《Man of Earth》


 Prologue: The Death and Life of The Man From Earth

    I woke to a blinding light that pulled me from my delirious state and into full consciousness. The light seemed to come from in front of me, but aside from that, my surroundings were non-existent, not black, but something I couldn¡¯t quite comprehend, as if nothing was there, no light, no dark, just nothing. I tried to turn my head, to look at my surroundings, but found I couldn¡¯t move, rather, there was nothing to move, I had no physical body.


    ¡°Greetings, I am Lilah, goddess of science.¡±


    The light flickered in response to the voice, which was feminine, and seemed to filled the space around me. The voice was calm, and collected, sounding like a parent trying to calm their child. The light shifted, as if readjusting itself but still maintaining it¡¯s current brilliance which my eyes never seemed to adjust to. Though now that I thought about it, I may not have eyes, or the capability to adjust, so it was only natural.


    ¡°Do you know your name?¡±


    The question sounded calm and disinterested, but retained a certain dignity that could only come from a goddess. I considered my answer, thinking back as far as I could, but found nothing. I remember what my anatomy was like, but no specific features, I recalled words, but none that seemed familiar, so I thought harder, trying to force my mind, or whatever I had, to bring back memories, but to no avail, I had forgotten everything.


    I tried to respond, but no sound came out, and the silence continued on as the light waved and flicked back and forth looking like the sun shining through water. The light brightened, dimmed slowly, and I thought I may have heard a sigh lightly pass me by.


    ¡°You will be able to recall that with time.¡±


    The light grew vertically, and I was barely make out the figure of a person, though I couldn¡¯t tell any specific features, I was certain it was humanoid.


    ¡°As for now, I will relay your circumstances.¡±


    The light suddenly pulsed, and changed color, casting an image on my surroundings and creating an image, a ball with an odd design, a mixture of blue, green, and white that seemed to overlap each other, and a shadow covering about a third of the left side painting a beautiful picture.


    ¡°You were from a planet called Earth, you, along with the others of your kind were known, collectively, as humans.¡±


    The image suddenly pulsed, and rapidly approached, showing the world in more detail until the image of a man, dressed with an odd assortment of leaves and vines, with the occasional wooden tool tucked in various places, stood. He was surrounded by a forest, filled with wildlife that I couldn¡¯t identify, dashing back and forth, completing various tasks as they disappeared out of my line of sight, some up trees, some off into the distance, while some stayed on the ground and scampered off to my left or right.


    ¡°Humans, Earth, and all the beings on it are of my creation, and therefore based solely on science, surviving without any assistance from magic.¡±


    The image faded, and was replaced by a small village made up of wood cabins, standing in a field, with humans dressed in assorted clothing made from the raw natural materials around them, moving around the village. The sun was bright, and unhindered by any clouds, so I guessed many of the humans were inside the cabins, seeking shelter in the shade.


    ¡°Long ago, when your world was still a newborn one, I allowed humans to roam about without any limitations, and explore their world with unbound freedom. That¡¯s when I saw the true nature of humans for the first time.¡±


    Fire enveloped the entire image, surrounding me while flickering back and forth, casting shadows on the burnt ground that was barely visible through the flames. Two figures appeared, facing each other, though only their silhouettes were visible, the intent to kill was obvious from the way they moved.


    ¡°Humans are filled with greed, seeking to benefit themselves, while making the weak pay the price, which slowly built a hierarchy based on combat ability.¡±


    The two figures dashed at each other, before turning into black mist, and fading away to reveal another figure who emerged, bending the flames around him to his will.


    ¡°The world of man was divided into four clans, each with a chief that acted with sovereign power.¡±


    Three more figures emerged from behind the first, each standing while exerting authority and power.


    ¡°It was then a prayer reached my ears, a cry for help from a small child who was being surrounded by several men with malicious intentions.¡±


    The flames and the four men disappeared, and were replaced by four different figures, lean and tall, standing over a small child, who was crying in fear of the men.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°In my anger, I killed the men, and handicapped all of humanity, taking away any excess abilities that they could survive without.¡±


    The men disappeared, turning into dust before the child.


    ¡°However, these creatures are still my creations, and I allowed them to continue from then on leaving the greatest gift of all in tact. Their free will. Their nature didn¡¯t change, and I could not change it without taking the one thing that makes them living beings away, so I left them to do as they pleased on that planet, letting my greatest masterpieces distort themselves while I turned away.¡±


    Sadness was now audible in the voice¡¯s tone, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel the weight of the goddess¡¯s words press down on me. The image of the child stood, and began to grow, and age, all the while changing it¡¯s surroundings, clothing, and looks as time flashed by in a moment.


    ¡°Humans kept up their war for power, sometimes raging and enveloping the entire world, while other times fighting it with words and underhanded tricks, all the while studying and growing, building empires using science to it¡¯s maximum potential, before discovering something new and opening a whole new world to explore.¡±


    The aging child stopped, and stood, wearing a suit and tie, no longer a child but a grown man. He was standing in the middle of a road, large, metal vehicles rushing back and forth, passing him by as if he wasn¡¯t there. Buildings were visible in the background, though indistinguishable from one another, creating a dull, grey atmosphere that suited his weary face.


    ¡°Currency is key in this world. If you don¡¯t have money, you will suffer and be looked down on as less than human by many. In this world you ran out of money, and borrowed some, but was unable to pay it back which resulted in your death.¡±


    The images faded, and the white light returned to normal along with the empty surroundings.


    ¡°In life you were not perfect. You didn¡¯t do everything right, in fact, you did almost everything wrong, but there was one thing that remained constant throughout your life: you are incorruptible. Though you often did things wrong, you only did things you considered right, whether it was accepted or not by your peers and never caved to any sort of pressure you were under. You are not the kindest person, nor the smartest, or weakest, or strongest. You did not accomplish anything remarkable in your past life, saving no one¡¯s life and ended up dying due to your thick-headedness. That¡¯s what I need right now.¡±


    The light grew slightly brighter, and I think I saw a shadow pass across the light, but just for a moment before it was gone.


    ¡°I made a bet with the god of magic, Mystic. A bet on whether or not one of my creations in it¡¯s prime could survive on a world that functioned almost solely on magic.¡±


    The light grew brighter, almost as if it were approaching me, eventually blocking out the nothingness around me while the flickering became imperceivable.


    ¡°All you need to do is survive. You don¡¯t need to worry though, I have returned all the gifts I took from your kind, along with body from your previous life, so you shouldn¡¯t have much trouble in trying to survive. You will be able to move things without touching them, freeze things, burn things, teleport, fly, with a single thought. Your strength and agility will be incomparable to your previous life, giving you the ability to dodge or damage almost anything they throw at you with just your physical abilities alone. You will be able to read emotions just by being near someone, though you can¡¯t read thoughts, you can almost tell exactly what someone is thinking solely based on their emotion. In this world you will not only be able to survive, you will be able to roam, and do as you please, which is why I needed someone like you, someone that was incorruptible, to preserve this world.¡±


    The light overwhelmed me, everything turning solid white, with the exception of a faint shadow shifting back in forth directly above me.


    ¡°In this world there are no other humans, only creatures of magic, but most will be weaker than you, so be careful not to harm anything you don¡¯t want to when you exert your strength. You are now, in both mind and body, indomitable.¡±


    The light began to fade, and the scenery around me materialized slowly. When I came to my senses, I saw I was under a tree, the trunk running up to my right, breaking off into branches, each with light peeking out from behind the leaves as they swayed lightly with the wind, which I could feel brush past my face. I have a body again, and not only that, I could feel, and move it. My head was lying down on something hard, probably a root, so I shifted my head a little, allowing me to see a deep blue sky with a couple of birds flapping nonchalantly in the distance. Something shifted to my left, and I felt the air around me shift in response.


    ¡°Ah! You¡¯re awake! Thank god, for a while I thought you died!¡±


    A face appeared over me, looking down at me with curious green eyes that seemed genuinely relieved. A small nose sat below the eyes, and a slender mouth below that, long, straight blond hair fell down around me and the person in front of me, but at the moment, I could only focus on one feature that stuck out from the others: pointed ears.


    ¡°Say something! Can you move alright? Don¡¯t worry, I know healing magic!¡±


    The person in front of me became a little distressed after seeing the look on my face, which was likely revealing my surprise. The person began chanting something, and an ethereal golden light began to emit from various parts of my body, but I was still focused on the ears, watching them with wide eyes.


    ¡°Are you... an elf?¡±


    ¡°Yay! I fixed him!¡±


    The elf brushed her hair back, revealing once again the ear that had caught my attention with a bright smile, celebrating her ¡°victory¡±. I didn¡¯t want to assume her gender, but there is no way a man exists that is this beautiful, however I still haven¡¯t seen her(?) body yet, so I can¡¯t know for sure.


    ¡°What do you mean? Of course I¡¯m an elf, can¡¯t you see my ears?¡±


    She turned her head and pulled back her blond hair to reveal a long, pointed ear, confirming her species. She quickly turned her head back, letting her hair fall down, and brush against my face. I noticed her face hadn¡¯t moved away from mine since I woke up, and to be honest, her staring was beginning to make me uncomfortable.


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±


    I asked, trying to figure out what her curious eyes were so interested in while sliding back slightly to escape the penetrating gaze. She cocked her head to the side, and squinted at me with eyes that seemed to be trying to pry free any secret I might be holding on to.


    <ul>


    <li>¡°What are you?¡±</li>


    </ul>

 Chapter 1: Ella of The Elves part 1

    I lay in silence for several seconds, contemplating my response. If I tell her that I¡¯m human, it will probably just confuse her, but I am clearly different than anything she¡¯s seen before. I wonder if I could somehow change the subject. I looked up at the green eyes that were returning my gaze, though filled with more curiosity.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    I inquired, but then started beating myself up on the inside, realizing how stupid someone would have to be to fall for that. However, the curiosity vanished almost immediately and was replaced by the brilliant smile I saw earlier, as she leaned back, allowing me to move more freely. I sat up and looked around, noticing a massive meadow with waist-high untrimmed grass that flowed and rippled as the wind blew through, giving off an almost wave-like image. Hills surrounded me, creating a small valley where this tree I am under grew, the only one in my line of sight, though my vision is limited by the hills.


    The sun was high overhead, and I was thankful for the shade, though I had no idea of how I got here, so I turned over to the elf next to me with a couple of questions prepared. However, when I did, the words caught in my throat, and I nearly choked, but was fortunately able to keep my cool. I looked over at her again, this time a little more prepared, and saw a young elf girl, though in mythology elves lived a long time so it¡¯s hard to be sure, with a short, tight, green skirt on, and an equally short, tight green shirt that revealed her stomach and lower back. Though I tried not to, I couldn¡¯t help but notice the fantastic curves that were barely hidden by the outfit that was clearly made for mobility over protection. She was crouched down, reaching for a long stick about as tall as her, that was lying next to her on the ground with several intricate carvings engraved in it, and picked it up.


    She stood facing me while holding the staff vertically in front of her with her right hand in a clearly well-practiced pose, however the wind and already fantasy-like background caused it to be very picturesque.


    ¡°My name is Ella Woodlocke, I am a proud elf of the Greenwood forest, and a master magician at that! Now, It is my turn, what is your name?¡±


    An overly enthusiastic answer caught me a little off guard, and I just froze for a second, trying to recall my name. A memory flashed through my mind, I was looking up at an older man, maybe in his forties, wearing blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black cowboy hat with a black strap held on by a silver buckle, a tree engraved on it, wrapped around the crown.


    ¡®Dad, can I wear your hat?¡¯


    The voice came from me, and was directed toward the man in front of me, who must have been my father. The man looked down at me, and smiled, a soft look filling the otherwise hard face, as he crouched down to my level.


    ¡®Now, there, you know you can¡¯t, not until you¡¯re a man, remember?¡¯


    I could feel the disappointment, but nodded anyway, I¡¯m sure a sad look was on my face, because the man chucked to himself, then wrapped his hands around my chest, and stood up, raising me above his head to where I could almost touch the roof. My disappointment gone, I laughed and enjoyed myself while imagining I could fly.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Ash, that day is not as far off as you think.¡¯


    The memory vanished and I snapped back to reality, and the girl facing me with an expectant look. I inhaled deeply, then stood, slowly and carefully, still not sure what condition I might be in, and looked at her with a blank expression that I seemed to habitually keep on constantly. I recalled my name from the memory, the older man that must have been my father called me Ash. I like it, so I don¡¯t think I will change it.


    ¡°My name is Ash. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Ella.¡±


    I force the blank expression off my face and offer the most sincere smile I could muster up while introducing myself. Her smile broadened as she swung the stick around, placing it at her side while pointing at me with her left hand.


    ¡°Nice to meet you too! I look forward to being your master!¡±


    A brief silence followed, only interrupted by the shuffle of leaves in the wind as we stared at each other for several moments, letting her words sink into my mind. She added something on the end I didn¡¯t really understand, but said it without any hint of hesitation or restraint, which threw me off a little. I adjusted my stance, and unconsciously reached toward my head, feeling for something that should have been there, but wasn¡¯t. My head felt bare when I touched it, only my short, prickly hair rubbed my hand, filling me with a certain emptiness that I couldn¡¯t really pinpoint.


    Ella seemed to notice my gesture, and cocked her head to the side, letting her hair tumble down her left shoulder, which was then caught by the wind, that was beginning to pick up, and blew it behind her.


    ¡°Are you looking for your hat? It¡¯s right there!¡±


    She lifted her right hand, clutching the staff, and pointed toward the tree I was lying next to with the base of the stick. I turned towards where the staff pointed, and my eyes settled on a black cowboy hat, a silver buckle reflecting sunlight that had managed to sneak through the leaves and branches of the tree. A mixture of relief and nostalgia filled me when I looked at the hat, as if I had just found a missing piece of myself, and I approached it. I bent over, and felt the smooth leather, gently brushing the buckle with my hand while feeling the tree engraving with the tips of my fingers.


    After a few seconds, I took a deep breath before lifting the hat to my face, and slowly placing it on my head, feeling the comforting hat filled with memories I have yet to discover hug my head. Confidence that was previously lacking filled me, and I stood up, pushing my shoulders back, smiling slightly as fresh air filled my lungs.


    ¡°Hu hu hu, you don¡¯t need to fear, I take good care of my possessions.¡±


    Another remark reminded me of her current mentality, for some reason she was convinced I was her slave, or servant, and seemed genuinely convinced. I turned to face her, bringing up my newfound confidence to my throat and spoke clearly, surprising myself with how much easier it was to talk when I could feel the cowboy hat on my head.


    ¡°What do you mean possession? I don¡¯t remember anything about becoming your slave.¡±


    The look in her smile changed, and she gave off an aura I didn¡¯t really understand while looking at me with eyes filled with a mixture of determination and excitement. The wind was blowing at a constant rate now, and the grass whipped back and forth in response while the tree that was standing to my right began to shed some of it¡¯s drier leaves. Large, ominous clouds could be seen forming on the horizon, flashes of light jumped back and forth, illuminating the looming blanket that was covering the distant sky.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°I prayed and prayed to Mystic for a suitable man, dissatisfied with the ones currently available to me, but there was no response. I continued to pray for several months, but nothing changed, and my father was not helping at all, constantly beating the crap out of any man that came within ten feet of me, so I went out in this field to pray to Lilah, the goddess of science, hoping she would understand. No sooner had I finished my prayer when a bright flash of light nearly blinded me, followed by a voice saying: ¡®Please take care of him¡¯, then vanished, leaving an unconscious boy wearing tattered clothes in it¡¯s place.¡±


    I looked down at myself, and sure enough, my clothes were torn to shreds, blue Jeans cut into strips and drenched in blood, and my black T-shirt barely hanging on my body, looking as if it was run through a blender, and my shoes were non-existent. I still didn¡¯t understand how me appearing before her makes me hers, and I returned my eyes to her, trying to keep my focus on her face.


    ¡°So...¡±


    ¡°So, goddess Lilah took pity on me, and gave me you! Therefore you are mine! Don¡¯t worry, as I said before, I take good care of my possessions.¡±


    I don¡¯t think I am perverted enough to willingly become her possession, well, at least I hope I¡¯m not. All I know about myself is my name is Ash, this hat means a lot to me, and the stuff that the goddess told me, which honestly makes me wonder whether I am a good person, or a bad one. In any case, I don¡¯t know anything about this world, and will likely get myself killed if I try to figure it out on my own, so I do need a guide. I looked back at the girl who had gone back to her normal self, if it could be called normal, and was muttering incoherent nonsense, while hugging her staff and swaying back and forth.


    The wind was picking up now, and the clouds had been approaching at a rapid speed, likely bringing a terrible storm in it¡¯s wake. The branches of the tree shook, and the leaves began to fly off into the rapidly disappearing blue sky before disappearing completely out of sight. Whether I liked it or not, I needed this girl, not to mention I felt a sense of duty to keep her safe from the storm, though I didn¡¯t know why or how I would do that.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your possession, but you did help me when I was unconscious, so I suppose I could humor you for a while. Not to mention I don¡¯t know where I am, so I don¡¯t really have a choice.¡±


    She stopped celebrating, and placed the base of the staff on the ground, leaning on it slightly as a pouting expression appeared on her face. Her cheeks puffed out, and she pursed her lips, her eyes expressing her displeasure, looking not unlike a spoiled child who was just told no.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to make it sound that bad. We¡¯ll get to do all sorts of fun stuff together.¡±


    The clouds were now on top of us, blocking out the sun, though Ella didn¡¯t seem to notice, she just continued to pout and mumble at my non-submissive response. The wind was whipping violently now, and the entire tree shuddered from the force as the wind passed through, howling loudly as it flew through the hills. The grass was lying almost flat on the ground, occasionally rippling, and I considered letting her know about it, but then figured it would be impossible for someone to miss this and dismissed the though, not wanting to sound condescending.


    She paused her tantrum, and looked around curiously at her surroundings, before turning around to look at the storm that had, until now, had been approaching her from behind, and let out a little squeak, bringing her left hand up to her mouth. It may be safer if I just travel alone.


    ¡°Dad... Mystic damn them to hell!¡±


    She cursed out loud in frustration, flailing her arms the way a child would if someone took away their toy, and honestly, I thought it was pretty cute. A near deafening rumbling noise vibrated the ground around me and spread into the air, causing my flesh to tingle, and my hairs to stand on end. The clouds now blocked out the entire sky, making the world around me turn nearly as dark as night, while the wind blew various small objects around overhead. The sky shifted and moved around acting like waves in a turbulent sea, crashing into one another, and swirling around.


    Something large began to emerge from the clouds, smooth, round, and extremely large, at least the size of a small town, and was made of a dark wood that melded with the ominous clouds around it. As the object descended, more was revealed, the large figure of an elf¡¯s face came into view, followed by a rudder on the opposite end, sinking below the clouds, the object came into view for the most part. It was a massive ship, with an elf¡¯s face as the figurehead made of a near-black wood, the six masts stretching upward until they disappeared into the clouds. Hundreds of smaller ships, about the size of a ship I would consider ordinary, appeared from the deck of the ship, filling the sky as they descended down in my direction.


    I don¡¯t know why, but I couldn¡¯t stop watching, I was a little scared, but my curiosity greatly overwhelmed my fear, and I just stared at the approaching ships with growing interest. The large ship had stopped a couple hundred feet off the ground, and allowed the other smaller ships to approach, led by one with four masts, and two visible decks, that was double the size of the others. Gold plated the outside of the ship, creating a large contrast from the sky and other ships, which were all grey and black, and emitted authoritative aura.


    The largest of the smaller ships approached until it was right in front of us, wind seeming to eject from the hull, pulling up the dirt, and causing the tree to crack and bend, and I held on to my hat to keep it from flying away. After this happened, I figured it would be a good time to start creating an escape plan, since I was still unsure if they were a friend or an enemy, and stepped up next to Ella, who was now watching the ships with a pouting face.


    ¡°Should we run?¡±


    I asked simply, and she just scoffed, and turned her head away from the golden ship that was hovering in front of us and towards me.


    ¡°I would, but it¡¯s useless. My father¡¯s ships would catch us before we got far.¡±


    Wait a second...


    ¡°Did you say your... father?¡±


    Something disconnected from the ship, descending rapidly to the ground, moving the speed of a bullet before landing. There was a small shockwave that caused the ground to crumble and explode outward in every direction, just missing Ella, but covering me in dirt. A man stood, muscle rippling across his whole body, seeming almost like he would explode if he flexed, and long, blond hair flowed down his shoulders, covering his head aside from his face, and two large pointed ears that peaked out through the golden threads. He wore a long, black and gold robe that was studded with diamonds, with fine plated armor placed in strategic places, and there were likely more hidden underneath. The man stood tall, puffing out his chest in a pose that would intimidate the most resilient of men.


    ¡°Ella, what were you thinking!? I was so worried!¡±


    My image of him was shattered as soon as he laid eyes on his daughter, quickly approaching, bending down on one knee and wrapping her up in his arms, with tears visible on his face. She struggled for a moment, wrenching an arm free from his grasp, and pushed on his shoulder, the difference in their sizes was ridiculous.


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re embarrassing me in front of my guy!¡±


    The large man¡¯s eyes turned towards me with an expression that suited his figure better, one filled with suspicion and ill intent. He looked me up and down as I removed my hat, brushing the dirt off, before returning it to my head and doing the same to the rest of my body. The wind had died down, but the sky remained dark, and the twisted tree and torn-up ground added to the effect, but I remained calm, since panicking would probably do more harm than good in this situation.


    ¡°I see... I¡¯m not sure what it is, but it does, at least, seem to be male.¡±


    The large man¡¯s voice was filled with hesitation and disappointment, likely because I was of an unknown species, and only came up to his waist. He shifted, releasing his daughter from his grip, who landed on the ground gracefully, then followed up with a less than graceful kick to her father¡¯s knee. He ignored the attack, or perhaps just didn¡¯t notice it, and his gaze remained fixed on me, half glaring and half measuring me up.


    ¡°A man my daughter has selected, huh. It¡¯s so scrawny though, and no magic to speak of... I might as well give him a chance to prove himself.¡±


    The large man returned his gaze to his daughter, and patted her on the head lightly before placing his hand on his knee, and pushing himself up, returning to his full height once again, and stared at me with a determined look.


    ¡°I, Charles Woodlocke, declare that any man man who intends to marry my daughter, Ella Woodlocke will have to be able to protect her! Therefore, you will have to pass my test for me to consent. You will face me in a sparring match!¡±


    Wait, did he just say marry?

 Chapter 2: Ella of The Elves part 2

    I stood in an arena, reflecting on the past few hours leading up to this moment. After boarding the golden ship that had descended down to Ella and myself via a wooden board that acted as an elevator, we began our short trip up to the much larger ship that was still sitting half-way in the sky, ominously hovering a couple hundred feet over the ground, yet still managed to pierce the clouds. Ella filled me in on the current circumstances, while omitting the tedious and boring stuff due to time restraints, and only telling me what I needed to know.


    Ella was the daughter of Charles Woodlocke, the elf king¡¯s right hand man, and the greatest warrior in all the elven kingdom, with a perfect record of 794 wins and 0 losses, though that only counted the fights that were recorded. His daughter, Ella, was the light of his world, and he made a demand when his daughter came of age to marry, to discourage the men who sought after her for lustful or prideful reasons, saying that whomever seeks his daughter¡¯s hand in marriage must first beat him in a sparring match.


    Knowing her father, Ella had figured out that he was planning on finding a man that he considered worthy of his daughter, and was going to intentionally lose the fight, however, her father had set his expectations too high, and would not accept anyone with any flaws. Ella herself did not mind her father though, being disappointed with all the men she came across that tried to win her affection by offering her wealth, power, all while showing off their muscles. I noticed Ella make a face as she said that, and decided big bulging muscles weren¡¯t her thing, which was, sadly, part of her reason for being interested in me.


    We arrived at the large ship in a few moments and dismounted the ship the same way we boarded, riding a large wooden plank that had intricate carvings engraved on it, and I looked around my curiosity running wild. I tried my best to hide my excitement, and was able to keep a straight face, but anyone who looked closely could see my eyes darting back and forth, analyzing everything that was happening around me. On the deck of the ship, there were many large orchards stretching out an incredible distance, some with trees as big around as a small house while others were about the width of my little finger. Assorted plants were growing, though I didn¡¯t recognize any of them, and signs with strange words written on them were posted outside each section of plants, likely labels to keep everything organized.


    People darted back and forth, some running, some walking, some riding strange animals that resembled large wolves the size of horses, looking fierce, but having an oddly docile mood, as if it was just enjoying a leisurely stroll. The elven men seemed to be more focused on muscular growth, training and honing their physical abilities to their peak, while the women seemed more focused on training the mind, seeing as most of them carried staffs similar to Ella¡¯s, though there were a few exceptions. The ship had landed on a wooden platform that conformed perfectly to the hull of the ship, holding it securely in place, as the other boats landed on their own designated platforms, each customized to a specific ship.


    I took a couple of steps, noticing the ground was covered in grass which padded my bare feet, and felt comfortable to the touch, almost like walking on a soft rubber. My thought were interrupted by a conversation between a father and a daughter, with a subject that made my stomach churn.


    ¡°Dad! You¡¯ve seen him, if you spar with him, there will be nothing but pulp left!¡±


    ¡°I know dearest, but rules are rules, and it¡¯s not like anyone would believe this shrimp could best me-ah-I mean, there¡¯s no way this shrimp could best me!¡±


    ¡°But I said I would take care of him!¡±


    I turned toward the voices, locking eyes with the shorter of the two, Ella, who rushed over to me, and gripped my right arm tightly. The ship began to move, though I could only tell by seeing the land around us disappear, unable to feel any change in gravity or wind.


    ¡°He¡¯s mine! The goddess Lilah gave him to me!¡±


    My gaze drifted off the ship, and out into the sky that lay spread out endlessly now that we had risen above the clouds. I was shocked at how rapidly we accelerated with absolutely no effect on the ship or the things on it, though I suppose this world does have magic, not to mention the fact that this was likely made by elves. I¡¯m pretty sure elves are usually depicted as tall, slim, beautiful beings that excelled in magic and intellect, but when I look around I see that most of the women fit that description, but the men seem to be more brutish and muscular.


    As if to prove my point, a small fight broke out between two ridiculously muscular, though small when compared to Ella¡¯s father, were at least twice my size, elven men. It started with just a few rude comments spoken very loudly, but escalated as the one closer to me grabbed a nearby tree, ripping it up by the roots, which released a loud tearing and booming sound as they were pulled from the ground. Seeing this act of aggression, the other elf brought his fists up in preparation of a fight, though it ended up being useless when the large tree came down on his head with considerable force and knocked him unconscious, shattering the trunk of the tree.


    ¡±These are the rules, dear, I can¡¯t back out now! Not to mention, he does resemble a twig more than a man...¡±


    I looked at myself, scanning my physique, which was lean, and muscular but was dwarfed when compared to any of the male elves here. I¡¯m sure my tattered clothes didn¡¯t help his impression of me either, since I looked like a homeless person, but thankfully I wasn¡¯t planning on being here long. I thought of escaping, but they would probably just pursue me and capture me and consider me a coward, so my plan was to, hopefully, beat this guy in a fight somehow, then take my leave quickly before I get roped into something troublesome.


    While my plan wasn¡¯t exactly foolproof, I couldn¡¯t think of a better one at the moment mostly due to Ella¡¯s chest enveloping my arm, making it hard to focus. I habitually reached up to my hat, pinching the right side of the brim with my thumb and index finger, and sliding it across the edge to the left side. After doing that, my mind seemed to sharpen, and I was able to focus more easily as my muscles relaxed. A quick image flashed in my mind of the previous owner of this hat doing the same thing, but then disappeared just as fast as it came.


    I felt the presence of the looming muscular elf grow closer, looking down on me both literally and figuratively, and I caught Ella give him a quick glare out of the corner of my eye. I smiled inwardly at how innocent they seem, but not underestimating Ella¡¯s father who was clearly putting on a playful act for her sake.


    ¡°Come, I don¡¯t take pleasure in killing weaklings, so I would rather get this over with.¡±


    The big elf let out a small sigh, and turned to his right before beginning to walk away, not checking if anyone was following. Ella began to follow, pulling on my arm as an indication to walk with her, and I obediently followed. There were several large structures up ahead, starting several hundred feet in front of us where the farmland ended, and continuing to the bow of the ship and spreading from port side to starboard. The entirety of the ship behind us was farmland, arranged and organized neatly into sections all the way back to the stern.


    The sun was back now, brightly shining down on the ship now that it was unhindered by the clouds and heating the land around us. Silence permeated the air, and I figured this was as good a time as any to learn what I can about this world. My thoughts were interrupted by a memory forcing its way into my brain, pushing all other thoughts aside, and I welcomed it, closing my eyes and opening my mind.


    What I saw was the same man from the previous memory, but he was now slightly older with more wrinkles on his face and pain weighing on his soul that was reflected in his eyes. He was looking down at me, though not by much, with a smile on his face, subconsciously readjusting the black cowboy hat on his head.


    ¡®Education, my boy, is key. Learn how to speak intelligently, read, write, and solve problems, and you might be able to pull yourself out of this grave I¡¯ve dug. Remember, you can only have this hat once you become a man, and as a man you must fight for yourself and the ones you care about, whether it¡¯s with fists or with words.¡¯This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The man¡¯s eye¡¯s glistened slightly, but no tears fell as he reached out, resting his large hand on my right shoulder heavily.


    ¡®I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t teach you how to fight with words, so I¡¯ve decided it¡¯s best to send you to a nearby school. From what I hear it¡¯s pretty rough there, but an education is an education. From today onward you will learn to fight, school will teach you what I can¡¯t, and I will teach you what school can¡¯t.¡¯


    The man was very serious, and his voice never wavered once as he looked into my eyes with a very stern look filled with several emotions.


    ¡®Make sure you learn as much as you can.¡¯


    I hesitated, not used to seeing my father show anything aside from his usual playful mood around me, but eventually nodding in response to his words. His face softened, and a familiar smile formed on his lips as he pulled me in and gave me a hug, nearly squeezing the life out of me.


    I snapped back to reality, and quickly looked around, uncertain of how long I was out, but I was still in the same spot, waking mid-step at the exact same time I fell into the trance. I let out a small sight of relief before turning to Ella, bringing several pressing questions to mind.


    ¡°Hey, Ella.¡±


    I spoke in a hushed tone, trying to keep the conversation just between the two of us, and Ella turned towards me, still pouting childishly, and obviously not taking a hint.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    She spoke with a normal tone, making me feel more than slightly awkward for whispering in the first place, and I decided to give up on keeping the conversation quiet.


    ¡°I was wondering how this ship flies with so little effect on the things inside.¡±


    Ella looked a little surprised at the question, as if I had just asked something along the lines of ¡®what is 911¡¯s phone number?¡¯ and just stared at me with that look for a couple of seconds. She eventually snapped out of it, probably remembering how she found me, and that I was likely not from this world, so it would make sense for me to be unable to understand this world¡¯s laws.


    ¡°Ash, are you special?¡±


    She asked the question curiosity, looking at me with big, eyes filled with confusion, and more that a small trace of pity. I hesitated for a moment, half expecting her to say ¡®just kidding!¡¯ and continue on to explain how the ship worked, but she didn¡¯t. She really thought I was mentally handicapped. I gave up, pity was one of the things I really hated, right up there with being the center of attention in a crowd, and stupid people, so I asked a different question in an attempt to change the subject.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    It was wildly successful, she immediately forgot about the previous conversation, and even stopped pouting as pride pushed it¡¯s way to the surface. We were nearing the end of the farmland, and the first buildings were approaching, and I noticed most of them looked pretty much the same. Concrete, or something similar, worked as the base of the structure, leading up to walls made with dark wooden shingles and a grey roof, the top of which wasn¡¯t visible from my position. They were all built in a simple salt box style, with a cube shaped structure and a basic triangular prism roof, with one side coming down further than the other.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the Dragon¡¯s Maw! It¡¯s legendarily known for having a higher mortality rate than any other arena in the world!¡±


    She beamed with pride, swaying back and forth as she walked, which was incredibly cute, however her words caused me to shudder slightly. I¡¯m almost certain the 794 wins of the elven hulk in front of us might be responsible for that legend, and I¡¯m going to fight him in a sparring match without knowing my own limits. Ever since I came to this world, I¡¯ve been able to feel and control every muscle in my body, down to my own heartbeat, but I still don¡¯t know the limits of my strength and speed. I¡¯m absolutely certain the elf in front of me has the advantage when it comes to skill and combat experience, so even if I can match him physically, I would still most likely lose, so my only hope is to be significantly stronger and faster.


    We entered the area with all the houses, and I noticed my bare feet touch an almost asphalt ground, though it was much softer than I thought it should be, and felt more like walking on a grainy synthetic rubber. We continued to pass the saltbox style houses one after the other, and the few people who were out and about respectfully stood to the side as the general passed before beginning their gossip after seeing Ella clinging on to my arm. I could feel their stares on the back of my head, and I had to use my left hand to readjust my hat to keep calm.


    I felt the air shift, and heard the footsteps of people behind me as they gathered, following us to the arena to witness my death. We stopped outside one of the buildings, the world seemingly silent as Ella¡¯s father turned toward the door, and knocked three times with the side of his fist, which gave out a resounding boom each time. I came closer to the small wooden building, and was able to read a couple of small words that were inscribed across the top of the doorframe. It read [Dragon¡¯s Maw], which confused me, since I was expecting a colosseum or at least something bigger, but this building, aside from the inscription, was the exact same as the others. Why do I feel like this is some shady, underground fight club?


    The door opened, revealing an older man with a short, grey beard, blond hair, and green eyes that looked at everyone with suspicion, which just seemed to support the fight club idea.


    ¡°Ah, got another one I see. At this rate we¡¯re going to run out of able-bodied young men, Charles. You should think more before you speak next time.¡±


    The older man addressed Ella¡¯s father casually and with familiarity, probably because he was here almost every day fighting some cocky, self-centered young man out to get his daughter, and the power that came with her.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk later Jonathan, I¡¯d like to get this over with.¡±


    The large elf dismissed the other elf known as Jonathan with heavy words and a wave of his hand, stepping in the doorway. Jonathan backed off, nodding with an understanding sigh, while Ella returned to her previous pouty attitude, and clung to my arm even tighter. I followed suit, walking through the door, and letting my eyes adjust to the darker room for a couple of seconds. The room was solid white with a pale, round light fixture on the ceiling, and was nearly empty, only a single white chair in the middle of the room, and two doors seemed to stick out, one on the wall to my right, and one to my left.


    Charles Woodlocke opened the left door, then turned to face me with a tired expression on his face.


    ¡°You have ten minutes, you may use whatever you like.¡±


    With that he closed the door, disappearing from my sight. Jonathan walked by me, passing on my left, and sat down on the chair with a relaxed expression, and gestured to the door to my right. I nodded, understanding what he meant, and approached the door, opening it with my left hand, because my right was still being held by Ella, and revealing a small room. I entered and closed the door behind me before looking around.


    The room was small, a couple hundred square feet at most, completely empty aside from a rack directly across from me, where various weapons, armors, and clothes hung. I approached, pulling Ella along with me, to see what the rack had to offer, and noticed a list pinned up on to the rack.


    [Items for contestants/gladiators/challengers in the arena:


    -Heavy armors (all in various sizes)


    -Dwarven Heavy Armor


    -Elven Heavy Armor


    -Beastkin Heavy Armor]


    Etc...


    My eyes followed down the list, reading a long line of assorted weapons and armor, but my greatest ally in this fight will, hopefully, be my speed, so thick armor was out of the question. I need something like a hunting cloak, or even just ordinary clothes to replace mine would be sufficient. As I read down the list I felt something slide across my chest, warm and smooth, and I looked down, slightly surprised.


    What I saw were two thin, delicate arms wrapped around my chest, and I inhaled sharply. Apparently while I was distracted, Ella had shifted her position, standing behind me with her arms wrapped around my chest, and her face pressed against my back.


    ¡°I-¡°


    I heard her voice for a second, but it was shaky and uncertain. Something wet ran down my back, and I heard her sniff a couple of times, which led me to believe she was crying. Ah, shit... what am I supposed to do now? Comfort her, I guess, but how? I don¡¯t even know what she¡¯s crying about. Damn, I need a flashback before this gets worse.


    ¡°I... didn¡¯t want... this.¡±


    Her voice came again, and she buried her head deeper into my back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry... i-it¡¯s my fault. P-please... *sniff* don¡¯t hate me.¡±


    The part that came after the sniff was barely audible, and she squeezed my chest harder after saying it. She really is such a child. I pulled myself free from her grip, her arms releasing without much resistance, and I turned to face her. Ella¡¯s face was soaked in tears, and her green eyes were now red and puffy from crying. I was about to start talking, but I felt a little awkward, and wasn¡¯t quite sure what to do with my hands, so I placed them on her shoulders lightly, and hopefully in a comforting way.


    She looked up at me with big, Bambi eyes, and I suddenly understood why her father spoiled her so much, how could he say no to that? What should I say? Well, she said it¡¯s her fault, and asked me not to hate her... so I can at least start with that.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, and I don¡¯t hate you.¡±


    I spoke with a soft voice, not wanting to startle her, and it seemed to work. A surprised look caused her eyes to widen even more, which I didn¡¯t think was even possible, and was quickly replaced by a look of relief, and several other emotions I wasn¡¯t quite able to pinpoint. She dove at me, wrapping her arms around me again, and burying her face in my chest while shaking her head back and forth as if burrowing.


    ¡°H-hang on a second.¡±


    ¡°Ehehe...¡±


    Caught off-guard by the sudden development, I stumbled back again, but Ella just laughed, returning to her original, playful voice.


    ¡°Hey, Ash.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Ella looked up at me, her tears still visible, but a bright light shining through them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡±


    I smiled, and nodded, my eyes drifting down to the list which was still in my hand, and resting on a couple of words near the end.


    [Vampire¡¯s Hunting Cloak]


    That¡¯ll work.

 Chapter 3: Ella of The Elves part 3

    I quickly dressed in the gear I selected, which included black pants with two blood red lines running the length of the seam on either side, and hung decently loose with fabric that was similar to sweat pants. The set also included a sleeveless shirt that was a deep scarlet red, which was eye-catching when he stood in the white room, but would likely be hard to see in dark places, and a hood attached to the back of the collar. It was incredibly comfortable and flexible, with a slightly elastic material that seemed pretty durable as well, likely made for hunting large game, which was perfect for my situation. I had hung my hat on the weapons rack while changing, and now that I was finished, I reached over, removing it from the rack and placing it on my head.


    The goddess said I could keep up with most of the creatures on this planet with just my physical ability alone, but the guy I¡¯m going against is obviously a trained veteran, unmatched by a race of beings that could rip trees out of the ground and use them as weapons. I took a deep breath, and looked at Ella, who had stepped back when I started changing, and turned around, however, she was now facing me with an odd look on her face, and I could feel a weird feeling coming from her direction. How long had she been looking at me?


    A bright smile filled her face, as she extended her right arm out towards me, sticking her thumb up in the air with a wink. I felt slightly awkward, knowing she was watching me, but pushed it out of my mind since I needed to focus on the task at hand. Since my abilities are significantly enhanced, and this isn¡¯t a fight to the death, though the height mortality rate makes me think these fights are no joke, I most likely won¡¯t die from the first few hits, and will have the chance to surrender before my life is threatened. Losing would obviously be the easiest way to get out of this situation, but if my injuries aren¡¯t substantial enough, then they likely won¡¯t accept a surrender, and will make me fight so the people that paid for a ticket get to see some bloodshed.


    I wasn¡¯t sure whether the people actually paid or not, but I thought it should be taken into consideration when making my decision. My eyes trailed downward as I considered my options, and rested on my feet which I had forgotten were bare. My toes peaked out from the hem of my pant legs, feeling out of place when compared to the contrasting black of my pants, and the white of the floor. It seemed the set didn¡¯t include shoes, so I looked back at the rack for more options, scanning the rack for something to cover my feet, which had been exposed since I came to this world. My gaze settled on a pair of boots, made of black leather with an intricate wavy design on it, a small silver spur on the back reflecting the overhead light. I smiled and shook my head, it would be fun to have boots that matched my hat, but they were impractical in this situation, so I looked past them, and continued to search.


    After a while, I was unable to find shoes that fit, were light enough to not get in the way, and were a dark color, so I just took a long, black strip of cloth, probably meant to be used for a headband, and wrapped it around the the ball of my foot, slowly working my way back to the sole, and then around my ankle before tucking it in. I jumped a couple of times, kicking my feet out to make sure it wouldn¡¯t come undone, and noticing how it allowed me to move unhindered. My toes still stuck out, which made me a bit uncomfortable, since I could imagine how stupid it would be to lose a fight due to stubbing my toe on something, and losing my balance, but this was only temporary, so I would just deal with it for now.


    I returned my focus to forming a plan, but only for a moment because a voice intruded on my thoughts, pulling me into the here and now.


    ¡°Ash, your ten minutes are up.¡±


    Ella looked at me, announcing I had run out of time, and the fight was ready to begin. I shifted back and forth, alternating my weight on each foot, and mentally preparing myself for the fight before walking towards the door. A plan had formed in my head, but I didn¡¯t really like it since it will most likely end with me getting smacked around, and losing the fight. However I wasn¡¯t aiming for victory, and it won¡¯t be the first time I¡¯ve been smacked around, not to mention this would give the quickest results if successful. If it¡¯s unsuccessful, though, I will have to fight back and win, putting myself in a more difficult position. I inhaled deeply, holding it for a second before releasing it, approaching the only door in the room, and opening it up to something I hadn¡¯t expected, and I blinked for a second as my brain absorbed the information.


    I stepped out, not into the white room I had expected, but into a large dome with a solid black roof while big, light blue balls of light floated around, acting like miniature suns and brightly illuminating the arena. I stepped out, following the wall around the space with my eyes, and estimating it to be about half the length of the ship and oval shaped, which led me to believe we were still on the massive ship, but most likely on a lower level which is probably why I missed this massive structure. I placed my foot down on the ground, and felt something cold, and hard, so I looked down, seeing a large, reddish metal line on running under my foot, and along the entire outside of the wall, lightly pulsing at a constant rate.


    I continued to walk until my feet felt the soft dirt packed tightly on the ground, coating the inside of the battle ground cushioning my steps. I saw Charles Woodlock standing in the middle of the arena facing me with a bored look on his face, a white door visible on the wall behind him where he likely entered before me. I continued to walk, approaching the center before realizing a critical variable I overlooked, and turned my head to face it. Floating blue orbs lined the walls, blocking the upper portion from my sight, but I could definitely feel it.


    Hundreds, maybe even thousands of eyes were focused on me, watching my every move as I turned to face them, though they remained silent, already predicting the outcome of the fight before it even began. I became very self conscious, my heart accelerating, and sweat beading on my forehead before trickling down into my eyes. I brought my arm up to wipe away the sweat while wondering what kind of person doesn¡¯t get scared in a fight, but buckles under the pressure of people who are simply observing him.


    I was now standing directly in front of the massive elf, my head barely high enough to pass his tree trunk of a waist, and I turned my focus toward him, in hopes of dispelling my nervousness. Ella¡¯s father was still wearing the same clothes as before, and did not wielding any weapons, which is what I had been expecting, so I wasn¡¯t really surprised. What did catch my attention was his eyes, which glistened when they looked down at me as if apologizing for what he had to do. He was pitying me.


    I became irritated, and pushed my hat down on my head, looking up at his eyes while keeping my face unreadable out of habit, which felt really weird since I didn¡¯t remember forming such a habit. A memory appeared in my head, but didn¡¯t take over my mind like the previous ones, it just kind of came out of nowhere, as if I had just remembered something from a long time ago. It wasn¡¯t a specific memory of an event like the others so far, but more like a group of concepts, or rules that I followed whenever I made up my mind to fight.


    The first rule: keep the goal of the fight in mind. What am I fighting for, and is it worth the risk? In this case I am fighting with the intent to lose the physical battle, and gain the ability to walk away without giving them any reason to follow me. This isn¡¯t life threatening if I play it smart, and I will probably get out of it with just a few injuries, which should heal quickly since I am enhanced now, so this is worth the risk.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    The second rule: Give your opponent, or opponents, a fair warning and their due respect. Make sure you give a fair warning so your opponent(s) can be prepared, and if they show you courtesy, be sure to offer them the same. If they choose not to believe you, or show arrogance over courtesy, then there is not much more you can do.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    I caught the big elf¡¯s attention with a quick word spoken so that only he and I can hear it, the only people who need to.


    ¡°I¡¯m tougher than I look.¡±


    A smile appeared on the man¡¯s faced, and the pity faded from his eyes, and an almost respectful look appeared. I suppose that would be a normal reaction, considering how he probably thinks I¡¯m heading to my death, I¡¯d either be really brave, really stupid, or really cocky. I guess he¡¯s giving me the benefit of the doubt, and going with bravery.


    The third and final rule: take the fight seriously. Your opponent will, in most cases, not give you the same courtesy you give them, so do not underestimate them. My fight isn¡¯t beating the crap out of my opponent, it¡¯s losing the physical battle, and walking away from this alive and with minimal injuries. I have to focus and make sure he doesn¡¯t kill me on the first blow, and after that, I should have a good estimate of his power.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me using magic. I noticed your particular deficiency, and had them activate the Mithril around the arena.¡±


    Ella¡¯s father probably said something to comfort me, but I didn¡¯t completely understand it. I thought back to when I first stepped out into the arena, and the pulsing metal that lined the arena, figuring that was the Mithril he talked about, and from his words, it likely had a negative impact on his magical energy, or mana, or whatever the hell they called it.


    [The fight will begin on my mark.]


    A loud booming voice echoed through the arena, vibrating the walls with it¡¯s impressive power, and I recognized it as the one belonging to the elf I saw earlier known as Jonathan.


    [The rules for this fight are: no magic will be used in any fashion, including amulets, artifacts, and talismans. The fight will last until one is unable to fight, or surrenders. The conditions of surrender are: you must be injured enough to warrant a surrender, such as having a broken bone, or other injury that would make victory impossible. The other condition is the fight must last for at least ten minutes, after that, either side can surrender when they please, disregarding the first condition. The third and final rule is: when one surrenders while meeting the conditions, or is unable to continue fighting, the fight is over, and no more attacks are allowed. If one or more of these rules are broken, the offender will be tried, and convicted to a sentence suitable to the crime.]


    The announcer laid out the rules, which were very simple, however, hearing the conditions of surrender was a little disheartening. I guess there are a lot of people here just to watch this one fight, and someone surrendering as soon as they got a couple of scratches would be pretty disappointing, not to mention it helps prevent rigged fights.


    [Ready yourselves...]


    The crowd made a little noise, discussing what they thought was about to happen, and likely taking bets on how I would die.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make it quick and painless. There¡¯s no need for you to suffer just to entertain this crowd.¡±


    The massive veteran in front of me spoke a line that sounded like something a super-villain would say right before he got his ass kicked, and I though he might have just raised a flag, but put that thought out of my mind when I remembered I was trying to lose. I thought about just running out the clock, and avoiding getting beat up, but this elf was at least attempting kindness, and dodging his attacks for ten minutes would probably just insult him and his daughter, who I am supposedly fighting for. Rule two, he showed me courtesy, so I guess I¡¯ll just take the beating.


    This code of honor is going to get me killed.


    [Begin!]


    Adrenaline pumped into my veins as the giant began to move. The entire world around me froze, the only things moving were me, and the veteran I am fighting, though he was a bit slower than I thought, moving at about the speed of a normal person. However there was definitely skill visible in his movements, which were calculated and precise, and I¡¯m certain the power was nothing to scoff at either.


    The man moved his right hand, bringing it up and around with a closed fist, aiming for the left side of my torso. I braced for impact as it approached, and accepted the blow full-force with a tense upper body, and a well placed left shoulder, that should absorb the majority of the damage. Contact was made, and I felt the momentum transfer into my body before I was blown away, flying across the arena while skipping off the dirt floor a few times before smashing into the wall with a resounding boom that hung in the air.


    My hat, which had left my head in the attack, flipped several times as it softly drifted to the ground. The wall that my body had flown into was smashed, and crumbled into a small pile of rubble while leaving a significant hole in it¡¯s place, and large gashes in the dirt floors surface led up to it. The arena was silent, and the massive elf looked down on the black cowboy hat with a dark expression. After a few moments passed, Ella¡¯s father crouched, reaching down to touch the hat, and brushed the buckle lightly with the tips of his fingers.


    I felt that. His hit definitely had power, and could probably hurt me if I continued to take them head on without defending myself. I lay, buried under a pile of rubble for a moment, feeling relieved that I wouldn¡¯t have to fight, or humiliate the elf, and let out a small sigh. I pushed myself up, letting the rubble, which was similar to concrete, tumble down off my back, while noticing the clothes I¡¯ve been wearing were still intact. I was admiring them when I noticed my head, which felt a little cold, and my eyes followed my previous path back, looking for the hat that had fallen, and that¡¯s when I saw Ella¡¯s father, crouched over my hat with a hand outstretched.


    Bits and pieces of memories stabbed at my mind of a man, surrounded by other men who wielded guns and knives, and were moving toward the first man threateningly. The image disappeared, and a flood of emotions assaulted me, a mixture of rage, sadness, and fear being directed at that hat, and the man touching it.


    My mind opened, and I could feel the air around me move and swirl with the slightest movement, and sense the dirt shift, the warmth, and emotion every person in the arena was emitting, the gravity pull, and the walls vibrate with each sound that came in contact with it. However, it was more than that. I could control it as if it were just an extension of my own body, everything near me was under my control.


    I locked my eyes on my target, taking a deep breath before removing the air from the space between us, only allowing the air behind me to flow. I was propelled forward with explosive force as the air behind me rushed to fill the empty space, approaching my target with incredible speed, and throwing my shoulder into the large man before he could react. The man was launched upward, and away from the hat, still confused as to what was happening, while habitually getting prepared to fight back.


    I was still mid-air, when I reached down at the small, black object in the dirt, picking it up, and placing it on my head before continuing with the assault.


    Before the veteran collided with the wall, I reappeared behind him, bringing my knee into his right side, and propelling him at an upward angle, before creating another vacuum, and flying after him in pursuit. This time, the elf was prepared when I dashed at him, and swung his left leg at me in an effort to knock me out of the air, but I easily dodged and positioned myself above him with both hands raised over my head looking down at the large man, who was now horizontal in the air facing up. I brought both my hands down hard on his chest, and the elf warrior flew straight down into the ground with an incredible shockwave and an impressive amount of dirt.


    I landed soon after, my feet kicking up some dirt on impact. The undefeated elf champion of the Dragon¡¯s Maw lay in a small crater in front of me, unconscious. The arena fell into silence once more, this time due to shock at the encounter they just witnessed, and many of them just stared with gaping mouths.


    ¡°Shit. I am such a moron.¡±

 Chapter 4: Ella of The Elves part 4

    The silence was broken, and the crowd roared, celebrating the triumph of the supposed underdog against the one known to be unbeatable in his own arena. I became acutely aware of the attention that was directed toward me, and I froze, trying to figure out what to do next while pushing back against the eyes that were surrounding me, assaulting me from every direction. I looked back towards the door I had just exited, but the white door that stuck out from the black wall had disappeared, replaced by the smooth, dark surface that conformed to the wall around it. The air around me felt stuffy, filled with the roars and cheers of the crowd, and I quickly searched for any exit, remaining calm despite my severe discomfort, but didn¡¯t find any. There was nowhere to go and nothing to hide behind, so I turned my head so my hat would cast a shadow over my face, and allowing my mind to clear before coming up with a plan.


    After I had regained a certain amount of confidence, I looked up at the dark ebony-like ceiling that hung far above my head, analyzing it. From what I could tell, the entire ship was made of this wood, and it was likely very tough, but even so, it was the only exit I could find that wouldn¡¯t risk killing the audience members.


    [In a shocking twist, the victor is the unknown being!]


    The announcer seemed to have snapped out of whatever stupor he was in, and announced me as the winner of the duel with a mixture of shock and excitement. The ground at the center of the arena exploded, dirt filling the air around it, but I was luckily out of dodge off to the left, but I raised my guard, uncertain what might happen next. The dust began to settle, and a small, black structure became visible, a cube about five feet tall slowly materialized, a familiar figure sitting on top of it which her legs hanging over the edge. Ella sat there with a look of pride on her face, which surprised me since she just watched her father get literally beaten into the ground by someone she had just met, but then I remembered her overly enthusiastic and naive personality, and my surprise faded. I approached the cube while trying to think of a way to talk myself off the ship, and I felt the control I previously had on the world around me retract back to my body, closed off by my mind.


    I came closer to where Ella sat, not really paying particular attention, and just caught a glimpse of her body right next to my face, and leaned back in surprise. She had leapt off the cube, and was currently falling straight toward me, and I had just lost my balance due to the weird angle my back was bent to, so when we collided I just fell flat on my back with her sitting in an upright position on top of me. She looked down at me with eyes that were sparkling with admiration, and leaned over, bracing herself on her arms which were placed on either side of me, and spoke with a confident voice.


    ¡°Time to get married!¡±


    Now trapped under the weight of a beautiful girl¡¯s gaze, and the numerous eyes of a captivated audience, my joints locked up, and my mouth felt like it was full of cotton. I needed to get out of here before my inability to respond gets mistaken for a yes, and I end up in a bad position. I look up at the girl on top of me, and see genuine happiness in her eyes, which causes a sick feeling to well up in my stomach. I didn¡¯t consider her.


    I was planning on beating her father, and running away, leaving her here with a shattered reputation, and no one, as far as I know, to defend her from the world like her father. I am such an idiot. I shouldn¡¯t have only taken a logical view, that only shows one angle when dealing with illogical beings that have emotions and opinions, and I might have been able to come up with another plan. It¡¯s too late now, I won the fight, and now I need to take responsibility for my actions, however I don¡¯t think marriage is the best answer, for me or her.


    Ella relaxed her arms, and slid her legs backwards, laying down on me with her head under my chin, and wrapping her thin arms around my back, burrowing under me.


    ¡°You¡¯re mine now.¡±


    She muttered something that was more than just a little scary, and my mind raced, trying to focus despite my flustered mind¡¯s panic. This is ridiculous, why am I having this sort of reaction even though my life isn¡¯t being threatened? I need to concentrate. I focused harder, marriage to someone you don¡¯t know rarely ends with happiness, and, if nothing else, this girl needs someone who will make her happy. It made me a little sad to think that way, but it¡¯s better for me to be sad than for me to take someone else¡¯s potential happiness from them.


    Strengthening my resolve, I reached up, gently grabbing Ella¡¯s waist, and lifting her up off of me as I sat up. Apparently misreading the situation, Ella giggled, and placed her hands on mine to support herself, and leaned forward, the light reflecting of her golden hair, which was strewn partially on her face.


    ¡°Not here, silly.¡±


    Words came from her mouth, full of insinuation, and I nearly dropped her, but remained steady, and placed her to my right, sitting her down on the dirt ground. Her father had been taken away to, I assume, an infirmary or hospital so he can recover as quickly as possible, probably through one of the several doors that were appearing, one right after the other. Each one was a clean white color that contrasts with the ebony black wall, and looking very out of place in this arena.


    One of the doors opened, revealing several elves nearly the size of Ella¡¯s father, but still much smaller, all walking confidently with wide strides that closed the distance between me and them quickly. They were each dressed in fine clothing, studded with fine golden colored plated armor, though I doubt it is actually gold because gold is incredibly pliable, heavy, and may not exist in this world. There were about six or seven of them, led by one that was slightly bigger, and dressed in a more decorated set of clothes than the others. I noticed Ella make a face as they approached, and I assumed she already had her own opinion of him, which was likely shared by, or came from, her father.


    An image flashed in my mind, just for a moment, but clear as day, of a boy, sixteen or seventeen years old, dressed in a matching black suit and tie, with a white shirt underneath which projected strong borders between the two. His face, however, did not match his fancy clothes, twisted with a sneer as his ¡°friends¡± closed in on me threateningly.


    ¡®Don¡¯t get in my way, kid.¡¯


    The kid was genuinely pissed, and spat when he spoke, as if scolding to an obnoxious child for doing something stupid, which was odd, since, from my perspective, I was a little taller than him, so we were likely about the same age.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡®I can do as I please, you know, since my father owns this town... and you.¡¯


    The boy stepped forward a smile crossing his lips, splitting his face and revealing his sense of entitlement along with his spoiled personality. I was angry, not because of his obnoxious words, I could deal with obnoxious people, and do all the time, but because he was right. Money controls this world, and everyone in this town that didn¡¯t work for his father, owed his father money for one reason or another, and I belonged to the second group.


    ¡®If you know what¡¯s good for you, you¡¯ll step aside, and let me and my buddies, here, do as we please. The way it should be.¡¯


    I hesitated. I had been taught since I was a child to stand up and fight for what I believe in, but when it comes down to it, I don¡¯t want to die. My gaze shifted to the point of dispute, a girl, fourteen or fifteen years old, and very beautiful, her big, brown eyes showing terror, as tears streamed down her face and onto her trembling body. My hesitation vanished, and resolve replaced it, reinforcing my beliefs, and giving me strength.


    ¡®No.¡¯


    I spoke the word with confidence I didn¡¯t have, and fear gripped my throat, nearly causing me to choke, but I was able to stand my ground. The smile on the boy¡¯s face grew, pleasantly surprised at my stubbornness, and was already preparing to fight, well, not really, he stepped back, and let his goons pass him. Their knuckles popping as they rolled them in their hands, trying to intimidate me, but I knew how to fight, and was confident I could hold them all off for at least several seconds, maybe more. I leaned over in the direction of the girl behind me, keeping my eyes on my opponents the entire time.


    ¡®If you stick around, you¡¯ll get in the way.¡¯


    The girl muttered in protest for a second, but then looked at the threatening figures approaching, and decided to leave, running off with a light scraping noise, her steps disappearing behind me. Noticing the girl getting away, the thugs shifted, and one foolishly taking a couple of steps in pursuit, and I attacked. I knew if they attacked first, some would likely run around me and catch her, so I did something unexpected, and stole their attention away from her.


    She ended up getting away, and I got the shit kicked out of me, and spent the next few weeks in the hospital with broken bones, cuts, and bruises coating my body. One of the nurses said I was lucky to be alive, but I didn¡¯t think so. The hospital bills put me further in debt to that boy¡¯s father, and my own father was already working two jobs in an attempt to pay him back. I was fired, not surprisingly, there were many people in search of a job, and it¡¯s not like a fast-food worker is very specialized, so I was pretty expendable.


    I never saw that girl again, and while I was placed deeper in debt, I didn¡¯t regret helping her for a moment.


    I snapped back, and the fancily clad elves approached, light from the floating orbs reflecting off their bright clothing, and creating bright patterns on the ground wherever they walked. The biggest one stopped in front of me, looking down at the boy who only came up to his bicep, knowing that that his life could easily be ended if the boy chose to act. Or... that¡¯s what I thought, because that would be a reasonable response to seeing someone who could pulverize a man that could literally kick your ass up and down the street without working up a sweat.


    ¡°You? That man must be getting old...¡±


    ¡°No! Ash kicked his ass fair and square, and my dad lost with honor!¡±


    Ella was quick to retaliate, though she sounded more like a child than usual, and her words didn¡¯t seem to have much impact on the other elves.


    ¡°I never really understood Woodlocke, he seemed more anxious to lose a fight than to win one. In any case, I didn¡¯t come here to talk about the fight. We have report that ogres are nearby, a royal ship from what I hear, and are headed in our direction. They have, somehow, gotten word about the boy, and are coming to collect him, and make him a part of their army, and in order to keep peace, we will be forced to hand him over.¡±


    The last line was spoken with an over-dramatized tone, and a forced look of submission on his face, shrugging as if there was nothing he could do to prevent this unfortunate event. The white noise of the crowd leaving had filled the room now, and this scene was anything but realistic, since it was obvious to anyone with eyes what they were trying to do. My confidence was returning now that the eyes around me were now focused on the exits, and I stepped forward, not giving them any space to hide, looked the leader in the face.


    ¡°It looks like I¡¯m going to have to leave.¡±


    The elf nodded, and Ella let out a ¡°hmph¡± behind me, likely making a cute pouting face, but I remained focused on the elf in front of me.


    ¡°If I leave, I won¡¯t be able to marry Ella.¡±


    I continued, and the elf hesitantly nodded, slightly confused as to why I was announcing this, but maintaining the look of false regret on his face.


    ¡°Not to mention her father isn¡¯t able to duel at the moment, which leaves Ella unprotected. How unfortunate. I wonder who would have the duty of caring for her if something were to... happen to her father while in this weakened state.¡±


    My gaze didn¡¯t waver, however the elves were catching on to what I was implying, with the exception of Ella, of course, who was still trying to figure out what could happen to her father while he was in the hospital. The elf in front of me puffed out his chest, making his already huge frame appear even bigger as he looked down on me, but I didn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°He has made many enemies over the years, and there would be no way of telling who would do it.¡±


    I kept my appearance relaxed, though I was ready for any sudden attack, knowing that I was pushing some of their buttons. A lot of the things were conjecture, since I didn¡¯t actually know if they were wanting to marry Ella, but their reactions ensured me that I was spot on.


    ¡°Speaking of enemies, where did you get this information?¡±


    I casually asked a question, breaking my gaze and letting them indulge in their false sense of security as their nonchalant reply came out almost immediately.


    ¡°From the ogres, the king himself, actually, so it is a credible source.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even realize my intentions after speaking, and he remained standing tall with confidence, though he just announced that he had a direct way of contacting the ogres, and that he had just talked with them. One of the smarter men standing behind the leader realized what I had done, and facepalmed with an audible smack, which nearly caused me to crack a smile.


    One of the doors that had reappeared was in the same spot where I had entered the arena, an I turned towards it without a word, and started walking, having gotten what I wanted. Ella, who was still confused, put her thoughts aside, and skipped along behind me, humming a happy tune to herself. She seemed to remember something as we approached the door, and suddenly became depressed, dragging her small, green shoes on the ground. While muttering things about me being hers, and not wanting some hussy named Army to swoop in and steal me. I think I¡¯ll leave the explaining for another time, since it will probably take a while.


    I opened the door, and entered a small white room, completely bare aside from a small white light fixture on the ceiling, and I closed the door behind Ella. I turned to face the elf girl, ignoring the out of place feeling I got from being in this white room, and making a serious face in hopes of getting my point across and a serious response.


    ¡°Ella, I am leaving. I put you in danger by removing your main defense, and I will take responsibility if you decide to come with me, and keep you safe.¡±


    My attempt failed, and she just gazed off into some dreamland while muttering ¡°take responsibility¡± to herself and giggling deliriously. I figured something like this would happen, so I came with a backup plan.


    I picked her up, carrying her in a princess-style carry, and turned back to the door, praying it had taken me back to the surface before kicking it with significant force.

 Chapter 5: Ella of The Elves part 5

    The door exploded outward, white splinters flying out into the structure across from us, either embedding themselves in, or blowing clean through. I was thankful to see the blue sky peak out between the saltbox style houses in front of me, granting my wish of freedom, and easing some of my stress. I exited the room, and entered the open world outside with Ella in my arms. Clinging to my cloak with both of her hands, she kept her eyes closed to avoid stray wood splinters.


    Moving at a fast pace, I immediately took off down the street to my right, back the way I came. I was still adapting to my new abilities, and figured it would be best not to jump off a ship that was flying over the clouds with a girl in my arms. After a moment of contemplation, I began running in the direction of the smaller ships that were docked along the edge of the deck. I pushed off the ground with significant force, and tried to use the abilities I had used earlier, but found I couldn¡¯t, at least not while escaping, and landed softly, continuing at my current pace.


    I quickly left the district that was dedicated to the small, saltbox buildings, and entered the massive fields, gardens, and orchards that likely fed the passengers of this colossal ship, where I was greeted by dozens of elves baring an assortment of different weapons. About three-fourths of them had swords and spears, clothed in robes decorated in armor plating that added to the defense, while the remaining fourth wielded staffs similar to the one Ella had when I first saw her.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    They were likely there to stop me from leaving, however, another massive ship made an appearance on the horizon, it was hard to distinguish features at this distance, but it still gave me a certain sense of urgency. Ellis was definitely not safe here anymore now that I incapacitated her father, and because of that I need to get her off this ship to keep her safe until he recovers this job is getting more and more difficult by the moment.


    I attempted to just leap over the warriors, but was intercepted by several bolts of lightning, and one beam of fire, which almost got me, but I was somehow able to narrowly dodge by twisting mid-air, and flipping backwards, landing on the other side of them, facing my opponents. I really didn¡¯t have time for this, but I can¡¯t really turn my back and risk getting an injury, or worse, Ella getting hurt. I put the elf-girl on the ground next to me, and faced them, but before I could do anything, a massive gust of wind came out of nowhere, nearly blowing the hat off my head. A storm of flames assaulting the elves in front of me, and blowing them off somewhere to my left as I held on to my hat and watched in amazement, though I couldn¡¯t see where due to the bright red and yellow blanket that coated the scene.


    I looked over at Ella, who smiled triumphantly at me, a strange, seemingly uncontrollable energy swirling around her, and bending to her will. This must be magic. I thought I sensed something off about the lightning and fire earlier, as if it was made by some form unfamiliar energy. However her magic was undeniably unnatural, and incredibly powerful. Some traces of flame swirled in the air around her, and the odd aura the magic gave out would have seemed badass if it weren¡¯t for the child-like expression she wore, looking as if she just won some sort of game.


    This chick is tough, and could likely stand her ground against the physical attacks of most people here, however I doubt the people here would come at her physically. Her father''s overprotective nature seems to have made her lacking in many other areas.


    After finishing her small celebration, Ella turned, and walked over to me, her smile broad enough to brighten the the darkest of hearts, and jumped up into my arms. I responded reflexively, and held her up, now back in the princess carry, making my mind wondering how vast her supply of confidence was as I resumed my escape.


    There were a few more elves dressed in armor that tried to stop us, but they were few and far between, not to mention significantly slower than me, so I was able to avoid them. Of course Ella would still blow them away, not killing them, but not exactly being gentle either as the flames collided with robes and they were sent flying. Magic really is incredible.


    I continued on until we arrived at a nearby ship, made of black wood like most of the others. Three masts rose up into the sky, and an elf¡¯s face displayed as the figurehead, looking serious and determined. a smooth ebony hull seemed to both absorb and reflect light at the same time greeted us as we approached.


    I jumped, hovering in the air for a second, then landed on the deck the ship, near the starboard side, and close the bow. Placing Ella down lightly, I lowered her feet to the ground, before she reluctantly stood, and dusted herself off. She grabbed onto my arm tightly, catching me slightly off-guard, and I thought I could feel a little bit of heat seeping out of her hands. Looking around, I saw several elves starting to realize my plan, and boarding ships of their own in preparation, making me curious if they knew their attempts would more likely hurt Ella than me. I looked down at the elf, who was smiling contentedly with her eyes closed, completely oblivious, or just apathetic to her situation.


    ¡°Do you know how to fly one of these?¡±


    She responded to my question with a nod, but took no further action, continuing to cling to me with a seemingly infinite supply of enthusiasm. I was feeling a little awkward, and didn¡¯t really want to disappoint her, but time was running out, so I placed my hand on her head, and gently tried to tug my arm away, but to no avail. She hugged my arm even tighter, pursing her lips, and revealing the strain on her face as if she was clinging to dear life against a force that was trying to tear her away.


    I sighed, and began to walk toward the stern of the boat, thinking that would be the logical place for some kind of controlling mechanism, but didn¡¯t see one. Come to think of it, when we came here on one of the ships, there didn¡¯t seem to be anyone actually controlling the it, as if it was just flying on it¡¯s own. That seemed impossible, which probably meant it had something to do with magic, which definitely meant there was no way in hell I can fly this ship. I looked down at Ellis, who had not loosened her grip, as if bracing herself in case I were to try to separate us again. The ships that were being boarded, suddenly became vacant as the warrior elves fled from them, sprinting at top speed to the group of saltbox houses while occasionally glancing at the skies behind us with worried looks.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    I turned to see what the commotion was all about, and my question was immediately answered by a massive ship, shaped like a large arrowhead. Dangerous-looking spikes and blades stuck out in strategic places that could easily cripple another ship if used well. It came directly above me, blocking out the sun and casting a large shadow over the ship, though it didn¡¯t cover the deck''s entirety since theirs was only about a forth of the size of the elves¡¯, however it did make me rethink my plan.


    From what I understood from the elves¡¯ tone, ogres were not beings to be trifled with, to the point where any outstanding warriors would be recruited to their army even if they were discovered by another race. I placed my hand over my hat as the ship approached, holding it on my head despite the wind¡¯s resistance, and watched as the massive object pass over us. If we took off now, we would likely be shot out of the sky before we got very far, so my best chance of avoiding a fight at the moment was hiding until they decide to leave, and escaping via the ship I was currently on.


    This plan seemed suitable, since I would have to take some time anyway to convince Ella to fly the ship, so everything works out well in the end. There was no way to get down below deck, however there was plenty of boxes and supplies littered around that could be used to hide us. I worked my way over to the port side of the ship where a large pile of crates sat, conveniently arranged in a semicircle that protected us from unwanted eyes, while still allowing us to see what was happening outside. I sat down, pulling Ella down beside me, and began talking, trying to convince her to let go, and fly the ship. She just shook her head subbornly, the smile on her face that showing no sign of concern.


    After several moments, I heard some commotion from the other side of the crates that caught my attention, and I peeked over the top to see what was happening. Standing near the center of the elf-ship''s deck was a big green man-like creatures with thick white tusks and a hostile loon on their face. Their size matched that of Ella¡¯s father, and some were even bigger, though unlike the elves they were dressed in loincloths, and wielded crude weapons. Accompanying the large green men were smaller, tuskless, lighter-colored women, clad only in the skins of assorted animals that only seemed to be made to cover the most important parts, and did a poor job, shaking loose at the slightest movement.


    I shook the distractions from my head, and focused on the current circumstances, which was the hostile attitude the ogres had towards the elves, who seemed submissive at the moment, however I could tell there were a couple preparing for a fight. I¡¯m sure the elves can hold these guys off on their own territory, so there is no reason for me to get involved unless things really south, and they decide to use their ship as a weapon.


    I let out a sigh, and turned back to Ella, opening my mouth to speak when I was interrupted by an explosive noise that vibrated the boxes next to me, followed by the sound of splintering wood and several shouts of surprise. I looked over again, and saw an all-out battle going on, one that the ogres were clearly winning, though there were only four fighting that I could see. Each and every movement of the ogres'' was done with precision, and every blow sent another elf flying in some random direction. The elves with staffs fired assorted magic at the invaders, but did little more than hinder them, or piss them off, and they, too, where blown away across the ship.


    I was astonished at the incredible amount of strength and speed that was exerted, one punch being enough to take down an elf before he or she had any time to react, which made me realize the elves had no chance. Cursing under my breath I stood up, pushing my hat down on my head to keep it from flying off like in the last fight.


    ¡°Wait here.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want Ella involved, the ogres would likely target her if she went out there, and even though she was strong she definitely couldn¡¯t take one of their hits and walk away unscathed. I jumped in the air, relying on my superior physical abilities alone would be pretty risky, but I can¡¯t exactly control anything else at will, so this will have to do. I considered just leaving, but this was caused partially due to me, not to mention I had no particular resentment against the elves, and it didn¡¯t feel right to just leave them to be kicked around, and killed by the ogres.


    I pushed off the ground, and arrived at the scene with incredible speed, dashing straight up to one of the ogres that had been more violent with the elves. Each of his swings knocking several overboard to their deaths or beating them into the ground.


    ¡°On your left.¡±


    I bent my knee, bringing my foot up in front of me before making contact with the ogre¡¯s bicep, and pushing away with all my might. The air around me exploded, emitting a shockwave that blew the grass and dirt underfoot away, revealing the dark wood underneath, and turning the ogre into a giant bullet.Theotgre went flying over the edge an incredible distance before losing momentum, and falling out of sight.


    At the sight of my entrance, the battlefield froze, all eyes resting on me and, the ogre that had been reduced to a speck on the horizon. Uncomfortable with the attention, I resumed my attack, disappearing from their sight before charging at yet another ogre, this one being ready to fight. This time my attack didn¡¯t come as a surprise to the green beast-like creature and my attack was met with his own, moving at nearly the same speed as me, and with much more skill. Swinging his fist around, our attacks met and the forces collided, creating a momentary clash, but ended with a loud snapping sound as the knuckles and arm of the ogre snapped and shattered. In order to stay on the ship, the green man threw himself to his right, absorbing some of the momentum, and crashing into the black ship¡¯s railing.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    A voice boomed, catching the attention of everyone that was involved in the fight, and holding them down with the weight of his tone, which demanded respect and obedience. All eyes, including mine turned in the direction of the voice, and standing there was an ogre, dressed in war clothing like the others, but a certain intelligence reflected in his eyes that the others lacked. This guy must be the strategist, or at least a voice of reason to the rest of these overly-aggressive super-warriors, and he looked straight at me with determination and... was that hope in his eyes? No, it¡¯s something else, an ogre has no reason to have hope in a human, much less one that was clearly not friendly.


    ¡°You! You are the one that did that?¡±


    He pointed at the ogre I had just hit, his right arm looking like a limp noodle as he lay there, unconscious. I nodded, accepting responsibility for my actions, and preparing for an attack, but none came. In fact, the ogre smiled, not in a twisted, evil way that you would expect from an ogre that was engaged in a battle mere moments ago, but a smile filled with relief. Confused, I looked around, and the other ogres seemed to share the same smile, which seemed very unbefitting of the current mood. The ogre shifted his stance to a less hostile one, straightening to his full height, which about matched that of Ella¡¯s father, and placed the sword he was wielding in it¡¯s sheath at his left side.


    ¡°We have searched everywhere, and now we have finally found someone. It may not be an ogre, but it should not matter as long as he gets the job done, and has good results.¡±


    I didn¡¯t drop my guard, staying aware of everything around me while the ogre continued.


    ¡°Finally, someone that can tame Ak Maru!¡±

 Chapter 6: Ak Maru part 1

    I was on the ogre ship, shackles hung from my wrists, and I was enclosed in an iron-like cell with bare floors that were cold and hard, and nothing on me aside from the clothes on my back. I sat on the floor, since there was no furniture, thinking of a way out that didn¡¯t end with Ella¡¯s death. After the ogre in front of me said something odd about me taming the Ak Maru, I heard a scream from the ship I left Ella on. I looked over and saw her being dragged over, a crude dagger made of the same metal that made up the rest of their weapons, and their ship, against her throat. The creatures that held her were the female ogres I saw earlier, which were noticeably smaller, and had a pale green skin, rather than the male¡¯s dark green color.


    They kept their distance, so that I couldn¡¯t reach them before they slit her throat, and forced me on the ship, chaining me, and locking me in this cell, which I could probably break out of, but I have no idea where Ella is, so that may be unwise. Luckily, the more intelligent ogre, who had likely come up with the plan, was smart enough to promise the safety of Ella, on pain of me destroying the ship, and everything on it. I really didn¡¯t want to trust him, but I knew Ella could hold her own if something were to happen, and at least be able to make enough noise to alert me. I was responsible for her life and innocence, and I do not take that responsibility lightly.


    I brushed my hat worriedly, curious what this Ak Maru actually was that not even all of those ogres could tame it. Several thoughts came to mind including dragons, vampires, werewolves, and several other mythological beasts, but I was still new to this world, and new little about the beings on it. I guess I¡¯ll ask Ella to explain it all to me later, as for now, I need to come up with some of battle strategies, one for each type of monster.


    My thoughts were interrupted by a light shuffling sound, and something moving in the cell that was just to the right of mine, and I looked over. The bars were an off-silver kind of color, and were incredibly hard, to the point where I would have to exert some serious effort several times to bend them. A small amount of light was allowed to trickle through some small holes in the roof, and provided enough illumination for me to make out a figure, curiously looking at me through the bars. A shadow was cast over it¡¯s face, so I was unable to discern the gender, or even the race, but I could tell they were rather small and thin. Short, silvery hair was cut down to the shoulders, and combed out surprisingly neat from what I could tell, and some loose rags clung to the delicate body.


    There was a moment of silence as we looked at each other, the air around us growing more and more uncomfortable, so I decided just ignore the person and go back into my mind and focus on. It¡¯s odd, I don¡¯t remember seeing anyone in here when I was thrown in this cell, however, I wasn¡¯t really looking either, and someone huddled in a corner, or just staying still probably wouldn¡¯t have caught my attention. I wonder why they¡¯re in here, maybe a crime? Or perhaps they are going to try to tame the Ak Maru as well, and is some sort of warrior the ogres deemed worthy, which is an achievement of it¡¯s own from what I know. Damn it, now all I can think about is that person.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    A surprising voice that sounded almost like a child¡¯s came from the figure, who just continued to stare with a hidden expression from the other side of the bars. I was a little surprised, and took a moment before I collected myself enough to respond.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ash, I¡¯m here to tame something called Ak Maru. Do you know anything about it?¡±


    There was a long pause before a response came, the air filled with only the sound of our breathing, causing me to feel a little awkward, and I checked what I said in my head to make sure I didn¡¯t say anything weird.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    The figure¡¯s head cocked to the side, and it¡¯s hair hung down to the side, longer than I had initially thought, reaching down to it¡¯s arm, but is still relatively short. Some light was cast on the figure¡¯s face, barely revealing the skin of it¡¯s cheek which I noticed was fair and smooth, not exactly the type you¡¯d expect to meet in an ogre¡¯s dungeon, but, then again, one wouldn¡¯t really expect someone like me to be in a place like this either. I thought about my answer for a second, and found no reason to hide my reason for being here, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m likely to ever see this person again, and they seem to express genuine interest for whatever reason.


    ¡°They have one of my friends, and they won¡¯t give her back until I fight the Ak Maru.¡±


    The figure straightened it¡¯s head, paused, then slid back into the shadows, ending the conversation abruptly, and distancing itself from my cell. Well, that conversation wasn¡¯t even remotely productive. I let out a sigh, closing my eyes and letting my head drop down before returning to my thoughts while trying to ignore the feeling of being watched from the cell next to me. After a few moments, I opened my eyes, feeling the ship shift as it came to a stop, and hearing movement on the deck above me, quick footsteps and voices barking commands at each other as the ship began to slowly descend. I focused my mind, trying to sense the surroundings outside of the ship by the flow of the air, and was able to make out a large circular structure, probably another type of arena, but it had no roof.


    We seemed to be close to the ground now, hovering over the edge of the arena where a large box-like structure sat, a hatch sitting open directly underneath my cell... wait a second. The floor beneath me vanished, and I fell straight down through the hatch, landing flat on my back as a black hat drifted down next to me. I stared up at the opening, watching the hatch close, shutting out most of the daylight, and only leaving a barred window to supply the light to the room. I sat up, propping my upper body up on my elbows, and reaching over to my hat before picking it up, dusting it off, and placing it firmly on my head. I really need a way to keep this safe, or else I might lose it. I stood, looking around the room, which was very different from my old one, the walls and ceiling made of stone, the dirt floor below me adding a small amount of padding to my feet, which were only covered by a black cloth that had become tattered, and was of little use now. From where I landed, a window that was about two square feet allowed the sunlight in, the bars that ran down it¡¯s length vertically casting lined shadows on the floor, and across me. To my right sat a sturdy wooden door, made of a light brown wood rather than the dark ebony wood the elves used, and was likely much weaker, making me wonder what weak creatures could actually be held in this cage.


    ¡°Undefea-...winning th-...times! Sh-...nd the only, Ak Maru!¡±


    I heard a muffled voice through the door, sounding similar to an announcer at a stadium, his voice echoing as it reverberated around some large structure until it was replaced by the roaring of an excited crowd. The rumble continued, growing louder as the door in front of me shifted, dust falling from around the edges and creating a small cloud of dust on the ground, then opened up to a bright light, and the noise of the crowd no longer muffled. I let the brim of my hat shade my eyes, and walked out, trying to keep calm, barely able to stand due to the pressure of the gazes around me, watching me, and urging me on as I left the small room, and entered the large arena. Damn it, two arenas in one day, and both packed out with people... I have terrible luck.


    The arena was made of stone, and was shaped similar to the colosseum, but much bigger, large decorated walls rising up into the sky, hundreds of feet high, while enclosing the around the stadium. The arena itself was at least the same size as the elves, but with an open roof that allowed and easy escape if things were to go sideways. People lined the edges, unprotected from the occurrences within the arena, sitting on elevated benches that kept them above most of the action, but I¡¯m certain members of the audience get dragged into the fight often. Above the rest of the ogres, on a separate bench that was near the top of the arena walls to my right sat an ogre that was clearly different from the rest, one that could match any other ogre pound for pound with fat instead of muscle, and was dressed in fancy clothes that gave off an elegant look that didn¡¯t seem to fit.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    My attention was pulled to the ogre¡¯s right, where Ella sat with a pouty look on her face, but seemed otherwise unharmed, which filled me with relief. She saw me, and her expression immediately brightened as she jumped up out of her seat, and stood on the platform, dangerously close to the edge as she waved enthusiastically.


    ¡°Ash! Kick that hussy¡¯s Ass!¡±


    Hussy? I looked around, confused as to what ¡°hussy¡± Ella was referring to, when something caught my eye. I guess someone would be more appropriate, since the figure of a girl, with short, silver hair stood opposite me on the other side of the arena. From this distance, I couldn¡¯t make out many features, in fact, I wasn¡¯t even sure if it was a girl, I was just assuming because Ella called her a ¡°hussy¡±. Whoever it was, they were clearly not taken care of, even from this distance I could tell her clothes were in tatters, and mud was coated everything, making her look like a homeless person. Her arms were thin showing how malnourished she was, and she stood straight, unfazed by the chanting crowd, either traumatized at her situation, or already used to it. In either case, I didn¡¯t want to fight her.


    ¡°And facing her, the mutated elf discovered by one of the Woodlocke family, Ash the Conqueror!¡±


    Mutated elf? I suppose that makes sense, I do look incredibly similar to an elf, not to mention I was discovered by the elves... I guess it¡¯s easier than explaining I¡¯m a different being from another world that functions solely on science, so I¡¯ll just stick to this story for now. I¡¯m assuming Ella had something to do with the conqueror part, probably exaggerating my fight with her father to make me seem like some sort of untouchable super-being, when in all actuality I have no control over my power in normal situations.


    Something moved, rapidly flying in my direction, barely giving me any time to react, but I managed to hurl myself to the side, just barely dodging a small, smooth foot that passed by my head. Quickly recovering, I spun around to where the girl landed, holding my hat tightly against my head as the wind from her momentum blew hard, beating against the wall behind me. There she stood, I was now certain of her gender now that I could see her face. The one known as Ak Maru. She was small, slender, and fair-skinned, looking human except for the tiny fangs that peaked out of the edge of her mouth as she stared at me with a blank face.


    No way... was this the girl in the cell next to me? They keep her on a ship? How?


    ¡°Ak Maru comes in with the first strike, but is evaded by Ash, the first one ever to survive the first attack! Will he be able to tame Ak Maru, and have her bear the ultimate warrior?¡±


    The crowd grew louder, and my confusion grew more vast at the announcer¡¯s words, saying something about bearing a warrior and ¡°taming¡± Ak Maru, rather than defeating her. Before I had a chance to think about it, Ak Maru lunged, flying at an incredible speed towards me, and forcing me to break my train of thought, and dodge to the right. After this attack, she did not hesitate, making a one-hundred and eighty degree turn, and attacking again, this time coming in diagonally from above, and making me jump up in the air. Rookie mistake, the battle-experienced Ak Maru jumped up at me, bending back and kicking me mid-flip, rocketing me off to the other side of the arena, shattering the wall.


    I coughed, that blow actually hurt, and made me rethink my plan of just evading, and getting serious. I managed to hang on to my hat during the exchange, and pull it to my chest before smashing into the wall, keeping it safe from the rubble and force of the wind that threatened to tear it apart. Slightly pissed, I stood up, placing the hat back on my head where it belongs, than started to walk towards Ak Maru while coming up with a plan. Our abilities were similar, but I had the advantage when it came to extra-sensory perception, and could use that to my advantage in a close up fight. My fists tightened, I don¡¯t know what was going on, and I doubt I¡¯ll get any answers unless this fight ends soon, so I guess I¡¯ll have to get serious now, and end this with as little damage to the girl as possible.


    She dove at me again, but this time I planted my feet, bringing my fist up to bare, and... froze.


    ¡®Are you listening? This one¡¯s important, and I don¡¯t want you to forget it.¡¯


    The image of my father flashed in my mind, a face that filled me with sadness and nostalgia as a very important memory took my attention away from the fight. He was looking down to me, very serious, but still keeping his iconic smile displayed on his face while his brow furrowed as it usually did when he was teaching me something.


    ¡®You are never ever allowed to harm any woman, child, or weak person, and turning away in their time of need is just as bad as harming them, so that¡¯s not allowed either. Protecting women, call it instinct, chivalry, or... whatever, the fact of the matter is you protect, not because you want something, or to make yourself feel good, you protect what¡¯s important, and women are important. Children are the future, they are still growing, and no matter how bad they seem now, they can always get better and grow up into reasonable people. It¡¯s your job, as a man, to make sure they at least have the opportunity. You protect the weak because they often can¡¯t defend themselves, and require help from people that are stronger, but you have to be careful not to damage their pride, because most of the time they would rather get hurt than sacrifice their pride.¡¯


    His smile grew wider, and he retracted his face from mine, placing his right hand on his hat habitually, sliding his finger across the silver buckle with a pensive look on his face.


    ¡®Fighting with fists won¡¯t get you far in this world. That¡¯s a lesson I wish I¡¯d learned a long time ago, and would have saved me a lot of heartache.¡¯


    He inhaled deeply, then released the captured air out of his mouth with a sigh, the smile returning to his face, turning back to face me.


    ¡®You gotta fight smart, find out whether the situation needs fixing, or destroying, and then use your words to take a long-lasting victory, rather than a short-term win.¡¯


    The image vanished as fast as it appeared, no time having passed in the real world, and my fist still attacking the girl. If I pulled back now, I will be left wide open, but if I continue through she will definitely be hurt, and it will be my fault.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    I pulled back, missing her completely, and catching her knee in my face with a loud crack and an explosive force that blew the dirt around us away, and sent me streaking across the arena. To the audience, I was nothing but a blurred line, one that led directly into the stone wall to the left of where I was just standing. The stone crumbled upon impact as if it was frail and old, but I didn¡¯t leave the arena, smashing into a barrier made of a mysterious energy that absorbed my momentum before shooting it back at me with ten times more power. I was ejected from the hole my body just made, and flew back across the arena, intense pain clouding my mind as I skipped off the ground a few times before receiving a forearm to the face.


    With another explosive sound that shook the very ground we stood on, I was clotheslined by Ak Maru, and sent sliding across the ground, digging up the dirt that made up the arena floor into a decent sized pile where I stopped.


    Ow. Two major blows to the face caused my brain to go fuzzy, and I reached up with my right hand to feel for my hat. As I thought, it wasn¡¯t there, so I checked around and found it on the other side of the arena, sitting on the ground untouched by the attack. I let out a sigh, and stood up, the pain of the previous attacks wearing off already, and were replaced with determination. I will win this fight.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what happened, but it seems the mutant elf took a couple of hits! Somehow he is still standing!¡±


    I just figured something out, the reason for my being here, and it wasn¡¯t to beat their undefeated warrior in a battle like I had initially thought.


    ¡°Not only is he standing, he seems unfazed by the attack! Truly an amazing spectacle!¡±


    They need someone strong enough to force Ak Maru to create an ultimate warrior for them, so they can raise it to be their weapon.


    ¡°This battle is only beginning! I can see bloodlust in the Conqueror¡¯s eyes!¡±


    These bastards are going down.

 Chapter 7: Ak Maru part 2

    I am Ak Maru. I¡¯ve spent the past five years of my life fighting these weak monsters, protecting my innocence from their greedy clutches. In exchange for these fights, I am given food, clothing, and a place to sleep, and even though they only cover the necessities, it is still better than sleeping on the streets and eating only what I find. My only virtue is my strength, and being good at fighting is the most coveted treasure an ogre could ask for, however, I am not a normal ogre.


    I was born in a small village from my mother who, like most, was impregnated in this very arena by a great warrior that nearly killed her in the process. I grew up with a critically wounded mother that was missing an arm, and had a severe limp that she would never recover from, but I loved her like more than life itself. Every night, my mother went out, and would come back even more broken and battered than before, sometimes even unable to stand, so I took care of her.


    I didn¡¯t know I was different, and I didn¡¯t know why my mother was always getting hurt or why she always seemed to get watery eyes whenever I asked to go out. When that happened she would only smile and tell me that I may do whatever I like as long as I stayed inside. I was foolish.


    One day, my mother went out as usual, and per custom, I would see her off with a hug and she with a pat on my head. The night passed, and she didn¡¯t come back. A day passed, it was now night again and there was still no sign of my mother, but still I waited patiently by the door. I didn¡¯t eat. I didn¡¯t sleep. I knew my mother would need care when she finally made it home, but days passed, and I was becoming weak from exhaustion and hunger.


    After four days passed, I resolved myself to go out in search of my mother, shakily getting on my feet before slowly opening the door. I learned about he real world that day, one with my mother who would sell herself to keep me a secret, a shameful act for an ogre who is only meant to mate in an arena. My mother died that night, and I never even saw her body. What I did see was the men that came, stealing me away in my weakened state before the exhaustion finally took me, and the world went dark.


    I woke in a cage, greeted by stale bread, dirty water, and a tattered change of clothes. I was in the arena at the age of twelve, and found my speed and strength was unmatched by any of the ogres, not even one able to survive a direct hit. I earned the name Ak Maru by defeating the arena¡¯s champion who was previously recognized as untouchable or Taug with one blow. The name was derived from the old language epithet ¡°Ak maru ik iltat¡± roughly meaning ¡°one that brings death¡±, and is directly translated to ¡°one¡±. This specific version of ¡°one¡± is referring to a lone person of being, and is often used when describing great beasts like ¡°Ak maru tak haltem¡± or ¡°One that wields fire¡± in reference to a dragon. In most situations, the naming would be based off of the second part, such as the legendary dragon known as Tak Haltem, but I am considered a special case, one that the ogres take great pride in. I was the mutant ogre known and feared by all other ogres as ¡°Ak Maru¡±, the one.


    Now, for the first time a new creature stands before me, one that has already survived several direct hits and yet seems unfazed. I am pretty sure I saw him retract an attack earlier for some reason, though I don¡¯t really know why since he probably could have taken me down with that blow. Did he see something? He may have been spooked, but I doubt it since there was no indication of fear in his face or movements, so... what is it? I heard him tell me he was only fighting for a friend, probably that girl up with Ru¡¯Ilna, so why hasn¡¯t he even attempted to fight despite her urging?


    ¡°Ha ha ha! I can¡¯t believe that twig is still standing after that! Sit down or I¡¯ll have you flogged for impeding my view!¡±


    The fat ogre reached forward, girl by her hair with his massive hand, and jerking her head back so she fell heavily into her seat, tears welling up in her eyes from the sudden shock. Ru¡¯Ilna really is a despicable being, and if this boy was smart he would get his little girlfriend away from that ogre before he gets bored. I looked back to the boy that calls himself Ash, and saw rage reflected in his eyes, untamable, uncontrollable anger that enveloped the world around him. I shuddered. There was something different about this boy, almost as if he didn¡¯t seem to belong in this world, and when he got angry I thought I could feel the air vibrate slightly.


    I knew there was nothing he could do, since there was a magic field surrounding this area to protect the audience and yet another one around Ru¡¯Ilna¡¯s area. It would take a master magician or one hell of a hit to break through it, and failure would mean all the energy you just used would be rejected back at you and probably kill you. Still, the boy shook from anger, and the world around him shuddered in response. I stepped back as the dirt that made up the arena floor slowly began to rise floating in the air as if unrestrained by the laws reality provides, but that was not why I stepped back. I had seen magic before since I had battled many mages, and had felt energy flow from them, into the world around them. I stepped back because the magic that surrounded this area was undisturbed, yet the boy seemed to command the very universe itself.


    I leapt back to the stone wall of the arena as fast as I could, creating cracks in the walls when my body struck it, but I still didn¡¯t look away from the boy. The mud and grime that was meant to add padding to hard falls was now moving, circling around the boy, moving clockwise while emitting massive gusts of winds, and I clung on the wall to keep from being blown away. The entire arena floor had risen about three feet and was now rapidly rotating with the boy at it¡¯s center, the same look of hatred displayed plainly for all to see directed at Ru¡¯Ilna.


    ¡°What? I¡¯ll do as I please with my possessions, so don¡¯t get that way with me! Fight! Kill! That¡¯s what I came here to see! Blood being spilt!¡±


    Seeing Ash¡¯s rage, the obese ogre became irritated, and attempted to command the boy from the safety of his seat, raising his hand in the girl¡¯s direction threateningly. The boy would have to resume the fight if he wanted any chance to save his friend from a fate worse than death. No matter how strong he was, that barrier was made of pure magic and could absorb any direct attack he threw at it.


    The dirt stopped, then fell back on the ground but the boy didn¡¯t move, his defiance still visible in his eyes and stance as the two stared each other down. Seeing the boy wasn¡¯t going to back down, Ru¡¯Ilna snorted, and shifted his gaze over to me, who was still up against the wall, cautiously waiting out the confrontation.


    ¡°Get over there and fight you coward! What? Was that little display enough to scare off the Ak Maru itself?¡±


    I flinched. That ogre sat in the stands resembling an overfilled water balloon while shouting taunts at an enemy who couldn¡¯t reach him, and he calls me a coward? I grit my teeth in frustration, and detach from the wall, starting toward the boy who still hadn¡¯t removed his gaze from the fat ogre next to his friend.


    ¡°Gods help me, that girl¡¯s mother was less of a hassle. Always complaining about her wounds rather than just shutting up and taking it. Damn, I wish I could put an end to her daughter as easily as I did her.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    A ringing filled my ears and my head became dizzy at the revelation. I stopped walking, staring blankly at nothing as my mind made connections between my mother and the fat asshole. Ru¡¯Ilna had never competed in the arena, therefore when he wanted women, he would take the ones rejected by society for his own, threatening them with blackmail or bribing them with money. The boy shifted his gaze from the ogre to me, a look in his eyes I hadn¡¯t seen since my mother died, and I didn¡¯t really understand it. I couldn¡¯t speak as anger that had long been buried resurfaced ten times more powerful, gripping my chest and stiffening my joints as the fire burned inside me, no longer controllable.


    ¡°Apologize.¡±


    Before I could react the boy spoke, not loud but with power an confidence. I looked over to him, and saw him placing his black hat back on his head, the silver buckle reflecting the sunlight and casting a glare into my eyes.


    ¡°Or what!? Huh!? I got your girl here, do you think you could make it to me through both of those fields before I crush her head in the palm of my hand!?¡±


    The ogre responded with a sneer followed by a taunt that made my head ache, and my stomach churn because I knew he was right. Even if they could get through the barrier, the boy wouldn¡¯t risk his friend¡¯s life for something as simple as an apology. This fight would end with me as the loser, broken and dishonored in front of a crowd of animals cheering the boy on. I don¡¯t blame him though, he at least tried, which is more than anyone else has done for me since my mother died, and I appreciate it with all of my heart. I¡¯m glad I lost to someone like him.


    The boy didn¡¯t falter, and continued to stare, the anger inside him changing into a burning determination to destroy the being in front of him. Slowly, with measured movements, the boy raised his hand, and pointed directly at Ru¡¯Ilna with unwavering defiance reflected in his eyes.


    ¡°Who said I would come to you?¡±


    A bright white flash enveloped the green blob next to the girl, followed by another, this one inside the arena next to the one named Conqueror just moments ago. My vision was impeded for a couple moments, adapting to the sudden flash that had temporarily blinded me until they came into focus, and rested on the third figure that had just entered the fight. There, sitting on the ground with a look of confusion displayed on it¡¯s ugly face sat an incredibly obese green ogre with a superiority complex that had just pissed off the wrong person. The silence created a vacuum that not even the wind dared to whisper and break.


    As the situation¡¯s gravity descended on him, Ru¡¯Ilna¡¯s breath quickened, emitting a deafening noise that filled to the world around him with disgust. He squealed in fear, his hands gripping the dirt floor, pushing himself away from the imposing figure who simply stood watched with a serious expression. The creature continued to scream at the top of it¡¯s lungs, but it¡¯s attempt to escape was foiled as it was lifted by an invisible hand, hovering over the ground while frantically thrashing out in every direction. Ru¡¯Ilna¡¯s fat was now pushing the glamorous clothing out in awkward positions and creating a rather grotesque scene that is better left to the imagination.


    The screaming slowly faded as the ogre¡¯s initial shock wore off, and was replaced by an indignant look that was unwisely chosen to defend itself. Crossing it¡¯s arms as it floated about six feet away from the boy while I watched intently from about fifty feet to his left, unable to tear my eyes away from the terrifying scene.


    ¡°D-d-do y-you think y-you c-c-can get aw-way with this!? *cough* I am royalty and my people will defend me with their lives!¡±


    The ogre began shakily, but cleared his throat for the last part, looking around at the surrounding audience, expectantly waiting for a response. None came. Both the Conqueror and the crowd remained silent as the doomed desperately searched for help that never came.


    ¡°Guards! Where are my guards!?¡±


    Silence answered him, and he knew there wasn¡¯t a guard in this, or any world willing to challenge the young boy with a hat for the sake of Ru¡¯Ilna whose name meant tongue. The ogre fell silent, and looked at Ash with immense fear building up in his soul which pressed against his weak heart until the terror threatened to strangle it. The boy looked on without pity as the ogre¡¯s life now rested in his hands, giving up on it¡¯s futile attempts to escape and submitting in hopes of avoiding getting snuffed out.


    ¡°Apologize.¡±


    The boy repeated himself after a moment of silence, speaking in a normal tone of voice so only the three of us could hear. Immediately the ogre threw away his thin guise of dignity, and began to grovel loudly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir-no-your majesty, please forgive your humble servant! I didn¡¯t mean it! It¡¯s all for show! Please, I-¡°


    ¡°Not me.¡±


    The boy interrupted it¡¯s ramblings with two clearly spoken words before lifting his left arm, and pointing at... me? Why me? Wasn¡¯t the person threatened his friend? I was deeply confused, but now thought it safe enough to approach, and began to walk in their direction cautiously, though I don¡¯t really know what I¡¯d do if the boy suddenly decided to attack me. The ogre turned it¡¯s head, a look of dread appearing on it¡¯s face as it¡¯s eyes followed the path of the boy¡¯s finger to me, the Ak Maru that was his largest source of hatred.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Clenching his teeth in frustration, the ogre answered reluctantly with an insulting look on his face that made his displeasure clear as day.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    The boy pressed, and the ogre¡¯s face twisted in response.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry the bitch was ever born! That stupid, nose-wiping little-Gah¡±


    The boy jumped up, and roundhouse kicked the back of Ru¡¯Ilna¡¯s head, sending his face into the ground with an audible thunk. The boy landed next to the ogre¡¯s head, which had just barely lifted it¡¯s bloodied face off the ground, and stepped on the back of it¡¯s neck, pinning it to the ground.


    ¡°So far you¡¯ve fought out of necessity, but this situation is different.¡±


    The boy began to talk, this time to me directly, serious eyes looking deep into mine with a mixture of concern and care peaking through and brightening his entire demeanor.


    ¡°You can kill him now and exact your revenge, fully accepting the title Ak Maru, and be a renowned killer. Or... you can leave now and start over, adopting a new name if you want along with a new life, one that you get to chose for yourself. If you decide to leave, I will make sure he won¡¯t hurt anyone else.¡±


    I had no intention of letting Ru¡¯Ilna go, he had to be stopped, he had to die before the same thing that happened to my mother happens to someone else. I looked down at the face of the ogre which was almost hidden behind a mask of blood and dirt from the arena floor. I wanted to be the one to kill him. I raised my foot off the ground, holding it above it¡¯s head with every intention to end it¡¯s life when the image of my mother flashed in my mind. It was a memory I often used to visit until it became too painful, and began to fade, leaving only the image of her face in it¡¯s stead.


    I remember her smiling warmly down at me, with eyes revealing a mixture of worry and care that seemed to appear often before she left each night. The image flickered in my mind, then was replaced by another, one of a boy wearing a black hat and a vampire¡¯s cloak looking at me with those same eyes. A stone formed in my stomach as I looked back at him and saw only disappointment. Pain welled up in my chest as I tried to think of a way to get that old look back in his eyes, remembering his words and thinking about how he said them.


    A new name and a new life... that¡¯s it! I know what I¡¯m going to do. I stomped down, shattering the ground next to the ogre¡¯s head with a resounding boom, while leaving him relatively unharmed. I looked up at the boy¡¯s face, knowing what I wanted, and completely unafraid to say it. I wanted to see that look as often as possible, to the point where I am willing to dedicate my life to doing just that.


    ¡°Ash the Conqueror, from this day forward I will serve you in whatever way I can to the absolute best of my abilities in return for food, and a place to belong.¡±


    I clenched my fists, knowing my words were bland and my face unchanging, but I still retained the glimmer of hope that he would still accept me. He didn¡¯t reply and just stared at me with wide, shocked eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not charismatic, or wealthy... I¡¯m not pretty, or good at chores or cooking, but I promise I will work hard to make you happy, so please don¡¯t refuse me.¡±


    He chuckled nervously, probably because he didn¡¯t know how to refuse me without hurting my feelings. However what he said next was anything but rejection, in fact it was something I¡¯d never heard anyone say to me before.


    ¡°I thought you were pretty...¡±

 Chapter 8: Ak Maru part 3

    I stood there for a moment, letting the words sink into my mind as the girl in front of me stared, a look of determination reflected in her soft hazel eyes. How the hell am I supposed to respond to that? I don¡¯t need a servant, especially not a pretty girl willing to obey my every command. Wait... she said that she wasn¡¯t pretty in that last part, but... even though she may be dirty and poorly dressed she is still undeniably beautiful. Her skin was smooth, not a single wound or scar visible anywhere on her small frame, and only yielded to her gemstone eyes and slender lips. Her hair was short but still swayed with the wind, moving back and forth with fluid motions that any girl would envy. I suppose not many people compliment each other while fighting for their lives in an arena made for rape. I should probably say something.


    ¡°I thought you were pretty...¡±


    Wow, that was impressively awkward. I think I¡¯m going to dig a hole to bury myself in now, since that is probably the only way to stop the gazes that I was now acutely aware of from burrowing into my soul.


    The girl looked surprised at my remark, her eyes widening and mouth opening ever-so-slightly while inhaling deeply as if to keep herself calm. Her eyes became glassy, enabling the sun to reflect the colors more brightly, which added to the gemstone look, but meant she was probably about to cry. I probably just did something stupid, what the hell am I supposed to do now? I didn¡¯t mean to make her cry, I just wanted make her feel better since she probably had a tough life and most likely hasn¡¯t ever gotten a compliment before.


    I have to do something to make her feel better, or at least keep her from breaking down into tears while I still had a fat ogre pinned under my foot. Words are tricky and can easily be misinterpreted, so I think I should do something rather than say something comforting, but what can I do? Ah, got it, and there is no way this can be misinterpreted as anything other than reassurance.


    I reached out with my left hand, forcing a reassuring smile onto my face despite the resistance created by the audience¡¯s still shocked eyes with my palm facing her head. She flinched in response, but did nothing to stop me as my hand gently settled on her soft hair, slowly petting her head. I now realized that what I was doing was most likely degrading, but her lips curved up in a smile, though only a very small amount. Well, if she doesn¡¯t mind, then it should be fine. I suppose it would be better for her to be in a good mood when I reject her proposal to become my servant.


    I obviously couldn¡¯t accept it. No one should have absolute power over another person¡¯s mind or body. It takes away one of the greatest gifts that makes people... people, which is their free will to act as they see fit. This case is even worse since it is done willingly, and there would be complete submission of both the mind and the body as opposed to those forced to serve, which only controls the body. As long as they have the will to resist, a person can still exercise free will through rebellious acts or thoughts, but those that submit often sacrifice their humanity.


    After a couple of moments, I stopped, returning my hand to my side while ignoring her slightly disappointed expression. The ogre pinned under my foot suffocated and died not long ago, and I was able to lift my foot away, letting the audience assume the green blob was simply unconscious. I hope this will be enough to give us a peaceful head start to avoid any more fights, though I don¡¯t think his fellow ogres cared much for him anyway.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. They won¡¯t stay quiet for long.¡±


    The magical energy around us had disappeared not long after I pulled the ogre into the fight, probably because they were preparing to rescue him, but had second thoughts when it came to actually entering the arena. In any case, that made things a lot simpler for me, since I had no idea how to control my abilities after the anger faded.


    I looked up at Ella, who was staring down at the arena with the same awe-struck look that was on the rest of the ogre¡¯s faces, though I didn¡¯t know why. They used magic in this world, and the elves had that teleporting room that I changed in earlier, so this shouldn¡¯t be anything new to them. Unless, of course, the magical barrier was supposed to block magical as well a physical attacks, in which case what I just did would have been pretty shocking.


    I gestured to Ella, catching her attention and quickly waving her over, since I was in a hurry to leave this arena and the eyes that filled it. Noticing my movements, Ella jumped up and out of her seat before gently gliding down over the heads of the audience. She continued to float down diagonally in my direction until she was about ten feet above me, her position revealing several things that she probably didn¡¯t want revealed, so I looked away. That was a very big mistake, since she had decided to let gravity carry her the rest of the way down, and released her magic while directly above my head. Noticing the air shift around her quickly advancing figure, I stepped back, but then realized she would just end up falling on the ground and might get hurt.


    I stretched my arms out in front of me without looking up, aware of her position despite being unable to see her, and she landed softly in my arms, princess-style. Giggling at my unintentionally smooth reaction, Ella wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling herself closer to me while looking over at Ak Maru mischievously. The silver-haired girl stared back with an unreadable face, watching Ella sit in my arms as if the elf-girl was nothing more than a fly that had chosen me as it¡¯s perch.


    ¡°Hands off my hubby.¡±


    Ella spoke, and all color drained from my face, and rushed to the pit of my stomach as if to hide from the intense embarrassment of being called ¡°hubby¡± by a pretty girl. Hat or no hat, there was no way I could come up with a suitable response that wouldn¡¯t either sound cruel or accepting the title. What do I do?The silence is going to break me soon if something doesn¡¯t break it first, but I can¡¯t make a sound in fear of my voice giving away my thoughts. I¡¯m stuck.


    ¡°Get down, you¡¯re making master uncomfortable.¡±


    Holy crap! Ak Maru just referred to me as master, and now Ella¡¯s penetrating gaze is directed at me with a scarily passionate look in her eyes. I need to get out of this situation fast, my legs are starting to shake from the pressure, and a chilled breeze nearly caused me to shiver. Luckily the crowd surrounding us had begun coming to their senses, and a dull roar could be heard as voices started to churn among the surrounding area, reminding me of our situation.


    ¡°Can you jump out of the arena?¡±


    My voice came out calmer than I thought it would, and the small girl responded with a quick nod, stepping closer to Ella and me. Good, now all that¡¯s left is... wait, didn¡¯t Ella just fly? Doesn¡¯t that mean we could have jumped off the ship without me worrying about her falling to her death? I looked down at the blond haired girl, who stared back up at me with curious eyes filled with innocence that only a small child should have. Ah, well... there¡¯s nothing I can do about it now, and it all ended well, since Ak Maru doesn¡¯t have to stay in the arena anymore.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Do you know which direction the nearest town is?¡±


    I asked the elf, who thankfully knew the answer, and pointed towards her feet which were off to my right. I was a bit surprised at her navigating skills since we were surrounded by massive walls that hid any visible landmarks, but then again, she can also create firestorms and glide, so I guess it isn¡¯t that shocking. I began to turn in the direction she was pointing, but paused when I felt something gently touch my left forearm, and I looked back.


    There stood Ak Maru, her hand stretched out in front of her with a very faint blush on her cheeks that wasn¡¯t there before. Wow, I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s recovered so fast, the color is even coming back to her face and everything. She¡¯s pretty resilient despite her delicate appearance, both physically and mentally. Good to know.


    ¡°Name.¡±


    She mumbled quietly, her face becoming a slightly deeper shade of pink in the process, and her eyes would no longer meet mine. I thought I heard her say ¡°name¡±, though I was still trying to figure out why when she continued, this time with a much stronger voice.


    ¡°Would master please give me a name?¡±


    Oh, that makes sense. I told her to get a new name for her new life, and she probably needs a little help coming up with one that she likes. I suppose I could give a couple of suggestions, though I don¡¯t know whether or not she¡¯ll like them.


    ¡°Um... well, Brook sounds ni-¡°


    ¡°I accept.¡±


    She accepted without hesitation or giving it any thought, and her entire body language changed as if a weight has been lifted off her shoulders. It didn¡¯t really make much sense to me, but neither did anything else in this world, so I guess this is fine for now. Several orcs wearing steel battle armor began entering the arena from the sides, some new confidence filling them as they charged at full speed straight at us. I smiled, then turned away from the girl formerly known as Ak Maru to face the direction Ella had pointed at earlier. The sun had moved, now coming in at an angle, and casting long shadows across the arena floor.


    ¡°Okay. We should probably get going.¡±


    I held Ella in my arms, mostly because I didn¡¯t want deal with any tantrum she might throw if I tried to force her off. I bent my knees in preparation to jump, and Brook followed suit, though she placed her hands on the ground while looking up at the wall we were about to leap over. Ella seemed displeased with something, mumbling something about the name I had given Brook, but I ignored it and kept my focus on the task at hand.


    I pushed off the ground, flying up and out of the arena, the dirt of the arena floor, and the corpse of the fat orc flew away from where I was standing, caught by the wind In my wake. Immediately following me was Brook, who had left the ground not long after I had, and was not far behind me as we left the constraints of the arena walls.


    The air seemed fresh up here, not tainted with the foul stench of death like the arena was, and had the scenery to match it. A vast array of grey cliff faces spotted with assorted greenery split the land into sections, leaving large, green strips of land running parallel to each other. From my position, the land was split into horizontal strips, and I was able to land, then jump over the vast canyons that lay in between.


    Each time I landed, the force of the impact would cause the surrounding trees to bend away, and the dirt to blow off to the sides, which made me feel a little bad since it was very picturesque before I hit. The three of us continued on for quite a while, occasionally pausing when one of us landed on a tree, and reduced it to mere splinters, but resuming almost immediately after. I thought Ella would get sore from being carried like this, but she never complained and just held on tight as I repeatedly leapt through the air.


    After about an hour of this, the land slowly began to change, the trees becoming more spread out, and the canyons less common. We were now able to run instead of repeatedly jump, which was easier on Ella and Brook, who had seemed to become a bit winded from the constant exertion. Ella¡¯s eyes looked heavy, and kept drooping closed before snapping awake, and tightening her grip around my neck as if afraid I would drop her. Brook didn¡¯t seem quite as bad, but her face was pretty flushed, and her breaths were becoming shorter and quicker, so I decided to take a quick rest before continuing.


    Stopping under a nearby tree, which was standing alone in what was now a field, the three of us made ourselves comfortable. I placed Ella down between two roots, and she immediately fell asleep, curling into a ball, her blond hair strewn out over the roots and grass. I smiled to myself before standing up straight, then lazily leaning against the large trunk, and letting my eyes drift shut in relaxation. Brook, walked over next to me, leaning her back against the tree before sliding down into a sitting position, staring off at nothing.


    ¡°Are master and the elf married?¡±


    I twitched, unsure of how to answer the sudden question, and still uncomfortable with the ¡°master¡± title. I did not agree to marry her, but had fulfilled the requirements, and she seems more than willing... but there was a problem. I only met her today, and she barely knows me as well, so love at this point was impossible. What she feels for me is most likely the result of her overprotective father, who has unintentionally failed to teach her the difference between like and love.


    Her father loved her, and because of that has protected her from the world, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but now she thinks I love her because I fought for her. What I did made her happy, and now she has confused her happiness with love, which could easily be exploited by anyone with even the smallest amount of confidence. I¡¯m sure she will fall desperately in love with someone someday, but that will take time, so marrying her now would be malicious and irresponsible of me, especially because I know it¡¯s wrong.


    ¡°No.¡±


    I responded without opening my eyes, hearing her stretch out her legs, and lean back in a more comfortable position.


    ¡°Brook, why do you want to be my servant?¡±


    I didn¡¯t understand her insistence on being my servant when I would much rather be friends, or even just acquaintances. She shifted, leaning in towards my leg to rest her head on a divot in the trunk.


    ¡°When I was in the arena, my job was to make people hurt, and not just the people inside the battle area. I¡¯ve killed, then watched mothers cry and siblings scream for their lost loved one, knowing I did that to them even though they did nothing to me.¡±


    Her voice wavered at the end, but she cleared her throat and strengthened her resolve before continuing.


    ¡°A servant¡¯s only job is to make their master happy at any cost. I want someone that I can serve, a good person that won¡¯t abuse their power over me, or hurt me... someone that won¡¯t leave me.¡±


    I inhaled, trying to think of something to say to reassure her. I originally intended to tell her she couldn¡¯t be my servant because I didn¡¯t believe in that sort of thing, but I don¡¯t think that would be best for her right now. She needs something more than just the word of a friend, or a promise from a stranger. She needs someone that won¡¯t leave her because she makes them happy, and serves them. I didn¡¯t really like it, but for now I will have to assume the role of a master until I can somehow convince her to trust me as a friend.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    I opened my eyes, and looked over at her, becoming sad when seeing her dirty hair and ragged clothes and imagining all the trauma that she must have experienced to be forced into this mentality.


    ¡°In that case, you will, from now until I decide otherwise, be my servant. In exchange, I will provide you with food, water, and as much comfort as I can afford. I don¡¯t have much, and there are plenty of other people that are kinder, richer, and can give you a lot more, but I would be honored if you would accept me as your master.¡±


    She immediately perked up, looking up into my eyes with a look of... confusion? Why is she confused? Isn¡¯t this what she was going for?


    ¡°What are you talking about? You already accepted me as your servant when you named me.¡±


    Ah... so that¡¯s why she wanted me to choose. So now I am unintentionally engaged, and have a servant, both of which are beautiful young women. I should think things through more carefully from now on.

 Chapter 9: Of the Gods part 1

    The three of us rested in silence for the remaining hour before the sun''s rays drifted down past the branches that was acting as our shade, and I decided it was time to get going. It was probably around six o¡¯clock now,and I didn¡¯t want to be caught outside at night in a world full of ridiculous monsters, and likely some carnivorous plant life as well. Strong or not, I¡¯d rather not sleep out here, and the town is hopefully not much further off, and we may still be able to make it before nightfall.


    Ella yawned widely as I woke her stretching her arms and legs out in awkward directions as I carefully rubbed her shoulder while whispering ¡°Time to get up¡± in her ear. With a small amount of complaint, I hoisted the pouting elf off the ground, her wrapping her arms around my neck to gain more security, and we set off towards the town. We were able to resume our previous pace with relative ease, and made it to our destination before nightfall.


    I paused as it came into view, measuring it with my studious gaze and coming to the conclusion that this was not a town, but a city. A rather large one at that, surrounded by massive walls made of some sort of steel, but was finely crafted unlike the ogre¡¯s ship, and was most likely many feet thick. Peaking over the top of the awe-inspiring wall were a couple of pointed rooftops, which made me strongly consider the possibility of this being a city of giants, since just the walls were approaching skyscraper height and the structures within were even more impressive. However, my thoughts of giants were hampered when I saw the normal-sized group of well-decorated officers standing just outside of a gate that made them look similar to small coins in comparison.


    We approached, and I put Ella down to walk on her own, sustaining only minor burns thanks to my new body as one of the guards came out to meet us.


    ¡°Hey, you there! What¡¯s your business?¡±


    The soldier was wearing shiny bronze armor that had clearly been taken good care of, and wielded a spear, holding it warily in front of him with suspicious eyes. I noticed a small green cloth hanging from his leather belt, displaying the image of a white ring hovering in black fire. There was something written on the ring, but I couldn¡¯t read it due to the constant swaying caused by the wind and the man¡¯s jerky movements, so I simply let it be and returned to the issue at hand.


    ¡°We¡¯re just passing through, and need somewhere to stay.¡±


    I replied, but the soldier didn¡¯t drop his guard or soften the suspicious look on his face, continuing to pry with both his voice and stance.


    ¡°I see the sky-dweller, but what race are the two of you?¡±


    That¡¯s right... I¡¯m not supposed to exist in this world, and Brook is apparently something unusual in this world too. Now that I look at her, she seems similar to a human aside from her pointed fangs, but I had assumed she was just a vampire or something since it never came up in conversation. After a moment¡¯s hesitation to figure out what to say, I responded with all the confidence I could muster.


    ¡°I am an elf, though a rare genetic mutation caused my ears to be rounded, and my facial structure to be more stout, which is likely the cause of your confusion. As for my friend here, she doesn¡¯t talk much, and I am still unsure of her race, however I can vouch for her character and take her as my responsibility after we enter.¡±


    I tried to come off as intelligent and trustworthy, but I¡¯m pretty sure I just sounded like an idiot with a poorly hidden ego. Either way, I seemed to get my point across, and the soldier relaxed his grip on the spear, lifting it up, then planting it firmly at his side as the guards behind him made a path for us. The soldier¡¯s eyes still seemed suspicious, and watched my every move meticulously as if I were planning on a surprise attack. I began to feel a little uncomfortable, but placed my hand on my head, feeling the comforting leathery surface of my hat hugging my head, and was able to remain visibly unfazed by the man.


    ¡°Aside from your odd looks, I have little reason to keep you out, but be wary of your actions. There are reports of powerful monsters sneaking over the gate and into the city, so any suspicious acts will not be tolerated. Remember this, and you should be fine. It is a big city after all, and there are many people here with varying backstories wandering around freely, so you most likely won¡¯t be subject to any sort of discrimination due to your odd looks.¡±


    A smaller gate made on the side of the much larger one creaked open, leaning heavily on it¡¯s powerful hinges as the city beyond revealed itself. We began walking toward it, Ella clinging tightly to my arm with visible and audible excitement while Brook simply stared ahead with her usual blank look.


    ¡°Welcome to Balm¡¯ak, City of the Gods!¡±


    The soldier shouted out behind us as we entered the door, his voice fading away as the overwhelming magnitude of the city was fully revealed. Unlike the elven ship, each building seemed to be individualistically designed to fit each owner¡¯s needs or personally style. They ranged from some the size of small cottages, to skyscrapers, some were wide, short, long, round, square, triangle, and even some odd shapes that I couldn¡¯t recognize. People rushed about, performing various tasks for many different reasons that the three of us would likely never know.


    I noticed many of the people were of races I thought only existed in fairy tales, and some I wasn¡¯t even able to identify. I noticed the majority of the people were half-human and half-animal, though they came in many different species such as cat-people, wolf-people, large bear-like people, and one or two minotaurs casually strolling about. Most of these people dwarfed me in size two or three times over, giving me the feeling of being submerged underwater, though no one seemed to pay much attention to us which was a nice change of pace.


    Moving through the crowd of people, I made sure to keep Ella and Brook close, grabbing hold of each of their hands while feeling some of the social energy drain from me. We navigated the ever-changing labyrinth for several minutes before we came to a decently large building about the size of a three-story mansion, though it seemed poorly maintained and unfit for a rich person. We stopped, reading the sign that hung out over the crowd displaying the image of a bed with the words [Wayfarer¡¯s Lodge] imprinted on it with bold white letters.


    Thank god, an inn. After pushing through a small group of people we made our way inside, though the noise and density of people didn¡¯t seem to change much from outside. I was a bit worried we wouldn¡¯t have somewhere to stay as I approached the bar, craning due to the counter being about the same height as my head.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    I spoke while holding my hand up in the air to catch the bartender¡¯s attention, releasing Brook¡¯s hand in the process since she was less likely to be carried away. The bartender noticed me, and I returned my hand to it¡¯s previous resting position where it was quickly snatched by the silver-haired girl, and brought close. I suppose that makes sense, since she probably doesn¡¯t have much experience with creatures other than ogres. Heck, I have to imagine them as humans in order to keep from staring myself, though even then, these beings are incredible and very entertaining to watch.


    ¡°Hello, there! How may ah help you?¡±


    A large wolf-man looked down at me from the other side of the counter, a big smile on his face as he spoke with an accent that sounded like one from Ireland back on earth. Memories are coming back more quickly now, passively surfacing in my mind as I come across things that seem familiar.


    ¡°Do you have any room?¡±


    I asked above the noise that filled the background, leaning forward in hopes to project my voice more clearly to the bartender. The wolf-man just smiled with his humanoid face, puffy white ears twitching on his head as his gaze drifted to the girls at my sides, and nodded, holding up a single finger. Only one room in this whole place? Seriously? Ah... wait a second... I don¡¯t have any money. I couldn¡¯t get a room even if I wanted to.


    I was about to awkwardly apologize for interrupting him, but that¡¯s when Ella stepped in front of me, pulling three small copper coins out of a pocket I could barely even see. Seriously, it was just a line on her skirt.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take it.¡±


    Well, she was pretty well-known back on the elf-ship, so she probably had quite a bit of pocket change, but I still feel bad making her pay for the room. I need to find a way to make an income, preferably hunting monsters somehow since I don¡¯t know much else about this world. I wonder if there is some sort of guild thing here...


    ¡°Where did a sky-dweller get surface-dweller currency?¡±


    The bartender asked Ella nonchalantly, which piqued my interest since I was still new to this world¡¯s economy. I guess the elves, along with any other flying cities, have a separate currency system than the so-called surface-dwellers. If that¡¯s the case, then where did Ella get it? The only other surface place we¡¯ve been was... no way... did she steal it from that fat ogre? I look over at Ella, who winked at me while putting her index finger in front of her lips.


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±


    What the hell... that means she stole it while still his captive. This girl needs to learn where the line is before something bad happens. I guess I¡¯ll fill her in on real life when I ask her more about this world and it¡¯s workings.


    With a nod to the bartender, who had given me a key with a room number on it, I turned, gently pulling the girls behind me to the room indicated on the key. We settled in, though we didn¡¯t have much more than the clothes on our backs and whatever Ellis was hiding in her Mary Poppins pockets. The room was pretty small, with bare walls, and one queen-sized bed that acted as the only furnishing in the entire area.


    I opted to sleep on the floor, convincing them that I was much more comfortable there than on a squishy bed, and they eventually submitted. It wasn¡¯t a lie, I would be up all night if I had made those girls sleep on the floor while I slept on a soft, warm bed, so this was much better.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get under the covers now! You have to wash first!¡±


    Ella complained about Brook¡¯s state, which I had almost forgotten about during the insanity of finding a place to stay. Not only did Brook need a bath, but she also needed new clothes and probably some food as well considering how thin she was. I am such an idiot, I really need to pay more attention to these kinds of things. I looked around the room once again, and it was as I suspected; there was no bathroom here, and we would probably have to go to some public bathing area. Well, we need to go shopping anyway, since we need to at least get night clothes, and probably something to wear for tomorrow as well.


    ¡°Ella¡¯s right. Let¡¯s go find out where we can bathe and get some clothes. If your hungry, and Ella has enough money, we can also grab something to eat while we¡¯re out.¡±


    ¡°Yay, a date!¡±


    I coughed, forcefully holding the blush back from my face with all of the social power I could muster. I really am testing my limits here, ever since I came here it seems like I keep on getting into situations where I¡¯m at the center of attention. I¡¯m sure it will be alright from now on as long as I keep a low profile and tuck my ears into my hat to hide my differences.


    I pushed my hat down on my head while the tips of my ears slid under it before turning toward the door and beginning to make my exit. The girls followed closely, Ella grabbing my left hand while Brook tightly gripped the back of my cloak in her small, yet powerful, fists. Now that we were ready, I opened the door, and the three of us made our exit, moving quickly and with intention as we walked across the bar, and straight out the front door.


    It was about eight thirty or so, though I was just guessing since there wasn¡¯t any way to tell time that I know of, and the streets were slowly draining of people, allowing us to see the surrounding buildings more clearly. It didn¡¯t take us long to find a building with a small swinging sign out front that read [The Balm¡¯ak Public Wash], and had a short list under it with admission fees, the cheapest being five small coppers while the most expensive was one steel coin.


    Naturally, I suggested taking the cheaper option, however the [Commoner¡¯s Shared Bath] title it had made me hesitate. Actually, unless you rent a private bath, all of the possibilities here are shared by both genders without any sort of separation! Ah... this is going to be pretty troublesome, especially since I¡¯m not even sure if Ella knows the difference between boys and girls yet, and I really don¡¯t want to have that conversation tonight.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need a bath! I can clean with magic!¡±


    Ella said something surprising, which actually made me feel relieved. Of course! There is magic in this world, and we have, what I assume is, a top-class mage standing right in front of us! This will help save money and delay the birds and bees conversation until much later.


    ¡°You choose using magic over being naked with master? You surprise me with your sudden maturity.¡±


    Brook complimented Ella on her mature decision, however Ella seemed disappointed for some reason, and the familiar pouty look reappeared on her face. I don¡¯t really understand girls¡¯ thought process, but I did understand my innate passion for saving money via cheap methods and tricks. It probably had something to do with my past life¡¯s oppressive debt, though no specific memories came to mind like the other times. A couple of images seemed to pass, but they were fleeting and I was unable to catch them before they returned to the part of my mind that had been locked away from me.


    Anyway, this was great news and Ella deserves a little praise for her suggestion, though it did come a little late. I reached out, patting the elf gently on her head, and her usual optimistic self resurfaced through the disappointment. She seemed to be in an almost drunk state of mind when I did this, giggling and leaning into my hand, kind of like a cat does when it wants attention.


    ¡°Good job Ella, we should probably get cleaned up befo-?¡±


    I felt something shift off to my right, something big. I heard heavy breathing coming from a dark part of the street behind the bathing house as if some monster was lurking, hiding in wait for it¡¯s prey. This isn¡¯t good. I really don¡¯t want to attract attention or cause any damages that I will have to pay for in the future, so we should leave before we get caught up in a fight.


    Luckily, the girls seemed to notice it too, though it was odd how it just appeared without warning or any apparent ability to hide it¡¯s presence, however I didn¡¯t really have time to think about that right now. I turned, grabbing each of the girl¡¯s hands, and pulled them along, this time making sure there was no reason for me to stay behind and fight.


    The monster shifted again, then began to move in our direction, lumbering down the street while staying hidden from my sight. I could get the basic outline of it from the air that moved and swirled around it, noticing it¡¯s humanoid shape and crude movements that made it seem like something out of a horror story. It¡¯s raspy breath sped up slightly, and it¡¯s pace quickened as if it had become excited at my decision to leave. The streets had emptied, and the three of us were the only ones left, fleeing from a monster that would be terrifying if we were normal people. However, any one of us could likely take it down with ease, but didn¡¯t want to risk collateral damage and expenses that could put me deep into debt in this world as well.


    I released the girls¡¯ hands, and settled with letting them run in front of me so we could move at a faster pace, though the buildings around us limited our overall speed. The monster seemed to have no trouble navigating the buildings, it¡¯s once clumsy movements becoming refined as it was likely anticipating our deaths at it¡¯s hands.


    We were still a little ways away from the [Wayfarer¡¯s Lodge] and the creature would most definitely be able to catch up to us before we reached it. I have to fight it. Damn it, I guess I could hit it upwards, though it would only come back down, and break things. Hitting it over the walls would create a shockwave, and downward would shatter the concrete, both of which would most likely end with a couple of buildings collapsing. Maybe if I get swallowed by it, then killed it from the inside? I suppose the worst thing that could happen then is getting forced to clean up the mess, and Ella could probably use her magic to do that somehow. Okay, that¡¯s what I¡¯ll go for, hopefully it decides to eat me.


    I stopped, turning to face the monster while mentally preparing to be eaten, when something flew past my head and smashed into the monster. A brilliant white light lit up the street revealing a large, green monster about fifteen to twenty feet tall, covered in green slime that dripped down to the dirt, then sizzled as it buried itself in the ground. Sticking out of the creature¡¯s forehead region was a white staff, which also acted as the source of the brilliant light.


    Shocked by the sudden blow, the monster stood in place, dumbfounded. The light grew brighter, flashed, then disappeared along with the monster, and the staff fell to the ground clattering as it landed. Still trying to figure out what just happened, I stared at the staff with an intrigued look, weighing the idea of whether or not I should pick it up.


    ¡°You should be more careful when out at night.¡±


    The voice came from behind me, and the staff lifted off the ground, then hurled itself in the mysterious voice¡¯s direction as if to return to it¡¯s rightful owner. I turned to see who it was when I was met by a beautiful girl about nineteen years old wearing a silver robe that seemed to be able to reflect light even in the darkest of crevices. However, that is not what caught the majority of my attention... no, my eyes were focused on the two large, white bunny ears that stuck about two feet out from her solid white hair.


    Standing in a pose that projected confidence, the girl propped her staff up, holding it out in front of her in a gesture I didn¡¯t really understand, but she didn¡¯t seem to be threatening me, so I decided to ignore it for now and focus on her ears.


    ¡°Your girlfriend is quite beautiful, though your slave looks rather abused...¡±


    I continued to stare at her ridiculous bunny ears in awe as the temptation to touch them growing inside me, and I completely missed what she said. Her face showed a bit of irritation at my silence, but calmed down, and introduced herself with a patient voice.


    ¡°I am known as Grace Divilet, the Hero of Balm¡¯ak, Protector of the Weak, and Slayer of Dragons. I am the Chosen One of the Gods, and was given the divine power of the Goddess of Life. My brilliance outshines the sun, and my wrath is second only to the gods themselves. Be aware of who you are addressing boy, I already disapprove of how you treat your slave, and could easily end your pitiful existence with a flick of my wrist.¡±


    I wonder if they¡¯re as fluffy as they look...

 Chapter 10: Of the Gods part 2

    ¡®What was I supposed to do? Just sit back and watch!?¡¯


    I hid in a corner, watching a man wearing a black cowboy hat argue with the panel of people that were assembled in front of him. A semicircle of large desks and tall chairs surrounded the man, each one occupied by different men and women that were hidden by the strategically placed shadows filling the dark room.


    ¡®You were supposed to enter a report, and let us deal with it. You shouldn¡¯t have gone against the system.¡¯


    ¡®System my ass, you know nothing would have happened! The system can¡¯t stop a fist or cushion a fall, all it does is punish after the fact!¡¯


    Clenching his fist, the man angrily shouted back at the executive that had responded, unable to make out his face through the curtain of shadows that hung over him, but able to tell the general direction of his voice. A booming sound echoed through the room as the man behind the desk brought his fist down angrily on his desk, expressing his frustration with the one before him.


    ¡®No, it prevents the fist from ever being raised in the first place! Do not question the law, it isn¡¯t your place!¡¯


    The voice reverberated off the walls, and I watched as the lone figure fell silent in an attempt to control his building rage, his teeth barely audible as they ground together. The room became calmer, and the man behind the desk shifted in his seat, likely making himself more comfortable before continuing.


    ¡®We can¡¯t stop every bad thing from happening, but we do take care of a good portion by using the system. You can¡¯t save everyone, it¡¯s not possible, so you have to be able to let some things go for the greater good.¡¯


    Silence filled the room, and I thought the man in front of me was about to explode as he trembled, a thin strand of self-control the only thing restraining him from climbing over the desk to where the executive was sitting. I clung to the wall I was hiding behind and kept my breath even, and silent as I remembered the things my father had taught me during our afternoon and weekend lessons.


    ¡®You¡¯re saying I should ignore someone that I can help simply because I can¡¯t help everyone? How is that right?¡¯


    Sweat was dripping down his neck, and his eyes had become misty as he reflected on a dark memory from not long ago. A creaking noise sounded as the executive leaned forward in his chair, his hands becoming visible as they folded, and rested on his desk.


    ¡®Our job isn¡¯t to do what¡¯s right, it¡¯s to do what¡¯s just. The law says everyone should be processed fairly before having any punishment, and our job is to reinforce it with our lives. You should be careful about what you say next, because it is that same legal system that gives you the freedom to walk out of here right now thanks to your previous years of service.¡¯


    The man with the black hat stared for a moment in the direction of the executive, who was clearly the leader of the group, with anger burning in his eyes.


    ¡®You know just as well as me that being unemployed in this town is a sentence worse than death. You also know I have a child I have to take care of, one that is innocent of any triable crime, but will still have to suffer for the rest of his life. Your family will sit in comfort while more people will commit crimes to feed themselves and their families, but will only succeed in putting more money in your pocket when they get caught. This system is constantly expanding the difference between the rich and poor, some dying of starvation a mere walking distance from food, meanwhile others will be vomiting so they can enjoy the next course of a meal.¡¯


    Intrigued by the conversation, and starting to become worried, I slid closer the edge to improve the quality of the sound. I made a slight shuffling noise as I moved, but luckily for me, no one noticed it and the conversation continued on.


    ¡®I know your mad, but please refrain from exaggera-¡®


    ¡®I am not exaggerating!¡¯


    The man cut the executive off with a loud exclamation, but closed his mouth and calming himself down before resuming his response.


    ¡®I know this because I¡¯ve seen it. There are kind rich people just like there are cruel, but very few have ever experienced real hardship. Money is power, and the powerful don¡¯t want to see the suffering of others, so they either ignore it or justify it. I have seen murderers and rapists that were raised in the bowels of this hell, then called out by judges and juries, making them the unwilling representatives of their people, and dehumanizing them to preserve the others¡¯ conscience. I know this because I was one of those people, and instead of ¡°fair process¡±, you saw my skill and took the opportunity to make me work for you as a legal hitman. This isn¡¯t justice... it¡¯s a facade used to further the goals of those in power.¡¯


    ¡®You will leave now! If you do not, then both you and your miserable son will rot under the deepest prison that I have jurisdiction over!¡¯


    The last sentence was the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back, and the fed up executive ordered the man¡¯s immediate departure under penalty of incarceration. Hearing this, the man turned, sliding the hat across the brim of his hat in an attempt to calm himself, then walked off at a decent speed and I retracted back into the shadows, and left that place.


    ***


    I jerked awake from my sleep drenched in sweat and breathing hard from the sudden revelation of my past life. I looked around at my surroundings, frantically preparing for a fight that would not happen as the dark room revealed no threat. My heart beat wildly in my chest, and my brain throbbed in response to each pulse, forcing me to stop and calm myself. I focused on my breath, and was able to calm myself after a few seconds, coaxing my mind back to reality.


    Looking around the room from my position on the floor, I saw Ella and Brook on the bed to my left, their heads opposite mine as they rested peacefully. I had placed myself between them and the door to avoid any accidental or intentional break-ins from a member of the drunk crowd below, which was comprised mostly of large men that had probably noticed the beautiful girls that were in here. The floor was oddly comfortable, and kept my body nice and cool despite Ella¡¯s magic which was passively heating the room as the elf-girl slept.


    Letting out a sigh, I recounted the events of what happened earlier with, ah... what was her name again? Oh right, Grace. The bunny-girl-hero-wizard with the I-am-the-chosen-one-and-you-will-show-me-respect attitude and I-have-come-four-your-soul eyes gave me some advice before dashing away at a ridiculous speed. I¡¯m pretty sure it was something about the price of greed followed by a small speech on how I should treat others better. I wish I could remember more, but I was a bit distracted at the time by the two massive bunny ears poking out of her head, hypnotically twitching as it picked up slight noises from out surroundings. Namely Ella and Brook who had returned after the hero¡¯s speech had ended, looking suspiciously at the rabbit.


    Unfortunately, the girls had completely missed the hero¡¯s speech, since it took them a while to notice that I had stopped due to the fact that my body doesn¡¯t affect the magic enough for them to sense me. Afterward, we cleaned up via Ella¡¯s magic, which was a purple flame that only burned the grime off our bodies, leaving us and our clothes clean and completely unharmed. After that, we went out to a local store, which still happened to be open, and bought a couple sets of cheap clothing to sleep in, and change into tomorrow.


    Moonlight shone through the window on the far wall, bright enough illuminate the room with an eerie glow that made the room seem more like a painting and less like reality. Nothing in this world made much sense to me, but I am starting to understand some of it¡¯s rules and customs thanks to Ella and Brook¡¯s brief explanations about the basics of life here. I closed my eyes, and recalled what they told me, organizing it in my mind in hopes of preserving as many details as I could, but eventually decided to write it down on a piece of paper that I borrowed from the bartender downstairs.


    The paper read:


    Currency: there are two currencies, the surface currency which uses coins called ¡°pieces¡± and the sky currency that is made up of balls called ¡°Daours¡±. The metals for the surface¡¯s currency is harvested from the ground, while the sky¡¯s is taken from large, floating islands that have a much larger supply of the valuable metals, therefore making the metal itself slightly less valuable to them. I compared them to get an estimate of how it converts into my old world¡¯s currency, which wasn¡¯t completely accurate, but gave me a general understanding.


    This is how they are organized:Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Surface Dweller¡¯s


    1 small copper coin = 1 dollar


    1 copper = 10 dollars


    1 steel coin = 100 dollars


    1 silver coin = 1,000 dollars


    1 small gold coin = 10,000


    1 gold coin = 100,000 dollars


    1 large gold coin = 1,000,000 dollars


    Sky dweller¡¯s


    1 copper daour (Day-O-Or) (small ball currency) = 1 dollar


    1 steel daour = 10 dollars


    1 silver daour = 100 dollars


    1 gold daour = 1,000 dollars


    1 platinum daour = 10,000 dollars


    1 disenchanted mithril daour = 100,000 dollars


    1 disenchanted Orichalcum daour = 1,000,000 dollars


    I didn¡¯t recognize the last two, but I asked and got a brief summary of each from Ella, who was the more knowledgable about money of the two, and wrote down the important stuff.


    Metals:


    Mithril: when activated, it negates nearby magic, but is usually monopolized by sky-dwellers due to the largest source of the rare metal being exclusive to one of the floating islands called Talos which orbits around the largest island known as Titan. It is highly coveted among warriors that don¡¯t use magic, and is often made into amulets, talismans, and sometimes even small weapons. It is activated when exposed to large quantities of magic, though sometimes the mithril is unresponsive, or takes too much magic to activate, and is considered disenchanted before being made into currencies or jewelry.


    Orichalcum: a brilliant yellow-gold metal that enhances and directs any magic sent through it, and is most often used in gear made for wizards, such as wands, staffs, rings, amulets, talismans, etc. This is usually used by both sky- and surface-dwellers since the only supply of it in the entire world is found on a massive mountain that is named Mount Othrys, which rises up directly beneath Titan. The even on the mountain, the metal is incredibly rare, and the amount used in the actual craft of items is usually no larger than a child¡¯s fingernail. Because of this, it is often crafted into alloys, which are later made into things known as artifacts that usually enhance a certain type of magic or (the more powerful ones) can wield magic of their own. Like mithril, the inefficient or inactive Orichalcum is considered disenchanted, and made into currencies or jewelry.


    Cities: most of the cities are theocracies, and are ruled by one of the four different religious groups, each one claiming to serve one of the four gods. This city was governed by a combination of all four religions, and were divided into different districts in order to maintain peace among them. However, there are a few that run off of monarchies, dictatorships, or aristocracies, but those are usually ignored by the theocracies, and are considered heretics for their agonistic or atheistic points of view.


    Thanatos: the religion known for following the goddess of death, who was called Raven. Despite how they sound, they are the most peaceful of the four, and believe that the goddess of death is actually kind and compassionate. Death is celebrated in their culture, but only when someone dies of natural causes, which is how Raven had supposedly intended them to die. Many of the Thanatians use the saying ¡°death is a release¡± when trying to describe it, claiming that the eternal life that people crave is actually torture on one¡¯s soul.


    Zoi: The religion that follows Moria, the god of life. The Zoi believe in ¡°fate¡± and ¡°chosen ones¡±, believing the purpose of life is to serve Moria. They are typically the most violent of the four, and have most surface cities under their command as they strive for a world unified under one religion.


    Epistimi: the religion that follows Lilah, the goddess of science, who created the most fundamental rules of life. The followers are usually called Druids, who specialize in the old world¡¯s languages and customs, and are constantly trying to find where magic ends and science begins. They are usually the most knowledgeable and level-headed of the four, but often clash with the worshippers of Mystic, the god of magic, who say that the ways of science are dead. In their ancient tales, Lilah is said to have a rivalry with Mystic, and when they had an all-out battle, many worlds were destroyed while nothing was accomplished. From then on the two gods use their creations as chess pieces to gamble and wager on who¡¯s beings are superior.


    Mageia: religion that follows Mystic, the god of magic. Most of the followers of Mystic are considered very unintelligent by the others, and are often looked down upon. This being the case, they are generally the most well-trained in magical development, including elemental, body enhancement, summoning, etc. Most Mageians, or Mages, are sky-dwellers, who use their superior magical knowledge to create flying ships. Some, like the ogres, will kidnap true sky-dwellers and force them to make magical instruments of war for them before sending them to one of their various arenas to die, or survive a worse fate.


    I had run out of room on that side of the paper, and had to flip it over to continue to read what was written on it.


    Magic:


    Elemental: Most basic and powerful form of magic, specializing in one of the elements. The elements are fire, water, gaian (earth), wind, and space. Fire focuses on power, water on flow and skill, gaian on illusion, wind on speed, and space on travel and storage. Fire mages, being by far the strongest, are exceptionally rare and highly coveted during wars, and are known for wiping out entire armies. Water mages are often known for their skillful ways of fighting, and are often separated into exclusive guilds. Gaian mages usually specialize in disguise, illusion, and fabricated minions while carrying out complicated tasks, and usually become revered strategists. Wind mages are incredibly fast, using their magic to travel short distances in an instant, and land many weak blows on their opponent to weaken them before going in for the killing blow. And finally, space magic, which is usually focused on enchanting things to hold more than seems possible, or traveling via teleportation (for example, the white rooms on Ella¡¯s ship, or her Mary Poppins pockets).


    Body Enhancement: as the name suggests, it enhances your body by injecting magic into what you want to improve (Strength = bones, muscles. Speed = nerves, neurons, muscles, etc.). Healing magic is also included under body enhancement magic, so this trait is valuable for healers during wars, giving them the ability to get to the injured quickly, and heal them. Body enhancement is easy and does not require much magic to use, and is often taught to grunt soldiers, but those that use it skillfully can become powerful opponents.


    Summoning: the ability to summon magical creatures from the aether world, which is a world made solely of magic and pretty much the polar opposite of earth. Beings of magic usually take on the form of animals or mythological beast, usually according to the will of the summoner, though some have been know to take a humanoid shape.


    Life Magic: Life magic specializes in enchanting runes and body enhancements that increase one¡¯s ability to perform various tasks, and it¡¯s users are almost always loyal Zoi members. They have certain special abilities that


    My notes end there as Ella nods off to sleep mid-sentence, and Brook rubs her eyes lazily. I decided not to press for more information, mostly because I thought it would be cruel, and partly because I was running out of paper. I suppose I¡¯ll learn the rest on my own as the need arises. I have a little bit of adventurous spirit in me despite my introverted tendencies, and I was getting a little bit excited at all the new knowledge I gained about this world. However, I was ready to get some sleep, since it was getting really late and the moon was already high in the sky.


    ¡®Exhaustion is the enemy of adventure.¡¯


    I think to myself as my reflection ended, holding my notes in my hand while skimming over it for a quick review.


    ¡®And fear is the enemy of happiness.¡¯


    Not sure why I went so deep... I got an odd feeling of discomfort after meeting that bunny girl, almost as if I could feel a weight coming off her. Ah, well... it¡¯s probably just my imagination. I laid my head back down on the wooden floor, and pulled the blanket up to my shoulders as I prepared to go back to sleep.


    ***


    I stood, staring out the window of a large building not far away from where Ash was sleeping while thinking about my future. I saw wealth, fame, power, and a handsome husband awaiting me with open arms, seemingly a dream come true, but I wasn¡¯t satisfied. Why do I have to be this way? There are millions of women that would sacrifice just about anything to be in my shoes, so why am I so miserable?


    I turned away from the window, the light of the moon no longer holding any interest for me, and looked at my surroundings.


    A well-furnished room lay stretched out before me, tables, chairs, desks, wardrobes, and a massive bed that I could never hope to fill greeted me. I was wearing a white nightgown that hung down to my knees, and a cold breeze carried my warmth away, causing me to shiver slightly.


    ¡°Now now, that won¡¯t do... My future bride will have every comfort money can buy. And, of course, money can buy everything, so you shall not want of anything.¡±


    Oh... my fianc¨¦. He makes me kind of sad, his ego won¡¯t let him see just how unromantic what he just said really was. He took off the red and black coat he was wearing, and dramatically flung it over my shoulders with a gesture that would have been more grand if the theme song playing in his head could be heard by more than just him. It¡¯s not so much his denseness that gets to me, it¡¯s more his superiority complex which comes to him naturally. He doesn¡¯t do it on purpose, it¡¯s just a side-effect of being told that you are practically a god every single day of your life from everyone around you, so I don¡¯t really blame him. In fact, the only strong emotion I feel when he is around is the one telling me to be the very first person in his entire life to tell him no.


    In any case, I can¡¯t go against him. He is right when he says you can buy anything with money, I¡¯ve seen proof of it time and time again without fail, every single person would sell their souls just to get a taste of his wealth. Hell, he bought me as his bride, bribing the Zoi church head into giving me up for marriage with only a few small pieces of metal. I suppose it could be worse... he could be old, ugly, and abusive, but he is only about ten years older than me, not really ugly, and hasn¡¯t tried to force me into anything yet, so I guess that¡¯s a plus.


    Ah, I wasn¡¯t listening. He has been rambling on while I was thinking to myself about how grand his life was, and how lucky I was to catch his eye, then have the honor to be chosen as his bride. If I was half as honored to marry him as he thinks I am, then I would be one happy bride of the richest man in Balm¡¯ak. Of course, I¡¯m not happy... but I suppose my happiness doesn¡¯t really matter in the real world. Chosen one or not, I am still nothing more than a puppet of the church, and a tool to win over this... ugh... I think he just started praying to himself.


    I sighed quietly to myself as my fianc¨¦ cried out enthusiastically to the heavens in an attempt to hear his own voice in a new way, and sat down heavily in a nearby chair. It¡¯s not like I was planning on doing anything else with my life anyway, and I suppose opportunities like this only come around once in a lifetime. I guess I could somehow deceive myself into caring about him eventually, so I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be happy again soon.


    Until then, I¡¯ll just deal with it. After all, if this is the life I live, then it¡¯s my duty as the Chosen one to fulfill the will of the gods.

 Chapter 11: Of the Gods part 3

    I woke up feeling refreshed about two hours after falling back asleep. I wasn¡¯t even remotely tired, but still found it rather easy to sleep after laying in silence for a few moments, and allowing my body to relax. I sat up, looking over to the bed where Ella was still in a deep sleep, clinging tightly to her pillow as a series of incoherent sentences tumbled from her drunkenly smiling lips. From the skewed position of her body and the way her hair lay spread across her face and the bed around her, it was clear she does not sleep peacefully.


    My eyes settled on Brook, who was sitting up on the edge of the bed, staring at the ground next to me while likely thinking about something. She was wearing the nightgown we bought last night, which was grey with a dark green lining around the edge, which looked a bit odd to me, but she seemed to like it so I guess it¡¯s fine. She looks bothered by something... Maybe I can help? She is my servant now, and that makes me responsible for her mental well-being just as much as her physical, so the least I can do is try.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    I spoke, catching her slightly off-guard and causing her to quickly snap her gaze over towards me in response. Our eyes met for a moment before she broke away from my gaze, and... is she blushing? No, it¡¯s just my imagination, the pink tint is barely visible and probably just a result of the intense heat radiating off Ella. The silver-haired girl shifted, moving her hands from their previous place in her lap to a new resting position on the bed next to her as she considered my question.


    ¡°Trying to think of a way to serve master... there¡¯s nothing to cook, and I wouldn¡¯t know how anyway. I can¡¯t go out and buy food because Ella has the money, not to mention I have trouble dealing with the people here. The only way I can think of helping is...¡±


    She trailed off, her face becoming a deeper shade of red as I considered her dilemma and tried to come up with a solution. She needed a way to help me or else her position as my servant would be completely useless and would just end up being a demeaning role for both of us. Hmm... a beautiful young girl willing to do anything I ask... no, the reason I accepted her offer was to get her away from that life, besides I don¡¯t really know whether or not I have the mental strength to initiate something like that. She is incredibly strong, and has experience fighting, but we don¡¯t really have any enemies that pose any immediate threat, so that¡¯s not really needed. I closed my eyes in an attempt to enhance my concentration, but still nothing came to mind. Damn, this is harder than I thought.


    I pushed the blanket off me, and reached over to my left where my hat was sitting, resting exactly where I had left it before falling asleep. I picked it up before habitually placing it on my head, feeling the comforting leathery material hug my head as I pulled myself to a standing position. Opening my eyes and temporarily putting my thoughts on hold, I noticed Brook staring at me with an odd expression on her face. Her eyes were wide and her arms wrapped around her small chest as if she was trying to keep warm, and her legs were pulled up onto the bed with her, making her entire body seem even smaller than it already was.


    I followed her gaze down, and realized the cause of her surprise, which was my half-naked body. I had removed my shirt in the middle of the night, and was now only wearing the blue trousers I had bought to sleep in and my cowboy hat. While not necessarily revealing, my chest was exposed and the cowboy hat on my head kind of made me look not dissimilar to a male stripper. Holy mother of god! What the hell can I now!? Wait... calm down... this world doesn¡¯t have cowboy hats, so she probably isn¡¯t thinking about something like that. She is probably just uncomfortable because I¡¯m shirtless and not a huge ogre with bulging muscles and battle scars.


    Now that I think about it... what do I look like? I still haven¡¯t seen myself since I came to this world, and I could be ugly as sin, or have three nipples or something else that would catch someone off-guard. I looked closer at myself, though I didn¡¯t have a mirror so I could only see my body, and noticed a couple of interesting things. The first and most prominent things were the scars, which had faded to the point where I hadn¡¯t noticed them earlier, but were most certainly there. Three long lines ran across my abdomen in perfect horizontal lines from one side to the other with about an inch of space between them.


    Those were likely the main cause of my death, but no memories came to mind no matter how long I looked at them. Then next thing was another slit, this one much smaller than the others, only about three inches long, however, this one brought out something, a memory of my previous life.


    I saw a young girl, maybe seven or eight years old, and a little taller than I was at the time. She was crying heavily while clutching a little doll in her arms, holding it tightly against her body as if trying to comfort it. Seeing this, I approached her with the intention of trying to make her fell better, but she noticed my approach and took a step back warily. Tears still streamed down her face, and she had started hiccuping, but despite all that her gaze was strong and suspicious. She was pretty, with short black hair roughly cut off at her shoulders and a ragged pink dress hanging down over her thing, malnourished frame.


    I was unsurprised though, everyone that lived in this area, including me, barely got enough food to survive on and only stayed alive by trusting the select few that had proven themselves trustworthy. It was not uncommon to see the dead bodies of men, women, children, and the elderly lying on the streets from where they had collapsed, or been killed. I let her know that I had no ill intentions by keeping a distance, and raising my hands up over my head to where she could see them. Seeing her relax slightly, I spoke with a soft tone that my father had taught me to use, keeping my hands up where she could see them.


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯


    She reacted to my voice by clutching the doll tighter, ruffling it¡¯s little yellow dress as she brought it up to her face, keeping her eyes suspiciously fixed on my every movement.


    ¡®Stranger.¡¯


    She softly muttered one word, and I completely understood her meaning since I had felt the same way before when people walked by me and my father on the street.


    ¡®People are much more terrifying than any monster.¡¯


    My father had told me once after beating the crap out of a man that had tried to mug us.


    ¡®Because it¡¯s often hard to tell the difference between the good people and bad ones.¡¯


    I had to somehow convince her that I was a good person and not someone that is trying to hurt her. Trying to think of some way to convince her, I plopped down into a sitting position, crossing my legs under me while keeping my hands up to assure her that I wasn¡¯t going to try anything. After a moment, a thought came to my mind, a memory of something my father often did with me that had always made my day infinitely better.


    Slowly... taking great care to avoid scaring off the frightened girl in front of me, I reached down to the dirt next to me and removed a single pebble. Holding it up for her to see, I raised my other hand, and pretended to grab it and hold it in my fist while had I really just let it slip down into the hand it was originally in. Curious, she lowered the doll slightly, and looked intently at the hand that she thought was holding the pebble as her suspicious demeanor drifted away.


    I opened it, revealing the empty palm of my hand and she gasped in shock, looking around for the pebble that I must have dropped somewhere, but found nothing. I raised my other hand with a big smile on my face, and showed her the pebble from earlier, and only intensifying her curiosity as she took a step closer.


    ¡®Again.¡¯


    She spoke, this time letting the doll down a little bit as she watched my hands even more closely while searching for the answers to the mysterious trick. I nodded, and repeated it again... and again... and again over and over until the afternoon sun sank behind the slum rooftops and the cool breeze of the night began rolling in, carrying along the horrors that came with it. It was about to get incredibly dangerous outside, so the two of us made a deal. We would meet the next day at that exact same spot, and at the exact same time to continue from where we left off.


    Still a little bit wary of me, she refused to shake on it, and simply ran off in the opposite direction of my home, probably towards her own. I didn¡¯t know why she was crying, or why her parent would let her run around in this town unsupervised, but figured her father must be like mine and have to work all day long. She had probably gotten bored, like me, and snuck out some back entrance to go play around, then got hurt, which was why she started crying.


    With that, I headed back to my own home feeling much happier now that I had potentially just made my first friend. My dad had always told me that friendship was a treasure worth infinitely more than any amount of money in this, or any other world, and should be treated as such.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡®Then that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do! That girl is now my friend, and I will treat her like treasure!¡¯


    I announced to myself after a full walk home, thinking the entire time about that girl with the doll and what it would take to make her my friend. I didn¡¯t really get the treasure part, but thought I¡¯d figure it out eventually, so I didn¡¯t really worry about it.


    I came back to the present feeling pretty nauseous after the flashback, and took a couple of deep breaths to regain my focus. The feeling quickly faded, and I was able to fully recover from the memory in mere moments. I suppose these constant flashbacks have a couple of limitations, but it is a bit odd that I would feel the repercussions now rather than yesterday when they were happening one right after the other.


    My thoughts were interrupted when I became aware of a pair of eyes watching me, and noticed Brook still sitting on the bed where she had been previously, a look of concern replacing the initial shock. She was very observant, and probably noticed my discomfort after the memory ended, so I waved reassuringly, letting her know I was alright. She hesitantly accepted my gesture, standing abruptly before turning, and walking over to where the clothes I wore yesterday were neatly folded. Ella had cleaned them last night with the weird purple fire she referred to as the ¡°Cleansing Flame¡±, which I¡¯m pretty sure she made up on the spot, before we separated and folded them, placing the products in the corner of the room.


    The silver-haired girl picked up the clothes that were in the spot designated for me, then walked over to where I was standing. I gratefully smiled, and reached out with both hands to accept the clothing, but quickly found that her intentions were not just to deliver my clothes to me. She placed the jogging pants on the ground, and lifted the vampire¡¯s hunting cloak up, displaying it in front of me before gripping it¡¯s hem, and holding it up expectantly.


    There was a significant height difference between us, and she couldn¡¯t reach over my head, not to mention I was wearing a hat at the moment. I sighed, and removed the hat, bending over to let her slide the cloak across my back while I stuck my arms through the holes in the sides. After it was on my body I straightened, letting it fall into place as it rested lightly on my shoulders while pulling down at the hem to smooth some of the wrinkles.


    Brook reached down, then lifted the matching sweat pants with blood-red lines running down either side, displaying them before reaching toward my waist. Nope. I stepped back, raising my hands up awkwardly in front of me while forcing a smile on my face.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll just wear these.¡¯


    I laughed nervously, hoping beyond all hope that Brook would relent and let me walk away with my dignity, as well as whatever small amount of confidence I actually have, intact. Relief flooded over me as Brook nodded, and began lowering the dreaded pants in resignation.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t match.¡±


    A voice sounded from behind the silver-haired girl, and the two of us turned to look at the owner with a bit of confusion. Ella was sitting up with her knees pulled up to her chest which forced me to look away since her yellow nightgown only came down to her thighs in the first place. Rubbing her eyes sleepily with her left hand, she raised her right and pointed at me with a short, slender finger that cut through the air mercilessly.


    ¡°Blue pants doesn¡¯t match red shirt.¡±


    She was still sleepy, and spoke lazily despite her steady hand, but her thoughts were effectively conveyed to the girl in front of me. Brook, turned back in my direction, bringing the vampire¡¯s hunting pants to bare yet again with a renewed sense determination reflected in her eyes. Oh no. I need to do something to get out of this situation, but there¡¯s no escape in sight. I look over desperately at the one who condemned me to this fate for any kind of help, but Ella simply stretched her left arm over her head, pulling it further with her right hand while letting out a yawn.


    ¡°Haaaa... just don¡¯t make a baby, since I called dibs first.¡±


    Brook froze as Ella spoke her mind yet again. The girl in the grey nightgown trembled slightly for a moment, her face dyed pink as she took a deep breath to steady herself, and held out the pants yet again, but this time presenting it for me to take. I completely understood her reaction, the only way I was able to remain outwardly unfazed is due to my guard naturally being put up the moment I found out Ella was awake. I accepted the clothing while nodding my thanks.


    Brook turned away, and, after a few minutes of convincing, I talked Ella into looking away as well before I finished getting dressed, then headed out so the girls could change. A few moments passed by, and I noticed a decent sized mirror leaned up against the wall across from me, idly sitting on the ground. There were a few pieces of shattered glass on the floor around it, so I assumed someone must have broken an older mirror last night, and this one was here to replace it sometime in the near future.


    I stepped out into the middle of the hall, the ground letting out a dull noise as my foot collided with the hard wooden floorboards. Bending over, I looked at my reflection for the first time in my memory, scanning my facial features intensely, while removing the hat to get a better look. I had dark brown eyes that looked almost black under the shadow of my dark eyebrows, just that would make me look like some sort of super-villain, but there was much more. My light brown hair was cut in a short, efficient way that required little attention, while the bone structure of my face seemed to give off an intimidating vibe. The overall ensemble made me look similar to a battle-hardened veteran despite my young age of only eighteen or nineteen.


    I was looking at myself without any negative thoughts or feelings, yet my reflection looked seriously pissed off anyway. I wasn¡¯t necessarily ugly, though I doubt many girls will be fawning over my thug look that was probably developed by surviving more than a few life-and-death situations. My thoughts went to the girls, who seemed think enough of me to stick around, and Ella is even trying to marry me... although her judgement is a bit off, it still feels nice to have someone care about me, even if it¡¯s only superficial feelings.


    The door opened behind me, and the two girls exited the room, Ella wearing the same clothes as yesterday while Brook was dressed in a brand new set of clothes that she had picked out earlier. The outfit included a deep red shirt with a black skirt and matching slippers that, when paired with her emotionless gaze and smooth silver hair, was pretty intimidating despite her small stature.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Ella took off down the hall, and the two of us chased after her as she giggled excitedly, running straight out of the building. The two of us were much faster than the elf, and caught up to her quickly after leaving the building, where she then slowed to a walking pace. The elf breathed deeply for several seconds before she was able to recover, but the moment she did her energy returned in a flash and she began skipping along side me.


    Brook walked closely on my right side seemingly unfazed by her surroundings, but her eyes sparkling as they darted from one building to the next. Her curiosity bubbled to the surface as she saw the things she had only dreamed of during her time as a gladiator in that horrific arena. Though she didn¡¯t skip like Ella, she did sway slightly, which gave away her feelings despite the rest of her body¡¯s attempt to hide them.


    A smile formed on my face as I watched the two girls enjoy themselves in this magical city full of massive animal-people.


    A carriage came up behind me, pulled by two large minotaurs that were at least the size of the ogres that I had fought earlier, suddenly stopping next to me as it slid across the ground, coming to a screeching halt to my left. I looked over to where Ella was, making sure she didn¡¯t leave my sight, but the elf had already stopped, and was curiously wandering over toward us. I looked at Brook, who was standing behind me, making sure she was nearby before turning to face the carriage. The entire vehicle was a brilliantly untainted white, decorated with intricate golden designs that ran across it¡¯s entire surface including it¡¯s matching wheels.


    The door swung open, revealing a flamboyant wolf-man about thirty years old and dressed in a solid red long-sleeve shirt and matching trousers, which seemed to blend in with the red interior of his ride. I noticed something that seemed to contrast with the red inside, a white dress that hung tightly to a beautiful girl that had incredible white bunny ears poking out of her head. Oh... it¡¯s the girl from earlier. Her name was Grace, I believe, but I don¡¯t remember her last name. That¡¯s seriously going to bother me.


    ¡°That hat! It¡¯s so... unique! I must have it, what is your price?¡±


    The man announced something while looking at the hat resting on my head with an excited gaze. I placed my hand on it, resting the weight of my arm on the top as I pushed it down further on my head.


    ¡°Sorry... this hat has sentimental value, and I can¡¯t sell it.¡±


    I replied with a smile, but got an unexpected response. The wolf-man sighed, and nodded while the bunny-eared girl behind him rolled her eyes, and turned her attention to something outside the opposite window. What? Did I say something weird?


    ¡°Yes, yes, Just name your price. There is no need for all of this negotiation since I have no intention of trying to save money.¡±


    Oh, he thought I was being a shrewd businessman, and the sentimental value thing was only a ploy to gain more money. I suppose I should clear this up.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, this hat is not for sale. It¡¯s by far my most precious possession and no amount of money or power will change my mind. I¡¯m sorry, but I have no intention of selling it to you or anyone else.¡±


    There, that should set things straight. Wait, what¡¯s with that look? The man stared at me with a penetrating gaze, seeming to have trouble understanding what I was trying to say. After a moment, it seemed to register, and anger flashed across his eyes before quickly disappearing behind a well-polished facade of superiority.


    ¡°I see... then, what about one of your other valuable possessions?¡±


    His eyes drifted away from me while I tried to figure out what he was referring to. I didn¡¯t really have anything else besides the clothes on my back, but I¡¯m sure he could but those at some store, so what could he mean by othe-... oh. I followed his gaze back to Ella and Brook, who were looking anxiously back at me, obviously understanding his intentions. Now that isn¡¯t okay, there was no way in hell I was going to let him get away with calling Ella and Brook ¡°possessions¡±-no.. wait. I have to calm down, getting angry helps no one.


    Ah, Damn it all to hell. I turned back to the wolf man, my disapproval very evident on my face as I spoke two words I¡¯m sure I will regret later, but right now, they felt really good to say.


    ¡°Fuck off.¡±


    I grabbed the girls¡¯ wrists, and started off without looking back to see their reactions, but remaining very cautious of any attack that may come. We walked without looking back, and I began to feel slightly embarrassed at my little outburst, so I intentionally avoided looking at the expressions Ella and Brook were making. God... I am such an idiot.

 Chapter 12: Of The Gods part 4

    I was standing in a small park, a rusty swing set rising up behind me, softly creaking and swaying as the wind passed through it. A lopsided merry-go-round sat motionless on the dirt ground in the right corner of my vision, disappearing from my sight as my eyes narrowed and anger coursed through me. Every day for about two weeks the girl and I met in the exact same spot, talking about assorted things and exchanging information, along with shared experiences. The girl¡¯s name was Lily, and she was currently living alone with her father in an apartment not far from here, though her dad was gone at work all day in an attempt to pay off a loan shark known as Kenton Lee.


    Today, someone else showed up to our meeting, a boy two or three years older than me dressed in clean clothes with neatly trimmed wavy black hair, and a confident stance that projected superiority. From his right hand hung a small, ragged doll that had clearly been poorly repaired on several different occasions, dangling by it¡¯s arm from his fist as he held it behind him, away from it¡¯s owner. In front of him, restrained by his free hand was the young girl I had been meeting with, pushing back against the boy with both arms stretched out in the direction of the doll, tears streaming down her face.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just buy another one?¡±


    The boy didn¡¯t relent, and asked the desperate girl in a condescending tone that insinuated his superior position, a frown forming on his face as he grew more frustrated. He was much taller than the girl, his palm seeming to hold the girl back with little effort despite her frantic flailing.


    ¡°I can¡¯t afford another one!¡±


    There were several things about this scene that pissed me off. First and foremost, he was torturing my friend and making her cry in front of me for the first time since we had met two weeks ago, that alone is enough to majorly piss me off enough to start a fight. Second, this kid was dressed nicely and clearly understood nothing about the poverty-stricken people in this area, meaning he was most likely a relative of the only person in this town with money, the man Lily¡¯s father was indebted to, Kenton Lee. Lastly, I had never seen Lily without that doll clutched in her arms, or at least sitting next to her while she pretended to let it sleep, saying the doll would become scared without her nearby.


    I didn¡¯t really understand it, but that doll was clearly Lily¡¯s most precious possession, like my dad¡¯s hat was to him, so anyone that touches it without permission is an enemy of Lily, making them an enemy of me as well. I stepped forward, noticing his stance depended heavily on his right leg and his grip on the doll was loose, making my next move easy thanks to my dad¡¯s lessons. I was now directly behind the boy, still remaining unnoticed by either of them due to my position, and the tears blocking my friends vision as I kicked at the back of his knee.


    The boy lost his balance, dropping straight down while releasing the doll in order to slowly his descent, and allowing me to snatch the toy out of the air. I stumbled, and fell hard on my rear, thrown off-balance from catching the doll in an awkward position. I looked down to make sure the doll was unharmed, relief filling me when I saw the two black button-eyes staring back at me, and felt it¡¯s rough material in my hands. It was unharmed.


    My relief didn¡¯t last long as the girl that was practically being held up suddenly lost her support, and came tumbling down on me from above, flattening me on the hard dirt.


    ¡°Ow.¡±


    A series of sniffs emitted from the girl as she pushed her self up, supporting her weight with her right hand while wiping away the tears and snot with her left forearm. Still confused as to what just happened, she looked down at me with glassy eyes, visible shock appearing on her face as recognition set in, chasing away her sadness. I smiled back, presenting the doll to her with a sense of fulfillment washing over me when she gratefully accepted it, squeezing it tightly in her arms.


    ¡°What the hell, man!? What was that for!?¡±


    Lily slid off my stomach, sitting on the ground to my right as I pulled myself to my feet and placing myself in between her and the spoiled brat.


    ¡°You took her doll, and I took it back. What are you complaining about? I got hurt more than you.¡±


    The kid with wavy hair did not like my response, visibly expressing his displeasure by gritting his teeth and stepping forward threateningly so that we would be inches from each other. I was significantly smaller, since I was about seven, and the boy standing in front of me was about ten, and I only came up to his chest. Cold beads of sweat began to appear on my body, causing my body to stick to my clothes, and goosebumps to appear on my arms as fear began to rise.


    ¡°Yeah? Whose fault is that?¡±


    My father had taught me a couple of tricks to fighting, but the ten year old was much bigger than me, and had a bit of training himself. In the end, I got my ass handed to me in front of Lily, kicked around by the kid who was much bigger than me until he got bored and left. Lily was crying, but unharmed, so I considered that day to be a victory despite my humiliating loss at the hands of that jerk.


    I returned home that night, and told my dad what had happened before asking him to teach me everything he knew about fighting. He was hesitant, but my insistence eventually bore fruit, and the old man agreed to teach me under a few conditions that I immediately agreed to. I had never felt so excited about something, as if a hole in my heart had been filled and my previously idle life was now filled with a strong sense of purpose. At the age of seven I had found something to fight for.


    ***


    Ugh... nausea... stupid flashbacks. I think it¡¯s worse than last time. I woke up, making sure to keep my head still as I took deep breaths, focusing on dispelling my discomfort. After the incident with that noble guy and the bunny girl, nothing really noteworthy happened, we just made sure to be extra careful when moving around the city. This was pretty surprising to me since the noble guy didn¡¯t exactly seem like the forgiving type, but... who am I to judge? My abilities shockingly don¡¯t include telepathy, but I can sense emotions decently well when I¡¯m around people, and I could definitely tell he was getting really irritated.


    Oh well. He must have cooled down after I left. I suppose not every guy I piss off is going to be some powerful villain bent on revenge with an army of cannon fodder led by a badass bodyguard at his disposal. I shouldn¡¯t worry so much anyway, since no one in my group is necessarily weak, though Ella might be persuaded into captivity if they had candy or something shiny. I leaned back on my pillow, shifting my eyes over to where the girls were sleeping soundly, but noticed something different. The room was cold.


    Confused, I sat up, looking closer at the bed while feeling for any change in the air around us, but this only transformed my confusion into a sharp realization. Ella was gone. There was no way she could sneak past me without waking me up, or at least flipping up the covers of the bed. Something took her, and I don¡¯t know how, most likely meaning it had something to do with magic. I stood, quickly stepping towards the bed and waking up Brook who was still still sleeping, undisturbed by the disappearance of the elf.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Brook, Ella¡¯s gone.¡±


    Brook immediately opened her eyes, no haze visible in her eyes as the warrior inside her kept her alert of her surroundings, working to protect her from the horrors that come in the night. The small, silver-haired girl slid out of bed, and onto the ground where she proceeded to swiftly pick her clothes up off the ground. I turned away, but didn¡¯t change my clothes, impatience building inside me while I tried to avoid thoughts of what might be happening to her, and focus on what to do next. The light of the moon shone brightly through the window, unfazed at the events occurring on the world below it, and a couple of thoughts began to form an idea in my head.


    He was clearly noble, so he is probably famous enough to simply ask someone off the street where he lives, though I¡¯m sure there are many nobles in such a large city, and I didn¡¯t catch his name. That bunny-eared girl with him, she seemed to be an associate of his... most likely his wife or bodyguard, but that doesn¡¯t matter right now. Brook had finished changing, and approached me from behind, tugging on my right arm to let me know she was ready to go.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to fight, and will probably end up killing several people in the process. You don¡¯t have to come if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    I thought about Brook¡¯s life so far, and how I wanted to help her start over with a new life, one without the weight that came with the title of Ak Maru. I was hoping that I could keep her away from all the fights, and take on all the world myself, but I¡¯m starting to think that might not be what¡¯s best for her. She will most likely be drug into fights in the near future if she continues to serve me, and if she does there will most definitely be blood shed by her hands. Killing is normal in this world... hell, it¡¯s pretty normal in my world as well when I think about it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go help Ella.¡±


    I smiled to myself in spite of the situation. That¡¯s right, she may be my servant, but Ella is her friend too, and whether or not she fights to protect her friend is not a decision that I get to make for her. I turn to face the window, recognizing it as the quickest exit from the building before approaching it and pushing it open with a light creak. The fresh morning air washed over me, the sun still hiding below the horizon while allowing the moon and stars to dominate the sky. I leaned out, looking down from he second story of the inn to estimate the distance of the fall, and any obstacles that might get in my way.


    ¡°Stick close.¡±


    I calmly instructed Brook before placing my right foot on the window sill, then leapt out into the world beyond in search of an informant to tell me where I could find the where Ella was being kept. I heard Brook exit behind me after I softly landed on the concrete-like streets below, preparing to begin the hunt for my friend when something occurred to me.


    I sure hope this is that noble¡¯s doing, because if it isn¡¯t, then I¡¯m about to look really stupid.


    ***


    I stared at the elf-girl in confusion. She was sitting across from me on the other side of mithril-lined dungeon bars, her wrists bound and chained to the ground underneath herl in a seemingly uncomfortable position. There was no visible escape, and she was sitting directly in front of her captor, yet she still displayed a smile that reflected genuine excitement. There was no fear coming from her, and the smile did not seem forced... then why? Was she just stupid? Intrigued by her behavior, I leaned my arm against the cell bars, casually trying to disguise my interest in her unexplainable bliss while prying for information.


    ¡°What do you suppose will happen next?¡±


    The elf-girl began to sway back and forth when I asked my question, the chains around her wrists scraping against the ground with each movement. She closed her eyes as her smile grew even broader, her bright attitude contrasting with everything around her... including me. I subconsciously tapped the bottom of my white staff on the ground, pretending to disinterestedly watch the white light spark with each strike, free from the mithril¡¯s interference.


    ¡°My hubby will come for me, of course!¡±


    The elf response was unrestrained, and projected with an absolute confidence that could only belong to an idiot. Of course he¡¯ll come for her, likely with some sort fo backup if he¡¯s got half a brain in his head, and then he will submit. No one in this town can match me in a fight, and I am currently under the control of an untouchable noble with a very prominent god complex that has only been told no once. I will admit I was shocked when that boy refused to sell his hat, but not nearly as surprised as my fianc¨¦, who was frozen in place for a solid thirty seconds while the boy walked away with the two girls in tow. Ever since then, he has made it his personal mission to completely destroy that boy, taking everything away from him before ending his life in the most painful way possible.


    Ugh, I hate this. I hate money, I hate my fianc¨¦, I hate hurting people for petty reasons, I hate the look of confidence that comes when these assholes win, I hate this staff, I hate the church that sold me, and most of all, I absolutely abhor that I have to be the one to shatter this poor girl¡¯s world. I hate it, yet I have no choice. I was born to serve the Zoi church, and obey the archbishop¡¯s every command without question under pain of being ostracized from my people. I sighed, pushing myself up off the bars into a standing position, my frustration melting away as apathy overtook my mind. It¡¯s not like I have anywhere else to go, and I suppose obedience is a small price to pay for a place to belong... what I want doesn¡¯t matter to anyone but me, so acceptance is probably the best I can hope to find in this world.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he will.¡±


    I envy her feelings for that boy, whether it¡¯s love, loyalty, or simply the product of her own stupidity, I still wish I had something like that... someone like that. My mind trailed to my fianc¨¦ shouting out self-glorifying prayers that fueled the delusional world he spent pretty much all of his time in, and my position as his ¡°future wife¡±. I shook the thought away, not wanting to think on something as depressing as my life and trying to find something else to think about when a thought occurred to me.


    I saw myself, the bride of a man, but not the same one that I had seen in these past few months since my engagement. This man was slightly taller than me, with dark eyes that were shaded by an odd black hat, standing casually as the sun peaked over his shoulder. Usually when I picture something like this, the background is a pale white, but this time colors danced across the small hill that rose under the boy¡¯s feet, cast by the fiery sunset which ignited the clouds in the sky behind him.


    My heart skipped up into my throat, snapping me out of my daydream and forcing me to come back to the reality of the situation. This boy was likely nothing more than a seducer of women, finding beautiful girls with pliable hearts before taking advantage of them, and leaving them broken-hearted. Good people are most often idolized in dreams and stories, but are crushed under the weight of the greed and lusts that make up this world. Trusting your heart is something one does when they lack a brain to think with, and almost always end up paying for it with something irreplaceable. I can¡¯t let myself be fooled like this girl has been.


    I became frustrated, stepping towards the door of the dungeon with the intention of leaving the delusional elf to her fantasies while I went to check up on the reality of the situation. I used the magic of my staff to open a communication line with the spies my fianc¨¦ had sent to follow them, just to make sure they went in the right direction. I paused noticing there was only one person open for communication.


    ¡°Those idiots...¡±


    I grumbled to myself at the spies¡¯ irresponsibility. I was the only one that could open the connection for conversation, but they had to have their magic ready to receive it or else the message just disappeared. My frustration growing, I opened the connection with a few angry thoughts prepared for them, but was immediately interrupted by the sound of a terrified man¡¯s voice erupting from my staff.


    ¡°Mistress! Moria be praised, you¡¯re there! You have to run, get the master and leave immediately! He¡¯s coming, that monster is coming for you!¡±


    What? A monster? Confused, I responded with a wary voice, remembering this city¡¯s monster problem and becoming suspicious of it¡¯s ridiculously inconvenient timing.


    ¡°What¡¯s coming?¡±


    ¡°That guy, the one with the hat that we were supposed to follow! Along with that silver-haired demon! They killed the others before we had a chance to defend ourselves, and are heading your way, so leave now!¡±


    Shit. I broke the connection, hearing the elf-girl behind me giggling with excitement at the event that was unfolding before her eyes, as if she had been waiting for this to happen. I turned to look at her, seeing the exact same brilliant smile from earlier, but now aware of the reasons behind her unshakeable confidence in the boy. Her eyes had already claimed victory the moment our gazes locked on each other, and she knew it.


    ¡°Tell me... what do you suppose will happen next?¡±

 Chapter 13: Of The Gods part 5

    Small fry... small fry... small fry... what the hell? I was running through the dark city in the direction that was given to me by that poorly hidden ninja when a man dressed in white robes jumped in our path, laughing like a maniac while waving a wand in the air.


    ¡°Ha ha ha! You will now feel the wrath of Kha-!?¡±


    I was already bored of that line, so I used his face as a stepping stone to launch myself in the air, avoiding the small group lying in wait for me around yet another corner. Brook was having no trouble keeping up with me, and kicked quite a bit of ass herself without breaking a sweat. To be honest, she looked way cooler than me, since she fought like a warrior while I just kind of kicked people out of my way in annoyance while trying to stay on track.


    ¡°Master, I think this is it.¡±


    We approached the largest, most fantastically decorated building in sight, one that obviously belonged to some eccentric noble with too much money. A massive white-and-gold dome rose up in front of us completely smooth with the exception of the massive blood-red double-door entrance and a relatively small bulge on the top, I tried not to think about it, but with the bulge on top, which was likely some sort of penthouse apartment, made the entire thing look like a gigantic white boob.


    Brook, who had come up next to me, looked for a moment to examine the building, then turned her attention to her own chest. She began patting her small breast self-consciously, and I took that as a cue to approach before something really awkward happened that would destroy the confidence I had worked so hard to build up on the way here.


    We approached the suspiciously unguarded front entrance, remaining cautious while preparing for yet another inevitable surprise attack. I signaled Brook to wait outside, feeling the air shift around two people inside, one sitting up high while the other stood readily in front of him, and assuming this was the final bad guy moment. I pushed the large door open, the metal hinges smoothly carrying the door inward with barely a sound, and revealing the man I was looking for sitting in a large red room.


    The nobleman sat comfortably behind the creature that most likely held the title of ¡°commander¡± or ¡°captain¡±, since it had been chosen for the final battle, but to me it only looked like a mini-boss. Green muscles bulged under a solid white armor, axes that were bigger than me gripped in each of it¡¯s hands as it attempted to stare me down.


    ¡°Ha! You thought you could disrespect me and get away with it? Do you know who I am!?¡±


    That same cocky voice emitted from the nobleman behind the general, dressed in an expensive red robe, and gripping a golden scepter in his right hand. Behind him was a large green banner displaying the image of a white ring with strange engravings on it hovering over a black flame. It was familiar, but I honestly didn¡¯t care why since my attention was currently focused on the nobleman.


    ¡°No, but I bet you¡¯re gonna tell me.¡±


    I found it a lot easier to speak now that there were only three other people in the room, rather than thousands of eyes watching me from every direction.


    ¡°I am th-... how dare you insult me, you filthy worm!¡±


    Wow, that took him even longer than I thought it would. I had hoped he would just skip over his dramatic speech and just bring out Ella, but that was probably just wishful thinking. I saw his rage burn for a second before he took a deep breath and calmed down enough to speak his monologue. Maybe annoying him will speed it up.


    ¡°I am the noble known as Balmetta¡¯Ikarah, Descendent of The Lame God!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I am the richest and most influential man in Balm¡¯ak, so any and all that stand in my way end up dead or bowing in respect!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I have even taken Grace Divilet, also known as Balm¡¯Takah, The Chosen One of The Gods as my fianc¨¦ in recognition of the influence I have over this world. It is said she has the power to take down entire countries using the pure white magic she receives directly from Moria, the god of life! Now, she belongs to me, becoming my property just as this girl is to you. Have you fallen into complete desperation yet, or do I need to continue?¡±


    ¡°Not really, just tell me where my friend is so I can kick your ass.¡±


    My boredom was quickly being replaced with irritation as soon as he referred to one of my friends as ¡°property¡± yet again. I began weighing the option of ending this now, and tearing the building apart until I found Ella, but decided against it since this building was ridiculously big. Not to mention it would likely collapse on the elf before I found her, and she would have no way to defend herself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that beating those thugs I hired outside makes you so tough! I told them not to kill you because I wanted you alive! Do you even know what¡¯s standing between you and me!?¡±


    The lame god descendant threw a temper tantrum at my bored response, abruptly standing before indignantly shouting angry explanations. My attention turned back toward the mini-boss, who was clad armor with dark green skin peering up from underneath, it¡¯s lips curled up into a sadistic grin as our eyes met.


    ¡°It¡¯s an ogre! The greatest warrior race the surface has to offer, known for their brutal eradication of the dwarves, and the conquering of multiple other races including many sky-dwellers! Your chances of victory are ZERO! Now listen to what I have to say before I-¡°


    ¡°Ikarah! We have to go before...¡±


    A voice interrupted the noble¡¯s monologue yet again, this time coming from a small red door off to the man¡¯s right, which had been flung open in an urgent manner. Standing in the doorway was the bunny-eared girl from before, her big eyes wide as they settled on me while her voice slowly trailed off.


    ¡°Moria damn you, woman! I told you to guard the girl until it was time! What in the name of the gods are you doing here!?¡±


    The chosen one didn¡¯t move, her eyes locked on my every movement as her hands gripped the white staff in preparation of a fight. Her expression was off though, changing between fear and embarrassment as her eyes looked me up and down, clearly seeing something I didn¡¯t. The nobleman grit his teeth in frustration, slamming the bottom of the scepter down on the arm of the chair he was previously sitting in with a loud booming noise, reverberated off the walls of the red room.


    Bright golden light erupted from the staff, followed by a wave the strange energy called magic that washed over my body as I sensed yet another figure abruptly appear out of nowhere. The bright light slowly faded from my vision, revealing a surprised elf chained in pulsing red cuffs sitting directly in front of the nobleman. Ella¡¯s hair was wild, uncombed since she had gone to bed just a few hours ago, however, this did not keep her from twirling it around in her fingers when she saw me. The nightgown we bought for her a couple of nights ago hid nothing underneath it from me due to the way she confidently sat with her knees spread far apart. I should tell her to pay more attention to these things, but I¡¯m pretty sure saying something like that would only encourage her to do it more often, making sure I would be there to see it.


    ¡°Fine! The reason I wanted you to come here, rather than forcefully bringing you here myself, was because I wanted you to fight for this girl! Now that you¡¯ve come so far, you will still lose something important to you anyway, but you will choose what!¡±


    The noble¡¯s words were less calculated now as he became flustered, pointing the scepter, which was apparently some sort of summoning device, directly at me in anger. Yeah, he probably wants me to give up my hat for Ella, since I said the hat was precious to me, and that¡¯s what he initially wanted anyway. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if that was the reason he attempted to but the girls from me, but money has little sway over someone that still hasn¡¯t learned the currency. How should I deal with this guy... I suppose I could just jump up there and kick his face in, but that seems too simple for someone that was such a huge pain in my ass, and I don¡¯t really want to kill him unless I have to. Ah, I suppose I could break this false security he¡¯s constructed around himself, then go from there.


    ¡°Your hat, or the girl... it¡¯s your choice.¡±


    Called it. Though I doubt he is planning to actually let us go after I make my decision... how can he have such a twisted smile when his plan is so painfully obvious? It wasn¡¯t even well made, I probably could have brought a ranged weapon and shot him from here, unless this relatively small ogre is more agile than he looks, or just decided not to come. What if I was as big a douche as him, and decided coming after Ella was simply not worth it? Those lame ninjas couldn¡¯t track Godzilla tearing through the town, much less a person dressed in dark clothes in the middle of the night. Stop chuckling already, it really pisses me off.


    ¡°Brook, you can come in now.¡±


    I turned my head slightly to the side, signaling to Brook that I was ready for her to enter, and initiate the beginning of my plan to break this jerk. The door creaked behind me, and I felt the girl¡¯s small body cut through the air, rapidly approaching where I was currently standing.Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°What? A little girl? Why would you bring a little girl into a fight like this?¡±


    That¡¯s okay, I didn¡¯t expect this dense noble to recognize her, however, the look on his general¡¯s face indicated instant recognition, and an intense fear. Brook closed in, placing herself to my left while keeping her usual emotionless expression up, displaying her apparent disinterest in the situation. Metal clanged against the ground as the ogre backed away, dropping both of it¡¯s axes as an unsteady finger pointed in the girl¡¯s direction.


    ¡°A-A-Ak M-Maru! You d-didn¡¯t say anything about Ak Maru being here!¡±


    The ogre¡¯s voice shook, a result of it¡¯s trembling lips that desperately flapped as the armored ogre swiftly began to retreat, foolishly turning it¡¯s back to the two of us. Brook leaned in, brushing her arm gently against mine while watching the frantic creature in front of us lose it¡¯s confident facade, and run away.


    ¡°Master?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Instantly, the former Ak Maru dashed in pursuit, kicking off the ground to gain momentum for a complete three-hundred and sixty degree turn before bringing her heel to the side of the ogre¡¯s face. A loud crack sounded as the metal armor bent around Brook¡¯s foot and transformed the contained head to a projectile, flying to the other side of the room, then deeply embedding itself in the wall. The silver-haired girl landed softly, followed by the armored corpse, heavily collapsing on the ground with a series of scraping and thudding as the armor fell apart.


    The both the bunny and the noble stared in shock, complete silence filling the room. I began walking forward, all eyes focused on me, which made my steps feel a bit awkward, but that didn¡¯t really matter at the moment. I walked past the corpse, allowing Brook to join me, and straight up to the elf-girl expectantly waiting for me with her chained arms stretched out in front of her.


    ¡°He he he... you¡¯re such a badass.¡±


    Gah... please don¡¯t tease me, I already feel weird enough being the center of attention. I reached out, gripping the edge of one of the cuffs before crushing it in my hand, being careful not to damage Ella¡¯s wrist. I paused for a moment, then repeated the same thing on the her other hand, completely freeing her from bondage, and removing the noble¡¯s last remaining leverage against me. That was even less climactic then I was expecting.


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t just stand there, do something!¡±


    I was a bit relieved something broke the silence, but the screeching voice of the noble shouting desperately at the white-haired bunny-person to his left gave me a slight headache, and only fed my irritation. This guy just needs to shut up, I wasn¡¯t planning on killing him as long as Ella was unharmed and he didn¡¯t put himself in a situation where I needed to, since I really don¡¯t want to deal with the repercussions of killing a rich and influential person, but he just keeps talking. The bunny girl turned her attention to me, cautiously watching my every move while bringing her white staff to bear while allowing the perfect mixture of fear and focus to glaze over her eyes.


    She is definitely an experienced fighter that likely knows how to effectively utilize her weapon and deal a decent amount of damage, not to mention the incredible speed I witnessed a couple of days ago would probably be enough to land a couple of solid blows against me. However, now that I¡¯m prepared, I can probably dodge whatever she decides to throw at me, and anything that does hit will probably not do very much damage. I would still prefer to leave without fighting her, but I also want to get a few hits in on the noble hiding behind her... ah, well. I suppose I¡¯ll just swallow my anger for now, since killing him would pull more people¡¯s attention in my direction, and leave this girl fianc¨¦-less.


    Oh, crap! This girl is probably financially dependent on this guy, and killing him would make me responsible for her well-being too! I absolutely can NOT deal with another one, the two girls I have already drain me of most of my social energy, and adding another beautiful girl might just push me past my limit. Damn it, this is hard. His face is just so... punchable, and he was such a jerk to my friends, not to mention his massive boob-house nearly caused a traumatizing interaction between me and Brook.


    Though, while they are troublesome and require more energy than I could ever hope to give, Ella and Brook give me something much more valuable than any amount of money, power, or fame... I¡¯m not alone, and even though I don¡¯t know them very well, I can tell they are very good people despite their histories, or even current circumstances. Ella is a bit overconfident and childish, but she isn¡¯t like this noble, which could have happened very easily thanks to her doting father and stunning appearance. Brook has obviously had a very hard life, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯s lost more than I could ever imagine, but instead of letting pain consume her, she decided to dedicate her life to helping someone else become happy.


    To be honest, I have no idea what would happen if the bunny-girl became my responsibility or even what kind of person she is, but I do know that she is marrying this noble for a reason, and killing him would only make me feel better at her expense. There is no way to justify it since Ella is fine, and it¡¯s not like he should have to pay for crimes he intended to commit, but never got the chance to follow through.


    I sighed, putting my arms around Ella¡¯s shoulders before lifting her up to a standing position, letting the tension fall away along with whatever remained of my hostility. The chosen-bunny-girl-with-weird-white-magic-and-a-name-I-keep-forgetting stopped, surprised at the sudden change of pace in my movements, and a small amount of curiosity peeked through her battle-hardened eyes. I turned my back to them, and began walking away while keeping my arms around the pouting elf¡¯s shoulders, though I did so more to restrain her from letting out a barrage of destructive magic than anything else. Brook read my intentions before quickly jogging over to my side without hesitation or asking a single question, and the three of us continued to move straight towards the exit.


    ¡°Fuck! I bought you for a reason, woman! What use do you have if you won¡¯t even fight!? If I wanted a pretty girl that just stands around, I would have bought a concubine! You¡¯re too far expensive to just stand there, so DO SOMETHING!¡±


    The nobleman shrieked behind me, meting the bunny-girl, who¡¯s name I just remembered to be Grace, his anger exploding out in a flurry of insults and demeaning realities that she simply accepted without any retaliation. A dull thump of flesh colliding with flesh sounded from the direction of the two, a blow from the noble¡¯s closed fist landed hard on his fianc¨¦¡¯s face, and bringing a halt to my peaceful-ish exit. I could feel the air shift behind me, and noticed the girl straighten herself with a slight trace of hesitation in her movements.


    I sighed, the anger that had been boiling inside me until now had just faded mere seconds ago because I thought killing this loser would only bring trouble to everyone involved, particularly the bunny-girl. However, this same loser decided as I was walking away, to take those reasons and completely disprove them, followed by an action that renewed my dissipated anger and then some. I took my left hand off Ella¡¯s shoulder, then gently placed it on Brook¡¯s soft, silver hair, pulling them back slightly to catch their attention.


    ¡°Go wait outside.¡±


    I whispered to them gently, then turned away before Ella could argue, and faced the couple that were now across the blood red room, both standing next to each other as the noble cradled his right hand. I heard the grumpy elf let out a ¡°hmph¡± before dramatically stomping out of the room to the safety of the early morning awaiting her just outside. Silence once again dominated this headache of a room, broken only by the sound of my light footfalls colliding with the wood-like floor as I slowly approached with clear intent to kill.


    The noble was the first to turn his attention to me, his irate expression melting away to one of fear and panic as he began to realize what I was planning on doing.


    ¡°H-h n-... now! Do it now! Get him, damn it! Do it or else Moria will revoke your power and title as Chosen One of The Gods for letting me die! Do what you were made to do, damn it!¡±


    More venom spewed forth from the Lame God¡¯s Descendant as he became more desperate, saying things I didn¡¯t really understand, but I¡¯m sure were having a large impact on the girl. I continued forward at the same speed, remaining wary of the bunny-girl¡¯s movements to avoid an actual fight, while maintaining a slow, but inescapable pace. I am going to kill him, and he knows it, but can do nothing to stop it.


    The girl turned in my direction, physically unharmed by the attack, but glassy eyes revealed the full extent of the damage that was inflicted during the encounter. Eyes really are a window to the souls, but thanks to my new abilities, I can also feel what she feels if I focus hard enough; a mix of negative emotions flying around in her stomach, beating the shit out of her from the inside out. I don¡¯t know how much I can help with that, but I can at least cut off a major supplier of these feelings, and free her from whatever political bondage she might be in.


    I locked eyes with my target, the anger inside me boiling over as my mind opened to the world around me, allowing me to feel and manipulate all of the science-based forces that lay stagnate, submissive to the strange energy of this universe. In this world magic holds most people down, but my body passively manipulates my own gravity to keep me in place without my conscious intervention, kind of like a heartbeat. I wonder what would happen if I took this stagnate force of nature and pushed up on the things around me, negating the effects of the magic? Let¡¯s find out.


    Without breaking my pace, I accessed the seemingly useless force and pushed up on the things around me, except the couple of course, and found that my hypothesis was right. I continued forward, watching their shocked eyes gaze around the room as curtains, chairs, candles, even their clothes began to drift, caught up in a power they could never understand. I didn¡¯t remove my eyes from the noble, but was aware of the girl readying her staff, and bracing for my impending attack.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you now.¡±


    Only fair to let him know, I suppose. I was now closing in, only about a dozen feet away from the couple as the anticipation grew, and the objects around the room began falling to the ground, one by one until I was about an arms distance away from the two.


    Grace made the first move, lunging at a speed most couldn¡¯t even see while swinging her staff around at the side of my head, forcing me to bend backward and let the object pass over me. Energy coursed through me, causing everything around me to move in slow-motion, and I noticed an odd engraving in it her staff that stuck out from the rest as it passed, a black word that simply said ¡°Tana¡±. I don¡¯t really know what that means, but it doesn¡¯t matter right now. The world resumed to normal speed, and the girl flew off behind me, landing softly despite being thrown off-course, freezing in place as her eyes settled on the two of us.


    I reached out to the cowering jackass, placing my palm on his mouth and wrapping my fingers around his cheeks to hold him in place, leaving his eyes uncovered so he could see me clearly. Muffled shouts and screams came from my hand as the noble began to kick and flail wildly, his attacks succeeding only in breaking a couple of his bones, which simply perpetuated more screams, snot, and flailing.


    ¡°You really need to learn when to shut up.¡±


    With that, I felt the world around me, reaching up far into the sky with my mind, then connected the writhing creature in front of me with a random spot I had chosen just outside the city, and about two miles up. A white light flashed, and I felt the noble disappear from my hand to a far away place high in the sky, where I proceeded to multiply the intensity of the force pushing down on him by about a thousand.


    A distant boom came from just outside the town, rattling the windows and causing a small amount of dust to trickled down out of the roof and onto the ground next to me.


    Ah... I think I might have overdone it a bit...

 Chapter 13.5: What鈥檚 Next?

    What do I do now?


    My mind retracted from the world around me, and all the remaining objects in the room fell noisily to the ground, many of them shattering on contact. I flinched, realizing I probably just destroyed more than I could pay for in a thousand lifetimes, and having a sudden urge to leave as quickly as possible before police, or whatever law enforcement they have her, show up. Well, I¡¯m an outlaw now... though, better that then a bottomless debt that may end up with me being sold as a slave.


    I stepped away from the scene of the crime, walking towards the exit at a brisk pace as the growing silence between me and the bunny-girl started to have a negative affect on my self-confidence. Ah... damn it she most likely thinks I¡¯m some kind of rash jerk that kills for petty reasons. I should probably say something to her, but I haven¡¯t the slightest idea what¡¯s appropriate in these kinds of situations, and usually let the other person break the silence first.


    She stared at me, shock still evident in the big Bambi eyes watching my every movement from where she sat on the ground, the tall ears on her head twitching occasionally as it picked up the sound of my footsteps as I approached. The echoing steps came to a halt, and I paused, standing next to her as I considered what my next move would be, habitually pinching the brim of my hat as I sunk deeper into my thoughts. Well, I guess I¡¯ll just tell her where I stand, and let her know that I¡¯m willing to take full responsibility for my actions, then let her choose whether she wants to join me, or go her own way. I probably shouldn¡¯t say it like that though, since I¡¯m not trying to recruit her, and we aren¡¯t in a movie.


    I shifted, turning to face the still mute chosen one before crouching down to put us on the same level, looking straight into her eyes to make sure I have her complete attention. One of the banners that had fallen on the ground next to a lit candle stand caught fire, reverting the green cloth to ashes before spreading to some of the other banners nearby along with some of the furniture. This only increased my urge to leave quickly, though we still have a bit of time before it becomes really dangerous, so I decided to just ignore it for now.


    I reached out and touched her white hair, resisting the surprisingly strong urge to touch her fluffy ears, and focused on calming her down. A look of confusion crossed her face as she watched my odd movements, uncertain of how she was supposed to respond, and wary of what I might do next. She readjusted her legs underneath her, and I could feel her suspicion radiating in the air around us, making me feel a bit like a jerk for making her uncomfortable.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry... your circumstances seem pretty complicated, and I¡¯m pretty sure I just made it worse.¡±


    God, I feel awkward... why is she looking at me like that? Did I say something weird already? Well, too late to stop now. I let out a long breath, removing my hand from her head, and placing it on top of my hat, pushing it further down in an attempt to reinforce my resolve.


    ¡°You can do whatever you want, but if you need anything from me, just ask. I promise I will take responsibility for what I did, and do whatever I can to make it up to...¡±


    What!? Why is she crying? Please stop, I promise I¡¯ll shut up now, just don¡¯t cry.


    I leaned back, my hands hovering just over her shoulders, undecided on whether or not physical contact would be appropriate in this situation as my mind frantically searched for a way to help. Something moved off to my left, catching my attention as one of the large red doors swung the rest of the way open, revealing an impatient elf and the silver-haired girl that was trying to stop her.


    ¡°Yay! I escaped!¡±


    ¡°Why are you so slippery?¡±


    Ella¡¯s voice filled the room, audibly ecstatic from her successful escape, followed by a slightly frustrated question from the defeated Brook. The early morning sun peaked out from behind the two, flooding the room with golden light as the the elf charged at top speed in my direction, stopping about a dozen feet away when she saw the bunny on the ground next to me. Her eyes flicked back and forth between the two of us for a moment, drawing up dangerously inaccurate conclusions about the situation before raising an accusing finger in my direction.


    ¡°What did you do to her?¡±


    This is a bad situation. How do I explain this? I looked down at the hypnotic bunny ears-no-the girl next to me, who had turned to face Ella with glistening blue eyes that caught the light of the sun. She blushed slightly, bringing her elbows in to her stomach while tucking her fingers under the legs she was sitting on shyly, her attitude completely changing.


    Wait a second...


    ¡°He said he¡¯d... take responsibility for what he did to me by... doing whatever I ask.¡±


    No! That¡¯s absolutely the worst way she could have put that! I turned to Ella, who looked back at me with a pouting face, her eyes narrowed angrily and her arms crossed under her chest disapprovingly. I have to defend myself somehow, but everything Grace just said is completely true... how do I get myself into these situations?


    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not-¡°


    ¡°You did something to her before me! No fair! It¡¯s the bunny ears isn¡¯t it!? Don¡¯t deny it, I saw you look at them! Pervert!¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Ella shouted her assumptions loudly, energy starting to radiate off her body and causing the air around her to become distorted with it¡¯s heat. This could end very poorly for me if I don¡¯t do something to defend myself, but my mind completely blanked from the immense embarrassment of my fascination with the chosen one¡¯s ears being found out. I turned to the bunny-girl hoping she would realize what was implied, and reword her statement to clear up the misunderstanding, but found only her to be deeply distracted by something else.


    Grace¡¯s eyes had moved from the elf back to me, staring intently at my chest area for some reason, a slight blush still maintained on her face. I followed her eyes to myself, looking for whatever anomaly had captured her attention, when yet another condemning factor revealed itself to me. I hadn¡¯t noticed it because I was so wrapped up in saving Ella, but this explains a lot about why everyone was so quick to jump to conclusions, and the bunny-girl¡¯s odd behavior.


    When Brook and I left the inn, I never change out of my pajamas because I was worried about Ella, and now I was crouching while wearing only pants and a hat with my arms stretched out next to a beautiful girl who is saying I promised to take responsibility for my actions. I took a deep breath, focusing on steadying my legs as I pushed myself up into a standing position, and looked into Ella¡¯s big, green eyes with all the confidence I could muster.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anythi-¡°


    ¡°Fine! I get to go before Brook, though, since I claimed you first!¡±


    Once again the small amount of mental energy contained in my fragile mind was shattered to pieces by the careless words of the elf with unlimited confidence. I give up, I¡¯ll explain it later when we aren¡¯t standing in the middle of a burning building where I just killed a pretty influential noble. The smoke was beginning to build up near the roof, billowing out some of the higher windows and creating a massive beacon for this city¡¯s law enforcement, so leaving now would probably be the best choice.


    I looked back at Grace, who still had tears on her face from where she had been crying earlier, and held out my hand welcomingly.


    ¡°We should go, this building isn¡¯t safe. You¡¯re free to join us if you¡¯d like, though we don¡¯t really have much to offer...¡±


    The two of us stared at each other for a moment, the uncomfortable silence broken only by crackling flames and the irritated mumbling of the jealous elf that stood next to a small, silver-haired girl. I left my hand stretched out for a few moments, turning my torso away from the bunny-girl to hopefully ward off the weird looks I was getting, but she still did not accept it. Warily, Grace pulled herself to her feet, wiping the tears away from her face as her emotional expression faded, quickly being replaced by a look of dutiful determination. Why do I get the feeling that something important is about to happen?


    Her eyes locked with mine, dry from where she wiped away the tears, but still a bit red from the actual experience despite her resolve.


    ¡°I need your help... more specifically, I need help from whoever wears that artifact.¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes locked on something just above my gaze, her entire stance shifting to project an air of seriousness, the simple white dress she wore catching a breeze that wafted through the open door. From my perspective, she looked really cool, her almost flawless image tainted only by her red eyes boldly displayed on the burning red canvas created by her surroundings looking like a slow-motion scene out of an action movie. The golden light pouring in as the grey smoke made from the burning of the corrupt noble¡¯s room drifted out, almost as if to purify this building, but the spoiled elf¡¯s complaints interrupted the beautiful scene.


    ¡°Stop talking to the bunny and PAY. ATTENTION. TO. ME!¡±


    Finally snapping after a few moments of literally fuming from the sidelines, Ella launched herself at me with a burst of magic, sending her streaking across the room before colliding with me, who was completely caught off-guard at the sudden attack. She approached with her arms spread out to the sides, preparing for the impending embrace that would likely end with several injuries if I wasn¡¯t careful while catching her. I stepped back, extending my right arm out into her path, and caught her by the waist, making sure to give a little bit to avoid hurting her. Her right arm caught my left shoulder, allowing Ella to twist herself around before flinging her other arm around my back and into a hug with her figure pressed against the right side of my body.


    Seriously? I carried her all the way here even though she can move like that? Ah... I¡¯m such a moron, I should have seen this coming. It is Ella after all.


    She rubbed her head against my shoulder in satisfaction, letting out a happy sigh as Brook calmly walked straight up to me with her usual disinterested expression. She paused in front of me, looking almost expectantly at my free left hand, clearly restraining herself from asking for a favor she likely thought was undeserved. I sighed, reaching out with my idle hand before gently resting it¡¯s weight on her head, letting my fingers slowly disappear into her soft, silver hair.


    ¡°You did an incredible job. I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    I felt my depleted energy refill as her conflicted eyes brightened with those simple words, giving me the strength I had previously lacked. Smiling, I turned back to where Grace stood, my newfound confidence making me significantly less self-conscious about my lack of clothes. There were a few questions I wanted to ask her, but I could sense a bit of commotion building up outside where people had noticed the pillar of smoke forming over us, and decided this wasn¡¯t the best time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help in any way I can, but right now we need to get going before someone finds us.¡±


    Almost as if to prove my point, some voices murmured just outside the red double-doors where a decently large crowd had begun to gather in curiosity. I stepped back, releasing the girls as I walked off to my left, away from where Grace stood, and listened to Ella and Brook fall in step behind me, quickly followed by the slightly confused footfalls of the bunny-girl.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    The confused girl¡¯s voice came from behind me as we approached the massive red wall, stopping just in front of it as my eyes inspected it¡¯s smooth surface. Satisfied with my choice, I lifted my right foot off the ground and kicked it with a considerable amount of strength, feeling the concrete-like substance crumble and explode outward from the impact. Light streamed in through the small dust cloud created from the red particles that used to fill this new exit I just made, slightly distorted, but definitely there.


    I placed my foot back on the ground, holding tightly to the hat that was resting on my head while gazing through the hole and into the world outside, considering the question I was just asked. I¡¯m not very good at lying, and they¡¯ll probably figure it out pretty soon anyway, so... I suppose I might as well tell them the truth. I turned back to face the girls, my smile revealing some of the awkwardness I was feeling at my own foolishness as I shrugged.


    ¡°No idea.¡±

 Chapter 14: A Way Out part 1

    ¡°Stop! In the name of Balmetta¡¯Ikarah!¡±


    A commanding voice loudly barked from behind me, clearly directing the order in our direction as we unsuccessfully tried to disappear into the crowd. I looked at the people around us, noticing all their eyes turn in our direction with an expectant look displayed on each of their faces.


    What a mouthful, I can¡¯t believe the guard actually said that so fast without biting his tongue. The four of us gave up on trying to blend in with the crowd, and took off at top speed with Ella gripped in my arms despite my recent discovery of the agility-enhancing effects of her magic. I tried to talk her into running with us, but she argued against my plea, saying it was love that compelled her, not magic, and she could only do it when she needed to get closer to me. Whatever... I didn¡¯t have time to argue, and she¡¯s not that heavy anyway.


    ¡°Soldiers of Balm¡¯ak! Capture the Chosen One¡¯s group, they are likely assassins sent by the Zoi archbishop!¡±


    The guard shouted from behind us to his men, jumping to ridiculous conclusions as the sounds of rattling armor indicated their clumsy pursuit. I kept myself just behind Grace and Brook, making sure they didn¡¯t leave my sight as we darted between various structures and the seemingly never-ending supply of guards throughout the city. The bunny-eared girl slowed as we quickly neared the edge of the city, matching my pace.


    ¡°The gate.¡±


    Grace was looking up at the largest obstacle standing in our path; the massive wall that, I¡¯m assuming, surrounds this entire city. Of course, the large front gate was closed to bar our path, though I don¡¯t really see much of a problem, mostly because the buildings around it were large enough stepping stones for us to leap over it entirely. We veered off into a narrow alley to avoid a small group of soldiers with white bows and arrows lit with a blue flame that had emerged from one of the roads front of us, forcing us to change our route.


    The sound of our feet striking the hard ground reverberated through the alleyway, drowning out the noises of the soldiers¡¯ futile pursuit as our escape became visible. Our fleeing halted next to a linen shop as we came upon the monstrous structure that protected this city from whatever nightmares lurked outside, and kept those not allowed to leave inside. The four of us looked up it¡¯s smooth, grey surface for a couple of seconds, trying to take in the ridiculous magnitude of this wall as we searched of the easiest way up.


    I looked to my right, then my left, then back at the barrier whose top was not visible from where we stood feeling slightly irritated. Damn it...


    ¡°No buildings reach over three stories.¡±


    Ah... please don¡¯t look at me like that... I have no idea what I¡¯m supposed to do. Brook spoke from my right, stating the issue at hand while looking at me with big, hazel eyes filled with expectation, and a little bit of admiration. She may not say it, but her expectations of me are way out of my reach. Although, I guess it¡¯s only natural to have such a high regard after seeing me do all these ridiculous stunts, but I can¡¯t always do things like that on command. So far I can only manipulate the world around me when I get really mad, though it¡¯s probably some kind of subconscious reaction, like fight or flight, or arous-ah... you get the picture.


    I chuckled nervously as the other two joined Brook in looking to me for answers I didn¡¯t have yet, and causing the pressure on the air around me to grow exponentially more intense. I suppose Brook and I could carry the other two on our backs while occasionally puncturing holes in the wall to create hand or footholds, but if the wall gets out of reach near the top, we or the person we¡¯re carrying might die. I suppose I could just dig through the wall, but if it¡¯s harder than I estimate, and it takes a while to dig the tunnel, then soldiers may block the entrance and shoot us with those magically-enhanced arrows. I have no idea what their weapons are capable of here, but I¡¯d rather not find out the fish-in-a-barrel style. I suppose we could just ask Grace leap to the top, and see if there¡¯s a ladder or something up there for emergency escapes, but... is it racist to think she can jump high because she has bunny ears?


    ¡°Wait a second...¡±


    I stepped over to the wall, slowly reaching out with my hand to touch it¡¯s cold surface with the tips of my fingers, feeling something move inside it. Yup, if I¡¯m not wrong, the answer to our escape lies directly within our greatest hinderance... how fortunate.


    ¡°Grace... you wouldn¡¯t happen to know what¡¯s inside this wall, would you?¡±


    The Bunny-girl looked at me blankly for a moment, almost unresponsive to the question, but eventually answered with a slow nod.


    ¡°As far as I know, it should be water. Mages that can control water are decently common, and good for wall defense, but the less skilled ones need a source of water to manipulate, so they probably made the wall capable of collecting rainwater.¡±


    Nodding my thanks, I looked down at Ella, then Brook, measuring her level of endurance for a couple of seconds, then the up at the dark clouds starting to form overhead before finally turning to the bunny-girl, who¡¯s expression betrayed her confusion.


    ¡°Grace how well can you deal with heat?¡±


    I asked aloud, a plan starting to form in my mind as she looked at me with a curious gaze, nodding with no small amount of suspicion.


    ¡°I should be fine even if I were to stand in a flame if it wasn¡¯t too ridiculous... why?¡±


    I nodded in recognition of her confirmation, and turned away, placing Ella¡¯s feet on the ground and walking away before she had a chance to grab hold, toward the linen shop next to us. My feet thudded against a few wooden steps as I approached, and peered through the window just to the right of the door. I noticed no one was visible inside, and there was no stirring in the air larger than a couple of insects, so I figured it was safe to assume there were no living threats, and backed away.


    While the three girls watched intently, I shifted my attention to the very solid wooden door that led inside, jiggling the metallic handle with a light rattling sound. Locked. I shifted my stance so my right arm faced the door, gripping the small metal handle tightly with my left hand while bracing myself.


    ¡°Wai-¡°


    The bunny-eared girl realized my intentions, and tried to stop me, but was too late since my body was already hurling itself at the door. The sound of splintering wood was music to my ears as the door gave way to the store inside, however, the sound of the following explosion was much less pleasant, and sent me rocketing back out of the small store. Looking not unlike a bolt of lightning, I shot straight through the concrete-esque backside of the building opposite of where I was previously standing, and collapsed half the structure on top of me.


    Ow. I lay still for a moment, remembering the many applications of magic in this world, and noting that trespassing was considered a capital crime here. I let out a small sigh before slowly pushing myself up, letting the rubble clatter off me while looking over at the entrance I had just been ejected from, holding my treasured hat close to my chest protectively.


    ¡°What kind of moron are you? Magic traps are common knowledge, and behind pretty much every locked door you will ever run into, yet you just flung yourself straight into one without any prior preparations. You should real...ly...¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Grace started to scold me for my stupidity, but paused mid-sentence, staring in awe at my face as if I had just started growing a second nose. I looked back at her in confusion for a little while, trying to figure out what had captivated her, but then remembered there were no other humans on this world, and my appearance, while subtle at first glance, was definitely unnatural here.


    Soldiers shouted from somewhere off to my right, some of them likely hearing all the commotion, and are heading over at top speed in our direction. I placed my hat firmly on my head, and stood up straight, dusting myself off before starting off back towards the store feeling slightly embarrassed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk later.¡±


    I spoke as I passed them before immediately entering the store, my eyes instantly looking around for what I needed to make my plan work as silence reigned supreme once again. It seems this store makes not only clothes, but just about everything that includes some kind of cloth, such as bedsheets or just regular, unused cloth. I noticed several things while looking around, namely a blue hoodie-like thing that matched my pants, and had two solid black stripes running from the right shoulder to the left hip. I quickly put it on, setting my hat to the side for a moment so I could pull it over my head, before quickly placing it back where it belonged after covering my exposed chest. I could instantly feel some of my self-confidence flowing back to me now that I no longer have to run around with only my hat and a pair of pants to cover myself.


    ¡°How disappointing...¡±


    While admiring my new jacket, Ella muttered to herself, staring at me with a disapproving gaze as the previous look of admiration disappeared from her face. She probably wants something else to wear as well, since that nightgown is far too revealing for public travel, and likely pretty cold from the looks of it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get to see Ash¡¯s chest anymore...¡±


    What the hell... that¡¯s her reason? I once again assumed the losing role of the battle with my own self-consciousness, deciding to ignore the comment under pain of further embarrassment at her slender hands. I straightened myself before habitually placing my left hand on the brim of the familiar cowboy hat that tightly hugged my head, calming my mind.


    I noticed Brook¡¯s gaze directed intensely at something behind me, a certain spark in her eyes that felt surprisingly nostalgic to me, and I instantly realized what she was looking at. I turned to face the plethora of women¡¯s clothes that lay spread out just past the much smaller men¡¯s section, and gestured resignedly with my right hand.


    ¡°If you need it, get something to wear.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don-¡°


    ¡±Ella, you need it. You two may get something as well if you see something you like, but make sure it¡¯s subtle enough to avoid attention on the open road.¡±


    Of course she would protest to dressing decently, it was stupid of me to think otherwise. I sighed as the elf-girl nonchalantly skipped past me while humming a bright tune to herself, while Brook followed close behind her with a slightly embarrassed, but still excited feeling surrounding her despite the unchanging expression she wore. Grace stood in place for a moment, watching the events unfold from the open doorway as dark clouds began forming in the sky behind her, blocking out the early morning rays of sunlight.


    I secretly smiled to myself as Ella rifled through a large assortment of different clothes, occasionally picking something up for either herself or Brook enthusiastically. I can only hope they heard my request for subtlety, since I¡¯m hoping to avoid any more unfortunate encounters, but the largest problem when it comes to attention, is still me. Cowboy hats are apparently very abnormal in this world, not to mention my human features that display my alien heritage for all to see, but that can be easily hidden with a hat or hood.


    I stepped over to the front counter, and dug my hand into my right pants pocket while still deep in thought, pulling out the three gold coins Ella had given me when we went shopping earlier. I weighed them for a moment, feeling the the cold of the metal against my skin as my eyes traced the small castle engraved on the clean surface, and noticed the word Moria written just below it. If I¡¯m not mistaken, Moria is one of the gods the people of this world worship, and I¡¯m pretty sure Grace is some kind of ¡°Chosen One¡± for this particular god... though, I could be wrong.


    A memory flashed through my mind as I tried to keep everything straight, one of my dad sitting at a small wooden table across from me, his hands rubbing his creased forehead in befuddlement. His hat was pushed up in a ridiculous manner as the old man¡¯s eyes stared at a white sheet paper in front of him, which I recalled as being my math homework.


    I had spent about twenty minutes relating to him the math formulae my teacher had described to me just over an hour beforehand, but my hope of receiving help had already faded to almost nothing when I saw his growing frustration. Finally, he gave in, slamming his palm against the table in resignation before slumping back into the wooden chair beneath him, the air he was holding in his lungs now released through a series of deep breaths.


    ¡®I give up. This shit¡¯s flying way too fast for me to catch.¡¯


    I had to stifle a laugh as the memory faded back into the deep recesses of my mind, understanding exactly how my dad must have felt at that moment. This ways of this world are all common knowledge to the people around me, but I still have yet to learn the currency, much less the politics, laws, cultures, and historic background, not to mention the ever-present magic that influences all the above, and plenty more. I like to understand my surroundings better so I can at least get a grasp of what I¡¯m supposed to do, but this world doesn¡¯t seem to function solely on logic, and learning everything about it will take time, which is something I don¡¯t have at the moment.


    ¡°The Moriaki Vel. Surely you¡¯ve at least heard of that, right?¡±


    The bunny-eared girl interrupted my thoughts, stepping up next to me with the soft dignity her name implies, and looking down at the small coins in my palm. I shook my head, hearing the sound of Ella giggle at Brook¡¯s shyness off to my left before insisting she try on one of the outfits in her hand. I turned to face away from the pair, placing the coins on the counter with a faint clatter before turning my attention to the confused Grace. Yeah... I must seem like an absolute moron. Ah, well... I¡¯ll explain myself later, when we are comfortably on our way to... um...


    Shoot, I have no idea where to go from here, and asking for directions is no longer an option until we are far away from this city and it¡¯s inhabitants. Even then, I¡¯m sure we will become wanted criminals for murdering a nobleman, not to mention Grace is pretty famous from what I¡¯ve gathered, so hiding in plain sight with those massive bunny ears will be all but impossible.


    ¡°That¡¯s my home-or... was my home. I need to get back to the man living there before he hears about the Balmetta¡¯Ikarah¡¯s death, and beseeches Moria to remove his blessing from me. The only problem is I can¡¯t use navigation magic, so I was hoping the three of you could help me. You did say you would help me any way you can, right?¡±


    Grace asked, looking almost desperate as she did, but I had gotten a little lost after the tongue twister, and was still trying to figure out what she wanted. I gave up on trying to mentally pronounce the noble¡¯s name, and turned my thoughts to the navigation magic she mentioned. I paused, remembering how Ella had directed me to this city a few day earlier, and, making a rather logical assumption, figured that must be navigation magic.


    I nodded in response, stepping away from the counter before slowly making my way to the shattered doorway and the world outside.


    ¡°I said I¡¯d help you in any way I can, and I have every intention to follow through.¡±


    I took a step out on the wooden deck, hearing several drops of rain tap the brim of my hat, and feeling the air turn cold as the ominous dark clouds overhead blanket the world below it in dark shadows.


    ¡°I think Ella is familiar with the navigation magic you mentioned, so that shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    The sound of rattling armor and alarmed shouts indicated the soldiers¡¯ approach from the street to my left, likely spotting the damaged building across from us. The girls, who had finished changing, came up behind me, following closely as I stepped down off the front deck, and into the road, facing the wall.


    ¡°Ella, do you think you can heat up the water inside the wall really fast?¡±


    I directed my question at the elf, who nodded enthusiastically in response with a proud smile spread boldly across her face, immediately taking a step forward while holding her hands up in front of her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know why, but if that¡¯s what my hubby wants!¡±


    Ah... please don¡¯t call me ¡°hubby¡±


    ... it sounds...


    A deafening clap mixed with the sound of warping metal followed by a shroud of scalding hot steam slammed into us, forcing me to step protectively in front of Ella and the others, holding on tightly to my hat. The gas whipped past us, thoroughly drenching every inch of our bodies, and sending several large chunks of metal flying through the air, some of which I had to swat away from our group.


    A few seconds passed before the momentum of the steam died down, the sound of the soldiers¡¯ pursuit coming to a halt, either out of shock, or had simply been blown away. The shroud slowly lifted as the rain began to pour down from above, revealing a twisted metal hole in the wall large enough to fit a three story building through. Steam steadily flowed from the second improvised exit we had made today as we stared through the opening to world just outside, the shock evident on the girls¡¯ faces.


    That went surprisingly well.

 Chapter 15: A Way Out part 2

    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    A suspicious voice came from my right, the tall white-haired rabbit being the first to break the silence as she turned her shocked eyes over to where I was standing with a look of awe slowly beginning to surface. Using her free hand to brush aside some of the drenched hair clinging to her face, the girl quickly stepped forward, bringing our bodies mere inches from each other as her eyes once again attempted to pry out the secrets of my soul while I leaned back uncomfortably. I noticed her eyes flick up once again to the black cowboy hat on my head, watching the condensed water drip off the brim with fascination, as if trying to discern some kind of secret code that held the answers to any question she could ever hope to ask.


    I looked back at her, intentionally keeping my gaze directed above her neck to avoid unintentionally catching a glimpse of something through her saturated white clothing, while frantically searching for some way to escape this situation. Unfortunately for me, Grace noticed my intense discomfort with her current state, and leaned in closer, pressing her slender body against mine as a bitter smile slid across her mouth. I glanced at the other two for help, but they were still staring at the massive hole in the intimidating structure, and didn¡¯t notice my silent cries for help.


    ¡°Who... are... you?¡±


    Three very clear words formed on Grace¡¯s lips, dancing through the air with confidence I could never hope to have before assaulting my mind with it¡¯s refined interrogative edge. I tried to take a step back in retreat, but her arms wrapped around my back in response to her lightning-fast reflexes, her fingers interlocking tightly behind me, and pressing her delicate frame firmly against mine. I pinched my lips closed as her face drew near, suddenly aware that my breath probably smells terrible in spite of my numerous improvised attempts at cleaning them without a toothbrush. The big blue orbs that took up nearly my entire visual range searched my eyes with an almost disheartened glaze coating them, but that detail was almost immediately lost in my mind, swept away, along with the last traces of rational thought, by my explosive awkwardness.


    Damn, I need something-anything-else to think about and regain control of my mind. Let¡¯s see, what is something that distracts me? How about escapin-Oh my god, her breasts are-no, focus. Ah, I got it; her bunny ears. I wonder if they actually replace her ears, or if they¡¯re more for decoration... well, either way, I still have an intense urge to touch th-!?


    I nearly jumped out of my skin as I felt her hands slowly make their way down my back, realizing how rapidly they were approaching dangerous territory, and not even her bunny ears could pull me out of this level of mental shock. My hands were trembling as I raised them, not wanting to pull the girl off in fear of hurting her somehow, but also wanting to get away, or at least make her stop moving her hands downward. Shit, bad guys are so much easier to deal with... at least with them you don¡¯t have to be careful of both their physical and emotional well-being, and can often just find a way to escape, but where the hell can I run now? I already agreed to help her. How do I get myself into these situations?


    ¡°If you¡¯re this disgusted by me, then leave me alone. I don¡¯t want your to help if it¡¯s only out of pity or guilt, that¡¯s even worse than simply leaving me to fend for myself. You gave me a way out, so I¡¯ll consider it even.¡±


    She leaned the side of her face over on my shoulder as the hands, which were previously sliding toward my ass, released and fell, loosely hanging to her sides. She wasn¡¯t sexually assaulting me, she was loosening her grip in resignation, thinking I was disgusted by her, and only helping out of either pity, or guilt, which, like me, she absolutely hates. Goddammit, this is my fault. I kept on saying things like ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility for my actions¡± and ¡°I¡¯ll follow through with my promise¡±, which probably just made her think I don¡¯t really care about what happens to her, and that I only want to clear my name, or some bullshit. Why are girls so perceptive on all these hidden meanings that I don¡¯t even realize I¡¯m creating? Well, I had better make this right before whatever hope she still retains in humanity after her ordeal with the noble is destroyed.


    My hands steadied as I prepared a response to the bunny-girl¡¯s sobering offer. Gently, making certain nothing is left up to false misinterpretations of pity or guilt, I rested my palms on each of her shoulders, pulling her off me so I could see her face better. An intense urge to beat the shit out of myself struck me when I saw the dejected look on her face, and felt the weight of the air around her, knowing this was my fault. I did this to her, whether I intended to or not, and now I¡¯m going to fix it, not because I feel guilty for what I did, or pity for her poor situation, but because I choose to. Locking eyes with the white-haired girl, I let out a silent prayer in hopes that what I¡¯m about to say doesn¡¯t come off as moronic or deceptive. Ah, screw it, I don¡¯t have time to mess around right now, so I¡¯ll just say whatever comes to mind and hope for the best.


    I noticed the girl¡¯s eyes change slightly in response to my actions, a dim light flickering to life as a speck of something brighter appeared, contrasting with everything else about her, and in doing so created a significant difference in her entire demeanor. I kind of feel bad that I¡¯m not very good at speeches, because it looks like she needs a lot more reassurance than I am able to give. Ah, well, I¡¯ll do what I can for now. Locking eyes with the girl, I summoned up what little courage I still had after the... attack, and strengthened my resolve, slightly ruffling the soft, wet material making up her sealed dress.


    ¡°I am NOT disgusted by you, and I would never help anyone solely out of pity or guilt. I made your clearly complicated situation a whole lot worse, and since I have the means to help, it would be irresponsible not to. This isn¡¯t generosity, or charity, or some selfish way to clear my conscience, and I¡¯m not not going to leave you ¡°to fend for yourself¡± the moment I consider us ¡°even¡±. I¡¯m doing this for you, not me, and the moment you decide you don¡¯t need my help anymore, I¡¯ll leave. Until then, if you¡¯re ever trapped anywhere for whatever reason, all you need to do is ask, and I¡¯ll do everything I can to make you a way out.¡±


    The bunny-girl¡¯s blank stare slowly began to change while listening the words poured from my mouth, her self-deprecating thoughts melting away as that little speck I sensed earlier grew more intense, and her world-weary eyes seemed to shed one or two of it¡¯s many apathetic shades. Yup, it¡¯s just as I thought; words won¡¯t completely fix whatever damage she has, since it¡¯s most likely the result of experiencing terrible people who say wonderful things to distract people from the reality. Damn, I feel like punching something right now... I should probably get going before those guards snap out of their stupor, and somehow talk themselves into picking a fight with us. I¡¯d rather not kill the primary law enforcement of this city because we didn¡¯t leave fast enough.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Something disturbed the air to my left, catching my attention, and subconsciously released Grace¡¯s shoulders as I turned to face it. A dark green poncho-like cloth flapped wildly through the air as it approached my location, only allowing me to catch a glimpse of the reckless elf mid-dive as her ¡°love¡± rapidly propelled her at my person. Not again...


    A pair of soft objects were the first things to collide, padding the her as she landed directly on my face, which, aided by my quick reaction to absorb her momentum, spared her ribcage from a painful encounter. Ella¡¯s arms wrapped around my head, knocking my hat backwards off my head, and forcing me to stumble back a couple of steps to catch it. The overly generous bosom pressed against me mercilessly, enveloping my face in it¡¯s all-consuming embrace, allowing me to feel the elf¡¯s voice vibrate as the sudden pressure on her chest forced a faint ¡°Hm¡± to escape her lips. With hands moving with uncertainty to the girl¡¯s hips, I attempted to pull her off me, but was only to provoke the elf into squeezing even tighter, and wrapping her legs defiantly around my torso. Right, I forgot that doesn¡¯t work on her.


    I relented, gingerly releasing the elf¡¯s slender hips before raising my hands up in resignation, letting her calm down for a moment until she finally relaxed her grip, sliding comfortably down as my arms quickly moved to catch her in the princess-carry position. A jealous lip protruded from her mouth when our eyes met, and her narrow cheeks pulled the corners of her lips down as her Bambi eyes narrowed into a disapproving gaze.


    ¡°Pay attention to me.¡±


    She mumbled the small demand in my direction as she cuddled closely up against me, the contentment of a child instantly washing away the pouty expression, and replacing it with a satisfied grin. I sighed inwardly as she began kicking her legs happily in the air, flipping up the hem of her waterproof poncho as if to allow the gradually increasing rain to bounce off her fair skin, and looked back up at the crude aperture in the wall. I probably shouldn¡¯t play along with her spoiled actions, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible for me to knowingly disappoint those unrealistically adorable eyes. I sympathize with her father¡¯s actions in this respect, though it may cause some issues in the future...


    Something tugged lightly at my right sleeve, and I looked over to see the silver-haired girl shyly pinching the sturdy fabric between her fingers as her blank face gazed up at me, the words already forming on her lips.


    ¡°Master, we need to go.¡±


    Almost as if to confirm her words, the collection of soldiers behind us stirred, several of them mumbling and groaning as their hearing slowly returned, and the initial shock of the blast faded away. The the metallic scraping and clattering of armor filled the air, interrupting the faint pattering of ever-intensifying stream of water that teemed down from the sky, and reminding me of our current situation. I could feel the rainwater trickle down my face, and, with no small amount of awkwardness thanks to Ella legs, raised my right hand up while bending over to return my hat to it¡¯s former place on my head, and turned back to Brook.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, we need to leave now before they catch up.¡±


    I straightened myself, my brow furrowing in concentration as my mind attempted to recall the name of that castle displayed on the golden coin back in the shop. I remember the second part was Vel... what was first part again? Mor... Morki? Morkai? Ah, I need a guide to this world...


    ¡°Where are we going now?¡±


    Ella¡¯s voice came from my arms, curiously inquiring on where we are going next, but I still couldn¡¯t recall the castle¡¯s name for the life of me. Wait a second, why am I the one making this decision? We¡¯re a group right? So why don¡¯t we all... err... never mind. I¡¯m pretty sure Brook and Ella would default to whatever I choose, and asking Grace where she wants to go is kind of pointless since she has already stated her intention to return to the castle on the coin, which I was planning on doing anyway. I would ask her what the castle¡¯s name is, but that might seem a bit rude to ask, since it¡¯s common knowledge, and she just told me not ten minutes ago, which would make it seem like I wasn¡¯t listening to her. Why is this so complicated...


    I let out a quick sigh, turning to face the breach on the wall while noticing the strange energy start to build up behind us threateningly, and finally began to move. The sound of feet rhythmically striking the brittle pavement, and the occasional splash from the gathering water quickly multiplied as the other two joined me, the question still hanging in the air, unanswered while my mind raced to recreate the moment from back in the store. Screw it, I¡¯ll just buy myself a little time, but if I still can¡¯t remember, then I¡¯ll just ask and deal with the repercussions when they come.


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s focus on getting somewhere safe.¡±


    I assumed the following silence indicated their agreement, and, after the relatively short amount of time we spent inside, leapt through the hole to the dreary world awaiting us outside. The rain began to fall profusely now, the faded white sheets of water barely visible through the dreary grey veil that hung from the ominous shadow overhead, and dampening our hopes of drying out anytime soon. A thought occurred to me as I noticed the weather¡¯s change, instantly compelling me to think back to the water stored in the tall barrier¡¯s cavity, and why a seemingly impenetrable wall would need such a copious amount. If I remember correctly, Grace had said something about novice water mages being unable to create water out of thin air, and requiring an abundant source efficiently defend the wall... oh no.


    The rain stopped. I don¡¯t mean it cleared up, no, that would be reassuring and slightly helpful, but instead it froze mid-air around us, almost as if time itself had lost it¡¯s grip. I slowed my pace, watching the floating beads of rain start to drift, moving back in the direction we had just come from to, I assume, meet the summon of a pretty large group of water mages who will then use it to attack us. Goddammit, I¡¯m so sick of these guys...


    ¡°Master.¡±


    Brook, who had approached my right side, called out the title I was still hesitant to claim, waiting for me to look over before nodding at several thick metallic sheets lying idly around us that had been warped by the explosion. Realizing what she was trying to imply, I smiled, thinking it was nice to have a girl around that enjoyed doing things for me, and making a mental note to teach her how to do something other than fight. That may be a bit troublesome though, since I¡¯m still unsure of my own abilities, not to mention the customs, food, clothing, and many other things are different here than they are on Earth... I suppose that¡¯s not a ¡°right now¡± problem, though, so I should probably save the ¡°blind leading the blind¡± teaching methods for later.


    ¡°Go ahead, but be careful.¡±


    I approved her request, watching her respond with a quick, respectful nod, before falling behind, diagonally moving toward a particularly large chunk of metal that was roughly the same shape and size of a bus. Without hesitation or any visible preparation, the small, silver-haired girl gripped the massive object, lifted it off the ground, and whipped it around with surprisingly little effort, before sending it rocketing back at the decently large gathering of men in blue tunics. Like all good water-wielding mages, the group was mid-way through creating a massive orb of water to hurl at us, which instantly collapsed on them as they scattered to avoid a gruesome death from getting pummeled by the ridiculous projectile.


    The rain returned to normal as the four of us continued to sprint on the muddy ground, continuing to flee until all traces of the city disappeared from our sight, and we figured it safe enough to stop for a little while.


    Our group came to a halt under a small grove of trees, each bearing huge leaves that were able to provide us almost perfect protection from the weather, and made ourselves comfortable. Ella and Brook, who had each gotten a poncho from the linen shop back at the city, were mostly dry, however, Grace and I were thoroughly soaked, and needed to dry off for a little while, and maybe wait for the rain to clear before setting off again.


    Also, Grace¡¯s dress is still drenched... and the white isn¡¯t exactly helping...

 Chapter 16: A Way Out part 3

    The fire crackled and popped as it gradually consumed a small assortment of flammable odds and ends we had gathered from the area around us, and ignited with a bit of magic. I shifted, moving closer to the fire in an attempt to quicken the warmth¡¯s effect on my damp clothing before returning my attention to the dancing yellow flames. A light pattering on the umbrella-like leaves above indicated the rain¡¯s waning intensity, fading even further into the background as the she-elf finally approached the end of a heavily airbrushed retelling of the past several days¡¯ events. The story had taken nearly an hour to relate, thanks to Ella¡¯s over-embellished descriptions, but the bunny-eared girl listened with great interest to every word, occasionally casting a sideways glance in my direction.


    ¡°So...¡±


    Grace, who was sitting to my right, broke the brief silence that signaled the end of Ella¡¯s revelation, a contemplative look forming on her face as she turned to face me, suspicion evident in her sapphire blue eyes.


    ¡°You appeared out of nowhere, hospitalized your fianc¨¦¡¯s father, who also happens to be one of the elven king¡¯s generals, before killing a noble of the greatest warrior race on the surface, then went to a heavily populated city, and took out one of the most influential noblemen in the world... who the hell are you?¡±


    Well... When she puts it like that, it sounds like I made some very powerful enemies in an incredibly short amount of time. Fantastic. If I get a bounty, I... actually, that would be pretty cool, but it would definitely make day-to-day life significantly harder, not to mention create unnecessarily dangerous situations. Damn it.


    ¡°No, wait... Before you answer that, I have another question. Back at the mansion, you hid your magic¡¯s presence flawlessly, despite the excessive amount of destructive power it has, which should be impossible...¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes trailed from mine as her attention shifted from my face to the dark object resting on my head, her hands moving to the ground before gingerly sliding the chosen one¡¯s slender frame closer to where I sat. Noticing this while the memory of the bunny-girl¡¯s last ¡°interrogation¡±, I started to feel uncomfortable, and awkwardly leaned back in an attempt to flee from the bunny-girl¡¯s threatening advance. I rapidly glanced around, directing a silent plea for help at the other two, but Brook had gotten lost in the entrancing flicker of the flames, and Ella was attentively watching everything unfold with absolutely no visible intent on coming to my aid.


    What the hell...


    ¡°...unless you have a demonic artifact.¡±


    Grace¡¯s words drew my attention back to the conversation at hand, while the mention of a ¡°demonic artifact¡± reminding me once again of my own ignorance when it comes to this world. I opened my mouth to deny her bold claim, but before my lips could finish forming a response, I was interrupted lightning-quick blur which lashed out at my head, and almost reached it¡¯s mark before I even noticed. My hand habitually shot to my hat, holding the dark object firmly in place as I hastily hurled myself backwards, tumbling on the moist ground until I was able to regain my footing, and face the threat.


    There, sitting with an outstretched hand, was the white-haired chosen one of Moria, a victorious smile projecting the tremendous pride she was feeling due to my reaction.


    ¡°It¡¯s the hat, isn¡¯t it? You have the most coveted artifact in the world sitting on your head as you pass through the unaware masses, and yet not a single soul notices. Other than it¡¯s odd design, no one would think twice before passing it by, leaving you to continue on your way... unchecked, and doing whatever you please, comforted by the knowledge that not a soul in the world can do a damn thing to stop you.¡±


    Grace trailed, her initial enthusiasm waning as the unmatched pride slipped back under the apathetic lenses through which she could safely view reality. Her hand withdrew from it¡¯s idle position, returning to the muddied ground where it could rest it¡¯s tiring muscles.


    I stood for a moment, watching the light fade from the girl as the dwindling rain began to subside, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit helpless at her words. She may be wrong about the hat, but the power I received upon coming to this place is reassuring, and I may even be able to get away with some pretty crazy shit. No, I already have gotten away with some crazy shit thanks to my abilities, and she is right; since the moment I arrived, there has been no one who could keep me in check.


    Ah, I guess I¡¯m taking all of this too seriously. What she is feeling could have been solely caused by the nobleman I killed earlier, and taking her back to the castle on the coin, and whoever lives there is what she really needs right now. If that really is the case, then her opinion of me doesn¡¯t matter at all. I promised to do whatever I can when she needs help because I caused her trouble, not to make her like me. Why can¡¯t things just be simpler?


    Ah, well, I don¡¯t have much reason to hide the truth from grace and the others, and I had intended on telling them at some point. This seems like it may be an inopportune time, but I doubt there will be a moment anytime in the near future where announcing my alien heritage from a universe that lives independent from magic will be convenient. Here goes nothing...


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any artifacts. I was brought here from a world without magic, which is why my abilities can work without notice.¡°


    Well, if nothing else, I can at least clear that up.


    Grace¡¯s expression remained unchanged as the lucid disappointment still cast the same gray haze over her otherwise brilliant blue eyes. The penetrating silence that followed mercilessly declared her disbelief as she once again lifted her slender hand out of the mud, gently extending her open palm in my direction, and offered, what most would consider, a reasonable request.


    ¡°Then let me see the hat.¡±


    Yet another silence arose from the conversation, pinning me under it¡¯s crushing weight as three sets of expectant eyes turned towards me. I felt an itch somewhere deep in the back of my mind, the thought of letting someone I¡¯ve only just met hold my most beloved possession, especially in a world where it could simply be incinerated instantaneously, was something I absolutely could not agree to. I shook my head in response, but did not back down or let my gaze trail from the three as the two observers turned back to the small flames, and a cynicism reflected in the tall bunny-person¡¯s eyes. I can¡¯t prove my sincerity without letting her hold my hat, and trusting that she doesn¡¯t immediately destroy in fear of it¡¯s power, or use it as leverage against me. I¡¯m making the selfish decision to refuse, and because of that, what little trust she once had in me will most likely be shattered.


    ¡°This hat belonged to my father, and is extremely precious to me.¡±


    I tried to defend myself, but the disheartened Grace turned away in disappointment, the outstretched arm retracting back to it¡¯s former place before she returned her attention to the flickering light. A sickening feeling began solidify in my gut as I watched the result of my rejection, and subconsciously brushed the black accessory¡¯s brim with my right hand, trying to come up with some kind of solution to the problem. The emptiness in the air steadily grew as my mind raced to find a method that could regain the dissipating trust, but even after several frustrating minutes passed, not even one presented itself.


    Frustrated with falsehood¡¯s logical grip on the truth, I gave up my attempt to refute her statement, and half-heartedly stepped forward, passing awkwardly through the mud before returning to my previous place among them.


    This is fine. I am here for Grace, not myself, and trying to change her opinion of me is nothing more than vanity. Although, even still... I want to make her feel better somehow, or at least revive some trace of hope in other people... I just need some other option.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anyway, since when we get to where we¡¯re going, you wouldn¡¯t stand a chance in a fight, even with your demonic artifact.¡±


    Bunny-eared chosen one to my right was the first to break the silence with a lightly spoken comment on a very intriguing subject, and immediately captured my attention. From what little I¡¯ve heard so far, a demonic artifact was no joke, so implying there is someone at, or near, the castle on the coin who dramatically outmatched it¡¯s weirder is quite impressive. I cocked my head slightly in acknowledgement of her words, though refrained from asking questions in fear of initiating a shun or furthering her anger in any way, and to my relief, she continued with her explanation.


    ¡°Archbishop Brym Ilic, commonly known as Lux Sil¡¯ah, or ¡°one of greater light¡±, has the capability to take the breath of Moria out of your body faster than a violent thought could cross your mind. He is the one who wields Mavros, the lesser of the two godly artifacts known to exist, powerful nonetheless. I¡¯ve seen his enemies collapse with just a slight wave of his staff, their souls carried away by Raven¡¯s dark wings.¡±


    Grace sighed, leaning heavily on her left hand as the bunny-girl readjusted to attain a more comfortable position, but never once turning her eyes from the yellow flames, or acknowledging my existence in any way. I noticed several things wrong with both what she said, and how she said it, but I still don¡¯t know enough to make too many informed assumptions, so I opted to remain silent for now.


    On the other hand, a certain elf has been staring a hole in the side of my head for nearly the entire conversation, and I¡¯m starting to become very aware of the fire¡¯s gradual growth. This situation could become very dangerous if Ella doesn¡¯t receive some direct attention soon, but I really want to glean as much information as possible before Grace becomes too disheartened. If I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m up against, trying to help becomes significantly harder... ah, I suppose all I can do right now is cross my fingers in hopes that neither Ella or the fire explode.


    ¡°The only thing with enough power to oppose Brym is the greater of the godly artifacts, Kala, which was made for the sole purpose of keeping the Mavros in check, though the specifics of it¡¯s power are still unknown to us. Of this we are certain; Kala summons... something, and that something will possess a power unrivaled by any other of this world. There are ancient texts saying it will have a ¡°body of Mystic¡¯s pride, and a soul of Lilah¡¯s heart¡±, but this offers little comfort since the god Mystic is depicted as violent and rash, while goddess Lilah is whimsical and unpredictable.¡±


    The light flared as if consuming some invisible fuel, but quickly died down before any damage was done, though I did happen to see the silver-haired girl to my left warily slide herself a few inches away from the flame. I glanced over at the blond elf, who¡¯s expression had been reduced from one of irritation to a childish pout, and even poked her lower lip out, openly projecting her cuteness rather than the intended displeasure. There¡¯s not much time left.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Do you understand now? There are none with the ability to stand against Brym Ilic, so any rash decisions you make that go against the archbishop¡¯s wishes will be your last. Don¡¯t underestimate th-!?¡±


    The once gentle flames exploded, instantly incinerating the tree above us as it was struck by the raging inferno, forming in response to the jealous fire mage¡¯s insatiable desire for attention. Luckily, the wise Brook who had safely inched herself an escapable distance away, and had enough time to react, while the lightning-fast reflexes of Grace allowed a hastily retreat before any damage was done. Unfortunately, my retreat was rendered useless when a flaming elf streaked through the air, and collided with my stomach, wrapping her fiery arms tightly around me once again.


    The all-consuming light vanished, leaving behind four figures staring dazedly shifting their attention between the newly scorched land, and the strewn ashes that had once served as their cover from the rain. The very moisture in the air had been almost completely driven away due to the three-story flare¡¯s tremendous heat, and only the smoldering remains of what I thought to be incombustible dirt was spared complete annihilation. The air seemed to be hollowed from the lack of sound as a hush ensued the area, three sets of boggled eyes staring in shock at the contented elf who was too busy burrowing herself deeper into my embrace to care. This girl is amazing on several different levels.


    It didn¡¯t take long for me to notice, and once I did, I wish I hadn¡¯t. I had quickly learned that after Ella latches on, any attempts to remove her form my person only make her more clingy, which I would normally just let go and move on after she finishes replenishing her confidence, but that isn¡¯t a wise option at the moment. Why, you may ask? This is because the clothes she had attained not too long ago were not made for infernos, but for rain, and the oblivious elf¡¯s resilience to heat had left her completely unharmed... and exposed.


    W-what the hell am I supposed to do? I can¡¯t push her off without placing my hands on... places-and besides, that method wouldn¡¯t work anyway. Ah... I can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s simply unaware, or just doesn¡¯t give a damn, but she isn¡¯t backing off. Is nudity less of a taboo in this world?


    I cast a sideways glance in the direction of Grace and Brook, but the flabbergasted stare radiating from the bunny-girl¡¯s saucer-sized eyes immediately shot down my hopeful theory of this being a simple cultural difference, and reignited the awkward part if my brain to feast yet again on my dwindling confidence. I could feel something pull at my eyes, calling me to look down at the soft, generous bosom tightly pressed against me, but, with great struggle, I was able to resist the temptation long enough to catch Brook¡¯s attention with a pleading gaze.


    The silver-haired girl looked down at her hands, then back up at me, blankly assessing the situation for a moment before lifting her small shoulders up to her ears in an apologetic shrug. She can¡¯t do much more than me in this situation, and interference from an outside force may trigger another ¡°incident¡±, and, in the best-case scenario, there would be two pretty, young, and very naked girls for me to clothe.


    Okay... that came out wrong.


    ¡°Hmmm... so soft.¡±


    A delirious voice hummed through my jacket as Ella contentedly rubbed her cheek against it¡¯s deep blue fabric, almost sounding as if she was intentionally lending her strength to the social terror whose unwavering grip was already clasped mercilessly around my throat. Wait a second... my jacket! That¡¯s it!


    ¡°E-Ella, do you want to wear it?¡±


    The elf, while starting to shiver due to her body temperature being significantly higher than the air around us, flicked her eyelids open, revealing two emerald-green eyes which locked with mine as their owner redirected her attention in response to my inquiry. I shifted slightly, trying to keep my eyes on hers while actively ignoring my peripheral vision¡¯s relentless attempts to corrupt my thoughts, and noticed an odd expression on her face. Well, it would be odd for a normal person, but if I include all my current knowledge involving Ella¡¯s personality, this look is not exceedingly shocking. Although, while this understanding of how Ella¡¯s mind works had removed my confusion, the crippling terror that immediately followed brought an intense desire for blissful ignorance.


    Oh no... I can¡¯t move...


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    With a quick nod and a swift hand, the fire mage lifted my blue tunic over her head, and proceeded to awkwardly press herself against my bare chest before pulling the fabric back down behind her, entrapping the two of us in it¡¯s warm embrace. My dazed mind was still reeling from the shock as I desperately grasped for any thoughts within reach, and was eventually able to gather enough to reassemble my sanity.


    ¡°Wait, what the...?¡±


    I regained consciousness just in time to see the familiar face spring forth from the blue tunic¡¯s collar, and feel two slender arms lock themselves in place directly behind my back. Ella¡¯s lips released a faint giggle as her victorious gaze instantly consumed my vision, striking out in an attempt to shatter the last of my renewed composure with an endless supply of unfounded confidence, but I was able to resist the onslaught with minimal damage to my psyche. This girl is going to be the death of me.


    ¡°W-wait... she¡¯s a fire mage? ...and you called her Ella?¡±


    A small voice sounded from the awestruck bunny that stood to my left, the color draining from her face as she sunk into a series of unintelligible mutterings, though I was far too distracted with being uncomfortably warm to discern any deeper meaning. Brook¡¯s eyes came to rest on the two of us, her head cocked to the side as if trying to come up with some  way of assisting me by literally looking at the issue from a different angle, but gave no other visible indication of her thoughts. Something aside from myself shifted within my clothing as the foreigner responded without hesitation to my wandering gaze, constricting her grip as if trying to hold me in place.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave.¡±


    What does she mean? Did I give her some reason to think I would leave? Shit, in any case, I need to get out of this position before my self-restraint fails, and temptation clouds my judgement. I have to get through to Ella somehow, and tell her that this... is not okay. But how? She won¡¯t listen to me now, especially if I¡¯m telling her to let go. ¡°Don¡¯t leave¡±... that¡¯s it. I¡¯ll compromise.


    I looked down at Ella, thankful for the reasonably sized collar that kept her nudity sufficiently covered, and made a very serious expression, desperately trying to project my sincerity. If this works, it could save me a lot of trouble in the future, and may even fix a small part of whatever problems are causing this behavior... I hope.


    ¡°Ella, listen to me.¡±


    Good, I have her attention. Damn it, she is unrealistically pretty... but that doesn¡¯t matter, her well-being is my responsibility, including the effects that I have on her mental and emotional state. I refuse to be the bastard who takes advantage of girls¡¯ while their vulnerable, especially when I promised to protect them from such people. Ah... an awkward silence formed while I was stuck in my head... I should probably say something.


    ¡°You can have this, but I can¡¯t wear it with you. Please... let me out, and I will let you hug me to your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    The elf¡¯s embrace tightened as the first sentence finished, but my compromise seemed to have a decently positive impact, and her dejected pout began to morph into a more contemplative state of mind. After a few moments of consideration, Ella released her grip, the smooth hands sliding down to rest at her sides while I began to calmly, though with no little amount of haste, work my arms out of their respective sleeves.


    It was only when my arms were completely freed that I realized an unfortunate truth of the situation I had just created... the only way out is down. My eyes flicked back to Ella with the initial intention of asking her to leave first, avoiding an uncomfortable experience, and finishing this exchange with at least a small fraction of dignity. However, when our eyes met, what I saw weren¡¯t the disappointed eyes I had expected, or the understandably clueless expression that was often born from her child-like personality, but a sly smile and ulterior motives poorly hidden behind the guise of her beautiful emerald orbs. An expectant aura began to flood the area around Ella while the simple request suddenly, though very effectively lodged itself in my throat, almost as if realizing the grim fate that awaits it just beyond my lips.


    Holy shit, she already knows. If I try to escape, my face will be drug along the frontside of her frame, and there¡¯s not enough space within the tunic to reorient myself into a less invasive position. I have to find another way out somehow, but my options are severely limited due to Ella¡¯s fragile emotional state, and I really don¡¯t want to think about the psychological ramifications she could have from the abundant, unrestrained physical contact between us. Surely there has to be something I can do with all of these new abilities... they¡¯re a part of me, right? In that case, I should have at least some small amount of conscious control over them, even if it¡¯s insignificant when compared to the subconscious reaction.


    I could feel the mage¡¯s chest heave, the light breathing gradually becoming deeper with anticipation, and causing the fleshy point of contact to slide slightly upwards, eliminating the last of my hesitation.


    I focused, remembering the world around us, and how it had felt when I manipulated it. Nothing. I concentrated on the area behind me, trying to force my thoughts out out my own body with all the determination I could muster. Nothing. Exhaustion weighed on my shoulders and threatened the cognizance of my mind as the attempt failed.


    If Ella keeps this mentality, she is going to end up irreparably damaged, whether by someone else, or herself. This degenerative misconception of love being based in desire will not end with her finding a genuine romantic relationship, but with a series of heartbreaks, and disappointments that will bring the naive girl only misery.


    It has to work, I¡¯ll make it work. I felt the flow of my mind throughout my body, endowing me with seemingly irrational physical abilities, but never leaving the body that encapsulated it. I tried again, but this time using my own body as a conductor to move what little mental energy I could control, gathering it all to a specific point on my back, before once again reaching out.


    Success. Something gave way, granting an opportunity to pass through the invisible membrane that contained my power, and revealing a safe escape from the clutches of temptation.


    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, I grabbed the ceramic-like reality I now had access to before hastily pulling it in, and flooding my immediate surroundings with a brilliant. In an instant, my vision was enveloped in the blinding sheet of pale light, which I noticed is an extremely odd product of teleportation, but the relief of freedom temporarily pushed the unneeded contemplations away from the forefront of my thoughts.


    I felt my lungs release the breath that had been trapped within them, and my muscles soften as the pent-up anxiety fled from their tissues, diluting themselves with the passing of time, then gradually fading into a distant memory. As the flash died out, and our eyes readjusted to the naturally docile illumination, I allowed myself to indulge in a brief wave of pride at my victorious achievement, and recollect a handful of the shattered remains that had once formed my self-confidence. However, just like everyone else, I¡¯m still subject to whatever life chooses to throw at me, and my preconceived definition of ¡°brief¡± mixed with undeserved pride and a low self-esteem made for one big-ass target.


    While my ¡°inconsequentially small¡± self-praise session was still in progress, Brook had decided to eliminate the distance between us before I snapped back, and regained the ability to protest her actions. Of course, the silver-haired warrior¡¯s small stature and tremendous speed greatly assisted her efforts, hiding the girl¡¯s petite frame under my radar until she was able to firmly grasp my hand in hers. This maneuver, and the shuffling sounds of the disappointed elf trying to reposition herself in the tunic, pulled me back to the present, and made me acutely aware of our group¡¯s current situation.


    I, once again half-nude, am holding hands with one of the cutest creatures in existence, while nervously anticipating my self-proclaimed ¡°fianc¨¦¡±¡¯s next attack, and preparing to set off towards the aloof bunny-girl¡¯s home. The gray clouds that blanketed the world began to dissipate, separating as several deep blue streaks of the late morning sky peaked through, and signaling the end of this long day¡¯s inconvenient weather. I gently curled my fingers around Brook¡¯s slender hand, while silently thanking my lucky stars that Ella was much shorter than me, and the jacket she I lent to her hung low enough to maintain decency, though her enthusiastic movements are most certainly overcomplicating this simple issue.


    When I stop to think about it, I have troublesome friends, an ever-changing purpose, and nearly an entire world I barely understand set against me because I chose to defend what I believe in. Our next destination is a city that is ruled by an archbishop with unmatched power who may, or may not, be the main source of Grace¡¯s deteriorative view on... everything. What happens when we get there is unclear. Where we go afterward is undetermined.


    This is what my life has become in just a few days, and given a few more, I¡¯m sure things will be dramatically different.

 Chapter 17: City On The Coin

    ¡°All I have to d-waugh!¡¯


    ¡°Fm-hn-hn he he-¡°


    I watched in silence as Grace¡¯s laugh burst forth from her slender lips, the small mouth no longer able to restrain the cute giggle it had trapped inside. The cool evening air rapidly filled with a mix of poorly concealed pleasure, an unsettling series of pops, and the flustered ramblings of a slightly embarrassed elf trying to come up with an explanation as Brook calmly stomped out the blackened saucer that caused the upset.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s not my fault! The man behind the counter said to put the WHOLE THING in the fire, and it would cook right! He lied! It¡¯s his fault!¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha-¡°


    I couldn¡¯t resist the grin that pulled at the corner of my mouth in response to the elven-girl¡¯s reaction, so I looked away, returning my attention to the oddly untrodden dirt road which lay just ahead. I stifled an unwanted chuckle as I recalled, with no small amount of amusement, the flustered salesman who attempted to explain the proper way to heat the so-called ¡°Traveler¡¯s Food Packet¡±, and his repetitive warnings of what might happen if the flames were too hot, but the entranced elf simply ignored them.


    ¡°Stop it! Stop laughing! It¡¯s not funny!¡±


    ¡°Haah ah-I¡¯m sorry... it just caught me a little off-guard is all.¡±


    Grace wiped the tears of joy from her pink cheeks, brushing aside a stray lock of gray hair as she did, and apologized for her outburst, extending the gentle hand to rest on Ella¡¯s head. Of course, the childish elf¡¯s pouting lip only grew larger upon hearing an admission of guilt, but the pliable nature of an innocent mind quickly led her to accept the affectionate actions with a hesitant nod, and a bright expression.


    When we first set out, Grace¡¯s movements seemed reluctant and a bit tense, but over the past few days, Ella¡¯s flamboyant personality was able to slowly pull her out of the shell she had set up. However, while this display of friendship was comforting to see despite the unshakeable glaze which still remained over her eyes, yet another troublesome problem had already begun to arise in response, and judging from what I¡¯ve seen, it won¡¯t end happily. I wasn¡¯t certain until this morning, and I don¡¯t know exactly why or what I can do to to stop it, but with every passing minute another rune turns black, then her hair grows darker, and her movements slower.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go already!¡±


    The three inhuman girls stepped past me as Ella took the lead, joyfully dragging the expressionless Brook up a sharp incline not far off, while simultaneously maintaining an interactive conversation with Grace to her left. She really is something else. I let out a resigned sigh, shuffling forward in a wandering pursuit while contentedly accepting the crisp air, and closing my eyes as my skin savored the cool breeze that slid across my newly clothed body.


    I won¡¯t feign apathy. Grace is a good person, and her deteriorating physical condition does worry me, but since it appears to be a magically-induced problem, there¡¯s most likely nothing I can do to help. Ella might be able to do something, but I have a feeling that whoever lives in the castle on the coin has the real cure to the ever-worsening ailment, and considering how... indelicate the she-elf is when wielding magic, experimentation is probably better left to people who don¡¯t literally explode.


    I closed my eyes, continuing to submissively shuffle forward, before sinking deeper into the disorganized vat of thoughts which makes up a large portion of my mind. The last thing we need right now is another obstacle between our group and the destination our guide constantly claims is ¡°just around the corner¡±. I would be surprised that Ella still hasn¡¯t noticed the change in Grace¡¯s appearance and demeanor, but after watching her collide with the same rock twice, subconsciously incinerate six different trees, and haphazardly vaporize a small pond, I¡¯ve learned to just let it be. Besides, we¡¯ve already spent the last of our money at the previous town, and inciting worry in the fire-mage might do more damage than our penniless group can afford to replace.


    Wait, why did they stop? My eyes flicked open, revealing the rugged landscape behind it¡¯s veil before instantly setting a curious gaze on the three silhouettes that had frozen at the crest of the incline, each struck dumb by whatever sight lay beyond my field of vision.


    I¡¯ve rapidly started to develop several habits involving the use of abilities without conscious effort, such as using my elevated secondary senses to navigate, as well as a couple small feats of telekinesis, but still haven¡¯t quite figured out how teleportation works or why it emits so much light when activated. This is something I¡¯ve focused heavily on in my spare time, since, as my old man would say, ¡°quick escapes can spare you from an untimely death¡±, but can¡¯t seem to move any further than a foot in any direction. It¡¯s almost as if I¡¯m not applying my thoughts in the right areas, and end up forcing myself through extra, unnecessary layers that greatly reduce it¡¯s range, but...


    ¡°Oooh, it¡¯s so big, and pointy, and white! It¡¯s like the opposite of a turtle!¡±


    A certain member of this group leaves little room for productivity... although, if you leave the turtle comment aside, she did just confirm my suspicions. I took a final step forward, drawing myself up so I could stand next to my three companions, and cast my attention outward expectantly, scanning the unveiled destination for whatever awe-inspiring detail had brought even the inattentive Ella pause.


    Our path descended into a deep valley who¡¯s surface was blanketed with small, luminescent flowers that emitted a dim sapphire glow, save for a single narrow pathway leading down it¡¯s face. With thoroughly captured attention, I passively slid two fingers along the leathery brim of my hat, and watched intently as the entrancing pulse of ethereal light swept rhythmically across the concave land, before disappearing behind a small white mountain located at the valley¡¯s center.


    I shifted my focus to the pervasive obstruction, surprised at how long it had taken me to notice the mountainous structure, and wary of the intense energy flowing through it. The ivory building¡¯s peak was almost level with where we stood, but, while it¡¯s sizable frame is eye-catching, it could never compare to Balm¡¯ak¡¯s incomparably monstrous wall or any of it¡¯s main buildings. This must be our destination, the Moriaki Vel.


    ¡°Catch!¡±


    Ella, who had somehow managed to access magic without alerting me, flew from the ground, twisting her body around as she flipped over Brook¡¯s head, before releasing a blast of energy that sent her rocketing toward my startled figure at breakneck speed. I almost considered taking a step to the side, and letting the ground teach her why this is such a bad idea, but quickly dismissed it since she would most likely die on impact, and instead held out my arms in preparation.


    Wait a second... something¡¯s wrong. My eyes turned toward a sudden flare of magic from somewhere in the valley, and was barely able to glimpse a blur threateningly streak toward the rapidly descending elf with deadly precision. An aura of fear inundated the air around us, though I had no time to hesitate or seek it¡¯s source, and instead hurled my body into it¡¯s path, wrapping my arms defensively around my unaware friend just as an explosive clap sounded from behind. However, I felt no effect, and the two of us fell heavily to the dirt path below.


    ¡°Shit! Son of a-... what the hell Tak!? what¡¯d you do that for!? I had a bet with Siti, too... fuck!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re my guides, Vetara. Let them be.¡±


    Grace stood between us, and a strange man I assumed to be the attacker, her once beautiful white staff brought to bear, and was gradually feeding energy the transparent gray wall that had successfully blocked his strike. With a sharp breath, the chosen one withdrew her weapon, and hastily placed it in a more supportive position at her side, before shakily leaning on it¡¯s smooth head. Sweat beaded on her strained face from the exertion, but the bunny-girl¡¯s steadfast resolve kept her posture straight and confident while facing a different kind of opponent than usual.


    Strangely, the hostile had addressed Grace familiarly, though he called her ¡°Tak¡±, his petulant voice erupting from unsealable lips as he threw frustrated curses in her direction, and occasionally waved the small white wand in his left hand dramatically. The attacker, who is apparently known as Vetara, looked to be no older than twenty-one, but the pointed ears that peeked out from his long blond hair and sharp features that showed wisdom beyond the visible age clearly defined his elven heritage. Aside from his temperament, he fit the stereotypical description of an elf perfectly, but I almost didn¡¯t recognize it due to the misleading mental image I had already built of male elves¡¯ being ridiculously muscular, while females remain small and thin. I suppose, in a magical world, physical appearance is less nature, and more nurture.


    ¡°Guides? This pack of unrecognizably interbred outcasts? You can¡¯t be serious.¡±


    A look of disgust materialized on the elven mage¡¯s face as he vocalized his appraisal, heavily focusing on our group¡¯s odd appearance, and inflating the negative features with a poorly hidden bias. Agitated fingers pinched the smooth ivory object in his hand, slowly retracting the powerful magic from it¡¯s veins, and confidently lowering his arm


    Ella, who had fallen safely on top of me, shifted, pushing off my chest with dimly glowing hands while hastily returning to her feet, immediately whipping around to face the attacker with an expression of uninhibited rage burning through her elven features. Even I could sense the nauseating energy pour from her body as I watched the other mage¡¯s eyes grow wide with shock, and the unpleasant attitude retreat with a cautious step backward, reactively summoning comparably powerful magic of his own. A fight between these two would be... destructive, so I should probably interject.


    ¡°Back off, Ella. You wouldn¡¯t... stand a chance... especially without your wand... trust me.¡±


    Grace was likely thinking the same thing, and spoke a sincere warning to Ella just as my mouth began to form it¡¯s sentence, though her words brought more concern than comfort. The noticeable pauses in the girl¡¯s speech poorly reflected the extent of the damage she could no longer hide, and was visibly worsening with each passing moment. Agitation pooled in my stomach as the cocky elf¡¯s eyes briefly locked with mine, remembering the unprovoked strike, and how our weakened friend had strained herself in an attempt to block it. I found no trace of concern on the sharp face despite Grace¡¯s damaged state, which could no longer be simply overlooked, even by the unobservant Ella who had now adopted a deeply worried expression.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    God... damn... it. Why are things so complicated? Grace made it clear that she doesn¡¯t want there to be fight, but our options are becoming severely limited. I don¡¯t think I can leave a member of our group here in good conscience, but I also promised to resign my escorting duties upon her request... this is quite a pickle I¡¯ve gotten us into.


    ¡°W-what kind of fucking moron took that-... that MONSTER off it¡¯s leash? This little imp needs t-!?!¡±


    I felt a rage separate from my own wash over me, though Ella couldn¡¯t hear the stream of insults, since all thoughts had been drawn to the deepening shade of her nearly crippled friend, which made her an unlikely source. However, the silver-haired warrior, who was unable to keep up with our movements, had apparently been freed from her temporary daze when Ella¡¯s magic flooded the area, and heard Vetara¡¯s words clearly. Brook moved before the sentence finished, the dirt ground, and her new shoes, exploding from the sheer power generated by her small foot as she streaked toward the unprepared enemy.


    Something moved, hidden from sight, but most definitely there, slicing through the air as if nothing more than a breeze on a direct course to Brook¡¯s target. Shit, I can¡¯t get there in time. I was too preoccupied with the enemy before us to check our surroundings for a second attacker, leaving me completely unprepared once again, and placing everyone else in serious danger. It¡¯s too late for regret now, I¡¯ll have to improvise.


    I threw my left elbow heavily into the ground, ignoring the resounding boom that immediately followed, and used my planted right palm as a guide while twisting horizontally to once again regain a foothold. Fuck! Please notice it, please notice-. Brook suddenly jerked, instinctually repositioning her body mid-air, and turning as if to face the invisible threat head-on. Good, she noticed it.


    I half-buried my right foot the moment land came into sight, and launched forward just as the surprised girl flung a devastatingly powerful fist in the general direction of the unseen interceptor. Brook is undeniably strong, and, while she¡¯s backed the experience from years spent in battle, not likely to lose in a hand-to hand fight, even if the opponent has a chance to land an attack first. However, if she kills him, then it may complicate Grace¡¯s situation further, and even lead to an all-out fight between our small group and whatever horrors lurk within the Moriaki Vel. I suppose the most I can do right now is hope no one dies with the first strike, and then restrain her to the best of my abilities.


    A shockwave blew past me, nearly throwing the treasured accessory from it¡¯s resting place as it ferociously tore at my newly-bought clothing, and explosively obliterated everything nearby. My vision was momentarily hampered by a sheet of debris raised from the impact, but was quickly dispersed as a second blow met it¡¯s mark, this one carrying twice the destructive power.


    Shit!


    I could feel my blood lurch when a streak of black clothing mixed with silvery hair vertically divided the peaceful night sky, instantly recognizing the small girl wrapped within, and sensing her trauma-induced stupor. My body reacted before I had a chance to think, instinctually jamming both feet diagonally into the dirt while simultaneously utilizing my barely awoken abilities to redirect the horizontal momentum I created upward, and made a near-perfect ninety-degree turn. The air violently lashed out, and the ground beneath it rumbled from the applied force as I impatiently matched my injured friend¡¯s ascent, propelled by numerous burst of wind since it was simpler, and more predictable than manipulating gravity or teleportation.


    I¡¯m almost certain Brook landed the first strike, but that would mean whatever just showed up both accepted and dealt a ridiculous amount of damage with little to no hesitation, not to mention effectively hide it¡¯s presence from us until the last moment. I moronically let my guard down despite being in a hostile environment, and because of that, someone I promised to take care of is hurt.


    Time slowed as I extended my hand towards Brook, feeling the mutilated fabric which she had shyly accepted just yesterday fold around my fingers, and knowing it was only a superficial repercussion of the unexpected event. With a frustrated sigh, my right arm softly wrapped itself around the silver-haired girl¡¯s upper back, holding her small frame in place as my left pulled her knees up into the princess-style carry I¡¯ve grown so familiar with. However, hearing the nauseating click of her small, shattered ribs accompany each ragged breath, and shifting to properly support the limp head which hung from her unconscious body seemed to tug at something well-hidden in the back of my mind.


    Sickened with rage and , I began my descent. There are four on the ground, which means whatever it was that interjected is still down there with Grace and Ella, most likely waiting for the two of us to return before beginning... whatever¡¯s about to happen. With Brook injured, Grace incapacitated, and Ella supporting her, a retreat would probably be the safest route, but I doubt the stubborn bunny will agree to leave now that her sense of helplessness has likely just been reaffirmed. Damn it, she¡¯s going to sacrifice herself for the rest of us, or at least try, because she doesn¡¯t see any other way out. Obviously, there¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯ll let something like that happen.


    Only the sound of air whipping by filled my ears as we quickly returned to the scene below, gradually easing to a stop before resting my feet on the battered terrain. Being unfamiliar with the things of this world, I couldn¡¯t discern exactly how bad Brook¡¯s are injuries or how fast she would recover from them, but the faint, rapid pulsing of magical energy, and the fact that she completely lost consciousness leads me to believe this is something not even a battle-hardened warrior like her could shake off easily. This situation escalated very quickly, and I don¡¯t see any further interaction as necessary or productive in any way, but escaping right now would mean leaving Grace behind in a rapidly-deteriorating state. Besides, I¡¯d like to exchange a few ¡°words¡± with the latest arrival concerning my small friend¡¯s unnecessarily excessive injuries.


    I finally let my eager eyes lock on the unfamiliar face opposite me, remaining silent as my intentions were slowly revealed through their glassy shell. The creature was head-and-shoulders taller than his elven comrade, and the calm, yet defensive stance he skillfully maintained likely means he is the older and more experienced of the two. I almost mistook him for a giant, but was ultimately unable to identify my new enemy¡¯s race due to the fluid morphing and shifting of mass beneath the dark skin of his forearm, which would have almost made him look like a bag of living jello if not for rippling muscles that bulged from beneath his contrasting white robes.


    ¡°Stranger, I believe it would be in the best interests of everyone here if you were to leave. Now.¡±


    Two flawless pearls rested in place of the hulking creature¡¯s eyes, narrowing to emphasize his warning, and humming almost imperceptibly as they filled with the strange energy native to this world. I manipulated gravity to negate this world¡¯s pull on Brook in hopes of easing her pain, while simultaneously lowering my hands to better prepare for any threatening movements made against me or my friends. I didn¡¯t want or expect a fight when we arrived, and, despite my personal displeasure with this entire situation, only planned on having a civilized conversation with the archbishop who Grace held in such high regard. However, if that ever was a possible outcome, it isn¡¯t anymore.


    ¡°Siti, you¡¯re seeing this too, right? This shit is starting to freak me ou-¡±


    ¡°An open mouth guarantees a fool¡¯s death, Vetara. Unless you wish to meet Raven before sunrise, I suggest you close it.¡±


    Ah, that must be why ¡°Siti¡±, I believe he was called, has been acting so cautious rather than simply trying to kill us and be done with this whole interaction. It wouldn¡¯t be unreasonable to assume that he had intended to kill Brook as well, likely recognizing her skill, and thinking she made up our main defense until seeing my magic-free pursuit. If he was correct, then our strongest warrior would have been dead, and the rest of us completely demoralized and susceptible to persuasion or extermination depending on his mood. The plan was to be quick and calculated, eliminating the threat before any damage was done while relying on his overconfident partner to be nothing more than himself. A distraction.


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me what to do! I¡¯m stronger than you, and you know it! Just for that, I¡¯m not paying. The bet is off.¡±


    ¡°Silence yourself, whelp! Or shall I return you to your mothers womb, and pray Moria gifts this cocky tongue as well as it¡¯s overdeveloped body with a more deserving soul?¡±


    The frustrated creature hissed in response to Vetara¡¯s tantrum, lashing out at his weak-minded comrade¡¯s intellect with hyperbole and language that manifested the dramatic difference between them. Authority isn¡¯t necessarily synonymous with physical, or in this case magical, power that-... wait, didn¡¯t he mention something about a bet?


    Brook¡¯s weightless figure began drifting off to my right, sufficiently protected by a well-ventilated bubble of air as it slowly neared the withering bunny and her friendly supporter. A silent pulse of light from the surrounding dark blue flowers drew long shadows across our unflinching frames, localizing the light, as well as the magic it carried into a perfect circle around our small gathering.


    It seems as though Siti immediately noticed that I am void of magic, and manipulated his partner into testing my abilities, while opting to remain an escapable distance away to observe my reaction. While caught completely unprepared, I was still able to place myself in front of Ella before the attack would have landed, which shows that I have either an adept magical perception or dramatically heightened senses, and that I had the abilities necessary to utilize them efficiently. I¡¯m assuming he also figured out the attachment I have to the others since my first reaction was to defend Ella, rather than simply push her out of the way, and leave her open to whatever attacks may follow.


    So, the logical move would be to attack either Brook or Ella before I could defend them, which might completely dishearten, shock, or send me into a reckless rampage that Siti could easily use to his advantage in a fight. Of course, when Grace protected Ella, he probably thought it safer to wait for one of us to make a move against Vetara, which was almost definitely going to happen eventually, before entering with his own counter-attack and letting us assume it was all to rescue his partner.


    A sigh escaped my lips, easing the anger bubbling up within, and allowing me to think clearly about what my next move should be. This... might be tough. I doubt such an experienced warrior would approach an enemy without some kind of backup plan, especially an enemy he doesn¡¯t fully understand, and while I might be safe from most attacks, it¡¯s clear that using my friends against me is a tactic he will definitely try if the situation begins to go sideways.


    ¡°Foresight is a blessing granted only to them who pay it¡¯s price, yes?¡±


    Siti¡¯s voice was calm, testing my silence for any hidden intentions I might have through a light-hearted taunting of his now silenced ally, and casually shifting to a more offensive stance. I remained completely silent, my eyes thoughtfully downcast, and my mind quickly sweeping the surrounding area in preparation of what was to come. I don¡¯t remember paying the price he mentioned, but there are still tons of memories that have yet to resurface in my recovering mind, most of which I will likely want to forget. However, none of that matters right now.


    ¡°This is your final chance to walk away, strong one. Take your injured friend, and leave this place forever. If you do this now, I will see to it that you are absolved of your crimes against Moria, Balm¡¯ak, and the Zoi church before the week¡¯s end.¡±


    I felt Grace¡¯s magic ignite her staff, and noticed it¡¯s white light outshine the dreary pulse of the sapphire blossoms to my right. She¡¯s preparing to fight, despite being weakened. Ella is with her at the moment, so Brook should be safe from any indirect attacks until a fight between us and them would end. In that case...


    ¡°What say you?¡±


    The voice called out the last three words he would ever say to me, taking a bold step forward as if to hasten my response through fear, and tensed his abundant mass of muscle to show that this was no idle threat. I suppose it would be rude not to make my intentions known after he put so much thought into our little interactions.


    I lifted my gaze from the dirt below, matching his questioning eyes with unwavering certainty, and smiled.


    ¡°I sa-!?¡±


    Something moved behind me. A flare of white light filled my vision as the uncontrollable energy wrapped itself around my backside, recklessly pulling at a similar power embedded in the very fabric of space, and briefly tearing me away from reality. Everything disappeared as Brook, Ella, and I were jerked far away from the white mountain, the blue flowers, and the dangers that accompanied them. However, none of that mattered right now...


    The only important thing left behind in the unexpected banishment was a single dying bunny, and all the problems that came with her.

 Chapter 18: The Wary

    I woke due to an unexpected surge of magic which flooded my body, and localized around my injuries. I opened my eyes to a momentarily blurred world, but it didn¡¯t take long for the translucent veil to lift and the figures surrounding me to manifest familiar details.


    It took me a while to regenerate... I haven¡¯t received damage like that in a long time.


    Master stood over me, looking down with fading worry in his eyes, and readjusting the oversized article of clothing that now covered me. This is an unbefitting position for a servant, especially one that was unable to control her temper and nearly died because of it. I would move, but master would most likely insist that I remain still. I¡¯ve caused him more than enough headache for a while, and besides... this is...


    ¡°Ah! Brook, you¡¯re alive again! What¡¯s Raven like- is she pretty?¡±


    The elf wandered over from my left side, confidently halting just across from master with an overly enthusiastic smile broadly displayed on her face. This level of positivity is damn near infectious.


    I watched as Ella¡¯s attention was drawn away by some nearby insect, it¡¯s horns and blue patterned shell completely capturing her emerald eyes as all previous curiosities melted away into nothing. She was genuinely one of the most incredible beings of this world, and I don¡¯t say that lightly. Putting her physical and magical abilities aside, the elf-girl¡¯s child-like innocence may prove to be the least conquerable force to ever exist.


    Wait... something¡¯s wrong. What is it, though? I cant... quite...


    ¡°Okay, dibs on that dirt-eating water-mage! I¡¯m gonna make him eat that goddamn staff- let¡¯s go!¡±


    Water-mage? That¡¯s right, we were on our way to the Moriaki Vel when some mage surprised Ella with an attack. I guess she was somehow able to tell what kind of magic he used during their interaction.


    Where is she going now? Oh... shit, where¡¯s our forth member? Master wouldn¡¯t have left if she was still alive, right? No, even Ella wouldn¡¯t be this happy if Grace had just died, and master doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s lost a fight recently.


    ¡°Ah... look, I know you both care about Grace. She¡¯s your friend just as much as mine, and while I¡¯d much rather go alone, Ella has insisted on coming with me to fight whoever those two dipshits are. Now that Brook¡¯s awake, and in surprisingly good shape, I think it should be safe to leave her here while we head back.¡±


    Master¡¯s words sounded from my right, his words slightly confusing, but the way he spoke about Grace leads me to believe she was captured back at the Vel. He was most likely forced to leave because I was unconscious, and defending me during a battle would have given them a severe handicap against a dangerous enemy. It seems I¡¯ve caused quite a bit of unnecessary trouble with my foolish actions. If only I¡¯d been more prepared, that blow could¡¯ve been absorbed or dodged easily. I guess being unopposed for such a long time has made me weak.


    ¡°Brook can come too! It¡¯ll be like a date, but with two... or maybe three girls, and three.... err... maybe more guys. Also, we¡¯d all be trying to kill each other, and the other guys wouldn¡¯t have a chance against Ash.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t even resemble a date... besides, Brook still needs to recover.¡±


    Master responded half-heartedly to Ella¡¯s nonsensical proposition, clearly anxious to leave. However, the elf-mage didn¡¯t seem to hear his words, and simply turned towards me with a slim brow raised expectantly. A brief pause followed before a long smile slid across her face, and one of her large green eyes flicked a mischievous wink in my direction.


    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna let someone like that get away with threatening and humiliating your master are you?¡±


    ¡°Err... Ella, it¡¯s fine. Just let her rest; I can take care of that guy myself.¡±


    She¡¯s right! It is my fault for acting out, but it was also that... thing who incapacitated me with a surprise attack. He probably threatened to do the same to master and the others after I was unconscious too!


    The magic inside stirred in response to my growing frustration, gradually inundating my admittedly small muscles in it¡¯s boundless energy. I don¡¯t care to avenge myself, but I definitely won¡¯t allow anyone to cause master pain or even discomfort to the only person I promised to help. Ah... now I sound like master.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming too.¡±


    ¡°Yay! Let¡¯s go kick some ass! Off we g-hm?¡°


    Ella nearly exploded with excitement when I spoke, but master¡¯s worry had already resurfaced, catching the elf¡¯s hand just as she turned away. With a hesitant, but pensive expression, master turned his eyes in my direction as if to read my health. I have the ability to regenerate faster, and on a much larger scale than any other creature I¡¯m aware of, not to mention the advancements that are now available to me since I¡¯ve reaccessed my magic. It makes sense that he would search for some excuse to leave me here, especially considering how I was pulverized by a single attack from the very person I would most likely fight. However, I will never let something like that happen again. I¡¯ve never really had the opportunity to use my full strength in a fight, definitely not against an opponent who might survive.


    Unfortunately, I¡¯m already a failure in his eyes, and given him every reason to see myself as completely useless in a fight. I¡¯ll have no choice but to obey his request, and hopefully regain some small amount of self-respect. After finishing his assessment, master lifted his gaze to match my own, his mouth emitting a defeated sigh before speaking.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t want to, but if your certain that you can win, then I won¡¯t try to stop you. Just know that I may be too preoccupied with whatever else might be in there to offer any help, so don¡¯t take on an opponent if you¡¯re not completely sure that you will win. This goes for you as well, Ella, but I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯d just burn me if I interfered in your fight.¡±


    ¡°Damn right! That staff will be in my hand, and mine alone when it¡¯s jammed into one of that bastard¡¯s many holes.¡±


    I paused for a moment before blinking away my confusion. I couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked that the same master who was -no- IS so protective of those close to him would allow such a risk. I can remember how frustrated he was when Ella disappeared, so this decision was clearly not made easily. I¡¯m glad he did though. If I stayed here or just decided not to fight, I would have only made things worse for everyone. Now, while there is still a lot of room for failure, I have the option to partially atone for the mistake I made.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming too.¡±


    - Five Minutes Pass -


    My foot sunk into the dirt, exploding out behind me as a loud clap of air carried it away. With my senses sharpened, I quickly scan the surrounding forest for any large pools of magic that might indicate an enemy.


    It took some time because of how rarely I utilize it, but I could now summon magic with ease and effectively distributed throughout my entire body. For someone with my natural strength, the use of body-enhancing magic might seem impractical, especially since ogres generally have such a low supply and understanding of magic in the first place. However, the years I spent in that terrible arena seeded a fear of defeat that outweighed practicality, and I soon decided to learn something that only a handful of opponents would understand. Shockingly, I found that body-enhancing magic increases one¡¯s own strength exponentially, rather than simply adding on to it. Even the smallest application to myself resulted in a destructive force that discouraged many of the aspiring contenders.


    I wonder if, with magic, I could face master on equal terms... that is- if I go all-out... but, it doesn¡¯t matter. Right now we have to free Grace from the Moriaki Vel.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    A well-disguised figure rushed towards me, its magical power appearing to be no more than that of a small rodent, but its speed is faster than any normal person could see. I subtly risk a glance in the presence¡¯s direction to confirm my suspicions, and sure enough, a light breeze, swiftly traveling faster than any gust of air should, skillfully brushed pass the scattered leaves.


    Adrenaline spiked up into my chest, but quickly drained into an intense focus which cleared the muddled thoughts spinning around inside my head. Magic flowed through my tense muscles as the enemy approached, habitually preparing for a fight. Strangely, five simple words from the mouth an overly-excitable elf popped into my mind, almost as if to encourage me.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go kick some ass!¡¯


    I smiled to myself, sheepishly thinking about how many people must have died with that very thought on their mind, and how foolish I must for it to work this well.


    I pulled my head back just before the attack hit its mark, and drove my left fist up into the center of the attacker¡¯s mass in a measured blow. An odd sound flung the nearby brush between several surrounding trees, reminding me more of warping metal rather than the dull crunching that usually followed each of my attacks, and the scene which appeared immediately after was equally unexpected.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Siti¡¯s body had stretched on impact to absorb most of the momentum, leaving his hands, feet and head just within an arm¡¯s reach above me, while the rest of him stretched so that it nearly brushed the branches above. Though blindsided, the morphing warrior¡¯s face relentlessly maintained a placid expression, apathetically watching as I was propelled back towards the ground. Bastard.


    Pulling my hand around with a burst of wind, I reoriented myself, and struck my foot against the ground with enough force to completely redirect my momentum forward and up to the recovering figure. Using the forward momentum as a guide, I flipped backwards while simultaneously whipping my leg around to where the recovering enemy hovered.


    A second attack landed, this one traveling with enough force to shatter the nearby trees, and send the two of us rocketing off in opposite directions. The oversized shirt I wore beat wildly against the wind, but just as the salesman who sold it to master had promised, it wouldn¡¯t tear away so easily.


    I blew through the first obstruction as if it wasn¡¯t even there, but caught the trunk of the second with my knees, allowing me to straighten out and preparation for the third. Something came from my left just as I was about to strike the next burly tree, and noticed my opponent¡¯s outstretched arm hooked around a distant tree, pulling him in an arc from where our previous interaction took place. I twisted, feeling the impact on my palms barely a moment after breaking through the wooden surface, and wrapped my arms around his fist. I quickly wedged my feet against his face and hip, then pulled its arm outward.


    Just as I suspected, Siti¡¯s arm became smooth and flexible in a way that resembled a pliable metal, twisting and stretching oddly as he tried to wrench himself free of my grasp. Using his face as a platform, I was able to kick off, and throw us once more in opposite directions, but did not release the appendage.. A dark line now connected us, extending for what seemed like miles before suddenly going taut, locking as the creature snapped out of its daze. Interesting... I could use this to-


    ¡°Wh-¡°


    A sharp pain slid across my hands, and the mutilated arm left my control, rocketing back to it¡¯s iron-faced master. I looked down as my descent gradually began, and saw that both arms had deep gashes that ran from my forearms down to my palms. I returned my attention to my opponent just in time to see the massive creature¡¯s long claws revert back to normal fingers.


    He was heavier, and naturally landed just before me. Though I¡¯ve already healed thanks to my magic, this new development might prove to be quite troublesome. I suppose I should delve further into my magic supply, though it¡¯s a bit sad... I rarely get an opponent who can keep up.


    ¡°You are strong, little one. Few have the ability to strike me, but you have done so many times over.¡±


    The towering man nodded to indicate his respect, nonchalantly stepping backward to a slightly more defensible position in preparation for any sudden moves I might make. In another situation, these gestures would have been quite flattering to a warrior like myself, since it is a humble acknowledgement of my strength. However, this thing clearly has no respect to offer.


    ¡°I can still feel Vetara¡¯s magic flare not far from here, clashing with -from what I¡¯ve gathered- your fire mage friend. He may be a fool, but opposing his magic requires power, and no amount of strategy can change that.¡±


    I¡¯m sick of listening to this. He wants me to strike first, but I refuse to be impaled, split, or trapped because of this unorthodox taunt. I can wait.


    ¡°You three are far too dangerous to have just appeared out of nowhere, especially the one you refer to as ¡®master¡¯.


    My left eye twitched, and a brief moment of irritation escaped the face I had previously kept blank. I¡¯m aware that he¡¯s trying to incite a reaction, but speaking poorly of my master who has shown me nothing but kindness despite how useless I¡¯ve been, is not something that may pass without consequence.


    Despite his evident familiarity with battle and notable skill, he uses his gifts more like a child who is just learning to walk. Talented, but regrettably undeserving of that dangerous artifact he wears. Or at leas-¡°


    ¡°Your cowardice is annoying.¡±


    The phrase slid from between my pursed lips, and noticeably caught his attention. He shifted in an attempt to shake away his initial reaction, leading to a brief lull as he tried to form a response. Despite my opponent¡¯s efforts, there were obvious traces of anger which pulled threateningly at his metallic features.


    ¡°What was that? You think I¡¯m afraid of-¡°


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    A sharp inhale forced him to change his breathing pattern to a slower, deeper, and more drawn out pace in a furious effort to calm his nerves.


    ¡°And what, exactly, do you think I fea-¡±


    ¡°Your friend¡¯s staff, my master¡¯s power, Ella¡¯s magic, and my strength. You refuse to fight me head on, deceiving yourself into believing these surprise attacks to be ¡°tactics¡± or anything other than a pitiable embodiment of your own cowardice.¡±


    I felt the heat of his eyes burrowing into mine and sense his dark intentions, which he no longer bothered to hide from me. It seems my assessment was more accurate than I thought.


    The hulking creature¡¯s dark arms bulged as magic rippled across its surface, enlarging and reshaping the creature¡¯s entire body into a darker, less civilized form. Naturally, I responded in kind, and accessed my own magic¡¯s deeper stores while retaining control over my outward appearance.


    I¡¯ve been fighting a creature with the ability to manipulate its own physical properties at will, that much has been obvious from the beginning, but this amount of control is an entirely different story. I have little experience with this outside world, and no clue what a shapeshifter¡¯s limits might be, but I have a feeling that I¡¯m about to find out. Well then, let¡¯s see what it¡¯s capable of.


    ¡°How da-¡°


    ¡°-You, who has no right to even approach the dirt beneath his feet, belittled my master who wasn¡¯t even present to defend himself. Comfort yourself as you like, but mere words will not cripple master¡¯s hands... or save you from mine.¡±


    The monster in front of me no longer took the form of a man, but now resembled a demon from one of the old legends my mother used to tell me about. She often spoke of the ancient wars when thousands of ogres would hunt down and slay the demons who dared threaten our realm. She claimed that it required a thousand ogres to eliminate one demon.


    I know it¡¯s an immature reaction, but I couldn¡¯t withhold a momentary smile as the exciting realization washed over me.


    ¡°You arrogant child! Have you not yet realized what I am?!¡±


    A thunderous voice rattled the air as the creature¡¯s lips spat its venomous words in my direction, spraying saliva and excess magical power across the ground as it did. Two brilliant white lights poured from where its eyes once were, contrasting with the now pitch-black skin surrounding them. The reflection off the dark surface looked as if it was made of steel, dancing beautifully over each crease and fold with every weighted breath that escaped the monster¡¯s elongated maw.


    Two large pointed ears, which had been pulled back in a threatening manner, smoothed over the wolf-like head as it rose from it¡¯s vaguely humanoid body, and brought a massive clawed hand up to rest on the rough bark of a particularly massive tree.


    ¡°I... am called Siti... the One Who Ends... I am called... demon, for my roots... are not entrenched in this primitive reality... I am called servant by none but Moria... and I am commanded solely by his archbishop... I... am... almost a werewolf of the Blighted Mountains... but have been blessed... blessed with the blood of a Morph... a demon¡¯s blood...¡±


    I don¡¯t care about his origins, but these butchered words are a courtesy that I¡¯ve granted him, despite his failure to offer me the same.


    ¡°My first strike against you... little child, it left me feeling slightly ill... but...¡±


    Lifting its head, the creature straightened to assume its full height, and emitting a low growl that was likely meant to intimidate me. The hand that rested against the massive tree tightened it¡¯s grip, uprooting the growth with a symphony of crumbling stone and splintering wood which toppled to the ground next to me. Two blackened feet sunk deeper into the ground as the enormous head finally reached its highest point, and I found myself staring almost straight up at the towering beast.


    ¡°...this one will do quite the opposite!¡±


    I glanced down, judging its overall size based on my own relation to the leg in front of me, and figured the werewolf to be around sixty to seventy times my height. Though, I only need to leap about two-thirds that distance if I move quickly enough.


    The creature¡¯s weight shifted over to its left foot, obviously preparing to kick at me with its right. Siti made no effort to disguise the attack, since its sheer size would give away even the smallest movement, relying solely on brute strength to finish me.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As expected, the paw-like foot lashed out towards me with a surprising amount of speed, building up a wave of debris as it did. Siti will likely kick the debris outward if I evade back or to either side, leaving up, and towards its claws my only sure route. I do realize that this is most definitely a trap, but I had already planned to move in that direction anyway, so it doesn¡¯t really change much.


    With a deep rumble and a burst of wind, my ascent began. Streaking upward, I approached my target much faster than anticipated, and almost instantly passed by my opponent¡¯s face.


    Magic diluted the blood in my arms as I flung them behind me in a wide arc, while pointing my knees towards the foe who was still searching the ground in confusion. The air collided with my open palms, sharply angling my trajectory diagonally toward the center of my foe¡¯s colossal head. Body-enhancing magic travelled down my torso to reinforce the point of each knee just before contact was made.


    I tensed as the deafening sound of warping metal and the jarring exchange of momentum shocked my body, but not enough to relent the attack. I quickly twisted left, this time localizing the summoned magical power to my right leg and left arm before kicking


    outward, and simultaneously throwing an arm back to keep me in place as well as intensify the damage it dealt. A second shriek resounded as the metallic head folded over on itself, stretched, then detached from the rest of its monstrous frame and disappeared into the dawning horizon.


    What remained of Siti melted away into nothing, a demonic trait that even I could recognize. I landed heavily on the barren land below, my feet leaving an indiscernible mark on its distorted surface. Standing motionless, I took a few moments to regain my dulled senses and recover from the various wounds that most improvisations usually brought.


    The brief silence that followed was quickly interrupted when a faint, but undeniable rumble escaped my stomach; an unpleasant reminder of why I typically refrain from the use of magic. Weakness flooded over me, the exhaustion forcing me to sit down on the back of my legs and lean wearily on my left arm for extra support.


    ¡°I wonder... if I put in everything, I might be master¡¯s equal in a fair fight.¡±


    The previously dismissed thought resurfaced momentarily, but disappeared as a long dark shadow slid across the terrain and overshadowed everything in sight. The world around me became like night as it blocked the sun¡¯s light, and narrowed my thoughts.


    I blinked, stupefied by the wraith-like figure that calmly drifted alongside the unrealistic scene, and slightly terrified at its unexpected might. This was a moment I knew would never be forgotten, by myself or any others who see it. I scolded myself for allowing seeds of delusion to enter my mind; it¡¯s now clear that none but a god can stand against someone like him and live.


    A bright flash of light exploded from the hovering object before removing it from sight, chasing away all shadows except the one cast by my master.

 Chapter 19: The Whimsical

    The early morning light burned through the trees, silhouetting the wafting branches across a large field of deep blue flowers that pulsed silently and blanketed nearly all of the immediate area. There my opponent awaited, protruding from such scene like the stuck-up irritant he was. I guess this means our arrival was anticipated. I hope Brook is okay¡­


    Either way, it¡¯s time to kill this jackass.


    ¡°Found him! Ass-kicking time!¡±


    ¡°-Ella.¡±


    I glanced over at my grim-faced companion, curious if this might be a last-minute confession of his undying love-or perhaps a heroic bestowal of some grand token that will eventually reunite us? I hope it¡¯s the first one.


    ¡°Please be careful.¡±


    Oh? Well, that¡¯s close enough for me. I smiled at the thought and sent him a quick wink to reassure him that I knew what he meant.


    ¡°You too.¡±


    I turned away to hide my blush, though I¡¯m pretty sure he already saw it, and rapidly approached the wizard, assisted by my innate magic. The power flows so easily through me, I often forget that most people require wands or staffs to manifest useful magic and was briefly confused by the water-mage¡¯s attentiveness to the style of my approach. He watched me -no- he watched the magic that wrapped around me as if seeing the mystical energy for the first time. The fact that I¡¯m beautiful probably doesn¡¯t help either.


    I touched the ground gently, allowing the magic to trail off into nothingness in such a way that only a master wizard might understand, much less appreciate. The brat¡¯s stupor faded with my dismissed magic, and our eyes were finally able to meet.


    ¡°Impressive. You might have been a match had you not forsaken your staff, or wand, or amulet, or whatever you use. From what I saw, you might have even overwhelmed it with sheer magical power someho-huagh!?¡±


    I don¡¯t have Ash¡¯s patience.


    I brought my previously idle left hand up slightly, flicking a fist-sized ball of fire directly at Vetara¡¯s face, but maintained a blank expression. To be honest, I allowed boredom to leak through my normal rosy demeanor in hopes of avoiding the monologue altogether, but he didn¡¯t notice soon enough. It¡¯s his own fault, really. Because his eyes were closed, the strike nearly met its mark, but a flare of opposing magic erected a wall of liquid just before he met the time-saving demise I had prepared.


    Reeling back from the unexpected blow, my opponent made a brief attempt to salvage his dignity by dramatically stepping to the right. Fortunately for myself, this left the billowing robe he wore unprotected, and a second flare set its gold-embroidered hem ablaze.


    He paused momentarily, noticing the sudden warmth that had already begun to cascade up to his sleeve, then proceeded to douse himself and what remained of his ¡°dignity¡±. I probably could have landed an attack instead, but this is turning out to be infinitely more entertaining than an act of swift justice. Against my better judgement, I let out a giggle.


    ¡°You think this is funny?!¡±


    ¡°Yup, it reminds me of when I accidentally set the tablecloth on fire, then put it out with an expensive elixir that turned the carpet into a frog.¡±


    I¡¯m not going to lie; this is making me feel a lot better. Besides, even if I can¡¯t win, this should buy enough time for Ash to free Grace. I¡¯ve yet to find any major shortcomings in his abilities when it comes to winning people over, especially when that ¡°people¡± are of the opposite gender.


    ¡°Well you¡­ Wh-What the hell is wrong with you?! I wasn¡¯t ready yet! You and your friends will- ¡°


    ¡°-are you really going to do this again? Because if you keep on talking, I¡¯ll consider it an attack and use bigger fireballs.¡±


    I summoned a generous amount of magic to prove my sincerity and assumed a noticeably more defensive stance. I can sense large amounts of magical power radiating from the cute little flowers beneath us, and it -if utilized well- might wreak some havoc on anything in its path. Best not to be in its path, then.


    ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s do this your wa-pfft! ¡°


    Impatient, I hurled another ball of fire, this one being similar in size to my torso -considerably larger than those judged by other torso standards- which prompted him to take several large steps to the side once again. This time, however, he made no efforts to stroke his clearly well-stroked ego and returned instead with a skillfully designed spear of water. With a simple flick of his wrist, the Water Mage sent the object streaking toward me with impressive precision.


    Naturally, I require a magical artifact to rapidly localize magic or cast most spells, but brute force is still within my scope because of my excessive magic reserves. Even without a brush, I can still paint.


    The air in front of me erupted into a wave of magical fire, which I rapidly condensed with my hands just in time to remove the spear from existence. Heat consistently erupted from the newly formed orb as it twisted and churned in a futile effort to escape my grasp. While rolling the ball of bright red energy into my right hand I created yet another burst mere inches from my backside, propelling me toward my frustrated opponent.


    ¡°Son of a bitch!¡±


    With little time to act, the one known as Vetara waved his wand horizontally, creating a crude, but notably large barrier of pointed ice -a spell only masters use, but never on such a large scale- and forcing me to use my attack a bit early. I flicked the little orb out, watching as it began to gradually expand and clear a safe path, or so I¡¯d hoped.


    I was met with a torrent of blades shaped from ice which tore through the weakened attack and obstructed my view of the enemy. The world around became a million white sheets of layered snow and ice, pressuring me into a small bubble of intense heat. Where did this burst of power come from?


    ¡°Ah, right. The flowers.¡±


    I sensed the mage¡¯s wand drawing from the nearly endless store of magic surrounding us, feeding the boy¡¯s natural talent with all the resources he could ever use to make a battlemage like no other. No wonder he has so much confidence.


    ¡®Let me out.¡¯


    Oh, right! I need to escape this somehow! I begin to concentrate, looking for any weakness or flaw in my opponent¡¯s attack that I could exploit.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡®I know you can hear me.¡¯


    Trying to force my way out won¡¯t work since he will simply make this storm follow me until I run out of magic or do something stupid and die. My only option is a direct attack that will redirect his efforts to self defense rather than an unrelenting oppression. When that happens, I¡¯ll be able to break free and kill him like I had initially planned.


    ¡®If you¡¯re about to risk our life again while I¡¯m literally right here¡­¡¯


    It¡¯ll work.


    ¡®Fuck you.¡¯


    I can do this.


    ¡®No, you actually can¡¯t.¡¯


    Alright, here goes nothing!


    ¡®I hope we both die so I can kick your ass in hell.¡¯


    I summoned a disk-shaped wall of fire nearly ten feet in diameter, then struck out with its center in hopes of directing a more precise attack. Just as I¡¯d predicted, the opposing mage responded to the pointed cone of magic almost immediately, and the storm¡¯s intensity waned enough for me to receive a brief moment¡¯s rest.


    Taking advantage of this relief, I directed the protective bubble¡¯s energy up and through the storm¡¯s center, consistently feeding the cylindrical barrier an oppressive amount of magical power. Another explosion followed, knocking Vetara off his feet then down on his ass in a tangled mess of fancy cloth flailing limbs. I knew it would work.


    ¡®It didn¡¯t work, moron.¡¯


    ¡°Oh yeah? Watch this!¡±


    ¡®I knew you could hear me.¡¯


    I paused briefly, cursing under my breath while summoning another ball of flame to my right hand. Vetara, now able to move his arms and legs, somehow rolled himself into an upright sitting position before immediately beginning to search for the wand.


    ¡°Why you-damn, it¡¯s just a stick-stupid little bitch! When I get my wand, I¡¯m gonna blow your ass out¡­ of¡­¡±


    The mage paused, staring at me in astonishment as if he¡¯d somehow forgotten the situation. Perhaps my nine-foot-tall-and-still-growing fireball threw his misplaced self-confidence into question, or my brilliant smile was just too much to handle. Unfortunately for him, I¡¯m already spoken for.


    ¡®Is that so? Then how can you reveal yourself so comfortably to another man?¡¯


    ¡°Wh-!?¡±


    I glanced down at myself, suddenly remembering why I use magic sparingly. While retracting into a slightly less revealing ball on the scorched ground, I subconsciously released the magical writhing flames behind me. They dissipated into nothing with a series of audible pops and snaps just as the opposing mage finally returned to his senses.


    ¡°Ha! I found it!¡±


    Vetara scrambled to his feet, unfolding a stiffer portion of his robe to reveal an almost transparent white wand. The attractive artifact¡¯s crystalline surface rippled at the mage¡¯s fingertips, tainting the pure magical conductor with a faded blue pulse of light. I began to summon another wave of fire, but my opponent had already prepared half a dozen ice spikes that would pierce any unprepared defenses I¡¯m able to conjure.


    However, dodging with magical bursts is an option if I absolutely abandon all modesty.


    ¡®I¡¯m taking over.¡¯


    ¡°No, wait! I have a pla- ¡°


    ***


    It¡¯s a strange experience. The physical plane, I mean. There¡¯s always something rubbing up against you from every direction-air, clothes, the ground-, but still it is unpredictably comforting.


    I glance down, slowly exploring with my hands to become more accustomed to this well-developed body. Though exposed, I felt very little urgency to defend myself against the impending onslaught. Right now, I¡¯m simply marveling at how few scars my lesser half attained in my absence, especially considering her tendency to leap before looking.


    ¡®Hey! What are you doing!? Stop being a weirdo and kill that guy so I can get back out!¡¯


    Speaking of which.


    ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m not leaving until I meet and possibly incinerate whatever suitor claimed you.¡±


    ¡°Who the hell are you talking to?!¡±


    An unpleasant screech from the jackass Water Mage nearly turned my ears inside out, instantly pissing me off. I looked up at the confused figure with an intense malice that I hadn¡¯t felt in years. Damn, I¡¯ve missed this.


    An ethereal purple light flickered to life at my feet, dancing up my legs as it proceeded to cover my nudity in a seamless purple dress that clung tightly to my shoulders and waist. Designed to flatter this body, not that that it¡¯s necessary, the silk-like material and ankle-length hem will also allow me to move freely while remaining modest.


    ¡®You think too much.¡¯


    ¡°You think too little.¡±


    I pinched the soft clothing between my thumb and forefinger, idly rubbing them together in a circular motion with undisguised boredom. My eyes loosely glanced at the surrounding area. This jerk would ruthlessly assault a lady of such overwhelming beauty with no intention other than to kill a foe. I wonder what that damned elf did to piss him off¡­


    ¡°Fine. If you want to play that way¡­¡±


    The water-wizard recaptured my attention, tightening his nervous fingers around the smooth object in his hand as if to threaten me. How¡­ boring.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the fuck just happened, but something tells me I should take you a bit more seriously.¡±


    Oh, really? Could it have been the complete disappearance of my magical aura that alerted him? Or perhaps it was the dress I summoned with magic he¡¯s likely never even heard of before.


    The mage closed his eyes, leaving himself wide open as thousands of magical veins ejected their stores into the air at once. I watched silently as he swung the wand around in a dramatic horizontal arch and smiled menacingly in my direction. I grinned in return.


    ¡°Do you know what surrounds us right now, bitch!?¡±


    He spoke again, testing my well-developed patience once more with his pubescent squeal that should have long been outgrown. Behind him, a fierce blizzard of white blades tore at the dirt and obscured my view of the scenery behind it. Fine, then. I¡¯ll be the adult.


    ¡°Yes. Klaeki flowers. A damn ocean of them.¡±


    He seemed slightly uncertain at my response, yet still ventured to press for more.


    ¡°D¡­did you know- ¡°


    ¡°-that they sprout where a ¡®kind soul¡¯ perishes and contain trace amounts of magic? Yes.¡±


    My opponent¡¯s face twisted with genuine hatred, and he redoubled the stream of magic that fed into his rapidly intensifying spell. A contorted mouth made it difficult for him to form any coherent words for several pleasant seconds, but just as all good things must come to an end, so shall I suffer his final words.


    ¡°Imp!¡±


    A single word barely had left the mage¡¯s lips before a blink of violet light flashed, consuming his vision and all he ever was, then vanished into nothing. All that remained now was my own enraged figure, glaring in a way that a lady never should at the spot where he spoke that one word.


    ¡°Imp?¡±


    I was barely able to hiss the word through my tightened jaw, repeating the insult one more time. No self-respecting mage would acknowledge the existence of such a boorish reference, much less scream it at an opponent mid-fight. A suitable ending, I think.


    ¡®Where¡¯d he go? He won¡¯t come back, right? He was mean to my fianc¨¦, so I was gonna kill him, but I guess you doing it is pretty much the same thing. If Ash asks, though, tell him it was me.¡¯


    Ella really is a refreshing breath of air sometimes, albeit a shallow one.


    ¡°I¡­ separated each quality used to classify a ¡®living being¡¯, broke them down into tiny pieces before scattered his essence across five different planes. He won¡¯t come back.¡±


    I stepped forward, thoughtfully approaching the small wand that rested on a small pile of scorched dirt. The object was masterfully crafted, likely by a god or some legendary craftsman that eventually became a brand.


    The sky had rapidly become a deeper shade of blue since I awoke, as the morning drifted into day. The sun, now visible just above the clearing¡¯s far tree line, cast a beautiful glow that fully illuminated the wand¡¯s position. Naturally, I searched for its handle, though it was relatively difficult to discern the symmetrical weapon¡¯s handle from its tip¡­ it probably doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯m sure either side will work.


    I extended my hand straight out, palm facing down towards the small pile. A response came almost immediately, the wand twisting and bending into unpleasant shapes as it reacted to an unfamiliar magic. I smiled as a deep purple color began to spread from its center, impressed by the artifact¡¯s ability to contain the syrup-like energy that now coursed unceasingly through it.


    ¡®Blow it up! Make it suffer!¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to ¡®blow it up¡¯ you moron. Just be quiet while I-¡±


    I froze. A shadow pulled my attention up, captured by a creature that shouldn¡¯t exist in this world. The sky itself stood no chance against such an incredible mass, and even I felt dwarfed by its power. No magic was summoned but another unseen force pushed me down so that I was nearly immobilized. I have no desire to die here, but how could I flee such an attractive challenge?


    ¡®Hey, guess what?¡¯


    ¡°¡­what?¡±


    The shadow moved at an incredible speed despite its size, striking the ground with enough momentum to create a ripple of debris and air that mercilessly hammered against my defenses. It quickly blew past, leaving an empty battlefield, save a few scattered figures, a violet wand, and an oddly shaped black hat.


    ¡®I called him first.¡¯

 Chapter 20: The Waking

    A wary step carried me through a surprisingly modest doorway and into -what I assume to be- the primary chamber of Moriaki Vel. The smooth floor had been intricately patterned with a countless number of interconnected circles, though most of them were neatly hidden beneath various decorations. Magically infused lanterns softly illuminated the pale walls as their seamless embrace encircled the room and rose to form a pointed ceiling. Eight deep red banners clung to the walls in strategically placed locations, likely meant to highlight its perfectly balanced structure.


    My eyes settled on two unapologetically hostile figures, neither of whom made any immediate attempt to attack but the stale air betrayed a concerning level of confidence. I stopped, just over two-hundred feet away from the far wall and no more than fifteen strides from my would-be opponents. I suppose this is the part where we pointlessly negotiate or exchange dull -though informative- monologues before the fight.


    ¡°A scrawny elf¡­ foreign hat¡­ locally-bought clothing¡­ sudden, yet incredible power¡­ who the hell is this? You do know that I¡¯m going to kill you now, right¡­ elf¡­ thing?¡±


    The taller figure mumbled impatiently, only half-directing a few distracted thoughts in my direction as an intimidating golden staff materialized in his right hand. He appeared to be human by design, but his goat-like features and intimidatingly large frame more resembled that of a narrow-headed minotaur. At his side, the grey-eyed bunny-person apathetically twirled her flawless white staff while patiently waiting for a command. This must be the archbishop I¡¯ve heard so much about.


    ¡°Well, that depends¡­ I¡¯ve never fought a goat before. At least¡­ I don¡¯t think I have.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®goat¡¯?¡±


    My right toe slid across one of the patterned circles, feeling the temperature change slightly as it brushed the cool metallic surface. I smiled politely, then drove my heel into the floor, causing the metal ring to leap from its previous position into the air just in front of me. I instantly wrapped my thumb and forefinger around the blade-like outer edge, brought it up to my ear, then hurled it vertically across the room.


    As I had expected, the projectile was brought to a halt just before splitting the fancily clad archbishop¡¯s head in two, hovering silently in place. I was barely able to perceive a wave of magical energy radiate from my target¡¯s brilliant golden artifact, which was likely used to hold the decorative bronze circle in place. It would seem my opponent¡¯s abilities are quick and powerful. Maybe I should throw something else at him, just in case this was a fluke.


    As my fingers wrapped around a hefty chunk of the marble-like floor, I heard air sliding across a metallic surface. Dropping the stone, my hand protectively clasped the black cowboy hat while I pushed off the ground, narrowly dodging a circular blade. I landed with an audible thud, my unflinching figure cracking the brittle -and likely expensive- flooring. My eyes met the goat-man¡¯s square pupils. Behind me, the disk idly spun in a way that was undeniably threatening.


    ¡°Impressive¡­ but not really. What were you planning to do? Just kill me, then walk away with Ms. Divilet?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Okay, then.¡±


    The archbishop shrugged, then lazily swung his staff horizontally through the air in front of him, causing several other bronze rings to dislodge. An explosion of dense stone destroyed the room¡¯s glamorous design while dozens of bladed drones chaotically whipped around the room. The air became distorted with a blur of moving objects, but I found it decently easy to dodge the occasional strike while maintaining eye-contact. I think movies downplay how awkward these situations can be.


    Something else moved to my right, larger than the decorative rings and twice as fast. I leaned backwards slightly, catching the end of a white staff in my palm with a clap of air that blew away the nearby rubble. Two glassy eyes watched me as if peering through a dense fog, manipulating my newest assailant¡¯s thoughts with a dissociative magic. Her speed didn¡¯t match mine, but I¡¯m assuming she wasn¡¯t sent in to fight for ability alone.


    ¡°Grace¡­ shit.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®shit¡¯?¡±


    The archbishop¡¯s interjection irked me more than it should¡¯ve, and I grabbed one of the nearby flying disks with a small amount of frustration, spun around backward, then sent it spinning toward his head. Of course, it stopped before reaching him.


    I had hoped Grace would be able to resist him, but I should¡¯ve known better. She was barely standing when we arrived and had entered of her own free will, but¡­


    I looked over at her, receiving nothing more than a blank stare in return.


    The disks froze, then clattered to the floor just as I landed ten feet away from my grey-eyed friend. This is already frustrating¡­ maybe I can talk her out of it? Hopefully she¡¯s still capable of independent thought, even if it¡¯s heavily restricted right now.


    ¡°Grace, you- ¡°


    ¡°Oh, right--it¡¯s pointless. Talking to her, I mean. I¡¯ve ¡°reconstructed¡± her mind to avoid another incident, so she¡¯s essentially dead.¡±


    I paused, trying to process his words.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±


    ¡°No; I, unlike you, have no reason to lie. All of her conscious thoughts are sent directly from Mavros. Even if you did happen to pin me down¡ªwhich you can¡¯t¡ªa flick of my wrist would end her life, so resistance is useless.¡±


    The archbishop lazily waved the decorated staff to indicate that it was ¡°Mavros¡±. My knuckles had become white, and my opinion evident through the expression I now wore. He must be lying. This isn¡¯t how the situation is supposed to play out¡ªnot in a world where I¡¯m strong enough to¡­ keep her safe.


    A memory pushed through my subconscious, boldly standing at the forefront of my mind. It was painful, but I had already dealt with it.


    The girl from my memory died, and there was nothing I could¡¯ve done to stop it; so, I stopped caring. After wandering for over a year, I stumbled across a scene that put me in the hospital but saved a young woman from a terrible fate. In that itchy white bed, Lily¡¯s death became an experience, one that should no longer haunt me.


    A wave of nausea struck me, but I was in no way crippled by it. The memories continued to flood my mind; returning the lost education and interests all the way up until death silenced them. I even remember when my father gifted me his beloved hat, and the exact significance of that moment.


    The world slowed and the dim light grew ten times brighter, but I didn¡¯t make any move to attack or retreat. My thoughts adjusted to the influx of adrenaline, forcing all emotion away and leaving only one very direct mission.


    ¡°Give me the weird artifact, you¡­ whatever you are. I¡¯ll probably kill you quickly either way, but this saves both of us some effort.¡±


    My hand slowly lifted, nostalgically feeling the sturdy material for a moment, then gently removing it. I can see the forces that hold this world together and how easily they could be ripped apart, but I¡¯m still helpless when it comes to speaking with girls¡ªespecially when they¡¯re hypnotized and trying to kill me. Besides, I doubt mere words can break this trance.


    ¡°What would happen if I broke ¡®Mavros¡¯ before you killed Grace? Would she be freed?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She might be returned to ¡®normal¡¯ -whatever that is- but you can¡¯t. Give me the head-ornament.¡±


    I paused at the unhesitating response, a slight glimmer of hope shining through this otherwise dreary situation. He might be lying, but the confidence everyone seems to have in the staff¡¯s abilities leads me to believe otherwise. The room fell silent as tension weighed on the air; a fight for Grace Divilet¡¯s clouded mind is no longer pending.


    I wonder, now that my mind is open, if that staff can match my abilities. I should have limits, but I¡¯ve yet to find them. If nothing else, this might be a determinative fight.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve decided t-¡±


    With a bright flash of light and a slight gust of air, I teleported behind the archbishop, grasping Mavros with my right hand and bringing a left knee in contact with his goat-like head with significant force. The imposing figure exploded instantly; his innards reduced to a mere paste that smeared itself on the wall just off to my left. A fairly awkward movement, I now realize, but successful nonetheless.


    In response, a miniature tornado appeared, whipping the air whipped around the cone-shaped room and hurling a torrent of debris into any structure that couldn¡¯t react quickly enough. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t last very long, and Grace emerged unharmed. The trance had not been broken, but perhaps I can talk some sense into her now that the staff¡¯s power is idle.


    ¡°Grace, can y- ¡°


    ¡°You reek of Lilah¡¯s science.¡±


    The staff interrupted me with a sly voice, its brilliant surface now radiating even more magic than before and pulsing with a soft light. It would seem Mavros has a mind of its own¡­ so, I guess the staff is completely useless to me now. I¡¯m not even going to risk gifting it to Ella. That elf may be powerful, but she¡¯s also very easily influenced.


    I placed Mavros¡¯ decorated head on the outside of my left heel, then lazily raised my right foot.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°Fool. I was forged by the great Mystic himself. Do you really think a mortal could damage me?¡±


    The light became brighter as an impressive show of magic coursed along the staff¡¯s entire length, making it become denser.


    ¡°Yes. Why? Are you scared?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! I, who slays without discrimination and possesses an ultimate power, have no reason to fear you!¡±


    I placed the sole of my foot on its cold handle, readjusting my grip as if in preparation, though it was more for show. Applying pressure, I realized how impressively durable it was and second-guessed my ability to destroy it. Damn, I really don¡¯t want to deal with this thing¡­ maybe I can just hurl it into space? Does this universe have space?


    ¡°M-Mystic damn you! What are you!? Get off me, you boorish monster of hell!¡±


    Ah, so I am having an effect. I could push a lot harder, so breaking it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult, but I need something else off my mind first.


    ¡°Release Grace.¡±


    ¡°Agh-AHAHA! What if I just killed that damned bitch, huh!? How about I ¡°release¡± her from being a pitiful existence on this world!?¡±


    I applied a little more pressure before continuing to speak.


    ¡°Then I¡¯d become sad¡­ and angry. How long do you think it would take for me to calm down? A day? A year? How long do you think I can live with these abilities? I could be immortal. Do you understand, or should I explain it to you?¡±


    My grip tightened.


    I looked up at the bunny-eared ¡®chosen one¡¯, who swayed back and forth with an empty gaze that wandered the room. The small white staff skillfully twirling in her hand froze abruptly as something about it caught her eye. A black mark manifested, ruining the otherwise uniform design as she was partially freed of the spell, followed by another one. Her eyes brightened, and there was a spark of recognition in the new expression she wore, though no attempt was made to approach or retreat yet.


    ¡°Something I¡­ probably should¡¯ve mentioned.¡±


    The staff interrupted my thoughts with an unnerving phrase, its voice strained but still able to convey a malicious tone.


    ¡°Without magic¡­ powerful enough to¡­ replace my own¡­ She¡¯ll die!¡±


    Grace collapsed as her bond to Mavros was finally broken. Her once white hair, now decorated with streaks of black and crimson, lay strewn across the mutilated floor.


    ¡°You¡¯d better think of something quickly! Ha- ¡°


    *Crack*


    I lifted, then broke the staff over my knee, allowing the mystical energy to erupt before rushing over to pour it across the fading black-eared bunny-creature¡¯s dark staff. I don¡¯t know if this will work¡­ it is a lot of magic, though. Even I could feel its effect on the surrounding air, which pulsed gently as if drawing breath for the first time.


    Something loud exploded just beyond these walls, momentarily pulling my attention away from the task at hand. I need to do something to help the others as well¡­ I looked back down with a small sense of urgency.


    Seconds passed like minutes, but the power continued to flow without response. Soon, the energy faded; the staff had been emptied and Grace was still unconscious on the floor. My frustration grew more intense, the connection between myself and the surrounding world gradually strengthening with every passing second. I was, however, unable to discern any sign of life in the body next to me.


    ¡°Shit. If only I could only use magic¡­¡±


    I jumped slightly as something hummed. It would have been almost indescribable had I not been familiar with rapid popping of a powerful engine roaring to life. The walls vibrated with energy, releasing an unpleasant white light that, when added to my irritable state of mind, nearly caused me to reflexively destroy the entire structure.


    ¡°Hah. Magic. You pathetic little worm!¡±


    The engine-like voice exploded from the walls, an intimidating effect¡­ if I wasn¡¯t already extremely pissed off, I might¡¯ve even hesitated.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! It is I, Mavros! Did you think you could rvvvt-vvrrrrt!¡±


    Dropping an odd black hat on Grace¡¯s motionless frame, I turned my attention to the hostile structure. To be honest, I¡¯m not certain what I did, but the room became quite a bit¡­ smaller. It almost felt as if I had grabbed reality and forcibly ¡®zoomed out¡¯. The vibrations that allowed it to speak were instantly inhibited by my upper back and hands, which nearly obscured the cone-shaped wall entirely as the rest of my body filled the room.


    I used the air around Grace to create a shield, telepathically carrying her out of the building as its walls crumbled beneath my fingers.


    ¡°Gagh! What the-!?¡±


    Able to speak again, Mavros began summoning magic to hurl pebble-sized chunks of debris in my direction. I intensified the pull of gravity on the area around it, which obliterated the petty attacks almost instantly and continued to grow larger.


    ¡°Mystic, damn this mortal¡­¡±


    My bare foot lifted, hovering over the Moriaki Vel threateningly. A shadow, which I soon realized was mine, blanketed the¡­ earth. This, however, isn¡¯t Earth, so¡­ what is this world¡¯s name?


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The dark voice came from below, inquiring about my identity in a dramatic fashion. I thought back to a particularly enjoyable story from my previous life, then smiled dryly; I¡¯m aware that no one else could possibly understand this reference, but then again, I doubt anyone will hear me anyway.


    ¡°Nobody.¡±


    Driving my heel into the screeching structure, I felt how the ground crumbled and slid with every movement, as if being reduced to sand. A loud crunch and the release of a chaotic, yet familiar energy brought the Moriaki Vel and Mavros to an underwhelming end. Well, at least from my perspective¡­


    Noticing the ripple of debris, I realized that, had I been a normal size, this would likely have been infinitely more impressive. It doesn¡¯t really matter, though; I didn¡¯t come here to fight, but retrieve a friend. Crushing the assholes that hurt her is more of a happy side-effect.


    Releasing the mental ¡®grip¡¯ I had on reality, my body snapped back to its original size at a disorienting speed. This induced a brief confusion, causing me to momentarily stumble around until I could adjust to the new environment, then return my attention to Grace.


    The bunny-eared warrior¡¯s black-and-red hair drifted weightlessly; her frame seemingly unresponsive despite being inundated in magical power. I brought her closer, suddenly becoming aware of her hands, which tightly gripped the brim of my hat instead of the blackened staff next to her. I brought the object closer, allowing it to gently brush up against my friend¡¯s arm and chase away her coma.


    A soft transfer of energy caused the blackened hair to melt away, replacing it with deep red silk threads. The peaceful awakening was a welcome contrast to this morning¡¯s otherwise violent theme, and when her eyes opened, the flood of relief left me feeling weak. Perhaps that¡¯s a side-effect of increasing my mass enough to crush a mountain underfoot¡­ that¡¯s still one hell of a limit to push.


    Judging how powerful Mavros was compared to the inhabitants of this world, I think it¡¯s safe to assume this will likely be the most dangerous interaction we¡¯ll encounter. Of course, now that such a thought has crossed my mind, something infinitely more threatening is almost definitely going to occur¡­


    ¡°Hm? Wait¡­ what? Ash?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    The instant Grace touched the ground, she stirred as if just fully recognizing reality. Her eyes stared intently in my direction as she slowly adopted an upright sitting position and continued.


    ¡°Am I¡­ dreaming?¡±


    ¡°Probably not, but I wouldn¡¯t be surpri-hey, what!?¡±


    Faster than lightning, she pushed off the ground and slammed into me even though I was barely an arm¡¯s length away. I wound up flat on my back, staring up at the stunningly beautiful face of a crimson-eared bunny-girl, though only for a moment. Before I could say anything, her forehead approached and something warm pressed against my lips before quickly retracting.


    I was frozen, unable to think clearly enough to formulate a response. Well, this is another world after all, perhaps a kiss is given a bit more freely or with different intentions than in our world. Yeah¡­ for the sake of my mental fortitude, I think this uncertainty is probably for the best.


    ¡°E-even if it¡¯s just a dream¡­ I can¡¯t believe I¡­ kissed¡­¡±


    The figure blushed furiously, burying a deeply shaded face in her palms before rolling off my stomach and instantly falling asleep on the ground next to me. I remained still, a sudden revelation overwhelming the rest of my mind, as I desperately tried to calm down. Naturally, this confusion was based more in uncertainty than anything else, since jumping to conclusions almost always ends poorly.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ it would seem you¡¯re falling behind, Ella¡­ what am I to do with him?¡±


    To my right I heard Ella¡¯s voice talking to¡­ Ella? I turned, but instead of the spacey blonde elf I had expected, I locked eyes with a similar creature that appeared to radiate confidence.


    ¡°Wha¡­Who are-¡°


    ¡°Should I burn him?¡±


    The figure chuckled for a moment, then immediately stopped and took a slightly defensive position. Is Ella¡­ possessed?


    ¡°Well, why not? I won¡¯t kill him¡­ unless he¡¯s too much of a pussy to handle it.¡±


    Yup. She¡¯s definitely possessed. How did this happen¡ªisn¡¯t Ella an incredibly powerful mage or something? Maybe this being is the source of her power¡­ like some kind of limiter on her power to keep her from being too overpowered. How boring.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say ¡®pussy¡¯ if I want to! Ugh¡­ just shut up already, would you? No, you go away! Judging from the size of your boobs, I¡¯ve probably been asleep for years, so give me a few damn minutes!¡±


    Wow¡­ okay, I¡¯m curious. Scared, but also incredibly curious¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem to be exceptionally hostile, so we might be able to avoid a fight if I play my cards right. I stood, patiently dusting myself off and subtly moving in front of the unconscious bunny-girl as an indignant expression faded from the adjacent possessor. Noticing my cautious demeanor, its face angled into a dark smile and turned to address me with a certain hunger.


    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t belong here¡­ do you? Likely not in this world, and definitely not this plane of existence.¡±


    ¡°Pretty much... I¡¯m from another world.¡±


    I relaxed slightly but didn¡¯t drop my guard, hoping Ella¡¯s new¡­ or old friend would do the same. Fortunately, she did.


    ¡°Hm. Me neither. I¡¯m El. A being that has been trapped on this plane as Ella¡¯s twin personality since birth, and probably the only creature on this planet more powerful than you. That is, of course, unless a god came to visit without my knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Cool. I¡¯m Ash, a ¡®normal¡¯ man who was killed on a magicless world called Earth and brought here so a goddess named Lilah could piss off another god named Mystic.¡±


    Yeah, I said ¡°man¡±. It sounded really stupid, but ¡®guy¡¯ comes off as lazy and ¡®boy¡¯ would show that I still think of myself as a child. I mean¡­ I am lazy and, by some standards, a child, but El¡¯s presence is shockingly intimidating. It was reflexive. Please don¡¯t notice¡­


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    El¡¯s purple hair waved slightly, weightlessly trailing behind her as she casually stepped forward.


    ¡°A ¡®man¡¯, huh? Wait, you¡¯re engaged to Ella, are you not? Though I¡¯ve temporarily taken her place, this is still her body¡­ with my magic and your host body, the resulting child would¡­ be¡­¡±


    Oh no. Hang on¡­ I think her purple dress just became a skirt. Are those magic clothes? Damn that¡¯s awesome.


    ¡°Okay, then¡­ ¡®man¡¯ of Earth. I¡¯ll avoid activities that involve killing you¡­ until after Ella scores. Is that cool with you?¡±


    Wait¡­ ¡°until after Ella scores¡±? What does she mean by sco¡ª


    My thoughts were interrupted by Ella¡¯s body colliding with mine, the deity¡¯s purple hair fading back into blond, and the magical dress dissolving rapidly. Again, I collapsed, but this time it was to soften the abrupt impact; again I lay still, but this time it was due to the paralysis side-effect of a stunning technically-an-elf-princess¡¯s breasts pressed against my own exposed chest.


    How the hell do I react to this situation? Is there a ¡®gentlemanly¡¯ way to lift a naked young lady off your own? Do I just use telekinesis? Oh no. A physical reaction on my part is happening. Holy fuck, stop!


    I swiftly teleported several feet away, using telekinesis to slow Ella¡¯s fall and constructing a rudimentary structure from the surrounding rubble. I made sure to pack the material tightly so it wouldn¡¯t crumble and avoided creating a roof altogether, since it was only meant to preserve her¡­ dignity.


    I let out a long breath.


    ¡°At least everything worked out. I suppose Lilah returned these supernatural abilities since she can¡¯t directly interfere. Meh¡­ plot armor is only for the good guys, anyway. Here, I¡¯m more of a wandering belligerent than anything else¡­¡±


    Hey, I¡¯m pretty easy to talk to when I get me alone. Heh heh¡­ I amuse myself. Wait¡­ I forgot to ask what the name of this world is. Shit.


    I sensed a shorter figure approach rather quickly, its movements precise and doubtlessly belonging to Brook.


    ¡°Hey, Brook--¡±


    ¡°Yes, master?¡±


    The reply came quickly. I¡¯m impressed that she has so much energy after fighting that beast-like strategist.


    ¡°What is the name of this world?¡±