as mountains, and the greenery all around had a serene quality. The gentle brush of a breeze pushed the hood ever so slightly, but the figure pulled down on it to hide his face.


    His hands were large, but they were a deep grey color, like the ash in a long dead fire. The cloaked figure continued his walk, his feet barely making a sound as if he floated lightly over the dirt path. His pace was slow, but he was able to get where he was going.


    Arriving at the outskirts of the city, the figure was greeted by a tall man wearing leather armor. The man stopped the cloaked figure with a hand, but didn''t show any animosity.


    "Excuse me, sir," the guard said respectfully, "but would you kindly remove your hood."


    Without a word, the figure took his hood off, revealing a face that only a mother could love.


    His face had the same ashen grey skin that his hands had revealed, but on his forehead were two little horns poking out of his skin. His eyes were not blue, but a vast black color that had no discernable pupils. His ears had sharp turns in them, coming up to simple points. His chin was cracked into hexagonal pieces, and underneath the cracks glowed with a blood red color. The skin around his left face was slightly different from the rest, but not in an incredibly noticable way.


    Despite his hellish appearance, the cloaked man looked incredibly depressed. The entire structure of his face seemed sad, as though he had suffered some terrible tragedy. His eyes, while black, appeared to be struggling with deep inner conflict.


    The guard drew back at the sight of the demonic man, fumbling for his sword. The guard tripped over something he hadn''t seen, falling backwards until something caught him during the fall. Turning back to his savior, he noticed that it was the demon whom had stopped his fall.


    The guard quickly scrambled away, drawing his sword and pointing it at the demon with a trembling hand.


    "What business have you here?" the guard demanded, his voice threatening to crack.


    Instead of responding, the demon bent down and started to write in the dirt. The letters were upside down so that the guard could read them.


    ''I''ve come to see Lucia for a cure,'' were the words in the mud. The guard looked at how the demonwouldn''t catch his eye, almost as if it was ashamed of itself.


    "Come with me," the guard told him, "and keep your face hidden."


    The demon pulled up his hood and followed the guard through the busy streets. The sound of people hustling about, shouts of vendors, and the giggling of children filled the demon''s ears as he kept pace with the guard. So many of the denizens were of mixed races, there were actually demi-human children playing with regular humans. Times had clearly changed.


    The closer they got, the greater the large white building became. It stood taller than any other building, with more than twenty stories in the tallest tower. The marble stone that it had been cut from created a shining clean aesthetic which matched the mood in the town. When the two passed through the gates of the wall sorrounding the white castle, the hooded figure suddenly stopped. The guard turned around to see the demon staring at the statue.


    It gleamed with a brilliant gold luster, the very heroic stance of an enormous man rising out of the ground. Around him stood a small dragon, a sleeping rabbit, an armored warrior, and a pouncing tiger. There were chains wrapped around all of them as depicted by the statue, making it seem like they were pulling against the chains. On the plaque below was a symbol of chains, and an inscription.


    "Here stands the eternal memory of Eric Bane, Hero of the Chains and savior of the world. On ?? day


    in the ?? month of the ??? year, he gave the ultimate sacrifice to close the very gates of hell and end a


    reign of terror that had plagued the world for generations. Because of his heroic sacrifice, the Waves have


    ended and the demon threat is no more.


    May you never be forgotten, and may your words live eternal."


    Underneath the inscription were four quotes:


    ''You can hit me, you can spit on me, you can do whatever you want; but you will never call my friends monsters.''


    ''Nobody can tell you what you are. Hero... Monster... all that matters is what you decide.''


    ''I don''t fight for myself, I fight for the people I care about.''


    ''I do.''


    "That''s the greatest hero," the guard narrated, grabbing the demon''s attention. "I used to live in a small village that had been attacked by the demons. Even when they were defeated, their blood contaminated the water, forcing my family to move away. We went to some family on the border with Bagonia, then the hero started to free all of the slaves. I didn''t care until the slaves all came through our town, and I suddenly knew why he had done it. When the army was gathering for the attack here, I came to help them out. I was a little too late, but I stayed here to help manage afterwards."


    The demon looked at the young guard, then smiled lightly. It''s teeth were jagged and broken in a few places, showing tusks that didn''t overlap the lips. The smile disappeared swiftly when the chatting in the courtyard suddenly came to an end. The guard followed the demon''s line of sight, then saw why everything had gotten quiet. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Walking with all of the grace in the world, a woman dressed in light armor was floating on her feet towards the entrance. She was talking with a large black man that had a handlebar moustache and an afro, making him look like Black Dynamite. The woman had the beauty of a million beauties, her ample figure and elegant face giving her a regal persona. The woman had lovely hair that was colored orange and black, with feline ears and eyes.


    "Miss Lucia," the guard called out, grabbing the woman''s attention.


    "What is it?" Lucia asked, her voice very gentle yet with authority.


    "This man seeks your help," the guard told her, and the cloaked demon fell to his knees.


    "I''m sorry, but I''m very busy," Lucia apologized sincerely, "maybe I could get someone to help you. What is your affliction?"


    "Sir," the guard said softly, putting his hands onto the demon''s shoulders, "tell her your affliction."


    The sound of sniveling could be heard as the cloacked demon tried to remain hidden, holding his hands beneath his cloak. In his eyes were tears of blood red, falling down his cheeks and pooling at his cracked chin. He was afraid, more afraid than he had ever been in his life.


    "Lucia, I need to talk to you about the crops we got from Midrard," said a familiar voice, and a red dragon demi-human appeared with a regal red suit that had black coattails. He stood as tall as Lucia with a large number of tiny horns growing where his hair should be. His eyes were reptilian and some parts of his neck and hands had red scales on them. "We''re already running out, they''re a huge hit at the restraunt and we''ve got orders coming in constantly."


    "I''ve got a lot to deal with already, Draco," Lucia said apologetically. "I''ll try to remember it, but remind me later to ask Elas about it."


    "Who''s this?" Draco asked, gesturing to the cloaked figure.


    "He''s a man who needs help," the guard answered softly.


    "What''s going on?" came another voice. The demon looked over to see two pairs of legs walking towards the group.


    "Elas, Lilly, I thought you guys were going to Midrard," Draco said in some surprise.


    "We were, but I felt something very powerful coming towards the Guild," Elas answered, looking around. "It''s really close, and stronger than anything I''ve ever felt."


    The demon lent forward until his forehead smacked the ground, bloody tears streaming from his eyes. He couldn''t do this, it was all too much. He couldn''t face these people, not now that he''d changed.


    "Sir," said Lilly, getting on one knee and putting a hand on the demon''s back, "I can feel your fear. You''re practically shaking the ground." Something spread across the demon''s back, then two arms squeezed him with a gentle hug. "It''s okay, nobody''s going to hurt you."


    That was the kind of anonymous boost that the demon needed, so he rocked back onto his knees with his head down. Taking in a deep breath, the demon reached up and grasped the edges of his hood. His hands shook violently, but the hood came off without being snagged on his horns.


    When his face was revealed, there were gasps from Lilly and Elas. Lucia looked at this man with pity, and Draco had a hard time looking directly at the horrific appearance. He knew that his face was a nightmare made reality, but he needed these people to accept him.


    "Eric?" said a confused voice. The black blacksmith stepped forward with no fear, no disgust, and he bent down to look more carefully at the demon''s face. "Eric, don''t you recognize me? It''s George, the blacksmith!"


    The demon looked at this mustachioed black stereotype, then smiled just a little bit.


    "You sunovabitch," George cried, suddenly embracing Eric in a manly hug. They squeezed until George tapped out, then Eric glanced up at Lucia for her reaction.


    The tigress was crying heavily, covering her mouth with one hand as she reached out with her other hand towards the demon. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Her chin wrinkled, her nose crinkled, then her knees went weak. She fell onto the mountain of a man, who caught her with open arms. The embrace seemed to last forever, an eternity spent in each other''s arms for the perfect moment. More arms suddenly started to envelope Eric, comforting him as they all cried like children.


    "I''m back," Eric whispered, more to himself than any of his companions. "I''m finally back." The dogpile didn''t lessen, but Eric stood up with everyone''s weight on him. Nobody asked him what had happened on the other side, nobody asked him how he had managed to escape, and nobody asked why his appearance had changed.


    Instead:


    "We have some unfinished business," Lucia told her new demon husband with a grin and a suggestive gaze.


    Lying in a ruined bed, an ashen Eric Bane was looking up at the cieling next to an out of breath Lucia. Both of them were buck naked and reeling from the intense exprerience they had just shared. The bed was almost completely destroyed, with splinters all across the room. The sheets were soaked in some places and ripped in other places, but the bed wasn''t the only disaster zone.


    There was a large mirror along one wall that had been smashed repeatedly, some glass falling to the ground. A dresser that had once carried the clothes of important people was toppled over with intermittent holes in it. All along the walls were claw marks and scrapes of varying sizes, and the marble floor had been cracked in more than a few places. A chandelier that once hung above the bed was now laying on the floor with some of the glass ornaments missing. Every window had been shattered, even the tiny one in the bathroom.


    "Woah," Eric stated, still looking up at the cieling.


    "Wow," Lucia agreed, letting her head flop lazily to the side so she could look at Eric. She saw his horns, his black eyes, his cracked and glowing chin, then she smiled. Crawling onto her husband and lightly nibbling his ear, Lucia asked, "Ready for round two?"


    Eric smiled, a true and honest smile.


    From down in the courtyard, the ground shook repeatedly in rapid succession as the sound of rolling thunder could be heard from the cathedral. Elas, Draco, and Lilly were all sitting on a bench looking awkwardly at the ground as a sudden wailing scream pierced the air for miles around. The earthquake rose in tempo before dropping out altogether, then Elas looked wearily at Draco.


    "Which number was that?" Elas asked with a dry mouth.


    "Four," Draco answered, then the ground started to shake again. "On to number five."


    "Guys," Lilly spoke up with some concern, "do you think we should tell them the entire city knows what they''re doing?"


    "Naw," Draco replied, looking at a section of the cathedral where the windows were shattered, "we''ll let them have their fun first."


    T

 999 - Shameless Promotion for Typhon

    Check out one of my other stories!


    They''re really good, and I don''t post them if I don''t like them!


    Wooooh! Free novels!


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


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    Gotta hit that 500 character limit.


    _


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