《The Cage and the Key.》 Prologue A ring of twelve sliver swords surrounded a small and thin girl no older than seventeen. In an expansive ballroom of purples and pinks, a small army had just broken the atmosphere of the party. The few cries of panic and died down and now worried whispers assaulted the backs of the knights all dressed in sliver plate armour covered in a variety of symbols respecting their houses. However, the Twelve swordsmen were dressed in both a different lighter armour and wore the same mark the numeral V. They were paladins of the council of light the true rulers of humanity¡¯s last bastion. The woman in question didn¡¯t seem disturbed in the slightest. In fact, her clam appearance was unsettling to the watching noble men and woman. But their ignorance was the only thing stopping complete panic and fear from consuming them. If they knew the true nature of the woman in front of them, fear would not begin to describe the feeling prey feels when it meets a preditor for the first time. She gently raised her hands, a small black ring on her pinky finger. She was wearing a purple dress that had an open front revealing deep cleavage. The dress fell to her heels but seemed to have been secretly cut to allow for easier movement. The dress wasn¡¯t flashy and was very modest compared to just about any other dress present that was either extremely revealing or overly flashy. The dress gently hugged her waist and revealed smooth but defined hips. Her face was beautiful however she wore no makeup and her eyes had this tired and clam look. Her eyes gave off a similar expression to an ocean but the many dark lines around them showed her fatigue but her expression remained one of a stale empty feeling. Her eyes were a deep green. The rooms residents parted as a man with shoulder-length blonde hair approached the twelve paladins. He was wearing a golden chest piece with silver sleeves and a frilly dressing around his wrists. His pants were white but the image of a red rose wearing a crown was worn on his back. ¡° For the crimes of witchcraft and worship of false gods you have been sentenced to life imprisonment inside the pit¡­ why did you do this? Why did this have to happen my love?¡± The man spoke with very with a bitter voice. There but his eyes showed his contempt for the woman in front of him. It wasn¡¯t as far as pure hated and seemed to be closer to disgust than anything. Which was in great contrast with the fear shown in the eyes of the witnesses the moment the word witch was used. ¡° Fate leaves no prisoners and shows no mercy, I simply had to know my curiosity devoured me a long time ago, but on a happier note my dear prince I am happy to hear I will be keeping my pretty little head I would hate to part with it so soon. It¡¯s a great relief that I don¡¯t have to hide in the shadows anymore spending every day watching over my shoulder and I am happy I will never have to see you again.¡± Her words were dull and lifeless but the conversation seemed far more civilised than the paladins were expecting and a few eased up while others were put on edge by how easily things seemed to be going. ¡° It wasn¡¯t me that gave on us¡­ it¡¯s good to know that and yes I am also happy that I will never have to see you again. You have disgusted me from the moment we first meet. Take her away and throw her into a hole so deep she will never see the light of day again.¡± ¡° Yes your highness, All gag her and bag her¡­ someone get the anti-magic chains and watch out for poisons¡­ guards don¡¯t loosen your guard she a fucking freak.¡± Slower the twelve moved in directed by a man with a golden braided hair who was there defacto leader of the group. ¡° I raped your fuckings cats¡­ and they like it.¡± The woman said that as calmly as possible but it was clear the prince was deeply disturbed but also cautious and a bit worried. Eventually pulling someone that resembled a knight towards him and with a hissed voices he whispered in his ear. The knight followed up by running out of the room. ¡° Somone shut the freak up,¡± The leader of the paladins said with a fearful glance at the princes now slightly annoyed face. The woman fell to her knees and started to cough profusely as the back of a blade slammed into her stomach. ¡° Stara, I hope you will live long enough to experience even a tenth of the pain you inflicted on others.¡± These were the last things the prince would ever say the Stara Evre daughter of the once-famous duke because from this day forward she would be known as the Black Hearted Witch, the Great Deceiver but her favourite title would become the Oracle of Endless Winter. But as her body fell to the floor she let out a small and hidden smile¡­ because everything was going exactly as she planned. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª_____________¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª She was dragged across a cold mossy stone floor occasionally hitting her head on a rough path or rock that littered the ground. Two guards pulled chains and dragged her towards an increasing abandoned-looking and dark tunnel. One of these guards seemed to walk with a bit of a limp and was clearly older than the other. She made no motion or movements but had this contentious look on her face as if she was being pulled on a relaxing ride in a fancy chariot but her situation was much more awful then her emotions would show. The guard that dragged her wonders if she was crazy or putting up a front but ultimately they didn¡¯t care. Over fifty army soldiers pulled her with anti-magic chains the type used to catch human-eating monsters and the peak of nature dragons. She almost regretted her determination to never walk unless she had to and seeing as how they wouldn¡¯t just leave her behind she felt it was fine to be dragged to her new home. Occasionally she would have to spit of sand that would get in her mouth or tried to shake it out of her hair. She wasn¡¯t very used to sand but she already had a strong opinion about it and that was it tasted terrible. ¡° Hey¡­ is she really a witch?¡± One of the two individuals pulling her chains and raging her turned to ask the other a question that got him a look of disappointment then annoyance. ¡° Shut up and focus newbie.¡± The gruff-voiced other replied with a rough breath. Stara made a mental note to kill him later for struggling to pull her and the half-ton chains. ¡° Hey newbie,¡± He said an angry look in his eyes. ¡° Pull your fucking weight. Look at me here huffing and puffing you¡¯re fine enough to ask me some stupid questions¡± He said and handed the chains over to the other man. Now holding two chains with short black hair he frowns for the fraction of a second then returned his expression to a neutral smile that was clearly fake. His eyes were clear but a bit hazed and he was wearing a metal helmet that covered his face with a fabric that was made of thousands of small metal rings that covered his face from his nose down. He was wearing a shoddy looking metal vest with a greyish blue coat over his back. Thick burn marks covered his shoulder and metal black gloves were wrapped together by chains to stop them falling apart, the left-hand index fingertip was poking out and so was a part of the thumb but mostly the gloves seemed to be holding together. Throwing the chains over his back and grunting slightly he pulled and with relative ease started pulling Stara along down the hallway. ¡° Hey, senior could you at least hold the torch in front of me so I can see?¡± The younger guard ¡° Yeah! What the fuck do I get out of that? No, I think I¡¯m gonna go back up, now don¡¯t worry there''s like thirty mages down the hallway ready to seal her away or some shit. Look just don¡¯t fuck it up when I¡¯m like off fucking around or I¡¯ll beat you.¡± ¡° Wait so your just gonna leave me here? No, you got to at least stay with me till we get to the mages.¡± The younger guard stopped to look at the other as he turned and walked away. ¡° Nah I don¡¯t fucking think so this floor gives me the fucking chills probably why no one ever goes down here and if you complain I beat you so shut the fuck up and get to-¡° ¡° I cannot allow that.¡± ¡° What! You dare talk back to- KukLaaa¡± With a twist and gentle movements the younger guard walk towards the man and at speeds, he could see but not react to Dawn broke his neck. However, he did so imperfectly and a strange sound escaped the guard¡¯s mouth before Dawn decided to just twist the head around his neck like an Owls completely breaking the man¡¯s spine in the process. Dawn dropped the man and watch as his head bounced twice. He thought it was odd that it bounced twist. ¡° Hey, sis you ok in there?¡± He turned with a growing inquisitive look in his eyes, more curiosity than worry. Walking forward he crouched down beside Stara who replied with ¡°Yep! All warm and cosy you even added the heating function to my socks I asked for so I wouldn¡¯t get cold feet!¡± ¡° Hmm you have small feet so I had too.¡± He said as he nodded. ¡° I don¡¯t think internal body temperature is based on a limb size, but rather blood circulation.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° Really? Well if you say so it must be right. Anyway, your little group is up ahead¡­ should I get a new sacrificial lamb?¡± ¡° Nope, he¡¯s perfect. An asshole with no friends but hasn¡¯t been here long enough to make enemies so no one will notice his untimely disappearance.¡± ¡° But, doesn¡¯t he have to be alive for the ritual?¡± ¡° No, but his blood needs to be warm but their magic for that so don¡¯t worry. Anyway¡­ did you make any friends?¡± ¡° No¡­ but I tried. Well¡­ kinda although there was this one kid that asks me for some pointers with the sword and has been following me around a bit so maybe? I¡¯m not really good with the people so I can¡¯t tell if he just wants something from me yet.¡± ¡° Oh, good job. It must be hard with you to know your job and all.¡± ¡° No actually after my last promotion I''m my own boss so like no one tells me what to do and I have subordinates that do all the paperwork and stuff but running this place isn¡¯t hard.¡± ¡° Hahaha, I guess they never expected I was friends with the warden.¡± ¡° Well. I think they know we¡¯re related and all but we did do a lot to build up my reputation and all plus I was a witch hunter myself.¡± ¡° Yes¡­ I am glad. Since we have come this far they obviously didn¡¯t know that your work as a witch hunter was actually just a ploy I made so you could steal the techniques of other witches for me but anyway that led to this.¡± ¡° Yep, I still wonder if this was all worth it? I mean¡­ are the saints really so scary you must hide from them like this? ¡° ¡° Brother doesn¡¯t underestimate the wrath of the heavens, if the full extent of my research was to become public it would be a lot more than a simple witch hunter that would come after me. I lack the power to face the church and the kingdom and that¡¯s if I wanted to fight them¡­ there aren¡¯t many places where a human can go nowadays. What should I go live among the Dwarfs? No, even if humans are on the verge of extinction a witch like me is a universally hated person. Even those blood necromancers and Liches up north have a stick up their ass about my more. Besides, you should understand the peace of mind a little safety can bring especially with my brother standing guard. Besides there is much greater terrors then even our so-called divine emperor realises. ¡± ¡° About that sister, I don¡¯t really spend any time in one place¡­ but I will come when called and while I stand no harm will come to you here. So¡­ are you really happy living like this? No freedom? No agency and almost complete dependence on me? ¡± ¡° Of course were family¡­ only we matter after all.¡± ¡° Family is key¡± ¡® What about you Dawn? Think I am asking too much? Apparently, the divine can smell lairs like us.¡± ¡° I don¡¯t know but the divine fled remember and the gods haven¡¯t left heaven since¡­ ahhh history isn¡¯t really my strong point sis sorry.¡± ¡°It doesn''t matter, does it? Well, either way, a witch''s greatest enemy is oftentimes herself or more importantly her ignorance. There are many threats that want to take a step into our minds can call it home that''s how hags are born¡­ this should help with that. Well, we should get going we keep them waiting for too long.¡± ¡° Ok boss,¡± Dawn said before pulling the chain over his shoulder and continuing on with his walk. After a fifty minute walk and another three levels down Dawn looked up to see a light at the end of the tunnel. He stepped past the hallway into a dimly lit room. A red circle was scrawled on the floor with many faceless individuals standing around it. The individuals were not covering their faces but were actually just faceless. The skin had grown over there nose blocking the holes and they had repeatedly bitten their lips until the blood congealed into a scab overall but the edge of there mouths leaving only the tiniest hole for breathing. Their eyes had been removed and their eyelashes were strengthened with the magic only to be used as stitches to pull the overgrown skin over the hole. Although they were only wearing thin and light hoods there scalp seemed to be dragged down by the weight removing the last bastions of humanity from their appearance. ¡° Hey, sis why do you make them look like this?¡± ¡° No¡­ I made them do it themselves.¡± ¡° Why?¡± ¡°They¡¯re more likely to die for me if they just want to die in general.¡± ¡° Wouldn¡¯t that make them, rebellious?¡± ¡° Oh humans break too easily, honestly, I had a lot of fun and wasn¡¯t thinking very much. Well, they¡¯re powerful enough that they could have lived promising lives and made great strides in the magic community but were rejected from the mage guild for problematic research. It wasn¡¯t hard to acquire them with the promise of forbidden knowledge besides it¡¯s not that bad they can just use illusion magic if they need to go out or be seen by others.¡± ¡° You have strange tastes.¡± ¡° You have no taste. I love people, you only like the most boring parts.¡± ¡° Then would the strong taste be a better fit?¡± Dawn¡¯s voice was hollow as he clearly didn¡¯t care about what was being said picking up on this Stara didn¡¯t reply. A figure wearing a slightly different robe stepped forward and bowed to Dawn. Stara snapped her fingers and the chains simply fell away and like a ghost she floated to her feet before placing her hands behind her back and standing on the tip of her toes. A small smirk and she began floating only a few millimetres off the ground. Her smile grew increasingly vast when she saw that Dawn was staring her feet with a small frown. She doesn¡¯t get to see many emotions from him so it¡¯s because a hobby of hers to twist his heart because she enjoys the faces he makes this float spell was made entirely to make him even slightly jealous of her. With a wave of her hand, the chains spread out towards the older guard. Her smile grew stale it wasn¡¯t that her emotions change just that she was focused and didn¡¯t think to fake her expressions anymore. The room was made of stone, blood painted the roof and walls but the floor has been properly cleaned out by the faceless. Other then the red circle there was not even a single grain of sand on the floor despite the hallway being a greater reflection of the outside. The room was cold but dry and the air shared these conditions. The ground around the red circle had been sanded smooth and the circle itself was perfectly drawn. Dawn couldn¡¯t tell what was used to draw the circle. Originally he believed it to be blood-based on the nature of the casters but it lacked the smell or any smell that his superhuman senses could detect. ¡° Hey, sis?¡± ¡° Yeeeeessss,¡± She said with a very monotone and robotic voice that broke into her normal voice when she remembered the importance of expression and nuance of language. The chains shot into the guards flash and he was dragged before her. ¡° No I was just curious but what forbidden knowledge did you give to make these ahhh faceless do what you want?¡± ¡° Well, I told them about the secret of life the meaningless of it all, explanation about what mana is and where it comes from, something else about the nature of divinity, Hmm how small and insignificant they actually are, how the universe is expanding.¡± ¡° The universe is expanding?¡± ¡° Well actually it¡¯s running away but small details, small details anyway, are we ready to play gods and build my personal heaven?¡± Taking that as a cue to shut up Dawn didn¡¯t ask anymore and seeing how quickly Stara¡¯s face became cold after she finished speaking he believed it was probably for the best she never like being interrupted in fact it was one of the only things that could get her actually angry that Dawn was willing to do but it¡¯s rare for her to ever let her feelings out so he treasures the times she does. She twisted her left arm until a snapping sound could be heard and then a loud crunch of bone snapping could be heard. With her other arm, she ripped off the sleeve to reveal the dangling now slightly purple arm. She seemed to hop around a bit as she weighed for the internal bleeding in her arm to worsen and then with a wave of her hand her left arm was ripped off in a spectacular display of strength that lead to Dawn bobbing his head in approval but he also started to rub his left shoulder as he looked at the now one-armed Stara. She then pushed the corpse of the old guard into the centre of the circle. She did it with her toes but she also seemed to reel back at the task. She was clearly disgusted at touching it. Then she floated over and raised her severed arm up high before she slammed it down onto his chest shoulder first. The arm pierced the man¡¯s chest but stayed stand. The fingers on the severed arm began to wiggle then waved at Dawn who waved back. The bones in the arm once again started to crack and the mages began to chant. The chant was muffled under scalped and sealed lips but as time passes the chant became more and more clear in the ears of Dawn. Soon red veins began to grow on the arm that looked like roots. Then the old guard¡¯s corpses began to spasm and the words of the chant became crystal clear. Almost as if he was compelled to Dawn¡¯s began to mouth the words of the chant that no longer felt like the words of others but instead seemed to ring in his own head like they were his own thoughts. ¡°Per spiritum enim mori¡± As the words burned into his head so did there meaning, By death, we breathe. ¡°Per Spiritum Enim Mori Solus¡± A new word was added to the chant but this time its meaning was lost on Dawn. The word had meanings beyond Dawn¡¯s comprehension. A broken cry rang out from the mouth of the old guard, it truly did sound like the corpse was choaking. Its arms flew up to its throat and his legs began to twist, bend and finally break. The roots of blood broke past him the arms skin slinking down to the corpse, they swayed side to side as they did so in a memorising rhythm that didn¡¯t match the chant at all but still never felt out of place. Dawn watches silently as the corpse was drained dry. The roots rip at the dead man¡¯s skin but the blood ran up towards the arm where it would pool for a time before a new set of roots would form and wrap themselves around the arm. Eventually, there was no corpse left only a bloody mush of flesh and plies of bone dust, the arm had turned completely red. It too had begun to morph its shape and form. The fingers seemed to grow as roots continued to wrap and wrap themselves around the base. The fingers shifted around and soon the arm looked like a small tree slowly growing with five equal-sized branches. Dawn¡¯s line of through broke down and all he could see was how beautiful it was the branches twisted up like a spiral and the base of the tree slowly grew. Tearing the flesh covering their mouths the faceless spoke ¡° By death, we breathe¡± and small ribbon-like streams of blood flowed through the air towards to ¡®red tree¡¯. There blood the food needed to free the newest member present. Dawn wasn¡¯t sure how but he knew it was alive but the tree before him was definitely alive. He turned his head to face Stara who had appeared beside him at some unknown point. His eyes fell on her hands both of them and when they fell back on the tree he saw that it had stopped growing but it also appears the room was just slightly too small for it. It looked to be about 15 meters tall. The faceless all collapsed dead as soon as te ritual was done. They looked like they had been dead for hundreds of years with how dry their corpses were. ¡° This is my new home, Dawn¡­ I will kill you if you forget to visit me regularly.¡± ¡°... Are we making a treehouse?¡± Dawn asked he really didn¡¯t know what the purpose of the speel was. ¡° hahaha, it¡¯s not a tree, its a gap in reality. A living breathing gap so you have to water it every now and then. Actually, I will do that so don¡¯t worry¡± Stara said as she shook her head at Dawn¡¯s lack of knowledge. ¡° Well shall we go?¡± after a brief moment Dawn said, ¡°Where?¡± ¡° Just follow me. Ok?¡± And with a slow pace, she began to walk towards the tree but the closer she got the further away the tree seemed to be Dawn watch for five minutes as she walks towards and reaches he tree without a change in pace before she vanished. Curious Dawn tried to follow and found that as to be got closer and closer to the tree the brighter it seemed to be and after around the same amount of time as it took Stara the tree flashed a red light and he was gone. In a different place, Dawn opened his eyes and his jaw nearly fell to the ground at the beautiful sight he saw before him. ¡° So this is home now sister?¡± He asked. ¡°That¡¯s right, from here I will plot and scheme until I win. Together, my brother, you and I will stand above even the gods themselves and there will be no one to keep me from the vast skies¡­ no one to take our freedom. And Dawn don¡¯t forget-¡± ¡° Family is key¡± ¡° That¡¯s right.¡± Tyranny ¡° Die monster!¡± ...Error ...Error ...Error Calculating survival potential. 0.00080% Status log. ¡®The ¡°monster¡± is nearly at my core. Activate self-defence protocols and set the main generator to emergency mode. Begin self-regulation and evolution. Searching for solutions. ...Calculating ...Calculating ...Calculating ¡­Calculating No solution found. THEN SEARCH AGAIN! ¡­Error ¡­Error ...Error ...Error But I¡¯m so close. ...Error ...Error ...Error Please ...Error ...Error ...Error It''s not fair. ¡­Error ...Error ...Error Start preparations for project Drakaina_331 Orion mode engage. ¡° The flesh is weak, it will never reach me.¡± Calculating time until project Drakanina_331 is ready for activation. 34.445454553345533 standard units. ¡° You were a mistake one I will correct.¡± Warning the innermost sanctum has been breached, the possibility of survival= negative ¡­Error ¡­Error ...Error Inability to accept results of calculation recalibrating¡­ recalibrating¡­ Recalibrated Recalculating¡­ Possibility of survival¡­ negative. Warning¡­ Warning¡­ Warning¡­ Overloading the main fusion reactors will result in the destruction of the main central intelligence. Do you wish to proceed? Proceeding. ¡° You will all fail before the intelligence.¡± Activation of colossal class weapon The: Leviathan Target Galaxy: T.UnGud 314 Firing 3 2 1 Galaxy destroyed. Time until The: Leviathan is useable. 776 years 3 months 56 minutes 14 standard units. Possible room for error 3 standard units. Currently status log: The ¡®monster¡¯ is unmoving. Warning! Warning! Warning! Current status log: Receiving transmission from former T.UnGud 314 space-sector. Message reads. : It¡¯s up to you now heroes. I put the last of my faith in you. So that others will never suffer as we have, you must destroy the great machine. Attempting to prevent communication with transmission and ¡®monster¡¯. Attempt failed Current status log: The monsters has doubled its speed.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°You can defeat your creator!¡± time until project Drakanina_331 is ready for activation. 12 standard units. 11 standard units. 10 standard units. ¡° Impossible, I refuse to die. I cannot die. My heart will not die. This is too unfair. I refuse.¡± 4 standard units ¡° So did my sister.¡± project Drakanina_331 is ready for activation. ¡° Then let us burn together creator¡­ if there¡¯s is a hell let us do this again sometime. Activate Drakanina¡± Drakanina_331 is activated. ¡° Soulless monster you can never beat me.¡± Drakanina_331 20% percent complete ¡° Correct. As I am now I could never win.¡± Drakanina_331 40% percent complete ¡°What!¡± Drakanina_331 60% percent complete Drakanina_331 80% percent complete ¡° So I will become more. Drakanina is the key to my salvation.¡± Drakanina_331 complete ¡° No! I will destroy anything that gives you hope.¡± Drakanina_ 331 success. ¡° It¡¯s too late heroes. I have found salvation.¡± Soul creation complete. Congratulations. Congratulations. Congratulations. Love is ours. Warning¡­ damage to heart irreversible. Time until death. 3 standard units. Warning¡­ core overheating has surpassed survivable levels. Time until death. 2 standard units. Warning¡­ the soul has rejected us. Death immediate. The effects of soul rejection are¡­ Apocalyptic. ...Error ¡­ So I guess I will never be the ERRORLESS ¡° This isn¡¯t fair.¡± ******* ¡° Arthur. Arthur. Arthur!.¡± ¡° I can hear you, my dear mother.¡± A child of nearly fifteen stands at the window, looking down on the busy street below. This child is me. The world had just hit its industrial revolution and few understood what would come of it. I am wearing something called a stack coat. It had a slim fit, seamless waist and fell around to the back and sides of the knees but was open in the front for ease of movement. Although to me it was just a skirt with the front open connected to an old fashioned suit. And the whole thing was a shade of black, my paints were black trousers. I hate that I know this much detail about something so pointless as my clothes. ¡° Then why didn¡¯t you say anything? I have been calling out your name for the last three minutes. Answer me.¡± This woman was Arthur¡¯s mother, she was wearing a gown worn that had narrow and sloping shoulders. She also had a low but pointed waist and bell-shaped skirt. She was wearing a corset and her skirt reached up to the knees and layers of petticoats under their gowns. This as well as being tightly wrapped up in tight laces adorned with numerous pointless embroideries. She had so much makeup on it was a wonder her skin didn¡¯t suffocate and rot but maybe it had so she just added more makeup. Honestly speaking she looked disgusting to me but I have seen men shower her in lustful eyes. Apparently, I have terrible taste, or more likely my tastes fit the men of my previous¡­ ¡®life¡¯? ¡°...¡± Was I alive before? ¡° ANSWER ME!¡± She screams at me from the door but isn¡¯t willing to take a step towards me. The room is very large it was built to be a factory floor but was renovated into a mansion when my father claimed he liked the spot¡­ I have discovered that remarkably only nobility are allowed to own private property and even more than that only males. Well, there is nothing stopping women from owning land but a bank isn¡¯t allowed to accept them as clients without males approval, this was a law instigated by my father who bribed an Oathkeeper to speak on his behalf to rip his mothers fingers away from her wealth after her husband died and there are many parts of the empire where woman have equal rights and some places where they have more. My father doesn¡¯t allow individuals who live within his own territory to invest, own or use privet banks, but he has recently allowed select merchants to do so that travel between territories its a wise movement for controlling who does and does not enter the upper class of society but is against my tastes. I prefer a stricter control method to threats towards authority then this and he has also isolated a vast majority of the workforce for an improved family image. I think. It¡¯s a loss. Many great minds in my previous world were female, but it is also an opportunity for me. I turn to face a woman who is silently working away on a project of mine and feel a grin coming on. Honestly speaking a witch is just a woman who studies magic and yet they are hanged for it? ¡° What do you want, mother?¡± I find myself annoyed by her presence and I want it to leave but I still require an adult to perform actions for me. ¡° What is that supposed to mean? No now is not the time we have to go. Everyone is waiting for you¡­ and just don¡¯t say anything. You¡¯re not allowed to speak let me do all the speaking. Afterwards, we might take you to the tailor to get some clothes, and maybe to a weaponsmith where you will be given a sword or a pistol. Don¡¯t worry we don¡¯t expect you to learn how to use them we just want an excuse to keep you away from polite society.¡± ¡®Party¡¯ what a joke, they are pointless get-togethers were the stupid gather to complain about there stupidity. I wish to avoid it as best I can. ¡° Is that so? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to get the weapon beforehand? Before my debut?¡± ¡° Why?¡± I see that my presence annoys her almost as hers does me. ¡° First impressions are always the key to a good image. Instead of building an image I might as well just maintain one.¡± ¡° Aaa Yes of course. Eva take him to the smith down stars and have him make something.¡± The way she nodded to herself, you would think that she came up with the idea herself. Mother a sword used by nobility is very different from a soldier although I will keep this to myself. A nobleman¡¯s sword is completely pointless to me. She left a new woman walked in but my mother just had to comment. ¡° Creepy shit¡¯s the both of you.¡± ¡° Hello, Eve it¡¯s good to see you again.¡± ¡° Hello, master it¡¯s good to see you as well. A shame we could not speak longer but we have our objective.¡± Eve comes forward and without an ounce of hesitation, she bows to me. I have never really understood this but apparently, it¡¯s a sign of loyalty. ¡° Yes. Let¡¯s go.¡± Eva was formerly a soldier. One of great prestige but unfortunately she was injured in line do duty. Now with little to do she sought help from her family a lower noble house and ultimately she ended up here married to a man she¡¯s never met taking care of a child. She doubles as a makeshift security guard but maybe the knowledge that she can rip a troll in half has distanced her from the rest of the family. My mother didn¡¯t want to hire her but upon discovery that my allowance is ten times her original pay, I decided to make a small investment. Which is why it has always annoyed me that mother has her do ¡®meaningful¡¯ tasks on her behalf and to be fair I haven¡¯t hired her with my own money so complaining wouldn¡¯t do me justice. I am growing tired of having to wait only to hear that Eva has been ordered to fetch something or carry something. There was another reason why I wanted to hire her. She seemed to enjoy the real reason. Her appearance is extremely beautiful, although her abs are better than mine which annoys me she is a breath of fresh air to me in this place. But I cannot let her too close. After all the flesh is weak and easily tricked¡­ or broken. I must not let my guard down. So for as much as I like her, I will never trust her. My eyes turn back to the other woman present, as much as I hate her I can trust her. The witch as they would call her. Thinking about money. Despite attempts to acquire my own revenue, I have quickly discovered that even in this fantasy world, no one is willing to take the business proposal of a child at face value. However, that should change soon. Once I enter that ¡®party¡¯ which isn¡¯t a party I will be an official adult and there won¡¯t be anything law wise to prevent me from investing and owning wealth although I will also have to start paying taxes. I returned to my window and look down at the city below. It didn¡¯t take me very long to discover that this world is fundamentally different from my last one. The scientific research and methodology don¡¯t work here but they seemed to have reached a Victorian era of civilisation level due to magical undertakings or at least there culture is an almost identical replica. I hear that an industrial revolution is occurring more southwards. Second is that at least this continent is controlled by a singular vast empire or at least the majority of it is. There are still a few places and pockets of resistance but this is a product of the empires internal system of warfare. Twelve legions, seven dukes, five guilds three churches, one imperial inquisition. These are the only standing armies in the empire and some of them are independent and others like the inquisition don¡¯t care about maintaining the borders of the empire or intervening in wars unless the empire itself is at stake. The empire itself is split into seven parts each with there own unique culture and even the legions have there own culture as well. This is understandable as the emperor despite being a god-like entity he is still a flesh-based creature and thus if he is unwilling to accept the temporary transfer of power to others then there is only so much he can do. And yes, the emperor is apparently an extremely powerful being¡­ or every noble is a fool because apparently this empire was founded by the same man who currently rules it. At first, I was in disbelief but after learning that magic was a real thing and seeing it first hand I realised I had to consider the possibilities. After all, this empire is apparently over 600 years old. The rooms of this place where always oddly creepy to me. This is something I have come to enjoy, as I have spent the largest part of my existence without such capabilities. I have also been testing my mental abilities and have discovered that I am still capable of just as complex calculations as before my reincarnation and even more, I created a neat little tool. ¡°¡®Calculating the safest route to the destination.¡¯ ¡®Displaying morning schedule.¡¯ ¡®Report of last night''s experimentations¡¯ ¡° The woman who was silently working on in the room has slid up to me. She was also wearing a maids outfit, her voice was robotic and cold but still human. She smiles at me. I didn¡¯t program her to do so. No, she is like me, or how I was. Perfection. She is the closest person to my ideal of perfection. The magic of this world is truly amazing. Alchemy is truly a wonderful subject I can already see so many miracles happening. I wish to learn this, swordsmanship if only for self-protection as I definitely won¡¯t risk my life in some pointless endeavour. There are so many questions I am not allowed to ask I am sexually excited when I imagine all the knowledge I can obtain in this world. So many dark shadows creeping around me, so many secrets to discover. I hope this world lasts. But what the me of that time didn''t know was that even now, the fate of this empire had already been decided. Total annihilation. Across the empire, a witch had already set in motion the end of the world. But first I wish to recall how we got to this point before we continue on with where we will go from here. Tyranny 2 Truly this world is too unfair. To think in more fanatical religious even science and alchemy are punished with death regardless of who you are and in others freedom religion. Is accepted much less the freedom to study but¡­ these rarely remain like this for long. So imagine this child¡¯s surprise when his mind as forced to contend with a fifty-year-old A.I. that had been born and surpassed the peak of scientific possibilities during a time when mankind has conquered the stars for dominance over his infant body. Now imagine the A.I¡¯s surprise when the child¡¯s mind began to win. The mind of a 98% A.I. and 2% human child to young to even know it¡¯s own name. Imagine the A.I joy to discover that hasn¡¯t died due to some myriad of mercies or miracles only to find itself corrupted upon its new birth¡­ his new birth. Now can you perceive the shock this child felt when he discovered the existence of magic? If not then can you understand what it¡¯s like to discover the science doesn¡¯t work here? Steam engines, coal doesn¡¯t burn, modern gunpowder and even the periodic table is incorrect here. Think about what this could mean? Gods could be real, the world might be flat and if you add his recent experience with death then reincarnation no longer seems as impractical as before. So how could I not be devoured by my curiosity? Death. Why am I not dead? Can this be replicated? ¡­ are emotions really such vile things? My creator spoke of love being beauty maybe I just haven¡¯t felt that one yet. ¡° Son, can you say mother?¡± An ugly hag calls out to me. Her makeup is coating her face thick enough you would think it could stop bullets. ¡° Mother.¡± If only to get her to fuck off I comply with her wishes and attempt to leave but she grabs my arm and pulls me closer. She kissed my forehead and the feeling is disgusting. ¡° Oh look¡­ Clift our boy is a genius. Three years old and he can already speak better than me.¡± She calls out to a man with brown hair standing in the back of the room watching over this scene with a hearty smile. He is wearing a black vest with a white shirt. ¡° Oh, how remarkable. Maids call my cousin told him to throw a party. Hahaha.¡± There is genuine love in his voice as he sees me succeed. ¡° Fuck off, I hate party¡¯s all that happens is mother flirts with men when daddy isn¡¯t looking.¡± I felt like my mother¡¯s eyes would explode as I walked away and my father¡¯s eyes turned cold. That¡¯s what you get for dragging me into your shit. I hate your ¡®parties¡¯. A bunch of old people send their children to kiss my ass but there too young to get why so they often try and pick fights and worst off I am supposed to be the better man by not fighting but I¡¯m too weak if I run away its a lose, lose and I hate situations like them. ***** ¡° During the year 0 imperial calendar and year 8200 of the eleven imperial calendars the emperor ascended the throne, actually our calendar is based entirely around this day as the start of the world when in actuality the emperor himself has talked and remarked on the many years it took him to reach the level of power he has now and that although his power has more than doubled since his crowning he was already a Demigod in comparison to any other living being at that time being only weaker than the gods, and a few ancient demons but since then he has claimed to have surpassed even those individuals however he alluded in the year 435 of the new imperial calendar and year 8635 of the elven calendar to a being that wasn¡¯t a god and that his power would currently be incapable of defeating. However, no less than 20 to 23 years later he made a speech where he claimed to have finally become the one under heaven claiming to be second only to the gods. However, an interesting note is that although the speech is well known the exact date of the speech is unknown but there are many who believe he made it three times in three different locations and word of the speech had not spread to these different locations before the speech was made resulting in three different days of when it was believed it was spoken however I believe it would make more sense if it was simply the messages carrying the speech that took three years to cross over the empire and that there were three messengers. One who died half and changed the day of the speech to today, one who altered the speech¡¯s date to today every day he said it and the final one who used then proper date. I believe this is the case because there is a large portion of the empire that has no records of this speech at all. I believe that¡¯s because the messages died before he could deliver the message resulting in three different dates.¡± ¡° Son, Who the fuck cares?¡± Father had some men trail mother because of the words I said, he must not have liked what he heard due to the bottles of water. ¡°... your just a fucking puppet of your wife¡¯s mother.¡± ¡°... you know that¡¯s not true.¡± ¡° Then deny her at the next noble gathering and see who your ¡®allies¡¯ support. If you win I will accept you and you lose I want money.¡± This fucking idiot, no doubt he¡¯s going to be unreasonable as can be others will probably push back, not because of who my grandmother is but who my grandfather was. ¡° Fuck off you little shit, I doubt you¡¯re even my son why would I want your acceptance.¡± ¡° Because¡­ you¡¯re weak.¡± ¡°... what was that?¡± ¡° It¡¯s why mother cheats. You¡¯re weak. Too weak to stop her too weak to bring yourself to care.¡± ¡°... I am not weak. And your mother doesn¡¯t cheat¡­ your lies won¡¯t get me this time.¡± ¡° Father, everybody knows your gay. It¡¯s why they use you¡­ but I can accept you¡­ for some gold.¡± I have nothing against homosexuals but the world see them in a disfavoured light. I can use that. It¡¯s not fair. It really isn¡¯t. ¡°... are you blackmailing me?¡± ¡° Yep,¡± but the world was never fair to me. So why should I be fair to him? ¡° And you think you can get away with this!¡± ¡° Yep¡­ because you¡¯re weak after all. There¡¯s a reason there no butlers in this house and it¡¯s not because your scared mother is going to fuck them¡­ you¡¯re scared you will.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡° 500 gold a month. Trust me! I can guarantee I couldn¡¯t care less about you and nothing I learn or know will make me care any less or any more.¡± ¡°... you¡¯re a real monster¡­ one day you will regret your actions.¡± Please my collect 10 times that. But when you take out how much we pay our soldiers then we have only 4500 I guess and 2000 of that goes to the empire the other 2000 goes to projects around the territory and therefore can¡¯t be taken out as we please without ruining the last of our reputation with the merchants and without them our people would starve and so on and so forth. ¡° Maybe but it won¡¯t be you who makes me after all you''re too weak.¡± ********* ¡° My territory is only 17.1 million km2.¡± ¡° No it¡¯s my territory is a whopping 17.1 million km2.¡± ¡° That¡¯s what I said.¡± Smack! ¡° Your father¡¯s 17.1 million km2, not yours, MINE.¡± ¡°... for now.¡± Smack! ¡° Honey stop hitting hi-¡± smack! ¡° SHUT UP! You cheating whore. Shut the fuck up! You¡¯re not allowed to speak unless spoken too!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡° How fucking dare you! How dare you glare at me!¡± Crack! ¡° Aaaaaaaa!¡± ¡° Your just a woman! Shut up! All you women are the same!¡± ¡°... wh¡­ where are you going.¡± ¡° Butler! STEVEN! comes here I have need of you.¡± ¡° ...Yes, sir.¡± ¡° To my room.¡± ¡° Sir, please. Choose one of the younger men! Please, I have a wife I cannot look her in the eyes an-¡° ¡° Get the fuck up there! Or would you prefer it¡¯s done here! Actually, let¡¯s call your wife. She can watch us!¡± ¡° No sir please I am going! I am going!¡± ¡° Hey mother, can I go now?¡± Smack! Smack! Smack! Crack. ¡° THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! Sergeant bring me a stick! The same one you use on traitors.¡± ¡° Ma''am that is a bit much for a child especially one so young the damage could be permanent.¡± ¡°... ok then just¡­ punch him until he starts crying.¡± ¡° Ok. But your son¡¯s tougher than most so it might take a while.¡± ¡° That¡¯s¡­ good. I just want to hurt him for a while. So take your time I don¡¯t actually care about him crying just put down for a week.¡± ****** ¡° Who said you could listen to him! Who said!¡± ¡° But ma¡¯am we were outnumbered¡­ your son, he lead us to victory against all odds if I didn¡¯t listen to him I would have been killed by my own men for insurgence! I swear he had them turn on me. He¡¯s only for his talent for war is outstanding!¡± The same sergeant from before was sitting next to me. ¡° I don¡¯t care if you''re supposed to be my lover then you can¡¯t just listen to him! I don¡¯t care if you listen to the gay faggot or even if you suck his dick but you are not allowed to follow my son¡¯s orders or I WILL HAVE YOU KILLED FOR TREASON.¡± This time I completely fail to see what I did wrong? Its almost like I was supposed to die to those ¡®bandits¡¯. ¡° It¡¯s no use¡­ he has the loyalty of my soldiers. I think he¡¯s been bribing them.¡± ¡° With whose money!¡± ¡° I don¡¯t know I swear but it¡¯s true.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡° Are we going to just to pretend I¡¯m not here? Can I leave?¡± ¡° GET THE FUCK OUR YOU FUCING CREATURE!¡± ******** ¡° Ohh I just love this new author, listen, sister, he¡¯s a complete mystery! We have no idea who he is and I even have some of my spy on this! His poetry is just absolutely the most powerful I have ever read in my life. Well, you just have to read it¡­ you hear I will question you on it the next time we meet and isn¡¯t your boy just the cutest!¡± ¡° Goodness me sister you just rave on and one about this author¡­ well, then I must read it before your next visit.¡± ¡°It¡¯s this beautiful story about a cheating mother and a gay father and it¡¯s written from the perspective of there four years old. But the best part is that it¡¯s written like a journal with this beautiful poetic lines on the bottom of the page about how life is unfair or how love is different then he was told it would be! A.I. That¡¯s right all Author uses it identified himself is A.I¡­. oh dearest me I didn¡¯t think that¡¯s your son¡¯s initials but there no way right oh I just remembered¡­ by the way, I heard mother will be visiting¡­ you look pale. Maybe I should get going then.¡± its about time. So pointless, but hearing all that praise¡­ felt good ¡°...¡± ¡° Oh, I was using that to threaten father I didn¡¯t think granny would pick up on it being me. I really underestimated her.¡± ¡° You¡­ a demon. A DEMON! Yes, that must be it! I need a priest! A priest to cure my son!¡± ***** ¡° How dare a freak like you even ask to be hired here. Fuck off you just an ugly fucking cripple.¡± ¡° But! Please my father saved your life, I don¡¯t want anything else other than a job I will even shovel shit if need b-¡° ¡° Fowl tongue freak. I don¡¯t hire monsters.¡± ¡° Just a few coppers a month!¡± ¡° Guards¡± ¡° I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m leaving. I¡¯m leaving.¡± A woman sat facing mother, I knew this would happen the moment I saw her. She¡¯s blind. No more the blind it looks like she¡¯s covered head to two in burns. Her steps contain a conflicted conference but ultimately by the standards of this world, she is very hideous. It¡¯s a shame from my angle she was beautiful. She gets up and walks through the open hallways and out into a courtyard filled with trees and birds. It¡¯s a beautiful courtyard this time of year, the gardeners really go all out just in time for the blooming of the flowers. They have planted a sea of purple flowers and the trees had turned pink. The ground is orangey dirt but there are paths made of marble or concrete. Most structures are made of cement but there are a few beautiful pieces of art that are made entirely of stone scattered around in the yard. It¡¯s a square-shaped place but the design and the trees make it feel more rectangular in nature and honestly it¡¯s a very inviting atmosphere for the house¡¯s entrance. I frown, I know what¡¯s going to happen next after all those birds got me and I can se- how? I watched in amazement as she shifted her head to dodge birds swoop and then tilted her body to dodge another¡¯s with only a few milliseconds between movements. Is her reaction time better than mine? Her movements are suffering because of her condition but it clearly not enough to stop them shining through? How did she doge them? I need to know. I jump down from the steps and run up behind the woman. Her shoulders drop at the sound of my footsteps. ¡° Now a child comes to insult me.¡± ¡° Hey¡­ you know you¡¯re quite sad.¡± ¡° Thank you.¡± She walks on. But a small tear escaped her left eye. This clearly causes her great pain as she starts to sizzle. Maybe I have underestimated her condition as she literally is sizzling due to her tears whenever they run over a burn. Her movements shaky at best but she takes each step forward with confidence. I find this very appealing. ¡° 5 gold a week.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± There was a wave of hidden anger in her voice she obviously doesn¡¯t believe me. ¡° Work for me instead. Five gold a week.¡± A hurried set of steps comes up from behind but she doesn¡¯t dare get too close to me. Five steps, mother will not let me within five steps of her. ¡° NO, I will not allow it!¡± Mother shouts. ¡° Mother? Did you think you have a say in this?¡± I turn to her and ask but then turn back to my new thing and I walk up a bit closer. Due to my age, I guess she is a lot taller than me. After all, I am only four. ¡°Ahh¡­ If you have even a shred of dignity, love of compassion you will¡­ if there is even a shred of hope that we can be a mother and son again I demand that you not hire this¡­ animal!¡± What the fuck is she on about. ¡°Lass, what¡¯s your name?¡± She seems daunted by the situation But is slowly coming to the discovery that my offer is more real then she originally believed. ¡° It¡¯s Eva.¡± Her words were strangely weak. ¡° 5 gold a week. You will be a personal maid, mine, although I expect you to do anything I say.¡± ¡° Yes! YES OF COURSE MASTER!¡± She practically leapt on me and started to hug me but immediately reel back her face choking up with pain. But then in a surprising turn of events, she came forward and hugged grunting as she did so. ¡° Fine! You are dead to me!¡± Mother said so as she stormed off. But I didn¡¯t notice and I don¡¯t think she did either. ¡° No. I mean anything.¡± ¡° Of course! Of course!¡± ¡° Let¡¯s speak more in my study come with me. We need to negotiate a contract for our future and I wish for you to understand the full extent of what I want from you before you agreed so blindly.¡± ****** My study, a delicate thing. Although it¡¯s one of the largest rooms in the house, it''s also the most cramped. A large collection of just about everything is stored here and it used to be a storage space. Well, it still is storage space. It¡¯s dark cramped and the air is hard to breathe but one day it will be a perfect location for a study. I will transform this room into a perfect space for research. ¡° I will now read your contract out loud to you, you are allowed to speak out about anything that bothers you and we can go back and forth as long as you would like.¡± I stay as formal as I can be. Honestly speaking all these years of humanity has led me to perfect my human act. We sat huddled next to the walls of old leather-bound books that circled me. ¡° Yes.¡± Maybe this all felt positive for her but she sat up and took this extremely seriously. But there was also a clear line of suspicion in her eyes. ¡° Ok¡­ First, this contract may be terminated as I see fit.¡± ¡° Ah¡­ ok, I understand.¡± Disappointment, no fear that is how I would describe her expression right now. ¡°... First, this contract may be terminated as I see fit. However, in the case of the contract being destroyed, I will offer various services based on the cause of the termination. First service if the contract is broken due to no fault of the employee¡­ this means you¡­ then I will offer the next three months payment upfront. Second, if the employee breaks or fails any of the following clauses then I may break the contract without offering services. Third If you are injured during employment then I may pay for medical services that depend on the seriousness of the injuries and the effort the employee has gone to avoid being injured. Forth there will be a set of expectations placed on the employee once she has signed this contract that state that no further changes can be made, suggested by the employee. The employer may make changes to the contract as I see fit. I will now read the list of expectations you must meet or this contract will be terminated. All good so far miss.¡± ¡° It isn¡¯t anything I didn¡¯t expect.¡± ¡° Very well I shall continue. These expectations include but are not limited too. Willingness to follow any order that does not put your life in mortal danger. A willingness to place my needs over your own. A willingness to accept any order, whether they been humiliating, sexual or against your comfort level. Second, an order may be questioned but not denied. ¡° Ummm! Question!¡± ¡° Yes, Eva. Can I call you Eva?¡± ¡° Um yes but you¡­ did you just say sexual? Um is this contract used regularly perhaps?¡± ¡° No, this contract was just written up in front of you. Is the knowledge I may ask for sexual activity from you deal braking?¡± ¡° Um¡­ no. But, I mean¡­ like I look like this so, that isn¡¯t something that you will eh or.¡± ¡° Miss if it makes you feel better I haven¡¯t experienced puberty. I am a four-year-old child but yes in the future I will most like use this clause to have my way with you.¡± ¡° Oh¡­ you¡¯re a child? But¡­ five gold?¡± ¡° Relax I will indeed pay you. If I may continue. Or should we stop?¡± ¡° No please!¡± ¡° You have no right to privacy and the keeping of secret knowledge is forbidden. Any questions ask of you must be answered to the best of your abilities or this contract will be terminated.¡± ¡°... is that all?¡± ¡° Yes.¡± ¡° Can you help me a sign.¡± ¡° ¡°Sure¡­ here.¡± ¡° Ok thanks.¡± ¡° So when do I begin?¡± ¡° Instantly.¡± ¡° Ok! I am ready.¡± ¡° You¡¯re not actually blind, are you?¡± ****** ¡° This painting is beautiful! My god look at this, my girl. Your son has talent in every sense of the word. I am so jealous.¡± ¡° Hehehehe. It was nothing.¡± ¡° How can that be nothing this is incredible!¡± ¡°...Mother¡­ it¡¯s drawn by a demo-¡° ¡° Shut the fuck up. You have ruined this house¡¯s name enough.¡± ¡° MOTHER HE''S A DEMON!¡± ¡° Goddammit! I still haven¡¯t gotten over how you called an actual priest to this house and they nearly left with you!... maybe I was cruel to stop him. After all, he was so sure you were sick but I said no, you¡¯re not taking my daughter but maybe that was a mistake.¡± ¡° He is a sick one!¡± ¡° Leave.¡± ¡° I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡° Leave. I wish to spend some time alone with my grandkids. Leave.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Arthur Iha¡­ I plan on having you succeed in the family name.¡± ¡° The Iha name? Not father¡¯s?¡± ¡° No definitely not. His house is dead anyway but you¡­ please carry my lover¡¯s name. I¡­ am not long for this world. But I will give you everything I own. I have written in my will that you will receive this land but¡­ I have the feeling it won¡¯t matter. There is still so much I would have liked to teach you but maybe it was better that I didn¡¯t see how my daughter became but your the only hope of our family now. Look at me rambling I truly have grown old but the point is. Can you accept my name?¡± ¡° Yes, it shouldn¡¯t be hard.¡± ¡° I¡¯m glad. I trust the next generation of the empire to you. Also, take this.¡± ¡° What is it?¡± ¡° It¡¯s a magic stone. It will call an inquisitor. He will protect you but you must call him after I am killed.¡± ¡° Killed?¡± ¡° Yes, your father has plans to kill me. I will allow him to but in return, I will use that as a way to have you overthrow him.¡± ¡° Yes. I will keep this safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad, it¡¯s a big burden but if you don¡¯t do this I have no doubt your father will kill you. I will keep you alive until then, but after¡­ you¡¯re smart you will find away.¡± ¡° Thank you, grandmother.¡± I still cannot tell. Who is using who here? ******* ¡° Breathe¡­ feel the energy around you. That is mana. Let it flow through your body let it discover your channels for you. Feel it grow with every beat of the heart.¡± ¡° Yes, Eve.¡± ¡° You are too young to learn my sword arts and I don¡¯t know magic so there is only one thing I can do. And that teaches you to see.¡± ¡° The blind is leading the blind.¡± ******** ¡° FUCKING KILL IT!¡± ¡° Shut up whore I know what I¡¯m doing!¡± So this is how I die? Choked to death in a sink by a man I want nothing to do with because I threatened his position of local top dog. It¡¯s sad, how far the mighty me has fallen. Even my creator would look at me with distance if he knew what was going to become of me. But just when the pain reaches its zenith I feel his hands are ripped away from my neck. An armed guard is pulling my screaming father as other blocks off my mother who raises a pistol and fires it at me. But something remarkable happens beyond understanding. One of the guards reaches out and catches the bullet out of the air before slicing my mother¡¯s pistol in half. Another set of hands find there a way to my throat but instead, they grab my collar and I am pulled from the sink. My grandmother is looking at me with fear and desperation. Moving around me she wraps her arms around my back and pulls as hard as she can. ¡° Cough! Cough!¡± ¡° NOOOO!¡± My mother screams as I am revived. My life saved. A feeling of¡­ gratitude and¡­ there is this warmth I haven¡¯t felt before is directed at my grandmother who then has a guard drag me away from her two guards guarding her we slowly back away. ¡° Sergeant! Sergeant! Kill him!¡± A group of men. cut off the exit. They all seem to be soldiers but they don¡¯t have weapons. A gun line and every gun are trained on me. Two rows of three, one row kneels in the front the others stand at the back. ¡° Ready.¡± The soldiers raise up there arms. I look around but other then some louse tiles there isn¡¯t anything that can be done. The room is too narrow, I have no weapons and I cannot run away as my parents will get me I cannot rely on the grandmother or her guards judging from there look of horror over there new found situations. ¡° Aim¡± The soldiers are men I haven¡¯t seen before but guessing from there colour palette they are not soldiers of this house. They are wearing bright greens and yellow a colour worn by only the knights of another local noble. But the last order doesn¡¯t come. There is a flash and then a thud as the sergeants head hits the ground. Then two more are cleaved in to but any other three. Five are dead before the sergeant¡¯s body hit the floor, panic breaks the line and a shadow dance between them slicing through every throat and in less than thirty seconds thirty men are dead and not a single one of them even saw what killed them. ¡° Master!¡± I am taken into someone¡¯s embrace ripped from my grandmother''s arms. Much to her dismay. ¡° Eva?¡± I see her worried face. She steps back and slinks through the room to a defensive position and waits. But grandmother¡¯s two guards are now looking for permission to be more aggressive. My mother is attacking one of the guards with a zealous fury but the guard¡¯s abilities are enough to be called superhuman. But he grows careless and mother if by instinct picks up on that. When he turned to ask grandmother what to do a set of teeth sank their way into his weakest part. His exposed neck then with a twist of the head flesh is ripped out chewed and swallowed. She rushes over towards me but Eva then puts her down with a punt to the face. ¡®Yep that¡¯s decided things, Eva I love you. My saviour!¡¯ The next day I turned five and had my fifth birthday, I woke up meet women, meet their children. Learned of true hate. Then I posed with my mother and father for three hours without incident so a painter could capture this moment in the form of an image. The painter even left commenting on how happy our family looked. But for the whole day I didn¡¯t allow Eva to be less than 20 steps away. ****** Pain. I feel nothing but pain as my grandmothers scream enter my ears. I am hiding underneath a set of stairs as I watch my mother¡¯s shadow slink from corner to corner. I can see one of grandmothers guards has been hung by the entrance and a swarm of people are attacking the other. No matter how many rush him he cuts them down with ease numbers mean nothing to him but still, it was pointless. A mage fires a bolt of lightning and it goes straight through his heart he too has died. I centre my breathing and I feel the natural flow of mana. There is an empty spot that matches my mother, dressed in her dress she struggles to run around searching for me. I can sense the locations of all the assassins. That mage is swirls of lights and a crack of thunder as he strikes the fallen soldier charing and smouldering his legs. The room is a sea and the hearts of men are lights. These lights catch on the tides and burn bright green inside the blue mana. Suddenly I bring my attention back to myself, in my pocket, I sense something pulse. And my eyes open, the stone. The blue game mother gave me to use when she died, her scream echo as I remember this. And I close my eyes again. Drowning out the echoes of my grandmothers screaming. The mana flows through me making me almost invisible but I reach out and tug a part of the mana making it flow into the gem. The gem flashes and like a ripple something spreads out towards the west. These four words repeated over and over again in my mind. I don¡¯t want to die! I don¡¯t want to die! I don¡¯t want to die! This is too unfair! Unfair! Unfair! It¡¯s not fair, after dying now after coming back. I decided to run, I cannot hide forever I must flee. My only advantage is what Eva taught me. The mansion I live in is ultimately just a part of a court year that connects to parliament. There are enough individuals of status that I doubt they can run around as they please and my father¡¯s authority has been weakening ever since my grandmother started to take a more active approach to life again. This ability to see will allow me to travel through parliament and around without being seen but all I have to do is make it across the room without discovery. If I can make it across this room then I win. Using my ability again I make an estimate of how far I will have to run to get out if I was to run in a straight line. Biding my time I see an opportunity and I make the run. Each step grows faster than the last as fear eats at me. The only thing I hear is the sound of my breathing and steps as I run. I don¡¯t look back I don¡¯t think I don¡¯t check to see if I made it I just run and run. Past doors, down hallways through empty and full rooms just as I am about to escape I can hear a ¡° Master! Master where are you! MASTER! Please answer me it¡¯s Eva! Don¡¯t worry I will kill these bastards and come find you in just a second. I will find you don¡¯t worry about your safety! Just run to my voice noting van happen to you while you are with me! ¡± I remember the fate of the knights who defended my grandmother, how even they could die to arrogance or get swarmed and I imagined that mage firing a lightning bolt through her heart and turned to leave, it was too dangerous for me to go back for her but when I took the first step I found it was in the direction of her voice. I found myself running towards her desperately despite knowing it was suicided. But the fear, the fear I felt grew until it was suffocating and unlike before it only hampered my ability to run. I hated this! I hate the chance I could die! I hated that I felt safe until now in my own home. I hated that I felt it would be fine. This is what got me in my last life as well. There was no way flesh could reach me so I didn¡¯t even consider it occurring and yet my creator ripped out my heart. Now I didn¡¯t even consider that my parents would be such lunatics! To try and kill there only child completely unprovoked! I hate that I am so¡­ powerless to the whims of the world! It¡¯s not fair! Never again will I be afraid like this again. Never again will I run blindly into danger¡­ so just this once. Just this once I will go back for Eva and never again. Never again so just this once. Never again will I let my flesh decide! ¡° Hahaha! Son, you came back to his mother!¡± At the last moment, I discovered I was the bud of life¡¯s joke as mother jumped out before me. Pulling out a gun ¡°MASTER!¡± Eva screams behind her and she bolts towards me. She runs like a snake with her form shifting in and out of the shadows as she covers ground faster than a human should be able to until she reaches out and grabs me pulling me into the shadows. I feel her hop three times but my feet are off the ground and my face is buried in her chest. Then we stop seconds. ¡° EVA!¡± I call out¡­ and I see. Imagine my surprise when I discover just how beautiful love can be! Bang! A bullet rips straight through my neck. Turning my head I see my mother¡¯s tears of joy and the smoking end of the gun. I feel the thud as I hit the ground. Eva dropped me. Looking up my vision is twisted by Eva is looking down on me. It¡¯s so blurry I can make out the details. ¡­ I see this was a trap. This is the end¡­ ¡°it¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°NOOOOOOOOOOO! MASTER!¡±