《Memento Mori: Death Incarnate》 Prologue: All Things Must Die Hello, my name is Clay, well, Casper Clay. Either one would do really since they both feel like first names. My friends call me...Well, I can¡¯t say that my friends call me Clay for short on account of the fact that I don¡¯t have any, not anymore. I¡¯m a Corpse Collector, you see. A few decades ago, saying something like that would¡¯ve made people think I was either mentally ill or had a strange hobby. I can¡¯t say that both don¡¯t apply to me, but a Corpse Collector is an occupation that¡¯s quite common these days. My job is to retrieve corpses from extremely dangerous places so they can be buried or cremated properly. It pays well enough so I can¡¯t complain and most people even praise my job saying it brings resolution and closure to relatives of the deceased. So why is it that I don¡¯t have any friends? A question I asked myself before realizing the obvious answer. I¡¯m just a little obsessed with death...More than just a little, I¡¯m really obsessed with it. If I wasn¡¯t so infatuated with it, I would be able to hide it better. I¡¯ve had a few girlfriends over the years and a sizable group of good friends before, but again, it¡¯s very hard to hide. Walking in the park and noticing a dead animal would often leave me absentmindedly staring. They tried to ignore it at first, they truly did and I applaud them for that, but I began to...take photos or souvenirs and let¡¯s just say if people find literal skeletons in your closet they¡¯d be smart to leave you alone. They were animal skeletons, by the way, my obsession didn¡¯t spill over into murder. I should actually be more specific about my...tastes...I¡¯m not a necrophiliac, I swear. I¡¯ve never once looked at a corpse and had any strange thoughts about jumping on top of it. I¡¯d say I¡¯m more interested in the art created by death. I find it amazing how someone¡¯s last moments can be captured through their corpse. Every fiber of their being and existence all compiled into one rigid pose, one stiffened expression, one satisfying story. I look at it and I swear I can see their history playing out before my eyes. Maybe it''s my own imagination giving meaning to death in order to cope. A therapist said that to me once. Maybe it¡¯s true, maybe, but that doesn¡¯t change what I see, only the medications do. It wasn¡¯t as if my ¡°illness¡± appeared from thin air. I know exactly where it came from in fact, and that was none other than the death of my mother. That day, something broke in my mind I guess. I looked at her, placed in the casket, tidied up, and put on display like a wax figure, and every memory of her I had replayed in my head. Ever since then, I¡¯ve felt a similar sensation when looking at corpses. That about sums it up and that¡¯s the reason why I¡¯m staring at the mauled corpse in front of me instead of running from the creature that caused it. The growling abomination of muscle that was slowly sauntering toward me. ¡°Hoo-man¡­¡± It spoke to me, its primitive mind just sharp enough to let out a barely cohesive word. I couldn¡¯t see it though, I was too busy looking at the corpse. A man, late 60¡¯s, fairly healthy. He had a family too. ¡°Hooo-man¡­¡± It sounded Angry. It was angry, after all, I should¡¯ve been running or screaming or pissing myself in terror and I probably would¡¯ve done all of those things eagerly...If it just wasn¡¯t for that damn corpse in front of me. His first daughter went off to college, she¡¯s earning a degree in business and management. Understandable, these days management positions in guilds were in demand and paid a lot, more than what I made. A business savvy person would earn more than a living if they had enough skill to distinguish themselves. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. His oldest daughter would be alright without him, it was what he thought during his last moments. A look of resignation was left on his face that remained intact unlike his body. He was right, she was a bright girl who would toughen up after this loss because she had two siblings to look after. A younger brother and sister who were weaker than her and would need her support to go on. ¡°Sc-ard, Hoo-man?¡± ¡°Could you shut up, please?¡± The words came out my mouth before I could stop myself. No, I no longer had control of my own body, I was just staring at that corpse and I would probably take my place right next to it pretty soon. Would someone look at my body and see my history? My dad maybe, he was a man who tried his best to close the distance between us left by our shared loss. This man...this corpse in front of me didn¡¯t have to worry about that. His wife was the glue of the family like my mother was. The wife of this corpse would weep after this but her oldest daughter, the one in college, she¡¯d help bring them all together again...eventually. ¡°Dum, Hoo-man?¡± It slowly moved to obstruct my view but the corpse was still visible and so long as it was, I would still be here to look at it. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk,¡± I replied dryly. Was this my death? I wasn¡¯t as scared as I thought I would be. Nope, not a shred of fear ran through my body much like my soon to be companion. He accepted it just as I am right now. Though, unlike him, my body just won¡¯t move and mind can¡¯t focus on anything but him. It should now be understandable how I lost my friends so easily, right? ¡°Ru-un, Lit-tul Hoo-man!¡± Did I mention that the creature had a horrible stench? It¡¯s breath smelled worse than a corpse and I would be the one to know. Just because I was obsessed with them didn¡¯t mean that I would enjoy smelling them. Rather, it''s a smell you become accustomed to and it doesn¡¯t bother you after being around it for so long. And when I was in this state, the smell would fade and I would barely notice. The breath of the creature didn''t allow for such a temporary escape now. ¡°Hoo-man?¡± It was curious about me now. It¡¯s grotesque meaty finger reached out and poked me in the shoulder, he was probably bewildered and a little offended by me ignoring him. ¡°Ouch.¡± I didn¡¯t sound too sincere but I meant it, that really hurt, a lot. I wasn¡¯t exaggerating either, its disgustingly twisted fingernail ripped through my shirt and pierced my flesh. Warm blood began to trail down my aching arm but that damn corpse kept me. I guess it¡¯s karma, I did regularly disrespect the dead in a way, staring at them so blatantly with more interest than sadness. ¡°Bur-ring, Hoo-man...Die.¡± Its hand was large enough to cover my head and I guessed it already knew that because a heavy palm covered my face but through the gap between its fingers, I could still see that corpse. ¡°You should really wash your hands.¡± Ah, my last words, a cheap insult, sure, but it was anything except for false. Really, if I wasn¡¯t going to die in the next few seconds, I¡¯d be a bit concerned about the amount of germs on the greasy palm about to crush my skull. ¡°Let him go!¡± I could hear a man¡¯s voice behind me. The voice of the man behind me made him sound young, older than me, but still younger than the corpse in front of me. The corpse was almost 60 before his body was torn open like a stuffed animal. Ripped apart, like a spiteful sibling who got their hands on your favorite teddy bear would do. I never had any siblings, not like the corpse. He had a brother. He must¡¯ve regretted not seeing him before the end. They grew apart, understandable, loss does that to people. It''s a painful memory, much like the monster, that pushes you apart and separates you from the people you care about, much like the corpse. It¡¯s only satisfied when it wrings every single bit of joy and happiness out of you. I heard something, a bowstring maybe? And then, something hit the monster. ¡°Hoo-man! Hurt!¡± It let me go and stomped off toward the disturbance. More arrows, more growls, more voices, and sounds of fighting that I couldn¡¯t pay attention to. Why? I hate to sound repetitive, I really do, but that corpse just wouldn¡¯t let me go, not yet. Only when I¡¯ve looked at all it showed would I be able to look away. Until then, it would continue to grasp at me, threatening to pull me down with it. Chapter 1: The Corpse Whisperer ¡°And you said your name was Casper Clay?¡± A man with a bow on his back asked me. I nodded while looking forward at the dead monster, a tall humanoid creature with dark green skin, an Ogre. The corpse of the old man was covered up but even if it wasn¡¯t I would be able to freely look away now. It only took around three minutes for me to see glimpses of their past, or rather, the past that I imagined. I glanced at the man writing in his notepad, he wore a dark blue spandex bodysuit, like something out of a comic book, with pieces of metallic armor over it. His chest plate bore the depiction of a Lion¡¯s head and so did his belt. I should also mention there were two wide pieces of cloth hanging from the belt that covered his front and backside. The problem with the bodysuit worn by people like the man in front of me was its revealing nature, the pieces of cloth served to protect his dignity. The last thing you¡¯d want if you were in his place was for someone to take photos of your unmentionables. Besides, all of the Gifted were basically celebrities so compromising photos would definitely fetch a high price or a lot of clicks. ¡°Are you sure?¡± He asked me again, skeptical of my name. ¡°Yes,¡± I fished in my pockets and retrieved my ID card before handing it over. Pestering an injured person was certainly rude but he saved me so I put up with it. Plus, he was a Gifted person. One of the thousands of people who ¡°awakened¡± gifts that helped them fight against the monsters that plagued humanity. He also happened to belong to one of the strongest guilds in the world, Sleeping Lion. ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded, giving my ID back to me. ¡°Are you related to the deceased?¡± ¡°No.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Then why were you just standing there when we arrived-¡± His question was cut off by a woman who was shouting loudly. ¡°You have to let me back there! My father was supposed to meet me-¡± She stopped when she spotted the tarp laid over what would be a corpse. ¡°Just stand back.¡± An officer pushed her back. Members of the Sleeping Lion guild were roaming through the area in search of any other monsters and it would be dangerous to go in. ¡°Wait¡­¡± I muttered as I looked at the distressed woman. She looked extremely familiar and if she was related to that old man that would make her¡­related to him. Was I still hallucinating? I¡¯ve been assessed by a psychiatrist and went to see a therapist regularly and I even suspected that my delusions were made up. I was never able to prove they were real and I certainly wouldn¡¯t investigate the background of corpses I looked at since it would get me fired. ¡°You don¡¯t understand...My father was going to meet me here! You have to tell me where he is!¡± She looked at me, sitting in the back of an ambulance with my arm placed in a sling, and my gaze unconsciously fell on the corpse. She suddenly burst out crying, collapsing onto the ground. "It can''t be him! You have to let me see!" "Ma''am, it isn''t safe, you have to stay back!" I felt sick myself, but I wanted to ask her some questions. Was she in college? Did she have siblings? An uncle? My selfish desire to confirm if my delusions were real took over and I slowly approached her. ¡°Hey!¡± The Sleeping Lion guild member yelled but I ignored him. There was a more pressing issue at hand. The woman was a sobbing mess, burying her face into her hands, completely closed off and interrupting her now would be rude, I¡¯d hate myself for doing so, but¡­ ¡°Your Father¡­¡± As soon as I said that, she looked up at me with a face covered in tears. I was briefly shocked because her face was an exact match for what I saw in my hallucination. ¡°Was he a man in his sixties?¡± I asked, just as desperate as her for answers.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. She nodded, still crying. ¡°And¡­¡± I swallowed nervously, ¡°Are you his oldest daughter? The one in college?¡± She nodded once more, her breathing erratic. I became dizzy when she answered. It couldn¡¯t be a coincidence at all there was no way it could be. All those times I saw glimpses of someone else¡¯s memories it wasn¡¯t made up but completely real. ¡°...How did you know?¡± Her voice was full of emotion that brought me back to reality. ¡°I¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t answer that. Who the hell would believe me even if I told the truth? ¡°Before he¡­¡± I looked at the corpse, hoping she would understand, ¡°He told me about you and how he wanted you to be strong. He said that your siblings and your mother will be depending on you...Also, your uncle, your dad wanted to speak to him last time and make amends. I¡¯m not sure what it was but they grew apart, right? I think...I think that even though something terrible happened, he knew you would be the strongest out of your family and hoped you achieve a lot.¡± The woman looked at me, stunned maybe? Or surprised? Whatever it was, she just looked up at me. She slowly climbed to her feet and approached me. Was she going to hit me? I braced for a slap but it never came, instead, she grabbed me and began sobbing even louder than before. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered faintly, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡­ A few hours later, I was back at my apartment, thinking back on all that happened. I plopped down on my worn-out couch and looked at the medication sitting on the coffee table. I had been regularly prescribed a large number of anti-psychotics to fight my condition since my mother died when I was a kid. Now I contemplated if I should stop using them altogether. ¡°...I¡¯ll think about it later.¡± I turned on the TV and found the news channel. ¡°Another incident has broken out in the downtown area of Levington. The site has been sectioned off by the Sleeping Lion guild as they search for any ruin openings but people are already full of panic. President Wilson has already sent a request to the US in hopes of assistance. With the US guild Sleeping Lion¡¯s close relationship to the Emerian Islands with their own branch guild located here, it is likely they¡¯ll lend a hand. In other news, Morgan Pharmaceuticals has reached a trillion dollar evaluation according to recent data, another milestone for¡­¡± I turned the flipped to another channel after hearing the report. Our country, the Emerian Islands had maintained a close relationship with the Americas, for a while now. A year after the US established its independence, Lord Bertrand Emeritt colonized a set of islands that weren¡¯t too far from the US. We had a tougher time surviving than everyone else but we managed. It wasn¡¯t until a few decades ago when we reached the level of a national superpower. The emergence of monsters was something of a blessing. The Morgan Pharmaceuticals company was largely responsible as they made big medical advancements with the remains of monsters. And now, we have Professor Phillip Erickson with us, here to speak on his widely accepted ¡°Precursor Theory.¡± I turned the TV up when I realized I was watching a live lecture. After a set of roaring applause, the grey-haired Professor finally began speaking. ¡°Yes, thank you all for attending today, I am truly grateful by the welcome I received. Now, I¡¯m not too skillful at small talk so I¡¯d like to get straight to the point. My Precursor Theory was dismissed at first but now, after evidence supporting emerged, it¡¯s widely accepted by most people. For those who aren¡¯t familiar, the Precursor Theory is centered around that the current creatures infesting our world haven¡¯t suddenly appeared during the last few decades but have always been slowly invading us. To support this, I ask that you look to certain historical mythology. Legends of giants or dragons being slain by some hero were always written off by us. But what if they were real? What if those legendary monster-slaying figures from history were indeed the first wave of Gifted? Now, there may some be exaggerated elements to the stories as we¡¯ve yet to come across evidence any world-ending dragons or serpents.¡± The Professor paused, allowing a few people to laugh. They were understandably relieved when he said that there was no signs of a calamity as a country destroying creature would spell the end of everyone. Even more so when you took into account that modern weapons weren''t too effective against monsters. ¡°The fact still remains, with certain monsters that resemble myths appearing these days, it makes sense for Gifted to have been alive thousands of years ago. In support of this, World Governments have already begun collecting relics and artifacts from museums and some have confirmed that they possess special properties similar to artifacts found within the ruins which the creatures dwell. The US has begun an investigation into the Witch Trials as they are now believed to be a record of persecution against Gifted due to fear and paranoia. In fact, it¡¯s no secret that just about every country is now on the search for lost mythological weapons or relics that could be found within their borders...¡± I turned the TV off and began thinking. Was I a Gifted person? It was a question many ordinary people asked themselves and there were hundreds of cases where people suspected they were gifted but turned out to be normal. With the increasing importance of Gifted and the reverence they were shown, it made sense to want to be among their numbers. ¡°Well, even if I was, I¡¯d be a pretty useless one. If I can only see memories of the dead then-¡± I stopped talking because I realized something important. If I could see memories of the dead wouldn¡¯t I be really useful? Since people were searching for past relics if I could see the memories of the dead I¡¯d be able to help find them. ¡°Wait...¡± My excitement deflated when I remembered that I never laid my eyes on remains that were older than a week or two at most so I wouldn¡¯t know if I could see the history of a thousand-year-old skeleton. With my enthusiasm gone, I decided to get some sleep. If I did have a gift it was relatively useless as far as I could see. I sent a text to my manager, letting him know I¡¯d be missing a few days before I fell down onto my futon and closed my eyes. Chapter 2: Somethings Calling My shoulder injury netted me a total of three days off. I spent those three days doing nothing but enjoying my time off. The Corpse Disposal company I worked for had great benefits so I was able to get a few restoration pills made by Morgan Pharmaceuticals. They were the cheapest thing the company offered and by far the most purchased by the general public. Of all their miracle pills, salves, potions, balms, and gels, the restoration pill was used much like painkillers used to be before the era of monsters. A few pills shortened the time it took to heal small injuries to just a few days and also cleared muscle fatigue pretty well. Anything more than a laceration wouldn¡¯t be fixed with a restoration pill. I looked at the anti-psych medications sitting on my desk, unused. I hadn¡¯t taken any of them for the last three days as an experiment. If I did have a gift I wanted to believe there was more to it than just reading memories of corpses. It would be the first time since I was child that I completely stopped using the meds given to me. I grabbed the bottles and took them to the bathroom before twisting them open and dumping them into the toilet and flushing them without a second thought. ¡°I¡¯m probably going to regret that.¡± I sighed before turning to the sink and staring at my reflection. One word to describe me? Average. There wasn¡¯t a single defining feature to be found on me. I stood at a height of 179cm, my eyes were a fairly common brown color just like my hair, and to top it all off, I enjoyed staring at corpses. Well, enjoyment was a bit of a stretch, I didn¡¯t like looking at the corpses themselves, just their memories. I could only think that would be a dumb gift if that was all. I sat in my usual spot on the couch and turned on the tv. I flipped through the channels before I spotted the flicker of a breaking news banner and stopped on it. ¡°...For those of you just joining the broadcast, there has been an emergency incident. The ruin site near the now-defunct Eighth Street Metro Station has undergone a sudden change. It is believed that several guilds were staging a joint exercise at the time and were caught up in the midst of the event. Casualties are unknown at this time but we will update you as we go on. All residents are advised to stay as far away as possible in case of a breach in the perimeter. We take you now to a live press conference with a Ruin Analyst to assess the meaning of a sudden change in the structure of Ruins...¡± I turned off my tv and pressed my face into my hands. I slightly peeked at my phone which sat on the coffee table. The only contacts inside being my father and Resting Place Retrieval. The latter was the name of the company I worked at, famous for its success rate in retrieving the deceased. Suddenly, my phone rang and the vibration slowly pushed it closer to me, beckoning me to answer. The call I really didn¡¯t want right came just as expected. I reluctantly picked up my phone and when I opened it a masculine voice, one I really didn¡¯t want to hear, began speaking into my ear. [Mr. Clay, the company sincerely hopes that your recovery has gone well. But I must ask, have you seen the news?] ¡°...Yes.¡± [Then do you know what that means?] ¡°I¡¯m still recovering from my injury so I don¡¯t think I can-¡± [You¡¯ve already received a dosage of restoration pills so you¡¯re more than ready enough to return. I know you earned your vacation and I hate to be the one to make you end it early but, we¡¯ve received a massive intake of requests and half the workforce is already preoccupied with other sites. So that means we have to grab whoever we can to fill the gap.] ¡°But-¡± [Mr. Clay, what is our company motto?] ¡°Please don¡¯t make me say it.¡± [I¡¯m sorry? I couldn¡¯t hear you.] ¡°...Rely on Resting Place Retrieval, because only you should be able to decide the final resting place for the ones you cherished.¡± I gave as much enthusiasm as I could muster which wasn¡¯t a lot. [That¡¯s right. You''re expected to arrive within an hour but a few minutes of tardiness will easily be forgiven due to traffic. As soon as the Government gives the all clear, you''ll be going into to grab the bodies.] ¡°I got it.¡± The call ended and I prepared to start my impromptu overtime shift. I envied the person the other line, the organizers, the ones who specialized in business and negotiations and never had to do anything but talk. The weird thing was, I never knew who I was speaking to exactly since it was usually a different organizer who contacted employees each time. It took me about five minutes to get dressed, putting on an old pair of jeans, a hoodie and some worn out running shoes. After that, I left my apartment rushed toward the metro station that would only be a few minutes away. Eighth Street, my destination, used to be a popular hub but when a ruin emerged, everything was torn down and a perimeter was raised to guard against monsters. The weaker Gifted of the Guilds often used it train so it was surprising to see something go wrong. Whatever the case was, I had a job to do so I hurried. The train wouldn¡¯t take me directly there, but it would drop me off close enough. ¡­ It took a total of fifty-five minutes to arrive at the outskirts of the perimeter. Since there was too much traffic for a taxi to bring me closer, I had to go on foot and it was not a fun experience. A crowd of reporters, pedestrians with their phones at the ready, and Gifted from smaller guilds stood outside a metal fence. I fell into the crowd and squeezed my way through until I arrived at the front, facing a very intimidating looking man dressed in a grey army uniform with a gun hanging from his shoulder. ¡°No entry is permitted.¡± He didn¡¯t even glance at me as he said so. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m not-¡± I fished in my pockets and brought out my employee ID. ¡°I¡¯m with Resting Place Retrieval.¡± The guard rudely snatched the ID out of my hands before pulling out some sort of scanner. He checked the barcode under my unflattering employee picture before it beeped.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Go in.¡± He stepped out of the way and opened the gate, allowing me entry. ¡°Hey! Wait! Tell us what¡¯s going on and I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re paid for it!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll buy the rights to your firsthand account for three hundred dollars.¡± I ignored the competing offers of the reporters and continued on. All the buildings that had previously occupied Eighth Street had been torn down and because of that, there was a relatively empty and flat path I had to walk. There were surveillance towers set up along the fence. Small tents and trailers were scattered around behind the fence. In the center was the Ruin site, surrounded by a 5-meter concrete dome and held shut with a reinforced steel blast door. I spotted the distant guild tents of Sleeping Lion, Eternal Sword, Red Owl, and Faithful Arrow. All of them were immensely powerful guilds that would cause people to kill each other for a spot in one. Of course, Sleeping Lion and Eternal Sword were in their own league with the former being acknowledged as the number and Eternal Sword holding the role of number two. As I moved in the opposite direction, I wondered if the whole phenomenon of Gifted appearing messed with people¡¯s head. Most of the grandiose guild names sounded like esports teams if I was being honest. Eventually, I found my way to a white medical tent where my fellow Corpse Collectors were already waiting. Having the magnetic personality that I did, they all looked at me briefly as I entered before looking away. I didn¡¯t expect them to say anything and went for a locker before putting on something similar to a hazmat suit. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve been assigned as the team leader for today. As soon as the guilds are finished collecting the possession of the deceased and eliminating any monsters they come across, we go in and retrieve the bodies, got it?¡± Everyone voiced their understanding and began loading up their equipment. We used carriers to retrieve corpses, a machine that resembled a cart with five rectangular metal coffins piled on top of it. Once you located a corpse, you¡¯d press a button and the metal coffins would extend and lower itself to the ground so you could load up a dead body with relative ease. The bigger guild¡¯s had their own recollection and sweeping teams, people they¡¯d send in to clear out all threats while the weapons, items, and supplies their guildmates had were retrieved. They usually left the armor on as to not touch the corpses and there was no way for us to steal them since the coffins were checked by the respective guild members before being shipped away. We were forced to wait for another hour before we were finally allowed to start the retrieval process. I followed behind the team with my cart in hand but I couldn¡¯t help but feel my skin crawl as the blast opened with a metallic groaning. I breathed deeply and hoped that stopping the use of my medication wouldn¡¯t hinder me. ¡­ ¡°Careful on the steps.¡± Our team leader said as he descended the stairs. The carts easily adjusted to uneven terrain so there was no worry of them slipping unless the one pushing it was the cause. The electric lights stopped at the base of the stairs and that¡¯s where the true boundary of the ruin stood. Torches hung on the wall, burning brightly as if they were just lit but they were probably decades old. The torches hanging in the ruins were a mystery as they were extremely hard to remove from the walls and once they were the flame died out. Further study showed they were made from ordinary pieces of wood. ¡°Alright, it should be clear since the guilds went through already. Start grabbing the bodies and load them up so we can leave. We¡¯ll split up after grabbing everything in the center cavern.¡± We entered a large cavern with multiple tunnels as per his instruction and there were humanoids made of dirt and stone scattered all around along with corpses of humans. I prepared to be pulled into their final moments but, surprisingly, it didn¡¯t happen. ¡°Clay, what are you doing? Stop staring and get started.¡± ¡°R-Right,¡± I answered. I approached a body out of my own volition which scared me. There was a sense of control to my actions that I didn''t have before. Feeling nothing from the corpse meant I might''ve I lost my gift. Sure, my habit of staring at corpses was inconvenient and it pushed people away from me, but it was the only thing that really gave my life meaning. I could only feel a sickening regret toward giving up my medication. My breathing began to run out of my control and I felt like I was on the cusp of a breakdown. A deep anxiety plagued my mind. If I lost my gift what would death mean to me then? Would the trauma and sense of loss I should''ve felt come pouring down at me? But, when I stared at the corpse, a flash of scenes ran through my mind and it felt as if they were burned into my retina. A short glimpse of memories played out like I was a spectator. ¡°What was that?¡± I whispered as I continued staring. I almost wanted to jump in joy when I realized that my gift was still present though it had definitely been altered in some way after I gave up on the meds. ¡°What¡¯s the hold up, Clay?¡± ¡°...Nothing!¡± I shouted back with a slight hint of joy that would surely seem misplaced in this environment. I looked around and became sure the Team Leader was singling me out a lot more than everyone else since no one had a body loaded just yet. I cautiously reached out toward the body of man in his 20¡¯s like me but he I didn¡¯t see anything when I touched him. I focused on him with the desire to see his memories play out and it was like a switch flipped in my head. My gift activated and I could see his last moments. ¡°If these monsters are pouring out it means the advance team is dead! We have to go back and inform everyone else!¡± I saw him fighting with dozens of humanoids made from mud while the other Gifted helped. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you Faithful Arrow guys do things but Sleeping Lion doesn¡¯t leave its guildmates that easily. We¡¯re holding on for another ten minutes, leave if you want!¡± The glimpse of the past stopped when I felt I understood enough and I was pulled back into reality. I was no longer forced to remain idle while the memories played out in front of me. And that realization of the control I seemed to have created a vivid sense of relief and joy. I¡¯m glad my back was turned to everyone because I was smiling like a maniac. The sensation was much more than pausing a movie and returning to watch it later. The medicine I had been taking for most of my life turned out to basically be poison to my gift. I began working earnestly, loading up the carts while gaining insight into the situation. ¡°You won¡¯t get away with this! I swear!¡± An Eternal Sword guild member was carrying a member of the Red Owl Guild on his shoulder. His form was bloody and battered as he advanced slowly. The ones holding the center cavern were long since dead as well as the monsters they fought. ¡°It¡¯s too late to say that, now.¡± A Sleeping Lion guild member followed close behind the man at a leisurely pace. He toyed with the sword in his hand and watched them as if they prey. ¡°Fuck you! You think just because your a big guild you can betray us?!¡± The man bearing the Eternal Sword insignia laughed, spitting out blood at the same time. ¡°When they find out, do you think you can resist the pressure from all of the guilds?¡± ¡°You really talk to much.¡± The Sleeping Lion guild member rushed toward his back and stabbed his sword into the injured man¡¯s back, twisting it viciously before kicking him away. After watching the lifeless body hit the wall with a thump, he finished the woman wearing the Red Owl insignia and retreated back into a tunnel. ¡°Ah!¡± I felt a little numbness throughout my body as the memory came to an end. I look toward the tunnel where the apparent betrayal seemed to occur and my skin felt like something was scurrying beneath its surface. It was a sensation similar to the moment when I first entered this place. There was...something at the end of the tunnel that caused it. ¡°Alright, the main cavern¡¯s clear, let¡¯s pick a tunnel and go in. We can go in groups of-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go through this one!¡± I shouted as I pushed my cart into the dim tunnel. ¡°Anyone wanna go with him?¡± I could hear the team leader ask behind me. There was no answer and a few of my co-workers even began snickering. I didn''t pay their rudeness any mind since I didn¡¯t want anyone to follow me in the first place. Chapter 3: Let The Dead Stay Dead I advanced down the dimly lit tunnel with caution. As I collected the bodies I peeked into their memories but the content was more or less the same and somehow still frightening. ¡°You¡¯re going to betray us for a relic you know nothing about?¡± ¡°Yeah, we are!¡± The Sleeping Lion members gathered around one man like a pack of feral dogs and began attacking him. He could only resist for a few moments before their combined attacks exhausted him and a blade was thrusted into his chest. He fell onto the ground with a few weak movements, becoming another victim of betrayal. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we need to catch up to the rest of them if we want to see what¡¯s in that tomb.¡± The memory was cut short and I managed to gain a new piece of info. The betrayal was caused by something valuable found in this ruin. The abrupt shift in the Ruin must''ve unearthed an artifact that was worth killing floor. I think the worst thing about this ordeal was the fact I was a witness. Sleeping Lion would rather have me killed than to have this information revealed. In fact, I''m sure a lot of people would want this secret from getting out since fighting between guilds would disrupt normal buisness. Carting corpses back and forth, I slowly advanced to the end of the tunnel where I found one last body waiting for. I recognized his face as one of the betrayers from early. I activated my gift and his last moments played out before my eyes. ¡°Damn...it¡­¡± He weakly cried out as he crawled away from a stone archway before his body finally became still. There was no clear cause of death but his body seemed feeble as if all the life was ripped away from him. ¡°Wait...that was here!¡± I looked around but only found a solid rock wall in front of me, there was no sign of an archway. I used my hand to trace along the rough wall in order to find a secret mechanism, but my search was fruitless. I tried pulling my hand away but a jolt, almost like an electric shock, ran through my body. I recoiled back and let out a panicked breath and could see it turning into water-vapor that covered my helmet before my eyes, as if the temperature dropped. My teeth chattered and my body shivered which were signs that served as a warning. ''Don''t go any further.'' It felt like my body was desperately attempting to tell me that. I knew that I should¡¯ve turned around but...there was something beyond this wall. I felt that whatever it was was pushing and pulling me simultaneously, threatening to pull me apart no matter what choice I made. So why not go forward? Actually, there was plenty of reasons. I moved to take another step back and the wall split open with a eerie groaning, like stone being grinded against stone. The archway I saw in the memories was revealed and I could now see it in more detail. Above the stone arch, strange letters of a language I had never seen before greeted me. ¡°I doubt this is a welcome sign,¡± I said, laughing weakly in an attempt to calm my trembling body. I had to enter at this point and in spite of all the reasons I had not to do it, I left my cart behind and stepped into the darkened tomb. The place that caused the guilds to fight against each other, and even more importantly, didn¡¯t let those who entered leave. Before I even made it a quarter of the way, the air turned freezing cold. Fire surged up from silver sconces that covered every inch of the room and revealed my surroundings to me. ¡°Holy fuck!¡± I shouted and stumbled backward. Every wall in the room was covered with skulls, humanoid, bestial, reptilian, just about every skull shape that could be thought of was mounted. Though it was the human ones that were the most numerous. And in the center of this strange place, there was a huge metal sarcophagus that sat upright. It¡¯s surface was covered in extremely detailed and precise markings, depeticing an engraved skeleton that wasn¡¯t human. The sarcophagus was over 2m tall and its the skeletal design depicted a figure with sharp fangs and six-fingered hands that crossed over a large ribcage. I walked forward hesitantly, feeling a prickling sensation on my skin. I didn¡¯t want to think about what might be inside. Would it still be living? Surely, it wouldn¡¯t want to be awakened if that was the case. My mind raced in a feeble attempt to distract me from the fact I was approaching the unknown. Thinking back, when I stopped using my medication, against my better judgement, it turned out to be a good thing. Now, I moved closer to the inhuman coffin that was anything but welcoming. I could only hope and pray with every fiber of my being that it was the right choice. When that Monster tried to kill me a few days ago, I didn''t feel anything toward it but for some reason. This room filled me with a sense of fear that I hadn''t felt in a while.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Was it due to human nature? Before the monsters appeared, I guess that most of people¡¯s fear was imagination based. Fearing the unknown had been ingrained in us since the dawn of time. To be fearful was to be smart, to understand that a threat to your life could lay in close proximity. So, confront it or flee? Both were very good choices, however, I felt that running definitely wasn¡¯t an option for me now. I lightly carassed the surface of the metal and my mind was ripped away from me. Violent flashes of things my mind couldn¡¯t comprehend all rushed into my head, tearing away at any sense of clarity. Was I screaming? I couldn¡¯t feel anything except pain which caused all of my senses felt numbed. And then, it abruptly stopped. I stood, in the room, still alone and still alive. The only thing that changed was the sweat that covered my body. I quickly pulled my hand back out to avoid being put through that pain again. ¡°What the fuck are you?!¡± I shouted to the still coffin as I began to recall the visions I was put through. There wasn¡¯t a clear sense of direction like the memories of the dead usually showed me but a twisted slideshow of death. So much death that it overloaded my brain for a moment. I could recall blurry backgrounds of different enviroments but the only constant in those memories was death. Mountains of bodies and skeletons seemed to flash in my mind every time I blinked. "Fuck off." I kicked the sarcophagus in front of me. It trembled in response and I immediately froze. The hollow eyelids of the skeletal figure lit up with blue light before dying down. Then, as much as I wish it hadn¡¯t, it began to open in front me. My body couldn¡¯t move at all, so I just stared ahead and listened to the faint creaking of the sarcophagus as it opened, though it was getting drowned out by the pounding of my heartbeat. I should apologize to whatever was inside. In a moment of frustration and anger I resorted to physical action which was probably the dumbest thing I could''ve done just after entering this place. Once the sarcophagus was fully opened, I didn¡¯t see some incarnation of death or crazed ancient bloodthirsty demon. Just an old book bound in worn leather with ivory fittings. I let out a sigh of relief as my body relaxed. I almost felt like laughing my experience away. It was almost like watching a horror movie that built up tension for a scare that never happened. I could finally understand why it was such an effective tactic. ¡°All that for you?¡± I didn¡¯t reach out to grab the book, instead, I inspected in from a reasonably safe distance. There were six small ivory skulls arranged in a circle on its cover, with the sixth sitting in the center. Above the skull decorations were more letters that I didn''t recognize. I realized I didn¡¯t have much time or this discovery would be taken away by the guilds or the government so I attempted to grab the book. Before my hand could touch it, the center skull opened with a click. ¡°Woah!¡± I pulled my hand back and it shut with the same clicking sound. I moved hand forward again and unsurprisingly, the skull opened once more. Ignoring all the things wrong with what was happening, I wondered if I needed to place my finger into the mouth of the skull to get it to work? It was a dumb idea and I knew it was, but I would just add it to the list. Entering this room had been a gamble with death and perhaps I began to think too highly of myself as my continued survial gave me reason to stay. ¡°Here we go.¡± I took a deep breath and place the tip of my ring finger inside and the skull closed, biting down on my finger. I reflexively tried to pull my hand back but it didn¡¯t let go and I could see blood dripping through my gloves. ¡°Ouch! Fucking ouch!¡± I bounced on my heels as the skull held my finger in its grasp. If I pulled away the pain would only increase. ¡°Let my hand go!¡± The book began to rattle before folding itself around my finger and shrinking down to the size of a ring. ¡°How?!¡± I looked at the ivory skull ring on my hand and tried to understand how it was possible for a book that was almost fairly sizeable to turn into something so small. I mean, it wasn''t unheard of for certain artifacts to display properties that went against the laws of physics but those couldn''t be applied the increasingly numerous mystical elements of this world. I put my dozens of questions away and rushed out of the room, feeling that I had been inside for way too long. After departing from the chamber, the walls snapped shut and I was back in the empty tunnel which looked like a dead end. Putting it behind me, I pushed my cart away with a light jog hurrying back to the center cavern only to find the entire disposal team gathered. ¡°Took you long enough.¡± The Team Leader complained. Everyone else seemed to agree with him as their eyes stabbed into me with frustration. Not a single one of them seemed to care if I was in danger or not. ¡°Sorry, I-¡± ¡°Hey, what happened to your hand?¡± The Team Leader asked, spotting my blood covered finger. He sized me up with a cursory glance and didn¡¯t seem too suspicious of me but if I answered wrong he would immediately find something wrong. ¡°My, uh, finger got caught as I was lifting one of the bodies. It should be fine though I think I just need some-¡± ¡°Hurry up and cover it with some gauze and let¡¯s go.¡± The Team Leader interrupted me again, opening an emergency kit and throwing some gauze toward me. ¡°Thank you,¡± I spoke with obvious traces of insincerity. In truth, it was his job to attend to the wounds of the rest of us and had the medical qualifications to do so, but he obviously had no intention of doing so. Without saying another word to me, he signalled for everyone else to go and we began our trek back upstairs. I needed to pass another inspection before I was in the clear. If I was discovered attempting to steal an artifact from a ruin, I¡¯d be handed a hefty prison sentence. I tried to seem as nonchalant as possible as we moved closer to the exit but I began to worry. I tied more gauze around my finger to hide the ring and hoped for the best. Chapter 4: Awakening The problem with smuggling artifacts out of Ruins was the R.E.S, also known as the Ruin Energy Signature. It was the easiest way of measuring and detecting the level of a ruin, artifact, and even a gifted individual. Of course, there was a different device to measure each. And the one that was used on Corpse Collectors could easily detect most, if not, all artifacts. I say most because there were cases of certain people with unique gifts who managed to steal artifacts. As one might imagine, the black market for artifacts was just as profitable as the clean market. ¡°Next,¡± The guards intoned as we exited the Ruin. My heart began beating wildly and my bandaged finger seemed to weigh a ton under the pressure of being discovered. I breathed deeply, hoping that I wouldn¡¯t be found out. ¡°Next.¡± Maybe it was a bad idea to take an unknown artifact out, especially when I didn¡¯t know how many of the guild members died. ¡°Next.¡± I wonder if I confess at this moment would they knock time off of my sentence. I could just say it latched on to me and I didn¡¯t say anything out of fear. ¡°Next.¡± No, that wouldn¡¯t work. No matter what excuse you used if you left a Ruin with an artifact in your possession you¡¯d face severe penalties. Some stricter countries even sentenced thieves to death. ¡°I said next!¡± The soldier shouted. I quickly realized he was speaking to me so I hurriedly stepped up. He narrowed his eyes at me and I automatically assumed he was suspicious of me but I couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°Stand still,¡± He said before he waved an object that vaguely resembled a handheld metal detector. His expression didn''t change at all as he read the numerical value displayed at the base of the scanner. ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡± His words brought me immediate relief and I briskly pushed my cargo away. ¡­ I returned home, half of me was excited while the other half was in a daze. I had seen artifacts many times but there was no way I could ever possess one legally. The price was one thing but there were also special permissions needed to purchase one. It was easy to imagine the amount of chaos that would occur should anyone with a bit of money be allowed to buy an object capable of leveling an apartment complex. I quickly removed the bandage covering my finger and tugged at the ivory ring which surprisingly came undone. ¡°Now...could you possibly change into a-¡± Before I could finish, the ring turned into the form of a book. I ignored the strange markings and skulls decorating the front and opened it up. And, of course, my anticipation came to a complete halt as the unfamiliar runic alphabet wasn¡¯t something I could read. I focused as hard as I could hoping for some reaction and, surprisingly, something happened, the symbols shook a little bit. Slowly, extremely slowly, the symbols turned into letters I could recognize. Death is a weapon. Seek the knowledge within these pages to turn it into your own. Be warned, those who have no affinity with death will meet their end. ¡°How can I even understand this?¡± I flipped past the ominous introduction and a page filled with symbols was slowly decoded in front of me. I was reminded of an old RPG game as I read everything listed. Choose the path you will walk. Death Bringer. Roam the battlefield as a personification of death and overwhelm your enemies with sheer power. Curse Wielder. Weaken your victims until they are broken and feeble before you end their lives. Death Priest. Seek the guidance of a Deity and receive their blessing. Use your enemies as sacrifices to please the Deity who chooses you. Dread Sorcerer. Your enemies will see death before it arrives and cower in fear as it greets them. I let out a short laugh mixed with excitement and amusement as I read the descriptions, the sense of mystique was a bit overridden by the content. I¡¯m sure that one thousand or so years ago, this book would elicit fear and reverence maybe, but in modern times it seemed a bit surreal. Still, I couldn¡¯t lie and say I wasn¡¯t dying to know more. As it stood, my current gift was simply looking at dead bodies and seeing some of their memories. Just having any of these ¡°paths¡± was like winning the lottery. The Gifted were celebrities in their own right, power, influence, respect, adoration, those things were all intoxicating benefits. But to be honest, my obsession with death is what drove me to desire more from this book. ¡°Ahem,¡± I cleared my throat and changed my perspective. If I were to look at this like it was a game, the first path would probably deal with physical prowess. The title Death Bringer seemed to indicate an aggressive approach toward combat. The second path, Curse Wielder, seemed as if it would useful for groups. An individual with a gift that allowed them to weaken enemies would be highly sought after. If what I wanted was money, then, sure, this would be the quickest way to get it. The downsides were that I¡¯d need to rely on other people for it to work. The third path, Death Priest, wasn¡¯t anything I wanted to dabble in. I heard about people with certain gifts that linked them to spiritual entities. If they lost control then insanity would soon follow. I felt that my compulsion to observe corpses was already a full plate. The fourth and final path, Dread Sorcerer, seemed similar to the second path with its description but I¡¯m guessing it would allow for a mix of long-range attacks. I carefully contemplated my choice before narrowing my options down to the first and fourth choices. There were cases of evolving gifts and some of the most famous guilds in the world had individuals with evolving gifts under their command. I wasn¡¯t sure if my path would be set in stone or if it could be altered so I should proceed as if it I couldn¡¯t go back. I thought about it rationally. What would be better? If I had skilled people supporting me, I think becoming a ranged-attacker would be great. To do that, I¡¯d need to join a guild and with a rather abundant selection of gifted to choose from, I doubt anyone would accept a newbie so easily. The plus side of choosing a Dread Sorcerer meant I wouldn¡¯t have to throw myself into danger.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Choosing ¡°Death Bringer¡± would place me in the frontlines but I think that was more beneficial. I¡¯m sure there were some gifted who could be called mages and a good number of them probably never had to fight up close. The experience would help and I could operate without a team built around me. Additionally, since I haven¡¯t heard of anyone with a gift related to death, it would hard to find a freelance team of gifted to support me. With that in mind, I braced myself and chose Death Bringer. I say chose, but really I just kept repeating it inwardly. In response, the symbols on the page began to scramble around before a new set of words sat in front of me. You have chosen to study the path of a Death Bringer. The unique skills of the other paths have been sealed. Additional knowledge is still available within these pages, granted you can afford the cost. As someone with an affinity with death, you are now able to collect souls from corpses and remains and store them within your body. Focus your mind and you will be able to see the souls of the dead. Souls of stronger beings have a higher value than normal souls. The strength of souls degrades over time. Souls gathered: 0 Path Of The Death Bringer Bone Restructure (Unique): In order to become a Death Bringer, you will need to be broken and remade. Price: 15 Novice Rune Inscription: Any weapon can be strengthened by a Death Bringer¡¯s knowledge of runes. Price: 10 Cost of Advancement: 25 Penelope¡¯s Dance (Unique): Learn the fighting style created by the first Death Bringer, a woman who roamed the battlefield with soft steps, gracing her enemies with death. Price: 25 Bone Mending: Your bones are not indestructible but with this ability, you will learn to lose the fear of them being broken. Price: 10 Wilma¡¯s War Scythe (Unique): Recreate a weapon wielded by an otherworldly being who served under a powerful Entity. There is no need for metal, this weapon can be forged from bones. Price: 50 To further explore this path more souls are needed. Current Amount: 0/250 To abandon this path and select a new one, more souls are needed. Current: Amount: 0/500 I trembled with glee as I read everything. ¡°Stay calm.¡± I took a deep breath and turned the page. There have been many to explore every aspect of death, to purchase the fruit of their labor, you must have the required amount of souls. Cursed Blood: Should an enemy spill your blood, let them understand the price that comes with it. Price: 25 Blood Arrow: Use your own blood or the blood of another to fire a poisonous projectile. Price: 25 Corpse Puppet (Basic): Raise an unintelligent undead servant. Price: 30 Cost of Advancement: 50 Skeleton Soldier(Basic): Raise a skeletal warrior to defend you. Price: 30 Cost of Advancement: 50 Demon Pact: Enhance your body¡¯s physical strength, increase your intelligence, or gain a fortune, by making a pact with a demon. When a pact is made, the demon will receive a portion of all of your souls for the duration of the pact. (Warning, not many demons can be trusted, show caution when dealing with them.) Cost: 40 To further explore the knowledge within this book, more souls are needed. Current Amount: 0/250 I continued turning pages, but they came up blank which I took as proof I needed to add more souls. I closed the book and placed it on my coffee table before standing up and heading into my bedroom. My destination? The closet where I stored the...well, the skeletons I¡¯ve collected over the years. I rummaged through for a moment, moving around a few well-placed boxes before a wall of plastic containers of varying sizes was revealed. Each one held the skeletons of dozens of animals from mice to cats and small dogs inside of them. I know it was weird to have but as I¡¯ve said, I was obsessed with death. I did as the book instructed, and calmed my mind before small white flames filled the space in front of me. ¡°Jackpot,¡± I mumbled and the souls began to float toward me. They sunk into my chest and I felt a slightly warm feeling cover my body. I closed my eyes and enjoyed it for a while until it suddenly stopped. I opened my eyes and could no longer see any of the tiny white flames near the remains so I returned to my living room and grabbed the book. Souls gathered: 50 The number was a bit disappointing if I were to be honest. I expected a few dozen animals net me a higher gain but it was greedy to ask for more after I already ¡°received¡± the book for free. If the order of the skills listed were by importance, Bone Restructure was a must. That left me with 35. The skills that had no relation to the Death Bringer path were all twenty-five and above so I ignored them for the time being. I couldn¡¯t fight, I had no background with self-defense or swordsmanship or anything else that was meant to hurt other living things. So I would have to get Penelope¡¯s Dance, even if the name wasn¡¯t very intimidating, I wasn¡¯t concerned. After all, the description seemed to evaluate her highly. With only 10 left, my choices were restricted to the knowledge of runes and Bone Mending. If I was set on entering Ruins the latter would be immensely useful. But, well, without Wilma¡¯s War Scythe, I needed a weapon. The price of an effective weapon was already immensely high and armor, healing supplies, and registration for Ruin Clearing would cost enough as is. It seemed that inscribing runes could help make cheap weapons better. So, I chose it, hoping I wouldn¡¯t suffer too much. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± I recalled the huge market of groundbreaking medicine and smiled. If I ended up in an accident, I could just buy items to make up for the lack of Bone Mending. And if I managed to kill well enough, I could easily purchase Bone Mending at a later time. With my mind made up, I thought of the three skills in my head and my body became frozen stiff as the souls I collected were drained from me. It was uncomfortable, to say the least, but I knew I shouldn¡¯t complain. The skills disappeared from the page of the book and three new memories appeared in my head. And with them came the understanding that I needed to meditate or at least, find somewhere quiet to absorb the knowledge that was brought with them. I restrained the eagerness I had and instead began to make preparations to register as a gifted person. I quickly pulled up a webpage on my phone and filled out an application online. Name, date of birth, current residence, and other things until I came to the section that told me to describe the nature of my gift as best I can. The one thing I couldn¡¯t do, at least not at this moment, was tell anyone I could see the memories of corpses. If I were to say that now, the guilds involved with the incident at the Eighth Street ruin site would become suspicious. It was already bad enough that my gift involved the dead and I was a Corpse Collector. My occupation would put me under enough scrutiny as is. There would probably be questions if I had already tampered with corpses before but I hadn¡¯t. As long as you didn¡¯t count staring as tampering. I sighed and typed ¡°Necromancy¡± before hitting send. I almost immediately received a text telling me to come to the nearest facility with the required amount of money to be tested. Even with a steep testing fee, there were still hundreds of people who either mistakenly believed they had gifts or simply hoped they had and used the testing facility. With that being so, there was usually a long queue to stand in. The next thing to do was to resign from my job. I knew that I would have access to higher quality souls if I pretended to be a normal person for a few more weeks but, I didn¡¯t want to be discovered siphoning souls from the deceased members of guilds. It was easy to imagine them calling for repercussions if I was found out. Also, it was illegal to knowingly hide your gift which resulted in compulsory government service under strict watch. The people who did so ended up with the unique occupation of being a soldier who cleared government-owned Ruins and prisoner simultaneously. The easiest way to imagine why the punishment was so high was to think of someone who discovered a cache of weapons and simply took them home. I dialed the number to Resting Place Retrieval and began to smile. I was eager to see the faces of my co-workers when they heard I had awoken to a gift. The only regret I had is that I probably wouldn''t be able to. Chapter 5: Read The Fine Print I quit my job citing ¡°personal issues¡± as the reason. It was common for people who picked up mutilate corpses to suffer mental trauma after a while so a high rate of resignation for that line of work wasn¡¯t unheard of. With that taken care of, I had to actually produce something of substance when the time for me to get evaluated came around. I climbed to my bed and sat cross-legged before closing my eyes and attempting to enter a meditative state. The key seemed to be mental focus and since I had little to distract me, I managed to achieve it pretty quickly. I saved Bone Restructure for last since it sounded agonizing. I was even a bit scared to go through with it, but I knew I would have to eventually. Due to my eagerness to learn how to fight, I concentrated on Penelope¡¯s Dance and felt as my body was being moved away. ¡­ Before I knew it, I stood in a dark space. I believed I was alone until I could hear the faintest set of footsteps approaching. And then, a light shone down like a spotlight, illuminating a young woman in dark robes with a war scythe that towered over her. The hood of the robe obscured her pale face but I didn¡¯t need to see her face to make a guess as to who she was. No, the upright shape of the blade attached to the twisted branch-like staff told me all I needed to know. ¡°Penelope?¡± I spoke aloud but she didn¡¯t respond to me. I nearly forgot this was memory so it made sense for her not to react to me. I silently watched as she lifted her war scythe with ease and began to rotate it. As she did so, she moved forward, spinning on either the tips of her feet or her heels when she needed to. All the while she continued to spin the war scythe in sync with her footwork, creating a hypnotic rhythm. I understood why it was called Penelope¡¯s Dance at that moment. The way she moved was seemed as graceful as ballet or ballroom dancing. There was no delay, just a continuous and fluid rotation. And since I had to learn it, it seemed even more daunting. Just as I thought that Penelope¡¯s Dance was difficult enough, runes etched into the blade of the war scythe began glowing and she began moving even faster. The war scythe twirled in her hands like a blur and I could hear the sound of it cutting through the air. When her dance neared its end, her war scythe came to a thunderous halt that jolted me awake. *** My head briefly ached as a set of moves ingrained themselves into my memory. I felt that I had, through no effort of my own, memorized the entirety of Penelope¡¯s Dance. Or, at least, as much as she showed me. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I could do it properly and I wasn¡¯t arrogant enough to say I was able to do so. If I had to describe the sensation, it felt like I had memorized a blueprint but didn¡¯t have any knowledge of building. Really, I couldn¡¯t even be called a novice since I had no experience at all. What I did understand, without the need for memories to explain it to me, was that Penelope¡¯s Dance relied on momentum. The footwork seemed to be necessary to move forward and or avoid attacks while maintaining the speed of the war scythe rotations. I wanted to practice it if I could, but I knew I would need to do a few other things before that. I calmed my mind once again and focused on the knowledge of rune inscription. At once, the foreign alphabet that filled the book appeared in mind except it made more sense this time. I had learned the basics of another language in one day. Or rather, the basics had been implanted into my mind with a searing sensation. I grit my teeth and held my forehead as the pain made my consciousness feel foggy. ¡°...It¡¯s probably better than what comes next,¡± I muttered. The concept of being broken and remade may have appealed to anyone with masochistic tendencies but unfortunately, I was quite normal when it came to pain tolerance. The only time I could ignore it was during the times I was compelled to stare at corpses, which I will note, had vanished when I stopped taking my medication. That meant whatever grim experience came with ¡°Bone Restructure¡± I would have to experience fully aware. I tried to ignore it, after all, there was a saying about bridge crossings and not worrying until you were there. Actually, if I think about it, that was something very irresponsible to say. I got out of my bed and started to make preparations. First, I turned my tv up to the highest possible volume and pressed a few buttons on the remote. I set it up so that the loudest song I could find, one filled with violent screaming, was set to play on a loop. Most of my neighbors were likely to be at work but there would be a few who were still around. I think that causing them some brief annoyance would be better than having to explain to the cops why I was screaming like someone was attempting to murder me. I just hoped they could bear with me for a little bit and not call the cops anyway. At most, I was likely to receive a complaint which I could deal with. Next, I began filling the bathtub with water but not too high as I didn¡¯t want to drown to death. I¡¯m not sure if my experience would bring blood with it, but I didn¡¯t want to find out. I felt enough preparations were made so I stripped off my clothes and climbed in before lying down completely. I was sure that no matter how much I writhed around, I wouldn¡¯t end up drowning. So without waiting any longer, I focused on Bone Restructure. I closed my eyes, expecting pain to come flooding in but after a few minutes, I felt it was taking too long. ¡°Do I have to say it aloud-¡± I stopped speaking when the taste of blood filled my mouth. I maneuvered my tongue around out of curiosity and felt something being dislodged. The horrifying realization came soon after, and I shouldn¡¯t look any further, but I did. I opened my mouth and spat into my hand to see a few of my teeth in my palm. My breathing grew unsteady but I didn¡¯t scream. Against my own feelings, I continued to move my tongue around the inside of my mouth, knocking out every single tooth. I spat them into the tub and before I could do anything else, my arm became outstretched and rigid. I squeezed my eyes shut because it was clear what would happen next. I told myself that if I didn¡¯t see it, then the pain would be lessened. That was simply not true as my fingers began breaking.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. A scream emerged from my mouth, hoarse and bloody. I reflexively tried to clench my teeth but that was a fruitless effort seeing as my teeth were in the tub next to me. If anything, pressing my freshly emptied gums against each other only brought me more pain. Then, my suffering seemed to ascend toward the climax as my other hand began breaking itself apart. My toes curled up in agony, before breaking. I kicked and twisted my legs before they began twisting back at me. I blacked out. The pain stirred me conscious once more and I was greeted with the sight of my arms bending the wrong way as if to rebel against me. My shoulders dislocated themselves as if to separate themselves from the situation. My jaw dislocated itself, finding my screams to be bothersome. My ribs cried out excitedly, fracturing themselves apart with joy. My legs and hips snapped to a song they only knew. My skull seemed to find things too chaotic and cracked under the pressure. This was hell. There was no regret as I was forced through the epitome of agony itself. I had no time to question why I had put myself through this. And then, the climax of this journey had arrived in the form of my spine severing itself. I wanted to cry tears of joy as the pain faded and a warm sensation had drifted over me. I don¡¯t think I had ever been so comfortable in my life than I was in that moment. I could just barely hear my bones being broken, but I was freed from the pain that accompanied it. *** When I woke up again, it seemed like it never happened. My body felt much lighter and my mind felt clearer. If it wasn¡¯t for the bloody water surrounding me, I would¡¯ve thought that I imagined all of that pain before. ¡°Shit,¡± I cursed as I let the water drain out only to discover my teeth remaining. I scooped them up into my hands and turned the shower knobs, washing the rest of the reddish water off of me. I soon climbed out of the bathtub with a handful of teeth and tossed them into the trash. I walked to the nearest towel and found my steps were off. ¡°The hell?¡± I looked at my feet and felt something wasn¡¯t right. I covered myself in a towel and looked into the mirror only to recoil in shock. ¡°Who the fuck are you?!¡± I shouted at myself. No, that couldn¡¯t be me. For one, I was only 179cm if I recalled correctly but the current me was, much taller. I now stood at around 185cm. ¡°And my face!¡± I softly rubbed my sharpened jaw before my hands glided over my newly pronounced cheekbones. I didn¡¯t look like this, no, I was- or, used to be, plain. But now, well, I couldn¡¯t say I would cause traffic accidents with my looks alone but I was quite the sight. I narrowed my eyes and chuckled mischievously as I continued poking at my new face. ¡°Nice to meet you, Casper,¡± I greeted myself, repeatedly raising my eyebrows. Wasn¡¯t this great? Now, I wouldn¡¯t look like a creep when I stared at corpses. No, I would still seem weird but at least the creepy factor would be lessened with a face like this. ¡°Hold on.¡± I rotated my shoulders a few times and found my resting posture was, well, great. After a while, my feelings of excitement died down. People having their appearance altered by their gifts wasn¡¯t uncommon at all. There was already a few Gifted on the level of supermodels roaming this earth after all. Not only would their looks change, but their hair and eye color would also change, making them even more unique. ¡°Oh well.¡± Though it wasn¡¯t my goal, I was happy with the result. I strolled into the living room and turned off the tv after realizing the music had been playing all this time. When silence returned to my apartment, the sound of someone violently banging on my door filled my ears. ¡°Open up! I know you¡¯re in there! You open this fucking door right now!¡± I heard a woman shout at me from beyond my door. ¡°...Damn it.¡± I wanted to get dressed but then I suddenly though that if I arrived in a towel the angry individual beyond the entrance would be hesitant to attack me. I sighed deeply before making sure the security chain was in place and then cautiously opened it. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Uh?¡± The middle-aged woman repeated in a mocking voice. ¡°You want to play your music for a few minutes? Great, I don¡¯t mind. But when you play the same fucking song over and over for two hours straight we all start to get a little bothered.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I-¡± ¡°Wait, who?!¡± She pushed against my door while showing a scrutinizing gaze. ¡°Who are you? Where is the owner of this place?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s me, Casper.¡± ¡°No, it can¡¯t be...and why are you hiding? What did you do to the man who lived here?!¡± The woman understandably began to get more than a little suspicious. If I were in her place, I¡¯d think that the music was used to cover up a murder. ¡°It¡¯s me, really. It¡¯s just that I¡­¡± I fumbled for something to say until it hit me, ¡°I¡¯ve awoken to a gift!¡± ¡°Ah! Really?!¡± The woman¡¯s expression changed considerably. ¡°Oh, then please excuse me for my behavior.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s uh, no problem. I just, it was a rather painful awakening.¡± ¡°Oh, okay, I get it. You just didn¡¯t want to disturb us, is that it?¡± Her tone had softened and her personality had taken a 180-degree turn. ¡°Yeah, something like that.¡± I laughed dryly and she laughed along with me. There was nothing particularly humorous and yet, here we were laughing. It was scary how natural this woman¡¯s laugh sounded though. ¡°Well, I should go back inside-¡± ¡°You know¡­¡± She cut me off before I could finish. I understood now, this was the status of gifted individuals to normal people. Even the weakest of the Gifted had to be treated with a little respect. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as anyone with a gift could do as they pleased. The government was always eager to ¡°punish¡± disruptive and weaker Gifted with mandatory service. The ones who were stronger were allowed a bit more wiggle room. There were a few who had quite a lot of scandals under their belt but that affected the prestige of their guild more than anything else. ¡°I have a friend who has a nephew who has a gift. She¡¯s always bragging about this and that when he hardly ever speaks to her.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± I nodded, hoping that she would understand I didn¡¯t have any interest in continuing a conversation with her. ¡°I mean honestly, she¡¯s out flaunting someone else¡¯s status. I can¡¯t wait to see the look her on her face when I tell her that we have a tenant in our building who¡¯s a Gifted.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be surprised,¡± I forced a smile and tried to shut my door but she pushed her foot into the doorway to stop me. ¡°I could set a meeting between you two. You and her nephew, I mean.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± She caught my attention with those words so I humored her a bit, ¡°How would that benefit you?¡± I was a bit straight to the point but I wanted to know what she wanted out of it. ¡°Nothing, I just want to see the face that bitch- excuse me, that woman makes when she has nothing left to flaunt.¡± ¡°I see, well, just let me know the date and I''ll-¡± ¡°Next week! A group of us always meet up at the start of every week. I¡¯ll leave a note in your mailbox with the address.¡± ¡°Great.¡± I smiled and slowly shut the door. I was relieved when she didn¡¯t stop it from closing this time. ¡°Phew,¡± I exhaled before going to grab a snack from the pantry. The exhaustion and hunger had finally set in and I was eager to rest. I still had a few days to register so I put it off until tomorrow and decided to rest. Chapter 6: Classification As soon as I woke up, I rushed through my morning routine and began practicing the basics of Penelope¡¯s Dance. Instead of war scythe to assist me, I had the privilege of using an old broomstick. I cleared my living room of all obstacles and began. I moved my feet first, pivoting, turning on the heels of my feet, and spinning. I think it would¡¯ve been much harder prior to my awakening, but after I had been ¡°restructured¡± it felt fairly easy on. At least, to do it at a slower pace. I was nowhere close to Penelope who kept a continuous flow. I had to stop every few steps and reset my position whereas she seemed to be able to move in any direction without pause. After an hour of what would probably look like a shirtless man dancing with a broom, I began to rotate the broomstick. I started slow but that didn¡¯t stop me from dropping it onto the ground or tripping over my feet. I wasn¡¯t discouraged at all though, I had only started an hour of practice and I felt pretty good about it. I recalled Penelope using a one-handed technique to swing the war scythe a few times and I tried to recreate it but a few attempts let me know it was still too complicated to work on just yet. So, for the most part, I focused on the fundamentals. Step, pivot, twist, spin, et cetera. Once I had a feel for the rhythm it was easy to memorize. I closed my eyes and compared myself to Penelope for reference. Based on the description of the Death Bringer path and the nature of Penelope¡¯s Dance, it seemed as if Death Bringers were supposed to creep into the middle of a battlefield. The angle and speed of the war scythe rotations combined with footwork seemed to have the intent of creating a radius in which you could deal with multiple enemies. I felt a brief glimpse of Penelope¡¯s demonstration play in front of me and felt as if I were right. Sometimes, her swings seemed to be narrow as if she were against a singular opponent. Other times, she made retreated backward while making a wide, arcing, swing toward her front as if to keep enemies at bay. My practice session extended by another 3 hours before I snapped out of and realized I needed to visit the testing facility. My short training reminded me that people with superhuman abilities fought far differently than ordinary humans did. When fighting the standard monsters that emerged from the Ruins, most skilled Gifted only needed a few moves. When they fought with each other though, it played out like movies from the pre-ruin era. Speaking of, everyone had heard the rumor about a few Gifted who solely hunted others with gifts. Supposedly, they sold their talents to different countries who wanted to deal with those gifted who had committed too many crimes to be overlooked. And befitting a rumor, there was no definitive evidence except a few low-quality snippets that might as well have been staged. I washed up and threw on a hoodie and sweatpants, and stashed away the skull covered book, before heading out. I checked my mailbox and found the note detailing the address and the name of my ¡°kind¡± neighbor, Nancy. ¡°That place isn¡¯t too far.¡± If I recalled the location correctly, I should be meeting them at a restaurant close to where I lived. I folded up the note and called for a taxi and headed toward the testing facility. ¡­ A short trip later, and I stepped into the facility, finding it to be much like I expected it. Besides the neat orderly arrangement of the interior, there were seats full of normal looking people and a few oddballs. As a man who stared at corpses, finding them to be beautiful in a way, I had no room to judge. But there was a guy decked out in a makeshift superhero costume which made it hard not to. ¡°Please, take a ticket and be seated. Make sure to have a proper form of payment when your ticket is called or you¡¯ll have to reschedule.¡± A woman gestured to a small machine that pumped out tickets like candy. I grabbed one and sat in an empty chair, as far away as I could get from everyone else but there were just too many people to be completely alone. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your gift?¡± A man, the one dressed in yellow spandex and what might¡¯ve been skiing goggles asked. ¡°Um...me?¡± I inquired. ¡°Yeah, you.¡± He nodded. I looked at the man and then to the others around us, discovering they had long since tuned him out. ¡°...I thought that wasn¡¯t a subject you should speak openly about,¡± I finally replied. ¡°Exactly!¡± A young woman seemed to agree with me. ¡°That¡¯s all nonsense for your information. My hyper cognitive abilities allow me to learn any skill with three times the speed of a normal individual.¡± ¡°So why the suit?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°Why?!¡± The man asked rhetorically. The few ¡°normal¡± people around him let out a sigh as he began a grand explanation, ¡°This material of this suit is made of a specific composition of materials which help to restrain my ability. If I don¡¯t wear it, I¡¯ll have the irresistible urge to constantly learn new things which is a bother.¡± ¡°...Right,¡± I said with a nod, as if I could possibly comprehend the principles behind it. A skeptical onlooker let out a snort full of contempt. At a glance, he seemed fairly young, maybe in his teens, but the government had no qualms with adolescents being tested for gifts since it was the best time to groom them. ¡°Unlike his fake gift, my gift is very real,¡± The teen said in an almost theatrical voice. ¡°I am possessed by two ancient evil spirits that constantly fight for control. Sometimes I can barely hold them in and the urge to hurt others clouds my mind. If they ever decided to work together, an unstoppable power would be released upon this world.¡± A smile grew on my face as I listened to him speak and I nearly let out a laugh. The man in the spandex and teen with ¡°evil¡± spirits inside of him were quite the characters. I didn¡¯t think of them too harshly since I guess explaining my own gift would sound just a strange. I suppose it was a bit of innocent fun they were having which was fine, to each their own. ¡°You two sound completely idiotic.¡± Another man dressed in an expensive suit rolled his eyes and checked his watch, most likely a designer brand. The teen sucked his teeth and rolled his eyes and it was only then did I notice he seemed to be wearing colored contacts, one red and one blue. While the spandex-clad man simply shook his head. To the well-dressed man¡¯s credit, he seemed to be the real deal. His attitude seemed more like he was going through the process because he had to. If I had to guess, he was a child of a strong Gifted or involved with a guild. ¡°What?¡± He noticed my staring and quickly confronted. ¡°Nothing, I guess,¡± I answered back calmly. Now that I think about it, I hadn¡¯t had much interaction with another person in a quite a while. I guess since my face was much more pleasant to look at it became easier. ¡°So what¡¯s your gift then, tough guy?¡± Spandex asked, finding the suit-wearing man to be intolerable. ¡°I¡¯m good at punching things. I could show you sometime if you¡¯d like.¡± The suit-wearing man let out sarcasm filled retort. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like much of a gift.¡± Spandex replied, ignoring the provocation.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Because I don¡¯t like exaggerating like the rest of you.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for my self-control, you¡¯d be burned to ash already.¡± The teenager let out a snort full of contempt. ¡°Sure, kid.¡± ¡°Numbers, seven-hundred forty-two, fifty-three, eighty-six, and thirteen, please come up.¡± A robotic voice announced on the speakers. ¡°Ah.¡± I let out a soft exclamation as I was among the numbers called. Coincidentally enough, I was number thirteen. And even more a coincidence, the trio of the well-dressed man, the teen, and Spandex were called up with me. ¡°...Good luck,¡± I said to them. ¡°And to you too,¡± Spandex was the first to reply. ¡°I don¡¯t need luck,¡± The teenager answered after. And the man in the suit ignored me completely which I wasn¡¯t bothered by. We headed in separate directions where the test began. I paid the steep fee of several hundred dollars before I was allowed to enter a room with a digital display showing my number above it. ¡°Please stand in the center of the room to begin.¡± A human voice called out to me from beyond a one-sided observation glass. I quietly stepped into the center while turning to look at the nearly empty white room. There were some type of sensors filling the wall. Like I said before, there were different machines for testing the Ruin Energy Signature and one was used on Gifted to discern the level of their abilities. The RES classifications were numbered from one through seven with seven being the highest possible. If the RES of a ruin reached class-7 it would put an entire country on high-alert. The Gifted were a bit different in that regard, as a single class-7 gifted would be dangerous but not enough to destroy a country. Or at least, I hadn¡¯t heard of anyone like that. ¡°Alright, just remain still and try to focus on your gift as best you can and the RES value of it will be recorded.¡± There were a few people who probably thought you¡¯d have to channel magic into a crystal ball or fight a bunch of robots, but no, high-tech machinery specialized for detecting gifts was at work. I¡¯m not sure what would happen next as I waited in complete silence with only the faint buzzing of machines to fill the air. ¡°Okay,¡± The man on who spoke through the observation glass sounded enthusiastic, a good sign for me. ¡°It appears you have a class-2 gift. Once you exit, you will be guided to an interview room to go offer the nature of your gift.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I cracked a smile as I left the room. But it soon faded as I realized the real test was just starting. My prior occupation and nature of my gift would be fairly suspicious so I was glad I went over it ahead of time. ¡°Right this way.¡± A male employee guided me down a hallway into a what felt like a therapist office. Inside, a woman was sitting at a desk behind a computer, she sent me a glance before welcoming me in with a smile. ¡°Please, sit.¡± She gestured toward the chair. As I sat down, I remembered one aspect I didn¡¯t plan around and that was my medical history. I tried to remain calm on the outside but inwardly I wonder how it would play out. ¡°Now, you should have filled out a form already but can I have your ID to just pull your application up in the system?¡± ¡°Uh, sure.¡± I handed it over without a problem. ¡°Okay¡­¡± The woman raised her eyebrows slightly and I could guess the name ¡°Casper Clay¡± seemed like a fake one. Oh, that wasn''t it! My appearance and height had changed drastically than what was depicted on my old ID photo. Anyone who saw my former self would be drastically surprised. My information was entered and my application was presumably pulled up and read by the woman. ¡°You have received psychiatric treatment up until now, correct?¡± She began typing. ¡°...Yeah, that''s right.¡± ¡°In your own words, could you explain the nature of your illness and the time when it started?¡± I¡¯m guessing she already had access but there was probably a need to make sure I was of a sound mind. ¡°Well...I guess it started when my mother died. Ever since then I¡¯ve had a sort of obsession with death...Not that I went out my way to cause it, but if I encountered the corpse of an animal I would be compelled to stare...It wasn''t anything too bad, I just, well, it was a bit of a bother.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The woman typed something into her computer before continuing. ¡°So that explains your job with Resting Place Retrieval?¡± ¡°Yes...I didn¡¯t tamper with any bodies though, you can call and ask about my record. It''s hard to even breathe near one of the retrieved corpses let alone tamper with them.¡± ¡°There is no need to be nervous Mr.Clay, it''s just a matter of formality.¡± ¡°I, uh, yeah, sorry.¡± I smiled dryly. I could only be thankful she didn¡¯t seem to be as uncomfortable as me. Though when I think about it, she should¡¯ve seen all types of characters in her time here. ¡°Now, you used the term Necromancy to describe your gift, but what does that involve?¡± I thought carefully before answering. ¡°...I can¡¯t bring the dead back to life or anything but I had no better way to describe it. I guess you could say I feel a bit stronger around the dead, maybe? I¡¯ve only recently awakened to my gift, you see.¡± I felt it was better to be vague in this sort of situation since being too specific would only ruin things for me. ¡°Okay, and what do you think caused your awakening?¡± Now, I was truly relaxed as I had prepared my excuse long before I arrived. There was very little chance I would be suspected of finding a gift awakening artifact now. Unless I managed to slip up and say something revealing which wasn¡¯t going to happen. ¡°Oh, I stopped using my meds a few days before it happened,¡± I answered clearly. ¡°So it wouldn¡¯t be too much of a stretch to say that the medication you used hampered your gift up until now?¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess you could say that. After I stopped using it, I even felt my compulsion to stare at corpses go away.¡± While I was telling the truth, I still had the same view of death I started with, the medications didn''t change that. ¡°That¡¯s very useful information.¡± She typed what seemed to be a long paragraph into the computer. I guess my experience served as somewhat useful data in the discovery of gifts. I already said it, but early grooming of Gifted was very much a thing. Some of the very best Gifted were trained from a young age. ¡°And I don¡¯t really need to ask this but there were physical changes with your gift, correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I smiled, feeling that I had overcome the worst part. The woman asked me a few more questions before it was all over. I had to have my picture taken for my gifted identification card which listed me as class-2 and permitted me to buy low-level artifacts as well as apply for Ruin Clearing. To top it off, I was given a one-thousand dollar voucher to purchase equipment. If my gift was a higher class, I¡¯d be given a lot more money but I didn¡¯t care. I had to start somewhere after all. Before I left, I was given a few pamphlets of specialized training classes that were flexible for different gifts. A few referrals to low-tier guilds sponsored by the government since the higher-tier ones were basically their own entity and recruited how they wanted. Lastly, there was a thicker booklet detailing where I should start my ruin clearing as well as how I should go about it. It was a very generous guide for beginners that answered a lot of questions I had. As I left the facility, I ran into Spandex and the teenager who had their own packets to read through. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you!¡± Spandex said, waving at me. His good-natured attitude toward me made me feel a little bad for giving him that nickname so, I decided to ask what his name was. ¡°So, I know we shouldn¡¯t speak about our gifts, but what¡¯s your classification level? I got class one.¡± He showed off his ID card. ¡°...I also got evaluated as class one. They couldn¡¯t possibly measure the strength of my gift anyway.¡± The teen seemed unaffected by the low rating. ¡°I got a bit lucky and got measured at class two,¡± I added my humble input. ¡°Oh wow!¡± The spandex-clad man seemed surprised and even the angsty teen seemed to feel it was a little unexpected. ¡°Hey, there¡¯s that guy.¡± The teen nodded toward the other side of the street where the well-dressed man was busy climbing into a sports car. ¡°What do you think his gift is measured at?¡± The man asked. ¡°Class three of four most likely. If not, higher.¡± I answered, giving my honest thoughts. Guild¡¯s earnestly supported those with useful gifts or high classifications so he was clearly well off financially and probably had some fighting experience under his belt. ¡°Well, I should go buy some equipment. If we meet again we should try taking on a ruin or something,¡± I said half-jokingly. ¡°Sure thing, it was nice to meet you.¡± The man in spandex easily agreed. ¡°Whatever.¡± The teen shrugged. What a strange kid he was. ¡°Well, see you guys later.¡± I headed toward the equipment shop that was purposefully located near the facility. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Yup.¡± They answered back. I headed across the street and toward the equipment with a bit of anxiety. I still had yet to adjust to my newly acquired occupation. Chapter 7: Everythings In Working Order I entered the equipment store, ignoring the signs that warned against stealing and falsifying your credentials since I was more than qualified. I walked past the two armed security guards standing outside and entered with a fair amount of confidence The shelves were stocked with all sorts of weapons that belonged in a different era. Most common were European-medieval swords but there were weapons from different cultures as well to fit many gifts. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t spot a single war scythe but there was a large variety of polearms in its place. ¡°What can I do for you today?¡± The man attending to the counter asked. ¡°Hi, I uh, was wondering if you carry any war scythes?¡± The feeling of being a Gifted was still strange so it felt weird shopping for weapons as if they were groceries. ¡°War scythes? I can check but I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have any.¡± He whistled a tune as he searched through a digital catalogue only to shake his head. ¡°Nope, none of our stores carry any. If you want to place a custom order you can, but it¡¯ll cost you at least twenty grand at the very least...We mostly carry spears and halberds with a few variations between the two. More...unique weapons usually have to be hand-crafted by one of the blacksmiths.¡± ¡°Ah, then don¡¯t worry about it. Could I see some halberds?¡± ¡°Sure, but you have to pay a fee upfront to see the good stuff. It¡¯s a security risk you see.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, I just officially became a Gifted.¡± ¡°Oh, then I¡¯ll bring out some of our more affordable options.¡± The man smiled before opening a locked weapons rack and bringing out a few of the halberds. I¡¯m not sure how it would fit in with Penelope¡¯s Dance but it was the best substitute I had for now. My understanding was that a spear was more a thrust oriented weapon while I could focus on cutting and slashing with a halberd. Eventually, I settled on a cheaper one since I had my novice rune inscription knowledge to help improve it. ¡°Good choice. There is a mechanism in the center which allows you to separate it into two parts for traveling. It¡¯s sturdy so you don¡¯t have to worry about it suddenly breaking during combat.¡± The man assured me and then directed me to a basic armor kit. While the guilds or any Gifted with a large amount of money to spend could purchase synthesized combat suit, I wasn¡¯t either one of them. The combat suit was a skin-tight suit that provided extra protection to the body. Its durable nature was due to it being processed from the tendons and muscle tissue of monsters. Unless you were ripped off, the suits could even protect against bullets. What I purchased instead was a basic combat suit and leather armor to go over it. The basic combat suit was made from a cloth-like material that didn¡¯t have even a small amount of the protective capability as its synthesized opposite. It could block cuts but it couldn¡¯t negate the force behind them and its durability was much lower, meaning a few too many hits would expose your flesh. As for customization, the color of combat suits purchased by freelance Gifted had to be dark grey to indicate they were unaffiliated. You could add designs to your armor if you wish but copying a guild would net you a punishment. When I had finally left the store, I was carrying two weighty cases and had blown through quite a lot of money even though I tried to be as reasonable as possible. ¡°This better turn out well,¡± I muttered as I checked my current funds. I had enough savings to hold me over for a few months and just enough on me to get a taxi back home. I carried the cases up into my apartment but stopped when I noticed a gift basket at the front door. It was likely from Nancy so I picked it up and dropped all my luggage at the door. ¡°This is somewhat exhausting.¡± The life of Gifted seemed far different on tv but the process to get started was tiresome and dull. ¡°I guess I should try on the combat suit first.¡± I let out a sigh as I opened the two cases. I had to strip down to my underwear to put on the combat suit since it was meant to cling to your form. The cloth version kind of felt like zip-up pajamas and surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t as uncomfortable to have on as I originally thought. I made sure to put on the gladiator-like kilt that covered my front and back side, thankfully. After that, I put on the leather armor, consisting of a helmet, breastplate, bracers, and boots. Well, I removed the helmet for now and began moving around what could be considered my new work uniform. Next was to test the halberd out which would probably feel better than swinging a broom around. There was state of the art training facilities I could pay to use, but for now, my home seemed like a good place to start. I wanted to wait until I had a steady source of income before paying for an expensive membership. I assembled the two sections of the halberd, twisting it until a satisfying click rang out and then I decided to practice Penelope¡¯s Dance before attempting to inscribe runes. Having an object with weight actually improved the flow of my moves as it allowed me to move with increased accuracy. ¡°That should be enough for now.¡± I ended my practice early and laid the halberd across a coffee table before going into my kitchen and grabbing a knife. I quickly went through my knowledge of rune inscription as I approached the halberd. To make runes permanent, I had to choose a property, inscribe it, and add a corresponding number of souls to keep it. Temporary runes, as the name would imply, only lasted for a few hours, but they would cost nothing except a bit of blood. Another thing to note was, I could inscribe a max amount of three permanent runes with my current level of knowledge. As for temporary runes, I could only add two at a time and certain properties were only available as permanent runes. As I sliced open my thumb, I chose began writing the only temporary runes I had knowledge of which were ¡°Sharpness¡± and ¡°Weighted Edge.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. My writing was a bit sloppy but the blood emitted a dim light before instantly drying. I ran my fingers across the runes and they didn¡¯t smear, letting me know my attempt was a success. I lifted the halberd once more and felt a noticeable increase in weight. I gave the sharpness rune the benefit of the doubt since I didn¡¯t want to break anything and I wasn¡¯t willing to test it on myself. Without much else to do, I spent the rest of my day practicing Penelope¡¯s Dance. ¡­ For the next few days, I suddenly realized that all I did was practice Penelope¡¯s Dance. Of course, I ate and slept, and even took a few breaks to catch up on the news, but I spent the majority of my time learning Penelope¡¯s fighting style. During the small breaks I took, I made sure to do some research on Ruin Clearing for the first time and was as relieved as anyone would be to see all the horrific experiences. The most common stories detailed those who were too confident and ended up being horrifically injured. It seemed freelancers had it the worst since there were no contracts that guaranteed treatment in case of a life-altering injury, unlike the ones guilds offered. There was the option of entering government service but it was far more demanding than being a freelancer. To summarize, a life-altering injury was more than extremely likely for those who weren¡¯t prepared. ¡°But that¡¯s why I have you.¡± I tapped my hand against the surface of the nameless book. While I didn¡¯t have enough souls to gain anything new from the ancient book, it was the most valuable object I had in my possession. It had gotten me this far and after adding more souls, it would bring me even further. I was supposed to meet with my neighbor in an hour so I contemplated if I should convert this book into its ring form and take it with me or stash it away. I opted for the latter after some thought, I retreated into my room and buried the book underneath of my hidden stash of animal remains. ¡°Well, even if someone does attempt to steal it after rummaging through containers of bones, they¡¯d need an affinity with death to actually pick it up.¡± I thought back to scene at the ruin where I recovered it and shuddered a bit. Thinking back, I could¡¯ve easily died if not for my gift. I got dressed and headed out while wondering about my gift. I wanted to be extremely careful with how I used it from now on since I didn¡¯t want to put myself at risk. I wasn¡¯t being narcissistic if that¡¯s what it seemed, because thinking about it rationally, there would be many who wanted to see the memories of someone who had passed on. Whether it be sentiment or for the purpose of seeking a hidden treasure left behind, I¡¯m sure there were some who would go to any lengths in order to get me to help them. I resolved myself not to prematurely expose my real gift until I had the means of dealing with the problems that came with it. A short walk later and I had arrived at a humble cafe where a group of middle-aged women gathered together at a table. Well, among them was a brown-haired guy in his twenties, around my age maybe, and he seemed as if he¡¯d rather be anywhere else. ¡°Ah, Casper, come in, we saved you a seat.¡± I opened the door to the cafe and walked in and received an oddly familiar from Nancy, a woman who I had only barely known before a few days ago. Still, I played along as best I could since it was only through her I would be meeting another Gifted. ¡°You¡¯re Casper?¡± The young man asked as he stood up, offering his hand. Although he seemed to be polite, there was a clear look of annoyance on his face. ¡°I am.¡± I shook his hand, ignoring it. ¡°Jameson.¡± He sat back down and gestured for me to do the same. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be frank with you, Casper...¡± He cut me off before I could finish. ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste any more time so could you tell me the classification of your gift?¡± ¡°Class two,¡± I answered without much thought. Sure, he could be considered a bit rude, but he did go out of his way to come here for someone who could¡¯ve just as easily been a liar. After hearing my classification, his expression became a bit more hospitable. ¡°Class two? Could I see your classification card?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± I opened up my wallet and handed over the fresh Gifted ID card. ¡°Ah!¡± He exclaimed lightly. The group of women began whispering among themselves after discovering I was the real deal. Nancy showed a triumphant expression while another lady seemed to be frowning, upset about something. ¡°I won¡¯t ask you for the specifics of your gift here, but surely it wouldn¡¯t be too much to let me know if you have a combat-related gift?¡± ¡°It¡¯s combat related.¡± ¡°Close combat or long-range.¡± ¡°Close combat.¡± ¡°Hmm...Any fighting experience?¡± I paused, thinking of my progress with Penelope¡¯s Dance and nodded before elaborating, ¡°I¡¯m studying a certain fighting style but I¡¯ve never fought in a Ruin.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not really a problem if-¡± Jameson suddenly stopped, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s speak a bit more privately.¡± He stood up and I followed behind him as we moved to an empty corner of the cafe. ¡°Now, I want to know if you¡¯re interested in a ruin clearing with my group before I ask anything further.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I nodded, restraining my eagerness as best I could. ¡°Alright, then could I know the nature of your gift?¡± ¡°Well...I¡¯ve only recently awakened to it. I think it¡¯s just best to say I get stronger by killing more things.¡± ¡°...So, you mean to say, it¡¯s like you¡¯re building a combo or something?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s uh, a bit closer to necromancy I¡¯d think,¡± I spoke a bit sheepishly as I worried about what type of reaction my gift would draw. ¡°Your gift is related to necromancy and you¡¯re a fighter at that? Wouldn¡¯t that make your gift a rare one?¡± ¡°Yes, technically it would, but I¡¯ve read that rare doesn¡¯t always mean better.¡± ¡°You''re right about that, Casper. Either way, as long as you have some practice, I don¡¯t really mind as you won''t have much to do anyway.¡± Jameson shrugged, pulling out his phone and sliding it over, ¡°Put in your contact info.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± I typed my number and full name into his contacts while admiring the clearly advanced phone, it was far more expensive than the one I owned. ¡°With you, we have a team of five taking on a well-known class three ruin. For the first run, you won¡¯t receive an even split since you¡¯re new, I hope you understand.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Good, because as long as you prove yourself to be a capable person it¡¯ll be a pretty fair share from there on. Our team is headed by a class three mage who will be protected by you and another to start with. Our frontline fighters will consist of me and another class two fighter. Basically, you¡¯re just there to catch anything that slips between the gaps if we slip up. It''s not a very hard job and you probably won''t need to do much as it''s a shared role.¡± ¡°Okay, I think I understand.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll call you soon and set it up. We already applied to clear a Ruin so clear your schedule for the next two or three days.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Jameson and I left the cafe, sharing a few more words before heading our separate ways. As I moved past the window, I could see Nancy mouthing the words ¡°thank you¡± to which I replied with a nod. She had helped me far more than I helped her if I thought about it. And all she wanted out of it was a bit bragging rights which was more than a fair trade. Chapter 8: Taking The Proper Steps While waiting for Jameson¡¯s call, I practically trained my heart out. There was a certain amount of pressure I was feeling but it lessened as I threw my focus into Penelope¡¯s Dance. I was both joyful and a bit dejected when I felt I had reached a bottleneck so to speak. I felt the only way to get past it would be to experience real combat so I patiently refined the moves I learned so far. For every few hours of training, I would also practice my rune inscription on paper. Of course, I didn¡¯t use my blood each time, I just dipped my finger into a bit of paint and wrote out the signs until they were steady. And, because I couldn¡¯t help myself, I planned ahead of time what I would purchase from the nameless book. I know it was counting my cards before the game was over, or however that figure of speech went, but I really couldn¡¯t stop myself. As of now, I would purchase Bone Mending and then upgrade my Rune Inscription after. From there on, I had to decide whether I should continue grabbing more abilities or advance the Death Bringer path. I rotated the halberd, letting it roll over my shoulders before transitioning from using two hands to one hand with a few spins. The entire time, I moved my feet subconsciously, easily maneuvering around my narrow living room. My appreciation of martial artists and fighters grew immensely as I discovered the difficulty of striking and moving simultaneously. I had to memorize the moves of Penelope¡¯s Dance in order to perform them without thinking which gave me a sense of accomplishment when I finally could. Another thing I had to think about was the Bone Restructuring, I knew firsthand that my skeleton had been altered but I¡¯m sure that my tendons were strengthened with it as well. I stopped everything as my phone began ringing. It was a number I had never seen before but I answered it anyway with high expectations. ¡°Hello?¡± [Casper? It¡¯s me, Jameson.] ¡°Yes?¡± I replied while suppressing my smile. [...Well, things have changed a bit. Originally, I would¡¯ve been calling you to tell you we¡¯re on for tomorrow but we¡¯ve been bumped up the list for Ruin Clearing. I was a bit against it but everyone voted to go for today. Are you up for it?] ¡°Yeah, no problem.¡± [Okay, hold on, I¡¯m sending the location. See you there.] Jameson ended the call with that while I quickly searched up the address. It wasn¡¯t very close, but it wouldn¡¯t even take an hour to get there. I quickly got ready before packing my weapon and combat suit into their cases. I called for a taxi as I made sure everything was accounted for before heading out. ¡­ Elsewhere, in a very, dim, business-like conference room, a group of men and women in suits directed their attention toward a screen that took up an entire wall where an almost exact image was replicated on three different screens. The only difference between the people shown beside their looks were the different colored banners that hung in the background. It was a meeting between some of the most powerful guilds in the world and the one hosting it was none other than the Sleeping Lion guild. ¡°Our joint exercise resulted in a complete annihilation of our members due to the sudden change in the Ruin. Since my Sleeping Lion guild was the one who suggested it, we will compensate everyone fairly for the people that were lost that day.¡± The head of the Sleeping Lion guild spoke, his appearance was barely discernible due to the low-light, but his voice commanded respect and obedience. ¡°You of all people should understand that compensation is meaningless to all of us. People can be replaced but a loss of reputation is not so easily handled.¡± The leader of the Eternal Sword guild, a woman spoke. As a guild only second to Sleeping Lion, she had more than enough qualifications to press for more answers. The other guilds, Red Owl and Faithful Arrow, simply sat on the sidelines. ¡°I¡¯m aware of that and that is why I ask for more patience as our investigation comes to a close.¡± The Sleeping Lion guild leader replied. ¡°You mean to say you haven¡¯t found anything out about the Gifted who worked with the corpse recovery team?¡± ¡°We are very aware of Casper Clay, but it is extremely unlikely that he recovered some mysterious artifact that our teams could not. We¡¯ve thoroughly gone through his background and monitored his activity. Other than searching for information about ruins and known gifts, he hasn¡¯t shown signs of attempting to sell or find out more about an artifact.¡± ¡°Oh? Is that really all?¡± The Eternal Sword guild leader let her doubt be known. ¡°It seems that he has shown signs of having a gift since adolescence but it was misinterpreted as a mental illness and a result, he had been taking a very strong anti-psychotic which suppressed it. His awakening coincidentally matched up with the timing of the Ruin because he apparently stopped taking his medication.¡± ¡°And what exactly is the nature of his gift? I¡¯m sure that the Emerian Government was more than happy to cooperate in order to resolve it.¡± ¡°Apparently, his gift deals with Necromancy, judging by his own words in the report. Before you ask, his RES is only class two so it is very unlikely he can raise the dead.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Necromancy?¡± Along with Eternal Sword, the other guilds began whispering upon hearing about a gift that was one of a kind. As expected of people who basically owned a corporate army of superhumans, they began calculating all types of usage for someone with a gift relating to necromancy. ¡°Since all of you will be keen on investigating him, some of my analysts expect him to have an evolving gift. As you know, those who show signs of having gifts in their adolescence usually produce astounding gifts. In addition, he seems to be a close-range fighter based on his own description, so I do not believe he''ll have an army of undead at his command.¡± ¡°But, as you¡¯ve said, his gift was suppressed by medicine. Do you think he still would have the same potential?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re asking for my personal opinion, I can¡¯t say for certain but he is definitely worth keeping an eye on. We¡¯ll monitor his progress during the coming months and update you all with information. As a sign of good faith, if he is indeed someone worth scouting, we will be the very last to make a proposal.¡± No guild appeared to be dissatisfied with the arrangement, especially since evolving gifts were one in a million. ¡°Now moving on¡­¡± The guilds shifted discussions onto a variety of topics and their interest in Casper became nothing but an incredibly small detail to keep an eye on. He was one of the thousands of people the guilds actively sifted through each day and if he failed to become exceptional, there would be no real surprise or disappointment. ¡­ I thought about my personal experience with ruins while on my way to meet with Jameson¡¯s group. Even when I worked as a Corpse Collector and retrieved the remains of the dead, there were some places I wasn¡¯t allowed to go since I was an ordinary person. I had never entered a ruin above class two. From class three and on, the ruin became its own confined space. There was even a theory that class five ruins and above were like different worlds due to time dilation and the peculiar nature of the space inside. Speaking of, once you were in a class three ruin, you could not exit as you pleased as all hostile life needed to be cleared. As a result, there were many missing people who were assumed to be dead. ¡°This your stop?¡± The driver interrupted my thoughts. ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± I handed him the money I owed him before climbing out of the car and retrieving my cases from the trunk. As soon as I shut the trunk, he wasted no time in leaving which was understandable. Not many people wanted to be near ruins in case it suddenly spewed a tide of monsters out. I took a deep breath and approached the perimeter, showing a guard my ID and entering. ¡°It almost feels like the first day of primary school,¡± I mumbled as I spotted a group of men and women sitting in an open lounge area. ¡°There he is!¡± Jameson waved me over with clear enthusiasm. Having three other people stare at me made me a bit anxious as I didn¡¯t want to make the wrong impression. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not late.¡± I grinned. ¡°Not at all, we only just arrived,¡± Jameson replied before anyone else could speak. Excluding Jameson, there was a young woman with blonde hair who held an air of self-importance around herself, I guess she was the class three mage. Then, there was a short-haired man with the physique of a bodybuilder. His shirt almost threatened to rip if he flexed his muscles too much. Lastly, there was a girl with brown hair tied in a ponytail that seemed to be the calmest of the group. ¡°Ooh, he has a nice face,¡± She said, instantly causing me to take back what I was thinking. ¡°Okay, everyone already knows about you, Casper, I¡¯ll introduce them,¡± Jameson said, pointing toward everyone one at a time, ¡°Sophia there is the only class three here, and she¡¯s a mage on top of that.¡± The blonde woman with an unwelcoming attitude was a class three, just like I assumed. ¡°Grant is going to be protecting Sophia along with you.¡± The guy who was more muscle than man was Grant, check. ¡°And Emma is a frontline attacker, along with me.¡± ¡°Nice to meet all of you,¡± I said as introductions finished. ¡°If we¡¯re done with all of that, could we get started?¡± Sophia asked impatiently. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s get changed.¡± Jameson gestured toward the equipment station where we would put on our gear. Under normal circumstances, Gifted didn¡¯t walk around in combat gear with swords or shields. Unless a ruin overflowed, it was common practice to bring your gear to the ruin site and equip it there. I entered the room and zipped up my basic combat suit before strapping the leather armor over it. And after assembling my halberd, I stepped out. Maybe because I had been practicing putting my equipment on for the past few days, I was the first out followed by Sophia who wore a dark green robe. ¡°You¡¯re with a guild?¡± I asked aloud. I thought it would be awkward to just stand around silently so I made an attempt to build some camaraderie. ¡°Yes, The Sacred Branch guild.¡± She pointed to a brooch pinned to her chest that depicted a small tree of some kind. ¡°And, unless, you have a magic gift that is class two or above, we aren¡¯t recruiting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not why I asked...I was just curious, that¡¯s all,¡± I replied, suppressing my annoyance. Did she think of me like a leech who only wanted benefits? That would explain her hostile attitude toward me and her assumption that I was searching for a way to join her guild. I mean, I guess the way I met Jameson was a bit iffy, but I didn¡¯t intend to just latch on. And besides, I didn¡¯t even contemplate joining a guild until my gift had grown far enough to allow me to negotiate for better terms. ¡°I guess we¡¯re all done.¡± Jameson and the others emerged from their separate changing rooms. ¡°Then let¡¯s go! I have a date later.¡± Grant stretched his arms with enthusiasm. Jameson seemed to be a standard frontline attacker who carried sword and shield. Most gifts were common, only offering an enhancement of physical and mental abilities, so it wasn¡¯t surprising to see. To contrast, Emma carried a short spear and buckler and Grant held a shield almost half the size of his body with a vicious looking mace in his alternate hand. We approached the entrance of the ruin and stopped at a large vending machine. Of course, it wasn¡¯t actually a vending machine but a medical dispensary station where you could purchase a few emergency healing items, courtesy of Morgan Pharmaceuticals. ¡°Make sure you grab two vials of antivenom, a blood clotting serum, and maybe an emergency healing pill.¡± I stood behind as everyone purchased their medical supplies, tucking them away into nifty pouches before it was my turn. First, I scanned my ID card and then quickly navigated the digital interface, grabbing the necessary items. As I went to press ¡°purchase¡± I nearly fell down after seeing the balance. These weren¡¯t even the best items available and it would cost me four thousand dollars. I sucked in my regret and purchased it anyway, hoping I wouldn¡¯t have to use it in the first place. With all preparations made, we entered the ruin without any more stops. Chapter 9: An Inexperienced Fighter I was in awe as we descended into the ruin. Once we were too far in to see the exit, the scenery shifted from a plain stone staircase into a warm, bright, jungle. The soil was damp and the air was slightly humid, it honestly felt like we had been transported to the Amazon in South America. Large trees with lengthy vines hung like decorations while ferns and lethally colored plants filled up the rest of my sight. A glowing orb at the top of an unreachable ceiling functioned as our source of light, illuminating some parts of dense shrubbery. In front of us, there was a path that seemed to be already established so we wouldn¡¯t have to venture into ominous growth that flanked us on all sides except forward. ¡°So, how is it, Casper?¡± Jameson asked without turning to look at me. ¡°Amazing,¡± I answered honestly. Even if this place spelled the death of many who came unprepared, I still found it to be beautiful. Though, maybe thinking of death was what improved my appraisal of this place. Sophia scoffed at me, apparently finding my reaction naive but I didn¡¯t make an issue out of it. I understood that my inexperience put her at risk, so I could take with a few scoffs and dirty looks. ¡°You look tense, man. Loosen up, chances are you won¡¯t have to fight much.¡± Grant said with a nudge to my shoulder. I expected to stumble but we both seemed to be surprised when I wasn¡¯t completely pushed away. Without realizing when it happened, I shifted my feet so that I would maintain my balance even after being lightly shoved. ¡°I¡¯m a little nervous,¡± I replied to him before he could ask me about my stance, letting the halberd rest on my shoulder. Our formation was simple, Emma and Jameson were the furthest ahead while Grant and I stood on either side of Sophia. I was worried about a stray projectile hitting her, but she didn¡¯t appear to share the same fears. I noticed an amulet around her neck and assumed that was a protective artifact just in case something did attack her. ¡°Hold on,¡± Jameson spoke in a hushed whisper and he knelt down. ¡°I got tracks here, lizard men.¡± He brushed some of the dense grass away and showed a pair of inhuman footprints. ¡°How many?¡± Emma asked as her eyes scanned the serene foliage. ¡°Enough to be a problem,¡± Jameson replied. I had a few questions about our hidden enemies, their appearance, behavior, and other mannerisms, but I didn¡¯t want to draw anyone¡¯s ire by asking questions at an inappropriate time. We resumed our journey forward but at a slower pace. That¡¯s until Jameson suddenly raised his hand for us to stop. He whispered something to Emma and then she vanished into the brush. ¡°Get ready,¡± Was all he said before raising his shield in preparation for whatever was to come. The bushes shook wildly as Emma came sprinting toward us, sharp darts whizzing past her body like bullets. ¡°Here they come!¡± She shouted as she dove to the left of Jameson. Something that looked like a mix between a reptile and a human came barreling out of the jungle right behind Emma. They hissed and growled as they held their crude but intimidating spears. I paused for a second as my brain received a small jolt. Their large physiques and thick green scales covered their arms and back as well as parts of their chest. It seemed to be all the armor they needed as they moved without fear. Jameson, with a powerful swing of his sword, caught a lizard man by surprise and split open the soft tissue underneath his neck. ¡°Careful of the spears and darts, they''re covered in a mild poison,¡± Grant warned me as he stood in front of Sophia with his shield raised. ¡°G-got it.¡± I nodded with a bit of delay. The second lizard man hissed wildly as his comrade fell and thrust his spear at Jameson, making contact with the shield. Emma then appeared again, stabbing her short spear into the abdomen of the lizard man, but it appeared the muscle tissue was too tough as it didn¡¯t get too far in. Either way, the lizard man felt the attack and turned his focus from Jameson to Emma which proved to be a fatal mistake as a sword plunged into his throat immediately after. ¡°The other two were only scouts!¡± Emma shouted as she withdrew her short spear. ¡°They¡¯ll be going to tell everyone else. Hurry up and grab their fangs.¡± Jameson ordered. Emma nodded and stabbed her spear into the ground before drawing a small knife and prying out two fangs from each of the lizards. ¡°It¡¯s about eight hundred a fang if I recall correctly. Their saliva is laced with venom, you see and you need venom to make anti-venom.¡± Grant informed me of the value and seem satisfied when my jaw nearly dropped. We were only a few minutes in and a total of twelve thousand dollars was already made. Though I knew most of it went back into the equipment and supplies used, by the end, there should be a fair profit available. ¡°From here on we¡¯ll have to be careful- Oh! Casper, you said you get stronger from dead things, right?¡± Jameson suddenly remembered my gift. ¡°...More or less,¡± I answered. I felt a little bad since I could collect souls but they didn¡¯t provide immediate benefits yet. ¡°Then feel free.¡± He gestured to the corpses. I went over and knelt in front of the two reptile bodies and stretched my hand out. While I doubted that everyone else would be able to see it, two plump white flames flew into my chest. I was met with a feeling of satisfaction and I absorbed the souls and grinned faintly. I pretended to still be the process of absorbing the souls and peered through the memories of the lizard men. I couldn¡¯t see as far back as their origins as the appearance of monsters in ruins remained a mystery to this day, but I could see glimpses of their camp. There seemed to be about twenty in total if I saw correctly. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± I stood back up. ¡°Good, let¡¯s hurry,¡± Jameson replied, unwilling to spend another minute standing around. For the next twenty minutes, the same tactic was used and was strangely effective. It made me grow paranoid especially as I absorbed more souls and read their memories. We had taken down a total of eight lizard men but I learned there should much more lurking within the jungle. ¡°Their camp should be close,¡± Jameson said in a low voice. ¡°Let me know when we are close and I¡¯ll begin channeling,¡± Sophia replied calmly, holding her wooden staff at the ready. ¡°Got it.¡± We didn¡¯t run into any more lizard men for the time being, and I noticed why when we came upon a four-meter-high wall made from logs. Human skulls were impaled on sticks all around it, obviously serving as a warning for any intruders. There was a strong scent coming from the log fence. Everyone else seemed to notice it too but said nothing, so I guess that¡¯s just how the lizard encampment smelled. ¡°Alright, go for it, Sophia.¡± Jameson whispered before quickly continuing, ¡°Grant, Casper, make sure she isn¡¯t interrupted no matter what it takes.¡± Grant confidently nodded toward me so I returned the gesture. So far, I hadn¡¯t been able to fight a single time but I learned the weak spots of the lizard men by watching Jameson and Emma. A few layers of bright blue circles appear around Sophia¡¯s staff as she closed her eyes and concentrated. I could now understand why she needed protection since she was extremely vulnerable at this time. The circles began spinning rapidly before shards of ice fell from the sky and into the radius of the camp. I soon discovered that wasn¡¯t the end of it as the temperature dropped to bone-chilling levels at a noticeable rate. ¡°Now!¡± Jameson pushed open the gate to the camp and Emma charged in behind him as Grant and I escorted Sophia at a much slower pace. Inside, I saw a few lizards taken off guard, armed with nothing but blow darts and clearly weakened by the cold, they couldn¡¯t resist the aggressive and sudden charge of Jameson and Emma. With almost no difficulty, the camp was wiped out. ¡°Where are the rest of them?¡± I accidentally muttered aloud, drawing a curious glance from Sophia and Grant who were close enough to overhear me. They were probably curious about what I meant when I spoke, but I pretended not to notice so I wouldn¡¯t have to elaborate. ¡°See, Casper, this is the power of class three Gifted with a magic-related gift,¡± Jameson spoke in admiration of Sophia who seemed pleased with herself. It wasn¡¯t so dramatic that she froze the lizards solid, but she definitely made it far easier to kill them. Still, I saw the memories firsthand and it looked like there were more. So why is it that only a few weaponless lizards in the camp? Unless¡­I cautiously looked at the grass huts of the lizard men but they were empty. Emma began looting the lizard men for fangs while Jameson overturned a few huts and came back with two jagged daggers. ¡°Artifacts?¡± I inquired with surprise. ¡°Yup, they¡¯ll fetch a fair price along with the fangs. This was a pretty good haul.¡± ¡°So...is that it?¡± I asked, still on edge. ¡°It looks like it. The location of the camp changes from time to time but the enemies usually stay the same. I think we got pretty lucky, finding a few low-level artifacts and all.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I nodded as I fell into thought. I went around to each corpse and collected some souls and kept seeing the same repeating memory. A large group of lizard men eating some sort of flesh inside their camp. And¡­ My eyes flickered as something new appeared in the flash of memories. There was a larger lizard man with red scales covering his body.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Hey!¡± I called out to Jameson as I absorbed the last soul. ¡°Was there a red lizard anywhere?¡± ¡°Uh...You mean a Lizard Chief? I¡¯d hope not. Why?¡± Jameson asked. ¡°...Nothing,¡± I replied, hiding my doubts. Even if I voiced my suspicious I¡¯d be met with a negative response as I had no way to prove it other than exposing my real gift. In addition, they probably wouldn¡¯t believe me even if I said what I was thinking so I kept my mouth shut. ¡°You know, you¡¯re awfully calm around these bodies,¡± Grant spoke up. I guess he had been observing up until now and was surprised when I hadn¡¯t puked from all the blood. ¡°I¡¯m used to it, that¡¯s all.¡± I grinned wryly. I couldn¡¯t tell him that I found this scene to be pleasing to my eyes. Or that I actually enjoyed seeing the corpses strewn about. I was given a certain amount of satisfaction by observing the corpses of the dead lizards, but in a way like one would appreciate a beautiful landscape. I definitely couldn¡¯t say anything like that, no matter how true it was. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get out of here!¡± Jameson carefully wrapped the daggers up and ordered for us to leave. And just as we approached the gate, a ring of fire burst out of the ground and surrounded the camp as the logs walls caught on fire and burned incredibly quickly as if they had been doused in gasoline. Wait! I felt that the scent coming from the walls was some sort of accelerant which meant the lizards had planned ahead of time. If they did then it was certainly- ¡°A trap?!¡± Jameson shouted with a look of realization. ¡°Sophia, can you start channeling?! I¡¯ll keep them back with Emma. Grant and Casper, make sure her concentration isn¡¯t broken. If she can¡¯t get a spell off, we¡¯re going to suffer a lot!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Grant shouted in reply as we all began moving. The only place where there was no fire, the front gate, lizards began piling in. Unlike the weak scouts that were already dealt with, the new arrivals were much more imposing. Behind the ten lizards, a hulking red lizard man let out a loud hiss as his tail swayed wildly, while a spike maul sat in his grasp. ¡°Shit!¡± Jameson cursed as they faced the Lizards who attacked ferociously, even if one fell, he¡¯d do his best to leave a mark. And Jameson and Emma¡¯s combat suits quickly became littered with holes. ¡°Ah!¡± As our frontliners were moments away from being overrun, I knew I needed to add runes to my halberd. I ran my thumb across the blade and began inscribing the bloody runes for ¡°Sharpness¡± and ¡°Weighted Edge¡± before they emitted a glow and activated. ¡°Watch out!¡± Jameson called out from in front of us as the lizards slipped through. ¡°Got it!¡± Grant stepped forward and began wielding the mace around, stopping the first wave of lizards in their tracks, but he was facing too many to completely stop them and one came my way. ¡°Casper, hold that one and I''ll be right there!¡± Grant shouted without looking back. I took a deep breath and stood a few steps in front of Sophia who was so deep in concentration, she didn¡¯t react to anything. A lizard with a spear and wooden shield was my opponent and the Lizard Chief¡¯s loud hissing seemed to give him some sort of encouragement. He thrust his spear toward me, but I twisted my body, tucking the halberd under my arm while performing a one-handed swing. The blade pressed against his skin and left a line of blood on his chest. I missed his neck but I focused on my next attack, rotating the halberd and performing a downward strike. The lizard raised his shield up but the sharpness and weighted edge runes helped split the wooden shield in half and caused the blade to dig into his skull. As his soul was absorbed into my body, I felt a sense of faint euphoria. Like a warm blanket was wrapped around my body, something like that. I had always had an obsession with death but I had never harmed a living thing and I didn''t have the desire to. But I have to say, killing something for the first time was like...It made me feel like an artist working on a masterpiece. It created a sense of emptiness that I was compelled to fill up. I didn¡¯t lose myself in some sort of blind thirst for blood or anything crazy like that, but I wanted to continue. I wanted to complete the painting, so to speak. ¡°Grant! Switch with me!¡± I yelled as I advanced forward, rotating the halberd. ¡°What?!¡± Granted shouted as he pushed the lizard men back. ¡°Are you crazy?! This isn''t the time to be brave, just stay calm and we''ll get through it easily.¡± I¡¯m guessing he assumed I was scared or felt too much pressure with defending Sophia so he fell back and held his shield in front of her. Two lizard men rushed at me and I wondered if he was shocked to see my avoiding their attacks with soft steps. There was some difficulty in dealing with the unrestrained attacks, as a literal wall of fire surrounded us and increased the pressure, but I performed Penelope¡¯s Dance like a dutiful student. The figurative wall I faced in my advancement was beginning to crumble as I used the halberd to slice a lizard¡¯s arm off. I felt my steps becoming continuous and fluid and my attacks fell into the same rhythm soon after. I used the blunt end of the halberd to disrupt the spear thrust and rotated it in the same breath before swinging downward, cutting a lizard from its chest to waist in one vertical motion. Then, to finished off the one-armed lizard, I dug the spiked tip of the halberd into its skull and pulled it forward before freeing my weapon. I had to be careful of getting my halberd stuck in the dense muscle but the sharpness rune definitely helped me avoid it for the most part. I rushed forward while keeping the continuous rotation of the halberd going. The lizards were strong, but I learned they couldn¡¯t predict the attack as I kept the halberd spinning. As I attacked another lizard, I transitioned into a one-handed horizontal swing, and nearly decapitated him, but as he died, my halberd became entangled in his muscle tissue covering his neck. ¡°Watch out!¡± Grant warned from my backside. ¡°Shit!¡± I cursed as I could see another lizard came running toward me. I let go of the halberd and dodged the spear thrust but couldn¡¯t stop it from stabbing into my leather armor. I immediately felt a numbing sensation spreading across my upper body but managed to roll out of the way while Grant yelled out my name. ¡°Casper, catch it!¡± I turned to see a crude spear being tossed toward me and caught it in my hands before fighting against the attacking lizard man. My understanding of Penelope¡¯s Dance wasn¡¯t at the level where I could wield any polearm effortlessly, so I struggled a bit since I had only practice with halberd so far. I thrust the spear at the same time as my reptilian attacker but I leaned backward while aiming right at his chin. The odd angle of the attack caught the lizard man unprepared as the crude spear penetrated the area underneath his jaw. ¡°...Haaah.¡± I exhaled heavily as I fumbled around for my anti-venom. I quickly found the small vial and poured it into my mouth without hesitation as I walked toward my halberd. I tossed the empty vial aside and felt the numbness fade almost immediately as I pulled my weapon out from the corpse it was buried in. I looked up to see that Jameson and Emma had dealt with most of the lizards while the Chief was slowly advancing toward all of us. He opened his mouth and spat a clump of fire toward them without warning. Luckily, they dove out the way quick enough to avoid being burned. ¡°I¡¯m ready! Move out of the way!¡± Sophia yelled from behind us. I quickly dashed to the side and hoped I wouldn¡¯t be hit by whatever was coming. A bitter chill blew past me and forced me to close my eyes. When I could see again, my eyes followed a long path of frost covered ground until my gaze stopped at the lizard chief who was covered in ice crystals. While he wasn¡¯t completely covered, icicles were protruding from underneath his skin. And his chest had looked like a layer of flesh was stripped away. He let out a rage-filled hiss but Jameson and Emma moved to attack regardless. I belatedly realized I should join in and moved toward the lizard blindside with soft steps. ¡°You join them too!¡± Sophia shouted at Grant. I glanced over to see him approaching the lizard man who was a little over two meters in height. I¡¯m not sure how long the ice would keep the lizard chief slowed down, but I began to feel a sense of urgency. The lizard chief slammed his maul against Grant¡¯s shield, knocking him into the dirt while Emma stabbed her short spear right under the chief¡¯s rib cage. I think even with my sharpness rune I wouldn¡¯t be able to get through the muscle tissue of the red lizard so easily, but when I noticed its tail swaying, my mind clicked. I advanced quietly as it raised its tail, striking Jameson with it and knocking him away. As its tail lowered I rotated the halberd and chopped downward and cut its tail into two pieces. It let out a painful roar and swung the maul without looking. I tried to use the staff of the halberd to block the reflexive attack, and although a portion of the force was negated, my weapon snapped in half and I was knocked backward. My mind was clouded as my body flew through the air and crashed into a weakened hut, made from twigs and branches, that immediately collapsed onto me as if scorning my intrusion. ¡°...Damn it.¡± I could feel a sharp pain in my left arm as well as an ache every time I breathed. It hurt so bad that I wanted to cry without a single regard for my dignity. The pain allowed me to realize I was too hasty in my attack and should¡¯ve been prepared for a reaction. I don¡¯t know what was going on as I could barely even turn my neck without feeling pain so I used my only functional arm and put one of the regenerative pills into my mouth and crushed it. ¡°And to think everything was going so well up until then,¡± I mumbled as I felt some relief from the medicine. A few minutes later, after the sound of fighting had died down and my nerves began to get worn down from wondering who had come out on top. I heard a familiar shout. ¡°Casper!¡± Jameson shouted as he and the others dug through the rubble. ¡°I¡¯m still alive,¡± I replied tiredly. ¡°Fuck! I thought you died rushing in like that you crazy bastard!¡± Grant said in surprise. ¡°I feel like I already died.¡± I chuckled before my face winced in pain. I acted like an idiot in my first real battle. My lack of experience was nearly damning and it wiped away my delusions quite a bit. I needed more practice and more knowledge before I could dive into battle so eagerly. Just looking at Jameson and the others, it was clear they were surprised, but not too panicked, meaning they had faith in resolving the problem. I was just the fool who fought like it was a decisive battle. My only consolation was the souls I would be getting from this endeavor. I was cautiously pulled out from the destroyed hut and helped to my feet. ¡°Here.¡± Emma handed me a spear to lean on and I accepted it gratefully. ¡°Did we win?¡± I asked before finding my answer. A collapsed red lizard in the center of the camp. ¡°Yeah, when you got its tail, it lost its balance and it became way easier.¡± ¡°Yup¡­¡± I said with a groan as I limped toward the fresh corpse. ¡°...I still regret that¡± I added half-jokingly. As I looked out at all the dead lizards, the smell of blood and burned wood nearly clogged my senses. Still, I found it to be a pleasant sight overall. ¡°You better give me something good, asshole,¡± I mumbled as I stretched my hand toward the lizard chief. A large white flame-like orb sunk into my chest and gave me a filling sensation. I hoped the number of souls I had accumulated were adequate enough to increase my gift. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s collect the lizard chief¡¯s heart and we may as well bring the tail too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll grab some vines so Grant can drag it out of here,¡± Emma said as she left the somewhat burned down camp. ¡°Okay, Casper you should just rest for now. I have an extra healing pill for you.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± I accepted the pill from Jameson and sat on a fallen log as it began taking effect. As Jameson began cutting the Lizard chief open, Grant struck up a conversation. ¡°Hey, who the hell taught you to fight like that? The way you moved your feet was strange, not to mention you kept spinning that damn Halberd.¡± ¡°I guess you could say I had a pretty good teacher,¡± I replied nonchalantly, wiping some of the blood that began dripping from my forehead. ¡°You weren¡¯t as completely inexperienced as I first thought, you did very well for your first time in a ruin,¡± Sophia spoke with a complicated expression. ¡°That¡¯s kind of you to say.¡± I don¡¯t know if that was her way of apologizing for how she treated me earlier but I chose to believe it was. ¡°...You really took a beating there. My arm was fractured from that damned Lizard and you were hit in the chest with it. I really can¡¯t believe you survived.¡± ¡°Just barely,¡± I corrected him while emphasizing my injured state. I had to thank the Bone Restructure for my resilience. I didn¡¯t want to think what state I would be in if I had ignored it and went for something else. Eventually, Emma came back from gathering the vines and Jameson finished removing the heart and fangs from the red lizard. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Since it seemed like we had taken care of all threats, we moved with less caution than before, most likely out of consideration for me. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone has a problem if Casper gets a normal cut this time, right?¡± Jameson asked. No one replied to him, giving their tacit approval of the decision which caused me to smile happily. Though I was more excited about the souls I gathered rather than the money. Chapter 10: A Step Further A quick summary of what we earned for our efforts was as followed: Twenty-three pairs of lizard fangs, valued at $800 a fang, totaled $36,800. The two daggers Jameson recovered went for $2,500 each, pushing us up to $41,800. The Red Lizard was a class three monster, so it¡¯s fangs sold for the same amount as the daggers. Even at $46,800 we still had the heart and tail and skin to add up. The heart was a $7000, the tail was, $6000, and the skin was $5000. Meaning, we earned a grand total of $64,800 Emerian Dollars before the tax deductions were involved. After being split evenly five ways, we each received $12,960. After the Emerian Government took their 15% cut, I was left with $11,016. It was the most money I had ever earned in one day and I could see why people risked everything to clear ruins. It was even clearer to see why the government didn¡¯t get too involved with guild politics since it profited immensely from the Gifted. Class three ruins and above underwent a refresh period every few days, meaning, there was a huge source of money flowing around our small country. It was easy to see how the number of world superpowers had increased, of course, the three juggernauts US, Russia, and China remained as the top three since they had much more of a head start before ruins even appeared. My thoughts quickly shifted to another topic as I arrived at my apartment. Even in my injured state, I quickly moved to find the nameless book and opened it to check the number of souls in my possession. Value Of Souls Gathered: 725 ¡°Yes!¡± I smiled brightly as I quickly did the math. It appears that of the souls of the twenty-three lizard men had a value of 25 while the Red Lizard Chief was worth 150. I had enough to do a lot, and I wagered that I would pass as a class three after getting enough skills or advancing the Death Bringer Path. Bone Mending, Wilma¡¯s War Scythe, Cursed Blood, Blood Arrow, Corpse Puppet, Skeleton Soldier, and Demon Pact would cost me a total of 210 souls. I was about to recklessly splurge on everything available, but I paused right before I did. ¡°No, I shouldn¡¯t purchase all of them just yet.¡± I restrained my greed and took a deep breath, regaining some sense of clarity. First, I purchased Bone Mending (10) and Wilma¡¯s War Scythe (50). The former immediately took affect as I could feel the pain of my fractured bones get reduced at a noticeable rate. Now with 650 souls left, I could advance the Death Bringer Path and gain access to more knowledge within the book by spending 500 souls which would leave me with only 150. I decided against that after contemplating it for a while. I needed to get to a point where I could enter class one and class two ruins alone so I could always have a steady supply of souls. After all, Jameson and the others probably would need more time before they wanted to head into another class three ruin. With that in mind, I chose to purchase Cursed Blood (25) and Skeleton Soldier (30). 595 remained and it was still enough to advance the Death Bringer path so I advanced my knowledge of runes for another 25 souls. The words on the book shifted as all the skills I purchased disappeared except for my rune knowledge which changed into Intermediate Rune Inscription while the cost to advance once more shot up to 150 souls.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. With 570 souls left, I debated advancing my rune knowledge once more but wanted to advance my path first in order to see if there were other skills I should pick. Since the only skill that remained in the Death Bringer path was now ¡°Expert Rune Inscription,¡± I could move on without any hesitation. As two hundred and fifty souls were drained away, the page detailing the path had changed drastically. Path Of The Death Bringer Expert Rune Inscription: Any weapon can be strengthened by a Death Bringer¡¯s knowledge of runes. Price: 50 Cost of Advancement: 150 Shadow Of Death(Unique): Those who step within Death¡¯s shadow will not escape without punishment. Choose one target and lock them in place for a short duration. (Warning, targets with powerful souls will not be affected at the current level of this ability.) Price:100 Cost of Advancement: 150 Flesh Mending: They may cut away at your flesh, but you will outlast them, this I guarantee. Price: 75 Bone Strengthening (Unique): Although you have been broken once before, it will not happen again so easily. Price: 100 Soul Siphon (Unique): Each time you kill an enemy, you will absorb their soul. Each time your absorb their soul, you will gain a temporary boost of strength and speed. Price: 100 Advancement Condition: Advance further down the Death Bringer path to increase the duration and effect. To further explore this path, more souls are needed. Current Amount: 0/5,000 To abandon this path and select a new one, more souls are needed. Current Amount: 0/8,000 The price of skills, as well as the cost of advancement, had drastically increased, but I wasn¡¯t discouraged. In fact, it was quite the opposite as I was overwhelmed by the quality of skills presented. I think both Soul Siphon and Flesh Mending were necessary for what I sought to accomplish. So, the 320 souls that remained were reduced to 145. I also needed to Bone Strengthening, so another 100 souls vanished, leaving me with only 45. With my souls gone, I turned my attention to the non-path knowledge that remained. Corpse Puppet could wait, it had no combat ability and the only use would be having a zombie carry my equipment and material out of the ruin. What I had gained was worth it though. I put the rest of my souls into the amount required to further explore the rest of the book, leaving it at 45 out of 250. A ton of knowledge flooded into my head as the different skills piled up. I even felt a certain sense of enlightenment pertaining to Penelope¡¯s Dance and resolved myself to meditate on it when I had dissected everything else. I divided my new abilities into two types, passive and active. The passives were as follows, Bone Mending, Soul Siphon, and Flesh Mending. There was no mental focus required for them to be used. The actives were Wilma¡¯s War Scythe, which needed bones to use, Cursed Blood, which required activation once my blood had been spilled to the point of staining my enemy, and Skeleton Soldier which needed a corpse. I didn¡¯t count Bone Strengthening or my newly acquired Intermediate Rune Inscription as either one since they weren¡¯t really recurring abilities. ¡°Better to get it out of the way,¡± I said with a sigh before collapsing onto my couch. I concentrated on it and I quickly gained a better understanding of the process. Runes would be carved into my bones automatically. I think the Bone Restructure had broken me to an extent because I was actually happy to hear my bones would be carved up. ¡°Let¡¯s start then.¡± I closed my eyes and immediately felt a burning, itchy, sensation over my entire body like hundreds of bugs were tunneling into my body. I ended up underestimating the amount of pain I would feel and could only grit my teeth as a set of ancient runes carved themselves into my skeleton. I couldn¡¯t stop myself as I scratched at my arms in a futile hope of finding relief. And then it all stopped abruptly and I left out a heavy exhale as relief came flooding in. ¡°That wasn¡¯t that bad,¡± I spoke to myself. I realized it was a habit that had grown during my isolation but I didn¡¯t think I needed to really work on stopping it. Switching my focus, my knowledge of runes expanded and found the symbols for, fire, ice, poison, and bleeding were present in my head. While the others were straightforward, bleeding seemed to be a curse of some sort which made me a little regretful for not picking Blood Arrow since it synthesized well. Chapter 11: Practice Makes Perfect I put in for an application for a Class-1 ruin and I received a response by the end of the week. My previous experience with the Class-3 ruin helped expedite my request and I was accepted. After a short trip, I stood in front of the ruin entrance with a pouch of bones tied to my belt. To create Wilma¡¯s War Scythe I only needed bones to use as the material and I had more than a few to spare. I ran my hand over the ivory ring on my finger as I got ready to enter. This time, I decided to bring the book with me. I thought that I had gone long enough without arousing suspicion toward my awakening, so it should¡¯ve been safe to take it with me. After a few minutes, I went through the entry process and was let in without much of a hassle. ¡°If you find yourself in danger, be sure to retreat,¡± A guard said as I descended below. The government valued the Gifted, but there was a certain lack of regulation in some areas. For example, there was a certain hearsay aspect of reporting your gift if you were under Class-3 as they were traditionally weaker and less impressive. Especially when you thought of the Gifted who could summon walls of fire or move in a way that defied all human understanding. My thoughts stopped there as I entered the Class-1 ruin. I heard the sound of something being peeled away before I discovered the source. Clay Soldiers, alternatively known as Living Clay, began to fall from the ceiling before reforming into the shape of a human. I reached into the pouch tied to my belt and grabbed all of the bones I brought with me. With a single thought, they began to click and rattle, before snapping apart and forming into the shape of a staff. After the sound stopped, I was left with a beautiful ivory weapon. The single-edged blade of the War Scythe was narrow and pointed upward before curving like the claw of some large beast. The bone-white staff was smooth until the area where the shaft and blade came together. That part created an ominous air around the weapon as the bone fragments jutted out. The butt of the staff was a single sharp pointed that could be used for thrusting attacks, much like a spear if I ever had the need to do so. A lump of clay approached me just as my weapon finished forming and I twisted the war scythe, transitioning into a diagonal slash and separated its body in half. I felt a warm sensation creep through my body and a burst energy that told me Soul Siphon was in use. I pushed off with increased speed and rushed toward the gathering enemies. I lowered my war scythe before twisting the blade and lifting it upward, splitting another clay soldier into two pieces. I had no time to rest as three more clay soldiers were advancing toward me. I used my feet to pivot while performing a wide swing, slicing through all three of my enemies. Their souls poured into me and my pace grew even faster, I lunged forward into the growing crowd of enemies and spun the war scythe fiercely. The difficulty of a Class-1 Ruin wasn¡¯t anything to worry about for me and it almost tricked me into believing I was far stronger than I really was. I stopped when the number of clay soldiers dwindled by a huge amount and motionlessly watched as they shuffled toward me. It was a moment that served as a reality check. They were slow, they could only perform basic moves, and they had no real intelligence to boast of. They were truly the lowest rung of enemies you could face in a ruin where a large group of ordinary people could probably deal with a few if they were patient. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t get too full of myself.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. I needed to get keep a realistic mindset as I advanced. Although Penelope¡¯s Dance proved to be an incredible fighting style that allowed me to hold my own in a Class-3 Ruin, I had very little experience with combat overall. ¡°Woah!¡± I jumped out the way as a Clay Soldiers swung his fist at me. I twisted my body to avoid him before slapping him in the head with the sharp end of the war scythe. The muddy head became deformed and I swung once more to separate it from the rest of the Clay Soldier¡¯s body. What I needed to do was gain a sense of understanding when fighting. I needed to recognize the flow of the battle without losing myself. I stabbed the war scythe into the torso of a Clay Soldier before lifting it into the air and slamming him down onto the cavern-like floor causing it to lose its shape. I only had a few enemies left, but I chose to wait for them to attack before avoiding it and countering. I wouldn¡¯t always be able to easily cut down my enemies so I needed to prepare while I could. The one glaring flaw I discovered after reaching another stage of Penelope¡¯s Dance was that I currently lacked the ability to perform well in a drawn-out, one-on-one, fight. My current level allowed me to clear out weaker enemies fairly easy, but a boss-level enemy would still be too much for me to deal with alone. I cut down the last Clay Soldier and came to a dead end. The structure of a Class-1 Ruin was extremely linear and it wasn¡¯t likely that there would be a hidden corridor around. I stabbed the war scythe into the ground and sat on the ground, taking a brief rest. ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± I mumbled as I removed the ivory ring from my hand. I watched as it began to unfold into the shape of a book and immediately looked at the value of my souls. Value Of Souls Gathered: 75 It wasn¡¯t a very impressive amount gathered, but it was a little more than I first received by using the leftover remains. I guess it was due to the fact that the Clay Soldiers barely qualified as living beings. Doing the math, I would need to clear this ruin around 67 more times if I wanted to advance the path of the Death Bringer another step. And that was under the condition I didn¡¯t buy any other skills while doing so. ¡°I think I¡¯ll save them for now.¡± I closed the book and let it reform into a ring before putting it back on my hand. When I thought to put away the war scythe, it crumbled into bone fragments that I collected into my pouch. I figured that investing in new skills before mastering the ones I currently had would do more harm than good. So, I resolved to remain patient as I departed from the Ruin. I narrowed my eyes as I adjusted to the sunlight before heading toward a guard. For a small fee, you could have others gather up the materials you couldn¡¯t take yourself. Of course, that only applied to ruins below class 3. ¡°You- You¡¯re out already? That was fast.¡± The guard on duty asked as he looked to his watch before turning his gaze back to me. ¡°Yeah? How much time did it take me?¡± I was a bit curious. ¡°About thirty minutes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°You want to check the logs?¡± He replied. ¡°No, I just thought it would¡¯ve been longer than that.¡± ¡°Well, the highest recorded time for Class-2 Gifted and under is about, ten minutes. Either way, you should still be proud of your time. Hey, if you manage to beat the record you get a small tax reduction on what you earn from the Ruin.¡± ¡°Oh, that was a thing, wasn¡¯t it?¡± I recalled the government creating a set of incentives for people to become more active in Ruin Clearing. Not only was the reward pretty good, but you could leave your real name and grab the attention of guilds looking for talented people. I wasn¡¯t too interested in the latter, but I thought that it wouldn¡¯t hurt to put my name out there so I chose to leave my name behind. It sort of felt like I had gotten the highest score on an arcade game or something which gave me a sense of achievement. I wrapped up the rest of the process, finding out my single run had earned me two thousand dollars after factoring the taxes and fees for recovering the material left behind. I felt that a few more runs would allow me to have enough to purchase a better combat suit. The current cloth-based one was good for now, but I had to think of the future. I returned home in a good mood and applied for another ruin in my area before going to sleep. Chapter 12: A Deadly Encounter After two weeks, I cleared six different Class-1 Ruins and one Class-2 earning me a value of 550 souls that I still held onto. A total of seven days was spent clearing ruins but the time in between that was spent practicing Penelope¡¯s Dance, studying rune inscription, or going for a run to increase my endurance. I didn¡¯t pay attention to much of anything else that went on in the background, not that there would be any news that concerned me. ¡°That reminds me.¡± I wiped the sweat from my forehead with a towel before I unsummoned Wilma¡¯s War Scythe. I didn¡¯t get a chance to let my father know I was officially a Gifted. Although we had grown distant over the years, there were no bad feelings between us. It¡¯s just the death of my mother had put us in a place where we couldn¡¯t quite figure out how to move on, I guess. I¡¯m sure my obsession with dead things didn¡¯t really help either. I dialed his number but only got a voicemail in the end. Without much to say, I just summed up what had happened while leaving out the worrisome parts like the fact I nearly died the first time I entered a ruin. Just as I was about to put my phone away, it vibrated and a message appeared on the screen. [Hey, are you in any condition to attempt another Class-3 Ruin?] I almost thought it would be my father, but it was Jameson and it seemed that his group was ready to give it another go. [Sure, just let me know the time.] I replied back before storing my phone away and heading out. I donned a sweatsuit and grabbed a pair of earbuds before starting my run. While Penelope¡¯s Dance was great for improving my physical constitution, I thought it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try other forms of exercise. I¡¯m not exactly sure how far I ran but since it usually took me an hour to complete it, I assumed it was a fair distance. I began my jog while admiring the scenery as usual. ¡­ A busy street was filled with those who seemed to be preoccupied with some other task. The monotonous routine of daily life certainly had its charms. A peaceful was likely to be the most comforting one if you asked a common person. But with one scream, the image of peace was shattered. The passing crowds turned their eyes to the source and they were immediately filled with the shock that would elicit verbalized panic. A thin ape-like creature with a jaw filled with crooked teeth used its small bestial eyes to scan the crowd that seemed to be frozen in place. Behind, there was a sewer grate pushed ajar, clearly, the location where it emerged from. It let out a strange, high-pitched, laugh that would come from the mouth of a hyena as it turned its eyes to the sewer. More of the creatures began to emerge as their numbers increased. From two to six and then to twelve of the bipedal creatures with odd features. The first one to emerge opened its mouth and licked its lips as the crowd began to slowly back away. Was it fear that paralyzed them? No, countless evacuations drills that had to perform since grade school were now a reflex. It was always said that in case of running into a hostile creature, back away slowly, stay quiet, stay calm, and do not look away. If any of those rules were violated, it could cause a violent reaction that would put the bystanders in even more danger. A standoff occurred where even the vehicles on the street were at a complete halt. In the eyes of those reddish monsters, they didn¡¯t have the number advantage and the ¡°prey¡± in front of them didn¡¯t seem very scared. A little over a minute, that¡¯s how long it would take for them to completely abandoned the attack. Unfortunately, a small child began to cry as her parents tried to calm her. And everyone¡¯s eyes drifted toward the source, including the creatures that emerged. They let out a simultaneous set of cries before one began to step forward. ¡°No, no, no.¡± The mother tightly held onto her husband and daughter as it began its approach. There were those who would want to help, sure, but they could do nothing against the monsters that stood before them. The creature approached with a ferocious grin on its face and just as it was about to take further action a stop sign was swung toward it. Strangely enough, the stop sign seemed to hold an unexpected amount of power as it sliced a few centimeters into the creatures neck. Once again, the nervous gazes of the pedestrians were forced to a different point. The end of the stop sign was held by a young man in a grey sweatsuit. His eyes were narrowed into a fierce glare while his mouth curled into a faint, confident, grin. ¡­The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. I couldn¡¯t help but smile after sneak attacking the Imp who seemed surprised at the stop sign lodged in his neck. I didn¡¯t have time to show off so I hurriedly pulled the stop sign back and spun it before striking the Imp with the end of the pole which still had a piece of concrete attached to it. My current weapon was pulled out of the ground and hastily covered in two temporary runes, Sharpness and Weighted Edge. Although I could use other runes, a stop sign wasn¡¯t a real weapon to begin with and I didn¡¯t plan on using it for long. I twisted the sign once more and slammed it into the Imp to make sure it was dead. ¡°Thank you for your sacrifice,¡± I mumbled as I touched the corpse. Its skin began to boil, before falling off in the form of lumps of congealed fat, hair, skin, muscle, and blood, revealing a skeleton that rose to its feet with a soft clattering sound. ¡°Take this.¡± I handed it the stop sign which it accepted without raising a fuss. After it received my present, I grabbed ahold of one its arms and pulled it from the skeletal body. I swung it downward and it abruptly elongated, taking the form of Wilma¡¯s War Scythe. I paid no mind to the spectators and dipped my fingers into the lump of blood and flesh at my feet and began hastily writing my temporary runes, Bleeding and Sharpness. The runic letters began to glow for a few seconds before the blood dried. Through the entire exchange, I kept my eyes on the group of Imps in front of me. I had heard of them, like a few other monsters, and they were very aggressive but cautious as well, usually harassing something until they knew how strong it was. On top of that, they were an agile bunch, so I would have to move fast. ¡°Well?¡± I asked aloud as I began to spin the war scythe. ¡°If you don¡¯t come over here, we¡¯re going over there.¡± With a thought, the one-armed skeleton began moving forward with the stop sign in its hands, causing the Imps to take distance. One of them seemed to have some semblance of intelligence as he threw a stone, hitting the skull of my Skeleton Warrior and making him come to a complete stop. I had long since discovered the problem with my ability to raise a basic Skeleton Warrior. Well, I should say problems as there were many. For one, it was basically remote controlled, able to carry out simple instructions. If I thought attack, it would move forward and make an undisciplined swing indefinitely unless another order was given. Another big problem was that each time it received damage, it would pause before continuing as if nothing happened. I didn¡¯t want to say I was ripped off, but I was ripped off. That¡¯s the main reason I had yet to invest my souls into anything, but this wasn¡¯t the time to think about it. The Imps laughed in disbelief as if they couldn¡¯t believe they were fearful of such a weak enemy and began to mercilessly pelt my skeletal companion with whatever they could grab. It left a perfect opening for me as I rushed forward, jumping from car roof to car roof before leaping off and making a wide-swing with my war scythe, beheading an Imp with surprising ease. As soon as my feet hit the ground, I used my momentum to turn my body and stabbed the tip of the war scythe into the chest of another Imp that cried out as copious amounts of blood began to pour from out from the small wound. I didn¡¯t strike an artery or vein, it¡¯s just the Bleeding Rune caused a good amount of damage with little effort. However, my effort wasn¡¯t enough to kill it and it¡¯s companions were already pouncing on me. Or rather, they were attempting to pounce on me. I simply sidestepped, pivoted, or twisted my body away, while sending a counterattack or two. I struck an Imp with the flat side of the war scythe blade before turning the sharp edge to it and lopping its arm off in the process. I rotated the war scythe and stabbed the end of the staff into its eye socket before pulling it back. With another one dead, I felt a surge of energy and began to move even faster. My battle wasn¡¯t perfect and I received a few scratches and cuts but was able to ignore them. Though, the same didn¡¯t apply to my opponents as one Imp bit into my arm and immediately began to regret it. It let out a hoarse cry as my blood began to sear its skin. I didn¡¯t take time to gloat and instead split its head open with the blade of the war scythe before moving onto the last few targets who were attempting to escape. I breathed heavily as the fighting came to a stop and the effects of Soul Siphon began to wear off. The euphoric sensation that came from the fight had gone along with the burst of strength and speed and my wounds began to ache. ¡°Geez.¡± I huffed out before leaning onto my war scythe and catching my breath. My grey sweatsuit was now covered in a mixture of sweat and blood from both me and my enemies. I almost let my thoughts wander until a loud applause began to fill my ears. The spectators who probably figured out I was a Gifted pretty easily, observed the fight from a safe distance and even took pictures and videos of me while I fought. I was stunned and a little annoyed by their reaction, to be honest. Once they knew a Gifted was taking care of the situation, they turned from frightful bystanders to the crowd enjoying a good show. The average person seemed to have come to the understanding that Gifted were all powerful when that simply wasn¡¯t the case. If it was the same Casper from a few weeks ago, the one who had just started practicing Penelope¡¯s Dance, we¡¯d all be dead. ¡°Whatever, I guess it sort of worked out in the end.¡± I shrugged and tossed the war scythe aside which caused it to crumble into bone fragments. I had spent at least ten minutes fighting, so I knew that a guild and a team of police officers as well as EMTs on the way. With that in mind, I waved at the crowd with a wry smile before taking a seat on the curb. At first, I was under the impression that Soul Siphon restored my stamina to some extent when in reality, it essentially delayed my exhaustion which now began to set in. ¡°I¡¯m sure it would be fine if I just closed my eyes for a bit.¡± I grinned under the warm rays of the sun while doing my best to ignore the stench of blood that filled the air. ¡°Clear the way! Clear the way!¡± I didn¡¯t even have to open my eyes to know that those voices were members of some guild followed by a team of police ready to evacuate the area and provide assistance. I could imagine their surprise as they arrived only to find everything dealt with. I ignored the pain of my wounds and stood up. I was really hoping that I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with much paperwork. Chapter 13: A Dead End ¡°Uh, I, well, you see¡­¡± I stammered out nervously. What turned me into an incoherent mess that could barely form a few words let alone a sentence? Well, that would be the camera crew standing in front of me along with a small horde of reporters all pointing their microphones at my face. I expected a bit of a reaction from my fight and maybe some paperwork, but that¡¯s not what happened. Well, it is what happened. I got patched up, told my story to some officers, and filled out a report. It was all going well until I stepped outside of the perimeter of the attack and was immediately swarmed by men and women who asked me questions faster than my brain could keep up with. ¡°What about your gift? There are reports that you were able to bring the dead back to life, is it true?!¡± ¡°I can''t really do that but I think-¡± I couldn¡¯t finish because another question came flying at me. ¡°What¡¯s your name?!¡± ¡°My names is Casper Clay, but to answer the other question-¡± ¡°How old are you?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be twenty-three this year, but like I was saying, I can''t actually bring the dead back to life, it''s just that I-¡± ¡°Were you expecting a ruin to appear in this area?!¡± ¡°N-No, I was jogging when it happened, but I think I should stress that I can''t-¡± ¡°How long ago did you awaken to your gift?!¡± ¡°Not long ago, a few weeks maybe, look, I- I think I should really get going-¡± ¡°So you¡¯re inexperienced and you still decided to help out? Why?¡± ¡°Who did you train under? Was it Alexandra, the leader of the Iron Dragon Guild? Was this all a publicity stunt for your debut?¡± ¡°The what?¡± I¡¯m sure my face reflected my confusion as I couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. The questions continued flooding in and my route of escape seemed cutoff. I knew they were curious, but they couldn¡¯t be that blind to my condition. My arm and torso were bandaged up and my sweatsuit was still covered in dried blood. Maybe because I was a Gifted they assumed I was stronger than I appeared, but I just really wanted to get home. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have to go, really.¡± I made a wry smile as I slipped through the crowd. I became doubly thankful for Penelope¡¯s Dance as it helped me slip through them with ease. Just as I emerged from the crowd, I felt a spine-tingling sensation and turned my gaze to a different direction. It was there where I saw a slight image of what may have been a person. I ignored the reporter''s barrage of questions and headed for the place where I saw it. I couldn¡¯t explain it, but there was something drawing me toward that place, oddly enough, I didn¡¯t feel like I should be cautious. I knew exactly why I had become relaxed, it was due to the fact that person, whoever it was, almost looked like my mother. Once that thought took hold, I ran forward as fast as I could to catch them. I turned a corner only to see a brief glimpse of their figure vanish into an alley. ¡°Hold on!¡± I shouted while sprinting as fast as I could. I rushed into the alley and tripped over a few trash cans before coming to a stop. It was a dead end, there was no trace of a person and no secret passageway to be found. Just a graffiti-stained brick wall and a few odd smells. Not a single person in sight. ¡°Maybe I imagined it,¡± I whispered, hoping to dispel the growing sense of unease. That¡¯s when my phone vibrated in my pocket and I checked it only to see my father was the one calling. ¡°Hello, Dad?¡± I answered while departing from the alley. [Not much danger involved in being a Gifted, huh? So please tell me why the hell I just heard your name on the radio? They''re running stories about the sudden appearance of a ruin and how someone named Casper Clay fought them off. I even heard you suffered some injuries in the process.] ¡°Dad, that wasn¡¯t- It sounds worse than it is.¡± [What are you doing Casper? I already lost your mother and now I have to worry about you too?] ¡°Come on, don''t you think you''re overreacting a bit?¡± I tried to reason with my father but he was understandably distressed. [Overreacting? Casper, how long have you been doing this stuff? Do you know how many of those Gifted die in a single year?! It''s the most dangerous profession in the world!]If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°That doesn''t mean I''ll be one of them-¡± [No, I don¡¯t want to hear it! You know what, I¡¯ll be stopping by your place so we can talk about this.] ¡°Dad, you really don¡¯t have to-¡± The call abruptly ended just as I was about to continue. ¡°Crap.¡± I sighed and braced myself for a headache while heading for my apartment. I rubbed my temples before grabbing my phone and calling for a taxi. ¡­ In a distant place, far from the Emerian Islands that Casper called home. A woman startled awake, climbing out a bed made from twigs, animal bones, and wilted flowers. Standing in front of her were a group of robed women who seemed to be expecting something. ¡°I¡¯ve found a descendant, he¡¯s located in the Emerian Islands.¡± Said the woman who had jolted awake only a few seconds before. ¡°He?¡± A woman furrowed her brows. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s a man?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be possible.¡± Another woman shared the skepticism as she cupped her chin and lowered her head in thought. ¡°Has there never been a man to awaken to the bloodline?¡± ¡°There has in the past, but they all have suffered some form of illness whether it be mental or physical. They never lived past their adolescence. The blood of witches runs thin enough and his bloodline should¡¯ve been far too diluted to actually produce a gift.¡± ¡°So? What should we do?¡± ¡°We contact the High Mother. If he proves to have truly awakened, we should take steps to bring him in.¡± The women seemed to identify themselves as witches, a strange thing in the current age of Gifted where all people with powers or abilities fell under one label. The real difference between the women calling themselves witches and those called Gifted would be the fact those ¡°witches¡± descended from precursors. Although the precursor theory was just beginning to emerge, it seemed to hold some truth. As each of the women gathered around had ancestors who would¡¯ve classified as Gifted if not for the superstition that persisted during the time period. The group of women discussed their plans further while expecting Casper to be none the wiser. ... I arrived at my apartment and hurried into my room. I had to stash my collection of animal remains before my Father arrived. I sort of left them lying about since they were needed to create Wilma¡¯s War Scythe. I don¡¯t know how he would react if he learned my obsession was stronger than it had ever been so I chose to avoid it. My doorbell rang just as I finished putting the last box away. I exhaled a sigh of relief and went to open but just as I did, I forgot about the blood-stained clothes I hadn¡¯t changed out of. ¡°Casper!¡± My Father stepped in and he was clearly concerned with my health. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ I said inwardly, but outwardly I smiled and tried to pretend nothing was wrong. ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Wait-¡± My Father was too preoccupied my wounds to notice how much I changed at first, but he when he finally looked at my face it made him take a step back. He even had to slightly raise his head to look up at me. ¡°Your face, no, your entire body! What happened to you?!¡± ¡°My gift happened to me.¡± I thought it¡¯d be wise not to tell him about my bone-breaking experience that resulted in my change of appearance. I looked at my father and smiled, he was a man who began to grey and kept an untrimmed beard speckled with little grey hairs. On top of that, he wore thick glasses that gave him a harmless impression, but I once heard that he used to be a bit of a troublemaker before he met my mother. ¡°Ah, what¡¯s that you have there?¡± I asked after noticing the book he had in his hands. ¡°An old photo album.¡± His voice grew noticeably more pained. ¡°Mom,¡± I said softly as I reached for the book. He handed it to me and we went toward the couch so we could sit down and look at it. My experience from earlier had made me all the more sentimental. I opened the book and the first thing I saw were pictures of my mother as a child. The first one showed a girl with messy hair with a face caked with dried mud and a wide smile on her face. Then, it moved toward her youth where she stood in a schoolyard with a frown. ¡°She went to an all-female school, didn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Yes, she did.¡± My father smiled as he looked at the picture. ¡°You know, she once told me that the school was so strict that the teachers even controlled arts and crafts and they were forced to make creepy little effigies from twigs and grass. Not only that, but they even made up stuff about history, battles that never happened, people that never existed, strange stuff like that.¡± ¡°Ah, I think I remember you telling me that before.¡± I turned the page again and froze completely. At a glance, it was a normal picture, a photo taken in class, but in the background, there were paintings that were familiar to me. ¡°Runes,¡± I mumbled as I looked at the strange symbols that were clearly drawn by the hands of a child. ¡°What was that?¡± My dad asked. ¡°...Do you know what language that is?¡± I inquired as I pointed to the drawings of runes that hung in the background. They were vaguely familiar to the runes I could understand, but there was a distinct shift in the level, almost like a rudimentary version of the runic language I knew. The one depicted in the photo was far too simplified for me to really get a grasp of. ¡°Hmm, that?¡± My father scratched as his beard as he tried to think of the answer. ¡°I think it was...Ah! I think it had something to do with witches, maybe? The headmaster of her school was allegedly a descendant of a witch or something or maybe the kids called her that because the lady was so mean. Either way, they did a lot of cultural studies around witches and the persecution of witches in that school.¡± ¡°Do you know where that school is now?¡± I tried to calm my heart as I voiced the question. ¡°It shut down a long time ago, but the building is still up. You¡¯ll have to cross the bridge to the northern side of the Island if you want to get there, why? You plan on going to check it out?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just a little curious of where mom grew up.¡± I let out a dry laugh, but I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was wrong. I had seen glimpses of my mother¡¯s memories during her funeral but none of it made sense to me back then and I was too young to properly understand it. But now, I could see there was something off about my mother¡¯s childhood. I spent a few more minutes looking through the photo album with my father and couldn¡¯t discover anything else that stood out. Eventually, he recalled the real reason he came to my apartment and we had a somewhat serious talk, but my mind was too cloudy to actually process what he was saying. He voiced his concerns but ultimately chose to accept my status as a Gifted under the condition I maintain my safety to which I mindlessly agreed. I sent him off with a smile, but as soon he left, I rushed to my computer screen and began to search up anything and everything I could about that school, witches, and strange languages. I was determined to find out the connection between the strange language and the odd curriculum. Chapter 14: A Murder Of Crows A quick web search gave me the name, Mistress Evanora¡¯s School For Girls. The school, which was founded in North America around two hundred years ago by one Evanora Prower. She was a woman who seemed pretty ordinary in the extremely old black and white photo that illustrated her. ¡°Strange,¡± I remarked aloud. For a woman who founded her own school back in a turbulent time period, there wasn''t much known about her. I mean, I¡¯d at least expect a biography, but there was nothing but a brief bio under the school¡¯s homepage which only included miscellaneous. There was also nothing that seemed out of the ordinary when looking at the detailed syllabus. On the surface, it appeared that Mistress Evanora¡¯s school was very successful as it boasted about several locations outside of the US, one being located on our little Emerian Island until it shut down for lack of attendance. I still had a few hours before I had to meet with Jameson and others for planning. I grabbed a pouch of bones and called up a taxi before stepping out of my apartment. The animal''s bones were just to be on the safe side since I couldn¡¯t rely on stop signs and cowardly monsters to be commonplace. I climbed into the taxi while keeping a close hand on my ¡°luggage¡± that was safely tied up in a cloth pouch. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re that guy!¡± The driver smiled as he looked into the rear-view mirror. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°You know, the stop sign guy! Your video¡¯s blowing up man!¡± The driver laughed as he handed his phone to me. The title was simple, A Gifted with a rare power saves the day! I was familiar with how everything proceeded so I took the time to read the comments. [Crazy_Man_66: What sort of crazy gift was that?] The comment with the most likes posed a question. Right below there was an exchange full of replies. [S3LL0UT: I think it¡¯s pretty fucked up. If he can raise dead monsters, who is to say he can¡¯t do the same for humans? He probably already messed with a few bodies?] [Skullboy_19: @S3LL0UT You shouldn¡¯t be so quick to judge, he saved a lot of people.] [Not_A_Troll: @Skullboy_19 lmao nice name, fanboy.] [Strictly_Business: Hello, my line of work makes me someone who has been involved in the process of evaluating all types of gifts and I¡¯ll give you my honest thoughts on this one. To begin with, the man in this video has strength above average since he appears to have ripped that sign out of the sidewalk. Brushing that aside, if you slow down at the 0:45 mark, you can see some sort of weird letters written in blood. Based on how powerful the Stop Sign appears to be, it is likely some sort of enchantment ability, I¡¯ll come back to that to keep it in mind. After he kills the first Imp, he turns into some kind of an undead warrior, but it appears to be extremely weak later on. I believe that either it requires extreme concentration to use effectively or he has little experience in using that ability. There is also the possibility of the man having an evolving gift, so it could naturally become more powerful over time. Now, after the skeleton appears, the man removes his arm and turns it into a weapon. I¡¯m not sure what the requirements are for summoning that weapon, but he appears to need some sort of medium. There are several gifts that operate similarly where the user can make weapons from materials around them. Once the weapon is brought out, he gathers the blood from the dead Imp and writes out those strange letters once more. If you pause at 1:26, you can see the letters glow red which confirms he is able to enchant weapons but only through blood I¡¯m guessing. There are also several strange abilities seen later in the video, but if you want to know more, you can go to...]Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The comment ended as the writer left a link to his website. His analysis of my abilities was more or less accurate which was a bit scary. It helped me remember that there were millions of dollars to be earned by experts on abilities so ordinary people sometimes knew more about gifts than the Gifted themselves. ¡°Here you go.¡± I handed the driver back his phone as I had seen all I needed to. As long as my real gift, the one that allowed me to view memories of the dead, wasn¡¯t discovered, I would be alright. There would be countless people who would want me to use that ability for their own personal goals, whether it be voluntary or not. It was something that wasn¡¯t particularly unheard of. A Gifted who had a powerful gift, but not extremely so and no backing would be an easy target for shady groups. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± The taxi came to stop in front of a run-down building surrounded by a rusty fence and tall grass. The school building itself was slightly archaic in design and the lettering had mostly faded becoming a barely visible reflection of what it once was. The tattered curtains hanging from the broken windows as well as the stillness around the school made it seem like a haunted house. I paid the driver for the trip and stood alone near the abandoned plot of land. Other than the school, there was no other building in sight, just a wall of unwelcoming trees. I jumped over the gate and trespassed onto the school property without a second thought. As soon as my feet touched the ground, a congress of ravens emerged from the roof of the school and took flight. Or maybe it was a murder of crows? I wasn¡¯t too privy to the distinction between the two species, but I don¡¯t think it mattered as they both were pretty bad signs. I ignored the loud cries as they flew off and approached the metal doors that were locked with a chain. I grabbed it and began to violently pull at it before it snapped and the door creaked open and a gust of wind blew out. ¡°Okay, I get it,¡± I muttered as I stepped inside the dim corridor of the defunct academy. I didn¡¯t know where my destination but suddenly realized the basement storage was the probably the best place to look for dark secrets. I mean, that was a general rule for these sort of things, bad stuff either goes in the basement or the attic. Of course, there could be hidden rooms and things like that, but the point was to hide your taboos where people wouldn¡¯t look. I navigated through the floors covered with dust and glass and used my phone as a flashlight as I descended the creaky stairs that led toward the basement level. The silence became more noticeable as the only sound to be heard came from me. I reached the bottom and stood still, flashing the light over every inch of the room before pressing ahead. The interior was mostly dust covered metal barrels and empty wooden crates. I opened one up there was nothing of note to be found inside, just old textbooks. I spent the next five minutes rummaging around but there was nothing like what I saw in my mother¡¯s photos. In fact, it seemed to be stuff you¡¯d normally see in a school which was obviously troubling. ¡°Oh?¡± I noticed a part of the floor seemed uneven so I pushed some boxes aside and found what I was looking for. A small hatch that was barely visible under the layer of dust. One tug at the hatch informed me it weighed far more than I would expect. I grunted as I put all my strength into lifting the door and it slowly began to creak open. I finally threw it open only to jump back as crows came flying out, all letting out cawing sounds as they moved past me. ¡°...That¡¯s not good for my heart,¡± I mumbled. I was about to go into the hidden cellar when black feathers began floating around me, and there was this feeling that crawled along my back. The feeling you get when you think someone¡¯s right behind you. It was that but multiplied times ten and it came from behind me. I breathed in calmly and stood still as my hand slowly reached for the bag of bones on my waist. Right when I felt the pouch in my hand, I dove to the side while hearing something cutting through the air. I crashed into a stack of wooden crates, but managed to grab a handful of bones and summoned Wilma¡¯s War Scythe. I rolled backward as the sound of another impact rang out, losing my phone along the way. I had no time to think and swung the war scythe as hard as I could but all I hit was a rusty pipe that snapped in half. I searched for my assailant and spotted a silhouette of something moving around but it was too dark to make anything out. My cell phone was halfway across the room and barely illuminated the basement. Just as I was thinking of how I would identify whatever it was, it stepped forward. A tall human figure dressed in a tattered leather cloak moved toward me with heavy steps with a crude club in its hands. I almost thought it was a human until I saw its head, and quickly realized it seemed to be a giant bird with a human''s body. I sighed a little and began to rotate the war scythe with a wry smile. I guess I was expecting something like this to happen. Chapter 15: Which Witch Will Go? I sidestepped a wooden club swung in my direction only to see it crush a metal barrel. I rotated my scythe and lopped off a chunk of flesh that carried a horrible smell. My opponent seemed to have incredible strength, but that was really all it had. There was no real technique in its fighting so I bided my time by dodging and returned counterattacks when I could. It made a wide-arcing swing and I weaved forward while lowering my body, sweeping my war scythe low, severing one of its legs. It fell to the ground without any control and with another swing, I separated its avian head from the rest of its body. It was an anti-climatic end for an unknown foe, or so I thought. The body burst into several crows that flew upstairs before I could do anything so I didn¡¯t gain a single soul. ¡°...Wonderful,¡± I muttered as I unsummoned my war scythe, storing the fragments back in the nifty pouch. I wonder if that creature had grown weak from its time here. It had been a long time since the school shut down so it wouldn''t surprise me if that''s why it was so, well, underwhelming. After gathering myself, I retrieved my phone and returned to the hidden cellar, descending into it via a rusted ladder. It wasn¡¯t very deep but once my foot touched the ground, it just felt, different, the air I mean. Almost like a ruin but with a far weaker feeling. I used the light of my phone to check each wall, discovering webs and dust, but not much else. I walked forward and was at the end of the space within a few seconds where an idol stood tall. Sitting atop dead branches and bird skulls, a simple figurine of a crow¡­ or a raven. I really couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°Were ravens bigger?¡± I contemplated, a vague assurance that they were, in fact, larger entered my mind. It was probably based on some cursory knowledge I gleaned from a book or a documentary at some point. With that in mind, I assumed the small idol depicted a crow. I lifted it up and inspected it closely, discovering a series of runic letters under its base. ¡°Ah, this is the language mom studied here and it reads...¡± The writing was too simple compared to my own knowledge which made it harder to understand, but I think the rough translation was, ¡°A bird has no need for cages. Neither should you.¡± All of a sudden, the ivory ring on my finger trembled before expanding to its book form and floating in front of my face. ¡°Woah,¡± I spoke softly as the book flipped to an empty page and letters began to appear. This is a figurine from a forgotten land that resonates with the power of death. In exchange for its secrets, a large number of souls must be provided. Amount Required: 0/800 That was a whopping amount of souls for this tiny little figurine, but it had to hold some power, right? All of those crows didn¡¯t simply just appear out of thin air- well, they did, but this small figurine was the source. I had 650 souls in my possession currently. Originally, it was only 550, but I managed to wring out 100 from the wild group of Imps that appeared. I planned on investing into the general knowledge within the nameless book at first. Now, I found myself wondering if this artifact would prove to be a better purchase. I had no problem with spending another few weeks gathering up souls but I hardly wanted to waste them carelessly. ¡°Research!¡± I palmed my forehead as I realized I didn¡¯t have to make my choice immediately. The general knowledge wasn¡¯t guaranteed to have something I wanted and the artifact wasn¡¯t promised to be useful. I put those thoughts aside and headed out of this cramped cellar, its narrow walls were claustrophobic and the air was stagnant.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Once I made it outside of the school, I called another taxi and prepared to meet with Jameson. ¡­ Somewhere unknown. A wall of branches curled upward toward the sky but left an opening for the full moon to peek in. A bonfire sat in the center, parallel to the opening in the trees. Gathered around the roaring fire, woman dressed in dark cloaks adorned with many charms and trinkets. Some danced around the fire, chanting strange songs while letting out giggles. Other remained in the darkest corners to be found, gingerly nursing a chalice or cup of some sort. The rest were in small groups, chatting about subjects unknown as some strange power made their words scrambled. Suddenly, the fire sparked sending reddish pieces of burning wood into the air before it settled. From there, one woman arose from the center and stepped out with a calm and serene face. She was a tall woman with a gravitational presence, as all eyes and ears were open for her specifically. Her skin was almost radiant, her lips red like blood, and her eyes held a darkness that seemed to whisper to those caught in her gaze. A long curtain of grey hair fell on her back but she appeared as youthful as ever. ¡°High Mother Evanora!¡± A greeting was sent in unison, each voice overlapping, each voice seeking to one-up each other with their level of passion. The reverence for Evanora was clear; all of the women gathered held a great deal of respect for her. ¡°There is no need for such a welcome, sisters. We do see each other often after all.¡± She said, her voice low and enchanting. A charming laugh emerged from her mouth as she threw her head back, ensnaring the eyes of all. If Casper were present, he¡¯d definitely realize that the Evanora that spoke was the same Evanora Prower who established the lines of schools that taught strange things. ¡°I believe there was talk of a young man with a witch''s bloodline if I am correct?¡± Evanora inquired sweetly. Every mannerism seemed to have an unconscious bewitching effect. ¡°Yes, that is correct, High Mother.¡± A woman stepped forward and bowed. ¡°It appears to be quite powerful too.¡± She handed over a phone that held the paused video of Casper dispatching a group of Imps. The appearance of technology was a bit disenchanting to the atmosphere, but no one seemed to mind as long as Evanora did not. She accepted the phone with a smooth wave of her hand and watched the video. Her eyes flickered several times throughout, especially when she witnessed Casper drawing runes on his war scythe. ¡°It appears he¡¯s familiar with the honorian alphabet.¡± Her eyes squinted ever so slightly as she focused on the content of the runes, ¡°Ah, it is similar to the language we know, but I can¡¯t seem to grasp the runes. It must be some subset of the alphabet.¡± She guessed that Casper had learned a weaker or similar version through one way or another, but she could never guess the runic language he knew was much more complicated and far older. ¡°I wonder if the language of old came naturally to him or if someone taught him,¡± Her brows knit together. ¡°I believe his mother attended one of our schools found on the Emerian Islands, High Mother Evanora.¡± ¡°Ah, did she? That school has long since shut down, no?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, it has.¡± ¡°Pity, but I could see how a different version of the olden alphabet would reach him. What of his mother?¡± ¡°Dead.¡± ¡°Father?¡± ¡°He is in relatively good health.¡± ¡°I see, well, make preparations to meet with him, the young man I mean.¡± Evanora handed the phone back to one of the younger witches. ¡°Who shall we send, High Mother?¡± ¡°Send Rusalka to establish contact with our Emerian branch.¡± Evanora directed her gaze toward a lone witch that stood apart from the others. ¡°But-¡± The woman who wanted to raise an issue when Evanora¡¯s eyes fell on her. A small chill emerged from the depths of her body and stopped the words from coming out of her throat. ¡°It will be done.¡± The woman bowed deeply and apologetically. ¡°Good.¡± Evanora smiled before shifting her gaze to the young woman known as Rusalka. ¡°Keep an eye on the young boy, would you? Learn what you can but do not harm him.¡± ¡°Yes, High Mother,¡± Rusalka said, her voice languid and distant. She bowed as Evanora departed back into the depths of the bonfire, disappearing from sight. The witches slowly returned to their activities, but spoke of the prospect of Casper joining them with excitement. Chapter 16: Being Noticed I arrived at the cafe we all agreed to meet at, and found the a table where Jameson, Sophia, Grant, and Emma all waited. ¡°Am I late?¡± I asked apologetically as I grabbed a seat. ¡°Yes, so the meal is on you. You¡¯re famous after all.¡± Emma winked playfully. ¡°No, you¡¯re not late.¡± Jameson shook his head. ¡°Oh, the famous part was true though,¡± Grant interjected. ¡°You¡¯re talking about the video?¡± I said, making no effort to hide my displeasure of the entire ordeal. I didn¡¯t really have an interest in fame like most Gifted. Sure, I didn¡¯t take steps to maintain my anonymity, I didn¡¯t throw myself out there on purpose. Somehow, it didn¡¯t seem as if it would all just blow over. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be upset. Hell, do you know how hard it is to get a viral video of your gift out there? Most people barely blink at class-three so it¡¯s hard to get exposure,¡± Emma explained to me. ¡°She¡¯s right you know,¡± Sophia agreed while stirring her drink with a straw, ¡°I told you already but I¡¯m apart of the Sacred Branch guild. They wanted me to inquire about those enchantments you put on your weapon.¡± That reminded me, I needed to quickly select my permanent runes. I had gone too long without them and my fights up until now would¡¯ve been less difficult if I had runes pre-equipped. ¡°Oh? I¡¯m not too good at them just yet.¡± I spoke vaguely. Whether Sophia understood my reluctance to speak about it or not, she just nodded before adding a bit of input, ¡°Be prepared for a lot of requests in the future. Enchanters and gifts relating to crafting are highly sought after and very dangerous.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± I was well aware the stories of Gifted who were forced into constantly mass producing items with their gifts. ¡°Speaking of, how many guild offers did you get? Your video¡¯s at a million views and climbing. I¡¯m sure the big guilds have already sent some emails.¡± Jameson said offhandedly. That¡¯s when I realized I was still disconnected from networking that allowed Gifted to grow. There was a social hub that connected Gifted as well as allowed them to receive private business offers or offers of cooperation. Of course, the signup was exclusive and you needed a classification card number or a government granted permit to join. I had yet to even sign up and create a profile because I had been far too busy. I wasn¡¯t too worried as the more professional offers would be sent to me regardless. My Gifted status wasn¡¯t private at all and requests would be funneled through the government system and sent to me. ¡°Oh¡­¡± I just realized Jameson was still waiting for answer. ¡°I¡¯m not actually sure, I hadn¡¯t checked yet.¡± ¡°Really? What the hell have you been doing since your first ruin clearing?¡± ¡°Clearing ruins,¡± I replied, but continued when I felt the urge to elaborate, ¡°Most class-one ruins, but there were also a couple of class-two¡¯s I managed to get to.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a strange one, Casper,¡± Emma commented. ¡°After I cleared my first ruin I didn¡¯t want to go back again.¡± ¡°I-Is it really strange? I thought the experience would be good.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Just ignore her, you¡¯re right to practice. Some Gifted are trained from the time they¡¯re children. Most Guilds have the rights to one or two ruins of their own so you know their people are constantly running through them.¡± Jameson shrugged before placing his hands on the table and leaning forward. ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about the next ruin.¡± I nodded and sat up a bit more in an attempt to settle into a serious posture. ¡°Unlike the last ruin, we have almost no firsthand info about this one but that doesn''t mean it¡¯ll be very dangerous. It¡¯s well-documented with several attack strategies outlined on the Gifted network. We¡¯ll be dealing with a group of several ogres. For the sake of refreshment, I¡¯ll remind you all that they are thick-skinned, strong, and quick to anger.¡± I remembered my run in with an ogre, it poked my shoulder with its fingernail and tore open my skin. Ah, that day was I had my eyes locked on the corpse of that man. It was an eventful day to say the least. ¡°When they get angry their attacks become unpredictable which makes them easier targets but more dangerous. Grant will protect Sophia while me, Emma, and Casper take care of them.¡± ¡°Oh? He¡¯s front-lining now?¡± Grant asked, sending a smile my way. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any doubt of his abilities after that video.¡± Jameson grinned in acknowledgment. ¡°Now, after we take care of the ogres, we have to deal with a group of Imps which should be easy for you Casper. Then, when that¡¯s settled, all that awaits is an Ogre Brute. The last part will be the toughest battle but we should be fine with Sophia and Casper.¡± Jameson went over things like the environment inside of the ruin, the behavior the monsters inside would exhibit, and how we would respond to different scenarios. All in all, it was a very comprehensive meeting but we would have to meet a few more times before we were ready to go in. I said my goodbyes and headed home as soon as we finished. It would probably take a week for us to actually enter the Class-3 Ruin so I had time to clear a class-1 or maybe even a class-2. I planned on applying but not before I added myself to the Gifted Online Social Network. Also, I had to do research on the artifact I retrieved from the school. I stepped into my apartment and headed straight for the computer, searching for information about bird-related artifacts that didn¡¯t lead me anywhere. Shapeshifting Artifacts: There have been multiple artifacts with the ability to change the user into the form of a different being. So far, the artifacts that are known have the capabilities of mundane transformation which include, wolves, bears, eagles, and hawks. Surprisingly, these forms do not leave the user vulnerable. While the forms are mundane, the size of the forms are usually two to three times larger than the animal they replicate with far more strength. Additionally, the artifacts do not require you to remove your armor as your body isn¡¯t physically transformed. It is more accurate to say that you are stored inside of an armored shell that you can control, but more research is needed. Familiar Summoning Artifacts: Not to be confused with Spirit Summoning or Spirit contracts, these artifacts allow the user to summon a familiar that often takes the form of an animal. Among scouting uses, there are many different familiars that have offensive, defensive, and support abilities making them highly coveted. Although summoning multiple familiars often causes incompatibility. There have been cases where a synthesis was achieved and two or more familiars were able to work together. Note, the familiars mentioned weren¡¯t predator-based. That¡¯s all I could find when I searched deeper into things. I looked at the crow figurine and read the inscription underneath it once more, ¡°A bird has no need for a cage. Neither should you.¡± I¡¯m sure the ability of the crow figure was spelled out right in front of me but I didn¡¯t have a way to decipher it. Still, I knew a few things based on what the nameless book said to me. The figurine was from a forgotten land meaning it wouldn¡¯t be as mundane as it seemed. At least, that¡¯s not what I would expect from a forgotten land. Would it give me wings? That would be extremely problematic for me if that was the case. Penelope¡¯s dance required a strict sense of balance and control over my limbs. A pair of wings would throw me off so badly it¡¯d be as if I had started from square one again so I wasn¡¯t too enthusiastic to get a pair. ¡°A value of eight hundred souls though?¡± I reminded myself aloud. Who said that a high-price reflected the actual value of something? Then again, that would also mean I was doubting the description the book gave. ¡°Why is this so difficult?¡± I groaned out as I spun in my chair. Rational thinking led me to realize that the value of souls I spent could be recovered relatively easily. I shouldn¡¯t put as much importance on losing a few hundred. So, I decided to save up until I could unlock the secrets of the artifact which I hoped to be soon. ¡°Now, let¡¯s think about permanent enchantments.¡± I gathered up a set of bones and neatly organized them out on the table in front of me. I had a lot to think about before heading into another ruin. Chapter 17: New Neighbors In a crowded airport, where all sorts of people went by, there was one person who stood out. Her entire outfit, shirt, pants, and shoes, were all black. The color scheme, or lack thereof, matched her short black hair and gloomy demeanor. She carried a bag over one arm while her brooding gaze swept over everyone she passed by. Eventually, she came to a stop when she spotted a woman who held a sign which read ¡°Rusalka.¡± The woman holding the sign had a very motherly appearance overall. Her eyes were bright, cheerful, and immeasurably patient. Lines of grey had begun to appear among her strands of blonde hair and there were a few wrinkles around her smile, but that made her appear all the kinder. Rusalka sighed before approaching the woman, speaking in a dull tone, ¡°Rosemary?¡± ¡°Ah, well, yes! Then you must be, Rusalka?¡± Rosemary inquired for confirmation. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah! It¡¯s nice to meet you. You¡¯re very pretty.¡± ¡°...Thank you.¡± ¡°It has been quite some time since the main branch has contacted us- Oh, not that I¡¯m complaining. I certainly do understand the hassle of watching over some very active young ladies. The Emerian branch may be small but that doesn¡¯t lessen the trouble those girls give me.¡± The two walked toward the exit of the airport while Rosemary continued speaking. ¡°How was your flight over?¡± ¡°Bearable,¡± Rusalka answered as they climbed into a car. ¡°Ah, have you eaten?¡± Much like her mother appearance, Rosemary showed a lot of genuine concern. ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you about the young man that we sent word of.¡± ¡°Oh, that boy? Casper Clay? He¡¯s been all over the internet these days. You¡¯ve seen him, he¡¯s quite a handsome boy, isn¡¯t he? It was brave of him to help those people, though the nature of his power was a bit much for me. Still, I¡¯m no stranger to seeing blood in times like these.¡± ¡°Have you managed to track him down?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯d be ashamed if I couldn¡¯t fulfill a request by High Mother Evanora. We have a dreamer in our branch, Hope; She¡¯s managed to find his home. She¡¯s not the strongest dreamer, but she sure is a kind girl. She¡¯s like a daughter to me, all of the girls are.¡± ¡°And is that all?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve purchased an apartment from one of his neighbors, a woman named Nancy, I think it was? She was quite friendly. Well, we offered her quite a lot of money, more than her apartment was worth, in fact. If it was before, I could hardly afford to spend that kind of money, but High Mother Evanora is truly kind.¡± ¡°She certainly is,¡± Rusalka agreed. ¡°Ah, Miss Rusalka-¡± ¡°Rusalka is fine.¡± ¡°Well, Rusalka, I should warn you ahead of time. One of our girl¡¯s, Sunny, she¡¯s quite a handful.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s always been a rebellious spirit, but lately she¡¯s just been very angry. Angry at the world, angry at herself, just angry at everything¡­ Do you perhaps know of New Era?¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°The group of extremists with gifts?¡± ¡°Yes, they speak of a world that prioritizes the rights of Gifted and the like, and I think Sunny¡¯s of the same mind.¡± ¡°Has she made contact with them?¡± Rusalka¡¯s languid voice turned sharp and cold, making Rosemary pause in response. ¡°N-No, I don¡¯t think she would go that far. She¡¯s just, you know how some people can be-¡± ¡°Witches have suffered for thousands of years. High Mother Evanora has witnessed her own sisters burned at the stake because of fear. Whatever struggle the Gifted are going through is nothing compared to that and doesn¡¯t relate to us at all.¡± It was the most Rusalka had said and the most emotion she displayed so far. Clearly, her passion for her fellow witches was very high. ¡°Yes¡­ I suppose you¡¯re right,¡± Rosemary replied before continuing, ¡°I just think that she¡¯s in a very emotional place and New Era is appealing to a certain part of her.¡± Rusalka snorted derisively and said nothing else. Rosemary, perhaps sensing her mood, said nothing else and they rode the rest of the way in silence. ¡­ It took me some time, but I had finally decided on my permanent runes: Sharpness, Weighted Edge, and Bleeding. They were the most useful and well-rounded as far as I could see. The benefits of sharpness and weighted edge were clear to see. Bleeding was also had the least drawbacks where fire, poison, and ice were too dependent on the nature of the creature attacking me. Since certain monsters were unaffected by elements they controlled, having the incorrect ones would leave me at a disadvantage. Bleeding was far better due to the fact that the most monsters I faced so far were living and bled. I had to use ten souls for each of them which left me at 620 souls. It wasn¡¯t a very steep cost, so I didn¡¯t mind. Two things I did discover was the fact that the permanent runes would appear on Wilma''s War Scythe whenever I summoned it. They also could be removed for the same amount of souls used to engrave them. I grabbed the crow figurine and held it up to examine it. I really hoped that whatever it could do would be worth 800 souls. There was a sudden knock at the door just as I was about to theorize what it could do. I stashed the crow figurine away and went to answer the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± I looked through the peephole and saw a face I didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°Your new neighbor.¡± A cheerful middle-aged woman answered me. ¡°I¡¯ve brought a little gift since we live on the same floor.¡± ¡°Neighbor?¡± I mumbled. I don¡¯t recall anyone actually moving out for there to be a neighbor. ¡°When did you move in?¡± I asked cautiously. I chose not to open my door, as I was a little wary. Sure, she seemed to be an ordinary woman, more or less, but I was paranoid of some organization appearing to snatch me up. ¡°Just yesterday.¡± ¡°...What happened to my old neighbors?¡± ¡°Well, they moved out quite quickly. We paid a large sum of money so I don¡¯t think they cared much about the furniture.¡± ¡°We? Who do you mean by ¡®we¡¯?¡± I caught onto that little piece of info and pressed further. ¡°Ah, that would be my daughters. They aren¡¯t exactly blood-related but I love them all the same. Listen, if you don¡¯t want the fruit basket I can always take it back. I don¡¯t want to trouble you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± I undid the locks and opened the door. I might¡¯ve been a little too suspicious of the nice lady. Or maybe, the absence of my late mother caused me to have a soft spot. I was willing to bet it was the latter and even if I was aware of it, I could do nothing to change. ¡°My name is Rosemary Goodman, it¡¯s very nice to meet you.¡± ¡°...Casper Clay and likewise.¡± I introduced myself as I accepted the fruit basket. ¡°I¡¯d like to apologize in advance for my daughters. Knowing them, they¡¯ll find some way to cause trouble.¡± ¡°I''m sure it won¡¯t be a problem,¡± I said with a smile. Rosemary¡¯s daughters were sure lucky to have such a kind mother. ¡°Well, I should get back to it. I have no doubt that they¡¯re already fighting over arrangements.¡± Rosemary smiled wryly as a faint shouting emerged from her apartment. ¡°...Thank you.¡± After she entered her home, I shut my door and went to put the fruit basket in the fridge. At first, I assumed she was a representative of a guild or something, but I had never heard of a guild approaching someone in such a way. I was aware that saving a group of people once didn¡¯t qualify me for stardom. I knew well enough that I was hardly at the level where people would buy out an apartment just to meet me. I¡¯m sure there were certain circumstances behind Rosemary and her family moving in, but I doubt it had anything to do with me. Chapter 18: Fly Like An Eagle...Or A Crow A few guilds showed interest in me and among them were some big names. Sleeping Lion, Eternal Sword, Red Owl, and Faithful Arrow. While smaller to medium-sized guilds offered me some normal contracts, the bigger guilds did no such thing. ¡°We wish to have a discussion and explore the nature of your gift so that we might come to an agreement suitable to both parties.¡± That¡¯s what the big guilds said in different ways. It was understandable as they probably wouldn¡¯t want to throw too many resources at someone who might not turn out to be very great. Well, I didn¡¯t plan on accepting any offer at the moment. I¡¯d rather grow my gift a bit more so I could negotiate for better terms. Then again, my financial situation was now in a precarious state. I started my day by purchasing the Synthesized Combat Suit. It chewed through my saving in an instant and I almost wanted to cry as I purchased it. ¡°Please protect my life from now on.¡± I held the firm suit in my arms like a gentle lover and rubbed my cheeks against it. It wasn¡¯t very comfortable, inside or out, but that was a small price to pay for protection. I folded the combat suit into a case before gathering a few bone shards together and storing them in a little pouch. I planned on earning those 800 souls before I entered the ruin with Jameson. ¡­ A little while later, I found myself in a Class-2 ruin. If I could complete it, I¡¯d earn a nice sum of 100 souls. After that, I just had to complete two Class-1 ruins which usually earned me 75 souls. I advanced through the linear ruin and discovered my enemies, a pack of dogs with a grotesque amount of muscle. Cave Mutts was what people usually referred to them as. They were far stronger than the average wolf, far stronger. In fact, they were more like lions in terms of strength. A few hundred pounds of muscle compressed into the shape a large canine. They growled at me as I approached but I didn¡¯t stop my sprint forward and rotated the war scythe as I moved closer. Once one of the dogs were in range, I swung my war scythe downward and split it in half, receiving a boost of power in return along with its soul. I spun my body to avoid the lunge of two of the dogs and aimed at a third. I left a horizontal slice across its ribcage and blood began to gush out of it like a spout. It let out a yelp as it felt the pain, but its suffering ended quickly as I stabbed the sharp end of the war scythe into its head. I cut another dog in half as I received another increase in strength that paired well with the sharpness of the war scythe. I had to face one more dog but I didn¡¯t kill it immediately. I dashed toward one of the walls of the narrow tunnel and jumped. I pressed my feet against the wall and pushed off as hard as I could while I still had momentum, launching myself toward the momentarily confused dog. I heard a high-pitched bark as I impaled it on the tip of my war scythe, but I also suffered as I couldn¡¯t stick the landing. I tumbled forward and released the war scythe while feeling an aching pain in my hand. I rolled a little and- ¡°My wrist!¡± I was in disbelief as I looked at my dislocated wrist that hung limply before changing my subject of attention to the dog pinned to the ground by my war scythe. My bones were sturdy enough to withstand large impacts, but I guess I still ran the risk of dislocation. My wrist contorted strangely as it snapped back into place while transmitting the sensation of sharp pain through me. I knew that the sudden relocation of my wrist was due to my Bone Mending, which made me feel incredibly grateful. I could continue as if nothing happened, but I would still practice my wall jumping. There was a whole array of acrobatics and parkour I wanted to practice but would need to visit a Gifted training facility to do so. Penelope¡¯s Dance was amazing, but adding other methods of maneuvering to it wouldn¡¯t hurt much. After slaying a few more packs of Cave Mutts, I reached the end of the tunnel. There was a chance of the Cave Mutt Leader appearing, a monstrous dog that was close to the size of a car, but it didn¡¯t. The bonus would¡¯ve been nice, but I was satisfied with my current gain of 100 souls. Adding the 620 I already had in my possession, I was now at 720. My excitement grew as I was only 80 souls away.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. It was just too bad they didn¡¯t let the average Gifted apply for more than one ruin a day. ¡°Oh yeah, I needed to see if I could get reclassified as a class-three.¡± I unsummoned my war scythe and headed to the exit of the ruin in a good mood. While most people probably found ruin clearing stressful, I had to confess that I quite enjoyed killing things. Well, that much was apparent. ¡°Now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t been able to put my real gift to much use.¡± Ruins that were Class-2 and below didn¡¯t require me to read the memories of the things I killed. Even if I did, I¡¯d learn little to nothing as Clay Soldiers and Cave Mutts didn¡¯t offer much to search through. I¡¯m sure Class-3 would be a different story. I climbed out of the ruin and paid for the material collection fee before changing out of my equipment. I headed home with full pockets and a greater amount of souls. ¡­ Two days later, I was finishing my final class-1 ruin. I pushed forward and easily cut down the slow-reacting Clay Soldiers. As my speed pushed human limits, I used a wall to perform a leap. I shot forward and cut a Clay Soldier in half before sliding, recovering my footing, and sprinting once more. I wasn¡¯t very proficient at my wall jump yet, but that didn¡¯t stop me from trying. Unfortunately, the number of enemies were reduced to a single one so I could no longer practice the move. I impaled the lone Clay Soldier on the tip of my war scythe before flinging him into a wall. The vague human shape was distorted as it turned into a pile of mud that slid down the wall in a comical manner. It almost made you feel bad for the monsters that populated Class-1 ruins as they were extremely weak. I sat down and removed the ivory ring from my finger and watched as it turned into a book. It defied the laws of physics and began floating in front of my face while displaying my wealth. Current value of souls: 870 Any sense of sympathy I had for the clay soldiers vanished in an instant. I opened my small storage pouch that was meant to hold vials of medicine and retrieved the figurine of a black crow. I exhaled as I prepared to dump hundreds of souls inside of it. I toyed with it for a little before closing my eyes and concentrating on the souls stored inside of me. In an instant, the feeling of souls that filled my chest to the brink had vanished. In response, the crow figurine began to lightly tremble as the souls flooded in. Suddenly, the figurine came to life with a burst of black feathers appearing in my face. A tiny crow flew around me before it pierced my chest like a bullet and left a burning sensation. ¡°Ah! Why is everything so damn painful?!¡± I rolled around and resisted the urge to claw at my torso as the searing pain spread across my body. It soon faded and I was left gasping for air while wiping sweat from my face. A surge of new knowledge filled my head, most likely imparted by the artifact. First, I formed the intention and- A crow burst out from my chest along with the sensation of my senses being changed. One of my eyes remained the same, while the other showed an extremely wide-view, nearly 360 degrees of visible range. With another thought, both of my eyes showed whatever the crow could see. I had a hard time adjusting to the sudden shift and even felt a little motion sick so I recalled the crow. ¡°Amazing!¡± I exclaimed as the crow was absorbed into my chest. Before getting too excited, I wanted to know what the other function of the artifact was, so I closed my eyes and- I felt a sense of weightlessness as a burst of black feathers filled the air. My field of view had expanded as I peered through what felt like twenty plus pairs of eyes. My other senses were also thrown into disarray as my mind was filled with confusion. I peered through a dozen pairs of eyes and saw crows through each. Before I could do anything else, I crashed into a cave wall and all the crows suddenly merged together. ¡°Ouch.¡± I laughed as the familiar sensation of my body came back. I laughed and then I began to puke as the effects of artifact enacted a heavy toll. Even as I spewed out my breakfast, there was a smile on my face. Investing 800 souls into the artifact was really worth it. I¡¯d even go so far as to say that it was a bargain. I now had a recon ability and a movement ability. Whatever magic was at work, it allowed me to shift into a flock of crows for what I assumed would be a short period of time. The best part was the fact whatever I had attached to me wasn¡¯t lost in the process. I was glad as I didn¡¯t know what I would do if I was forced to become naked every time I used the ability. I wiped my mouth with the sleeve of the synthesized combat suit and headed out of the ruin triumphantly in spite of my mental fatigue. Chapter 19: All Isnt Well Among Sisters I sat atop my bed and breathed steadily. One of my eyes was closed while the other was likely staring ahead with an unblinking and unparalleled focus. I couldn¡¯t be sure of it because I was currently peering through the eyes of a crow. Once I entered a state of concentration, the mental fatigue I received when using the crow was reduced. As of now, I estimated that a radius of 100 meters was my current limit. I had no doubts that training would expand that limit, but if I tried to push past it at my present level, my eye would be filled with stinging pain. There was an incredible sense of freedom that came with looking through the eyes of a bird in mid-flight. My aerial perspective revealed everything to me from a way I wouldn''t have seen before. I wanted to use the ability longer, but I felt my mind getting tired so I directed the crow back to me. It entered through the window and flew into my chest, leaving a symbol of the crow¡¯s silhouette on my skin as it did. My next meeting with Jameson and the other¡¯s was set for today, but I had spent the last few days obsessed with the avian abilities granted by the crow figurine. In that time, it was only natural that I would¡¯ve discovered a few things. First, if I forcefully severed the connection between myself and the crow, I¡¯d immediately feel a splitting pain in my head. Actually, anything like an impact, crash, or attack on the crow would have the same effects. It was the result of my mind not having time to adjust to the change. I wouldn¡¯t receive any backlash if I just absorbed the crow into me normally. Secondly, when I shifted into a flock, any impact or crash would instantly undo the transformation. Now, when I was in the form of a flock there was no radius, but my senses would overload after more than a minute, forcing me out of the transformation. I found that out the hard way when I went plummeting into an alley and landed in a pile of trash. Other than practicing Penelope¡¯s Dance, I constantly used the crow transformation so I could build experience with it and that¡¯s exactly what happened. With a single thought, I could flip a mental switch and briefly change into a flock of crows. I was excited to test it in battle as it added another layer of mobility. Since my possessions would be brought along with me, I was eager to combine the crow transformation with an attack with the war scythe. The notion of being surrounded, shifting into a flock of crows to break my encirclement, and coming back around for a counter-attack was too enticing to ignore. It added an entirely different layer of complexity to my style of combat. Hit and run tactics might just be what I need to overcome the gap created by a strong opponent. Though, the fact of the matter was, I could only manage to use Crow-Shift, the name I had given it, three times without a break in between. I would have to be careful in my use of the ability if I chose to use it. ¡°Oh, yeah!¡± I had nearly forgotten the time while I immersed myself in the effects of the artifact. Our meeting place wasn¡¯t very far so I wondered if I could use my new abilities to get there, but I did away the thought. I didn¡¯t want to end up taking longer than needed so I called a taxi and headed out. As I opened my door, I coincidentally ran into one of Rosemary¡¯s daughters as she was about to head into the apartment. At least, I think she was one of Rosemary¡¯s daughters. The black-haired young woman stared at me and her deep blue eyes seemed to stab into my soul, making me a bit uncomfortable. ¡°Uh¡­ Hello,¡± I greeted her. There was no doubt to her attractiveness but there was an air of gloom around her. ¡°...Hi.¡± Surprisingly enough, she spoke to me, though it sounded just as forced as my own greeting. ¡°Could you tell your mother that I¡¯m thankful for the fruit basket?¡± ¡°My mother?¡± She narrowed her eyes at me as if I had insulted her.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Rosemary?¡± ¡°That woman is not my mother,¡± She said in a cold voice. ¡°Oh, sorry, then could you tell Miss Rosemary that I¡¯m grateful.¡± ¡°...Sure.¡± The woman answered me before entering the apartment. ¡°Whew.¡± I sighed as I left the building. I didn¡¯t know a simple interaction could be so intense. I almost missed my hermit days where I didn¡¯t have to speak to anyone. ¡­ While Casper was on his way to meet with Jameson, Rusalka entered the apartment and headed directly to Rosemary. She minced no words of greeting as she began to speak, ¡°There¡¯s a problem.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not good? Did something happen with the basket? If he ate any of the fruit we should be able to track him for twenty-four hours.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­ The guardian artifact at the school is missing.¡± ¡°Ah? But no one should¡¯ve been able to enter without running into the familiar, no?¡± ¡°That applies to normal people, but if the person was a gifted or perhaps a witch¡­-¡± Rusalka¡¯s eyes fell on a young woman whose hair was dyed green. Her nose ring and ear piercings also stood out, but what mattered the most was the light scowl on the girl¡¯s face. ¡°Why are you lookin¡¯ at me?¡± Sunny glared back at Rusalka. ¡°Your rebellious tendencies make you stand out the most.¡± ¡°So? That doesn¡¯t mean I went to that school to steal a damn artifact.¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t¡­ but if I find out you were involved, I¡¯ll-¡± ¡°You¡¯ll what?¡± ¡°Sunny,¡± Rosemary spoke up with a concerned expression. ¡°No, I wanna know what she¡¯ll do!¡± Sunny stood up and goaded Rusalka. ¡°I¡¯ll punish you on behalf of the High Mother.¡± ¡°I never got that bullshit! The High Mother this, the High Mother that, and so on. She doesn¡¯t seem care about any of us but when some random bastard appears she''s suddenly-¡± Just as Sunny was about to continue, a water tendril emerged from Rusalka¡¯s hand and wrapped around her leg before flinging her into a wall. A loud impact rang out as Sunny crashed before she fell to the ground. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t speak on things you can¡¯t understand you, idiotic girl. I won''t tolerate much more.¡± Rusalka spoke in a frigid voice as another water tendril lifted Sunny into the air by her ankles. ¡°Fuck you-¡± Sunny was pulled into the air and slammed onto the ground once more. ¡°Please, Miss Rusalka, she didn¡¯t mean it.¡± Rosemary pleaded as she grasped Rusalka¡¯s forearm. ¡°I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t.¡± Rusalka snatched her back and let go of Sunny. Rosemary immediately rushed up to her and began to apply some sort of healing magic to Sunny, but the girl resisted, moving away before it could take effect. ¡°Get off of me.¡± She barked as she stormed out of the apartment. ¡°Sunny-¡± Rosemary tried to stop her. ¡°Leave her,¡± Rusalka said before frowning, ¡°Maybe the pain will help clear her mind.¡± Rusalka¡¯s words reached Sunny who slammed the door shut out of anger. ¡°Oh, Sunny.¡± Rosemary seemed to be incredibly sad as the young witch departed. ¡°Did Sunny leave again?¡± An even younger brown-haired witch with a fragile look about her, peeked out of her room cautiously. She was the youngest of the small Emerian branch as she seemed to be in her early teenage years, but her eyes were ripe with naivete befitting someone much younger. ¡°She¡¯ll be back, Hope.¡± Rosemary replied, seemingly giving assurance to herself rather than the teen girl. ¡°I hope so,¡± Another girl with blonde hair stuck her head out of the adjacent room. ¡°You know how Sunny is, Joy,¡± Rosemary spoke with a melancholic look on her face. She grabbed a broom and began sweeping up the glass left behind from the short scuffle. ¡°You¡¯re the enchanter, correct?¡± Rusalka asked as she approached Joy. ¡°Y-Yes, Ma¡¯am,¡± Joy answered while straightening her back. ¡°Your enchantment spell should allow us to track the young man, right?¡± ¡°Yes, well, Hope would have to track him since she¡¯s the Dreamer.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Well, Hope, make preparations to keep an eye on him.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Rusalka.¡± Hope nodded before returning to her room. The door was left open wide enough to see Hope laying on the floor, surrounded a circle of twigs, bones, flowers, and candles. The biggest difference between Gifts and the abilities of Witches lay in the fact that they could learn different spells outside of their own talents. Gifted, those without evolving Gifts, couldn¡¯t learn any new abilities unless it was through a rare artifact. Even Gifted with evolving gifts were different. If someone had an evolving gift related to fire, they¡¯d receive new abilities, but they would always relate to fire. Witches were different in that regard, but just how much remained to be seen. Chapter 20: Rest And Relaxation I arrived at a familiar cafe and discovered that everyone was already present. It seemed they held off on discussing the plans without me and instead conversed about other things. ¡°There he is!¡± Jameson waved me over. Although he seemed a bit cold toward me when we first met, I guessed he had warmed up to me. Then again, I¡¯m sure that he, like most Gifted, had to deal with hordes of people wishing to benefit off of them. I was lucky that not many people knew me and those that did probably wouldn¡¯t recognize my current face. ¡°Timely as ever, Casper.¡± ¡°Am I late?¡± ¡°Yes, so the food¡¯s on you again,¡± Emma replied with a smile. ¡°No, we only got here around ten minutes ago,¡± Jameson said in response. ¡°Good, I don¡¯t think I can really afford to pay for lunch,¡± I said half-jokingly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you gambled it all away? If you did, you should¡¯ve taken me with you.¡± Grant spoke up. ¡°No, I bought a Synthesized Combat Suit.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a wise purchase,¡± Sophia remarked. ¡°How¡¯d you get enough to buy that already? Just how many ruins have you cleared in your spare time?¡± Emma inquired out of curiosity. ¡°I think around ten in total, but most of the money came from my savings.¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re really all in, huh?¡± Jameson seemed surprised. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that being a Gifted isn¡¯t a profession with a lot of assurances. Unless you have a contract with a guild, one big injury would costs you thousands in medical bills and even then you aren¡¯t guaranteed to be healthy enough to go back in. Do you have a fall back plan in case of injury?¡± ¡°...No.¡± Now that I thought about it, I had two really great abilities. Bone Mending could heal fractures and breaks within a few days while Flesh Mending could stop bleeding within a few seconds and heal cuts and lacerations within hours. I could save money on potions, pills, and whatever else was used to heal. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough, he clearly doesn¡¯t want to think about things like that.¡± Sophia rescued me from the conversation. ¡°You¡¯re right, my bad.¡± Jameson smiled as he placed a folder on the table, ¡°Let¡¯s discuss the layout of the ruin.¡± ¡­ After a few hours and a short meal, we finished studying the map of the ruin. Jameson stressed that Orges were less intelligent than Lizardmen but far stronger. They were easily angered and would switch targets to whoever caused them the most pain. It meant that we needed to kill them as quickly as possible and protect Sophia at all costs. I ingrained the strategy into my mind as I stepped out into the street. I watched as the others left in their own cars before I headed off toward an alley. Since there was no limit on my return home, I had enough time to practice my Crow-Shift. I had to be careful not to be discovered as the use of gifts in a public area was punishable with a fine or a jail sentence. It really depended on the nature of the ability used, to be honest. Turning into a flock of crows was less dangerous than say, shooting fire or lightning around. Once I made sure there was no one around me, a cloud of feathers burst into the air and I took flight as a flock. Although I felt as if I was one entity, my vision was that of twelve and there was nothing that could escape my notice. 360 degrees of vision that, when combined with 24 different eyes, became far too much for my mind to process. To my surprise, once I focused on just a few eyes, the overpowering visual range of my eyes was drastically reduced. ¡®You learn something new every day!¡¯ I thought to myself as I flew forward. Before exhaustion could set in, I dove toward a rooftop and turned back into a human without losing my speed. I leaped across a gap and onto another roof before and repeated a few times before I changed back and glided through the air.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡­ A group of crows descended toward a dark alley before they coalesced into the form of a young man. It was quite the sight to see, but Casper was deep in thought as he planted his feet on the ground. ¡°I wonder if I should¡¯ve told them about my newer abilities.¡± I raised the question as I headed toward my apartment. I had managed to land near my apartment, but I fell a little short near the end. My brain was too exhausted to attempt even one more go of it, so I decided to walk. I planned on revealing them once we were inside the ruin since I¡¯d have a chance to explain how I got them then. As of now, I just planned on saying that crows were related to death in some way. ¡°Hmm?¡± As I was heading home, I spotted a green-haired girl sitting in front of the building with a cigarette in one hand and a can of beer in the other. ¡°You¡¯re one of Rosemary¡¯s daughters?¡± I asked. She immediately turned her eyes to me and I could see a her busted lip as well as her bruised cheek. ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Ah, she must¡¯ve been one of the daughters Rosemary warned me of. I could see she was quite hostile. ¡°Nothing, I guess.¡± Since she didn¡¯t want to be bothered, I decided to leave her alone. ¡°...Wait.¡± She stopped me before I could go in and tossed me a can of beer. ¡°I don¡¯t like drinking alone, you want one?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t drink? A guy like you?¡± Her eyes filled with doubt. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t, it¡¯s just I never really liked it.¡± I sighed before sitting down but made sure I wasn¡¯t too close to her. ¡°Why are you so far? I¡¯m not gonna bite you.¡± She rolled her eyes as she inhaled the cigarette. ¡°You sure?¡± I smiled wryly as I opened the warm beer and took a sip. To top it off, it was a very cheap beer. I couldn¡¯t understand how she could even drink this stuff. ¡°By the way, what happened to your face?¡± I suddenly asked. Of course, she responded in a very predictable way by grimacing. ¡°A dog attacked me,¡± She grit her teeth as she said so. ¡°...Oh.¡± I just nodded and took another gulp of beer. Another taste only confirmed that it was disgusting. ¡°So, you live alone?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I answered. ¡°Though my dad probably wouldn¡¯t mind if I stayed with him.¡± ¡°Does that mean your mother is the one with the problem?¡± I shook my head with a bitter smile, taking a sip of beer before I responded, ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Shit¡­ Well, sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s been dead a long time now. It doesn¡¯t bother me much.¡± I lied. A single death scarred me beyond belief and for most of my life, I was controlled by death. It ruined a lot of things for me, but I couldn¡¯t just say that aloud. It was only recently that I was able to reclaim some part of my life where I no longer felt urges to observe death without any self-control. ¡°I¡¯m a bit envious of you though,¡± I added. ¡°Because of Rosemary?¡± She guessed correctly. ¡°Yeah, she seems nice.¡± ¡°She is, almost to a fault.¡± The young woman said as she took another puff of her cigarette. ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Casper...-¡± I replied, but was met with snickering, "...Casper Clay.¡± The green-haired girl began giggling like a child at my name and I didn¡¯t blame her. I just buried my complaints with another swig of beer. ¡°So, what¡¯s your name then?¡± I narrowed my eyes as her laughter continued. ¡°Sunny-¡± It was my turn to laugh as her name was just as odd as my own. ¡°Sunny Goodman.¡± My laughter rose an octave before it finally settled. ¡°Well, thank you for the drink, Sunny Goodman.¡± I squeezed the empty can of beer and stood up. ¡°Hey, you said you live alone, right?¡± Sunny asked as she tucked her green hair behind her ear. ¡°Yeah, I do,¡± I responded without thinking much of it. ¡°You wanna invite me over?¡± She asked as she stood up and moved closer to me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± I was taken aback at her sudden proposal. ¡°You hardly know me.¡± ¡°So, I''ve met worse men? You some sort of serial killer?¡± She said with a laugh. ¡°For all you know I could be.¡± I took a step back. Sure, she was pretty and seemed to be a decent person, but my years of solitude had made me hesitant about letting people too close. After all, I had a few skeletons stashed away that I couldn¡¯t explain without being seen as crazy. Well, I was aware that obsessing over death wasn¡¯t a very sane thing to do. ¡°Is it because of Rosemary? You wouldn''t know but she¡¯d be perfectly fine-¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± I shook my head while sighing. ¡°...Maybe I¡¯ll change my mind after I know you a bit better.¡± ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re one of those types? And here I was thinking that chivalry was dead.¡± She spoke sarcastically. ¡°I¡­-¡± Really didn¡¯t know how to reply to that. ¡°...Thanks for the drink, Sunny.¡± I headed inside and up to my apartment without looking back though I felt like her eyes were following me. Once I was within the walls of my own home, I threw away the can of beer and went to wash up. I had only interacted with two of Rosemary¡¯s daughter- Well, just one of them, since the other woman vehemently refuted my assumption- and each time I was met with a surprise. I took a break from practicing Penelope¡¯s Dance and began to doze off. It was only when I was a few moments from sleep did I realize that I hadn¡¯t taken an actual break since I stepped onto the path of a Death Bringer. That thought put a small grin on my face as I would continue to climb this uncertain mountain without knowing what waited for me at the top. Chapter 21: The Fight Ahead The fated day finally arrived and I prepared to head into the Class-3 Ruin. My combat suit was folded into the carrying case and a bag of animal bones was stored along with it. I scraped together enough money to buy some very basic healing supplies, but I hoped I wouldn¡¯t need them. I took one of the last apples that Rosemary gave to me and headed to a taxi that was already waiting for me. On the way out, I passed a teenage girl planting flowers in the dirt outside of my apartment. ¡°Ah, one of Rosemary¡¯s?¡± I asked as I headed toward the cab. ¡°Yes and you¡¯re Casper, right?¡± ¡°Mhm, that¡¯d be me.¡± I headed toward the vehicle and gestured for the driver to open the trunk before placing my armor case inside. ¡°I¡¯m Hope!¡± She introduced herself. ¡°Nice to meet you, Hope.¡± I smiled while thinking that all of Rosemary¡¯s children seem to have optimistic and positive names. ¡°Sunny said she already met you.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. I met another one too, but I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s your sister.¡± ¡°You met Joy?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± I shut the trunk and moved to enter the car. ¡°The one with black hair, right?¡± ¡°No,¡± Hope shook her head. ¡°That was Miss Rusalka, she¡¯s like a distant relative. Joy has blonde hair and she¡¯s a little shy, you¡¯ll know her when you see her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± I opened the door to the taxi. ¡°Well, see you later, Hope.¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Hope nodded and went back to planting flowers. ¡­ A little drive later and I was at the Class-3 ruin site. As I stepped out the taxi and retrieved my armor case, I was reminded that not all ruins were at the same in terms of difficulty to clear. That¡¯s why shared information was so important since only those who had cleared it was able to understand how hard it was to do so. Creatures that could fly, burrow into the ground or camouflage were among the hardest and would have a big impact on how things proceeded. That¡¯s why selecting a ruin carefully was just as important as having the right party members. ¡°Casper!¡± Jameson waved at me from afar, with the others standing next to him. Somehow, I was always the last to arrive. It made me wonder if I should look into getting a car or something. I quickly put away the thought as it wasn¡¯t even on my top five list of current needs. ¡°Am I late?¡± I asked. ¡°Nope, besides, even if you were we wouldn¡¯t mind, right?¡± Jameson addressed everyone else and I was met with casual shrugs. ¡°See?¡± I nodded and looked around before speaking up, ¡°Should we get changed?¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°You read my mind,¡± Jameson replied. We all split up, heading to the changing rooms before re-emerging, donning our gear. I had broken in the synthesized combat suit during my Class-1 and Class-2 ruin clearing so it fit comfortably. I shrugged my shoulders as the firm material clung to my body. It was in an entirely different category when compared to the basic combat suit. After that, we made our trip to the dispensary machine and purchased the necessary medical supplies, though I couldn¡¯t get much with my current financial situation being the way it was. ¡°Everyone ready?¡± Jameson asked to which we all nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Without further delay, we descended into the Class-3 Ruin. ¡­ We entered a humid marsh environment. The heat and moisture combined to encapsulate the very definition of discomfort. ¡°You know¡­¡± Grant started, ¡°Our country is pretty lucky with the Ogres we have.¡± ¡°How so?¡± I bit as moisture began to form on my brow. ¡°To begin with, Western Europe has larger Ogres that are more vicious. They love eating humans, specifically younger ones. It¡¯s really not something you¡¯d want to witness. The Scandinavian countries in Northern Europe call them trolls but they''re pretty much the same thing. They¡¯re a craftier than other variations of Ogres. They hide in caves and tunnels like rats so you have to burn them out. As for Japan, they have some of the most bloodthirsty bastards.¡± ¡°Is there that much of a difference between the ones found on our island?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°Yeah, those guys have to deal with ones that look uglier and carry around iron clubs.¡± ¡°That must suck,¡± Emma chimed in. ¡°Frankly, all of them sound terrible, but I¡¯d hate to deal with any hiding in caves if I were to pick.¡± Jameson gave his opinion as we pushed through the moist grass. ¡°I¡¯m not too fond of Western European Ogres, they are known to go for children first.¡± Sophia was surprisingly soft-hearted when it came down to it. ¡°I agree with Sophia.¡± I put my thoughts out there. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s stop here. We¡¯re already a good distance in so we should focus up.¡± Jameson knelt down. ¡°We need to find out if there are any of those bastards waiting for us.¡± ¡°Oh, I can scout around the area if you want.¡± I quickly volunteered. ¡°You sure?¡± He asked. I¡¯m sure he trusted in my ability but didn¡¯t want me to force myself. It was very mindful of him, but I had it under control. ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry.¡± I sat in the wet grass and closed one eye. ¡°...What are you doing?¡± His forehead wrinkled with confusion. ¡°Give me a sec¡¯,¡± I replied. After a few seconds of silence, a black crow flew out of my chest while leaving black feathers behind. I sent my second pair of eyes into the sky and began surveying the area around us. I immediately found three groups of ogres in three different directions. North, East, and West are where our enemies were. The northern group was the largest, with those Impish creatures skittering around the group of Ogres like vultures. In the center of the group, there was an Ogre wearing bones as armor which made me assume it was the Ogre Brute. The eastern group consisted of four Ogres that were currently engaged in other activities. They seemed to be enjoying themselves as they tossed stones at a tree. To western group was a trio of Ogres that were lazily sitting around a pond. Occasionally, they would splash around in hopes of finding a quick snack maybe? I recalled the crow familiar into my chest and opened my eye before blinking as my senses quickly readjusted. ¡°There are three groups. The Brute¡¯s to the north, a group of four to the east, and a group of three to the west.¡± I quickly listed out what I discovered. ¡°Uh...I want to ask about that ability, but I¡¯ll wait until we¡¯re clear of danger.¡± I wanted to say there was more to my ability, but I held it in. They¡¯d discover it when the time was right. ¡°We¡¯ll start with the western group first. I want to take them out without a fuss and since we know where they are, we¡¯ll have Casper take the lead so we can get the drop on them. Any problems?¡± Jameson¡¯s question was met with silence so he nodded toward me and I walked toward the front. I would be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t excited for the fight to come. Chapter 22: Forest Of Nightmares Pt.1 A murder of crows suddenly appeared in the air, disturbing three monstrous creatures of inhuman origin. ¡°Hoo?¡± One of the Ogres reacted, not as if its life was threatened, but as if a source food appeared. ¡°Bir-dee!¡± The Ogres stood up and clambered toward the descending flock of dark birds. They were in no rush as that sauntered forth and they began to move apart from each other. The closest Ogre reached out toward the flock in hopes of grabbing a snack, but the crows suddenly morphed together and a human shape appeared with an ivory weapon in hand. ¡°Ooh?¡± The Ogre managed to mutter before his throat was slit open and a torrent of blood came gushing out. It collapsed weakly while grasping at its throat that poured with blood. ¡°One down!¡± I shouted before I touched the ground and rolled. When I recovered my footing, Jameson was already moving toward the next Ogre. It was to be expected from an experienced fighter, he quickly found the right timing after my initial attack. The surprised Ogre duo wasn¡¯t able to properly comprehend what happened. It was good for me since I didn''t want them to wake up from their daze. Jameson swung his sword and performed a slash that audibly cut through the air. The skin of the Ogre was tough, but he had left his mark. I jumped forward with an increase of strength and speed from Soul Siphon and soared through the air for a brief moment before stabbing my war scythe into the wounded Ogre¡¯s chest. I didn¡¯t let go of the war scythe and instead planted my feet against the Ogre¡¯s body and used it as leverage to jump backward. Without hitting the ground, I shifted into a flock of crows and flew toward the final Ogre who had finally come to its senses. It was commendable as everything had transpired within a few seconds. I flew above the Ogre who tried to swat at me and switched back, becoming human once more. I swung my war scythe downwards and barely grazed the back of the Ogre¡¯s head. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ I cursed my inaccuracy as I landed. ¡°Watch out!¡± The shout came from the tall grass that blanketed the marshy area. A torrent of ice crystals came flying toward me and the Ogre, but I had already leaped back to avoid them while the Ogre- ¡°Oohaa!¡± The Ogre cried as the chill crawled into its body. Jameson had arrived behind the Ogre while it was focused on the direction of the magical attack. He drove his sword clean through its leg, causing it to alter the subject of its attention once more. ¡°Hoo- Ahk!¡± Human, it probably wanted to say, but I had stabbed my war scythe through the back of its neck before it could finish. As I retrieved my weapon, the large imposing body fell onto the ground and its soul came rushing into my body. ¡°Hot damn!¡± Grant shouted as he, Emma, and Sophia emerged from the grass. ¡°That was¡­something.¡± Sophia¡¯s looked at me with wide-eyes. ¡°You sure you¡¯re a Class-2?¡± Emma asked suspiciously. ¡°I¡¯m with her, you need to get reclassified immediately.¡± They were praising me, but I didn¡¯t feel too happy with the result. The benefits from Soul Siphon still affected me during my Crow-Shift, meaning I would fly faster for a period of time. That was good, but it caused me to underestimate my speed and I just missed what would¡¯ve been a fatal attack on the Ogre. ¡°Casper?¡± Seeing me deep in thought, Jameson tapped me on the shoulder. ¡°Ah, sorry, I was just thinking.¡± ¡°About what?¡± Emma appeared in front of me. Grant had already moved to stab syringes into the deceased Ogres, collecting their blood. I¡¯m sure it was worth quite a lot in the pharmaceutical market. ¡°I messed up my first swing on the last Ogre,¡± I replied, ignoring how close she was. I didn¡¯t lose momentum coming out of Crow-Shift so I would have to adjust for that. I bent down to check out the Ogres memories and saw a flash of what I already knew, there were two more groups to deal with. ¡°Did you really miss or are you just nitpicking?¡± Jameson asked in a skeptical manner, lifting up the head of the hairless Ogre. A line of blood could be seen on the back of its head, but the cut was- ¡°Too shallow,¡± I answered with a sigh. I spun my war scythe around before planting it in the loose soil and leaning my weight onto it. ¡°You¡¯re a weird one, Casper.¡± Emma inspected my face closely. ¡°Talented too! I¡¯m surprised you¡¯ve only recently become a Gifted. There are people who spend years training to fight like that. Hell, even I couldn¡¯t think of doing what you just did.¡± Granted added before grunting as he stabbed a large syringe into the eye of an Ogre. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± She said, keeping her eyes on me the entire time. ¡°Say¡­ do you wanna go on date?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± My head slightly tilted on its own at the sudden question. ¡°You know what a date is, right?¡± Emma laughed. ¡°I know, but it¡¯s just...-¡± A straightforward girl with green hair suddenly appeared in my mind. ¡°What? Is there someone else?¡± Emma inquired.. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t really say that.¡± I had only met Sunny once, so it¡¯d be a bit weird to think of her as a romantic interest. For all I knew, her interest in could''ve been spurred on from her fight and a few beers. ¡°Good, then it¡¯s a date!¡± She proclaimed as if she had achieved victory over something. My lips curled into a wry smile. ¡°...Why not?¡± It wouldn¡¯t hurt to go on one date, though it had been a very long time since I went out for fun. ¡°How about after we¡¯re done here? I¡¯ll go home, shower, and meet you at this fancy restaurant tonight. Oh, I¡¯ll get your number from Jameson too so don¡¯t worry about that.¡± She seemed to want to seize the opportunity so she pushed more. ¡°Alright, but I won¡¯t blame you if you¡¯re too exhausted by the end of this.¡± I shrugged but I was grinning inwardly. There was a little bit of excitement welling up inside of me but I tried not to show it. I guess it really had been a long time since I went out. ¡°Okay, if you two are done flirting, could we get a move on?¡± Jameson chimed. ¡°Sorry.¡± I gave an apologetic smile while scratching my head. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, I just wanted to get ahead the droves of women that¡¯ll be coming after him.¡± Sophia simply shook her head with a sigh while Grant gave me a thumbs up. ¡°Hey, how about I bring my girlfriend and we make it a double date? It¡¯ll be less awkward if you two run out of things to talk about.¡± ¡°The more the merrier,¡± Emma easily accepted. ¡°Seriously,¡± Jameson started to frown. ¡°Right, let¡¯s go for the eastern group next,¡± I said in a bid to calm his rising annoyance.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Judging by his sort nod of agreement, it worked. We departed while leaving the drained corpses of the Ogres behind. ¡°Casper, why didn¡¯t you raise a skeleton from the corpse of the Ogre? We could use it in the next fight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too weak and too slow right now,¡± I replied. I decided to upgrade the general knowledge of the nameless book, but I was tempted to level up my poor skeleton soldier. As of now, he didn¡¯t live up to his description of protecting me and instead was slapped around each time he showed up. It was a pitiful sight and the skill completely useless in most situations, so I didn¡¯t get to us it as much as I wanted. While we walked through the marsh, I was able to recover from the mental fatigue that came with use of Crow-Shifting. The air was thick was moisture and our surroundings were quiet. Since the environments in Class-3 ruins weren¡¯t exactly real, they weren¡¯t equipped with wildlife. But as you went up the ladder you¡¯d find that it felt like an entirely different world. ¡°You know how far away we are from the next group, Casper?¡± Jameson asked in a hushed voice. I surveyed the area and I suddenly realized that I could vividly recall what I had seen while using a crow to scout ahead. I wonder if the artifact improved my memory, or it happened naturally as I memorized more skills from the nameless book. ¡°I¡¯d say about two minutes away if we continue with our current pace.¡± I was making a guess, but it was an extremely accurate guess. ¡°Then we run the same tactic as last time?¡± Sophia directed her question to me and Jameson. ¡°What do you say, Casper?¡± Jameson left the decision up to me. It made sense due to my role being the initial attack while he and Sophia would follow up. ¡°Hmm¡­ Taking out two shouldn¡¯t be much of a problem but I¡¯ll definitely need your help with the remaining ones. I¡¯m not sure, but I think it would be good if Sophia didn¡¯t have to use much of her power until the last fight.¡± ¡°How kind of you,¡± Emma remarked. ¡°Alright, you¡¯ll be leading the charge on this one.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± I took a deep breath and cleared my mind once more. ¡­ The battle unfolded in the same way, a surprise attack delivered via messenger crow before the Ogres could respond properly. The first two were taken out in quick succession very easily, but as I approached the third, I missed my attack and had to rely on Jameson to handle it. I went for the fourth Ogre, quickly rotating the war scythe with my increased power. My opponent swung wildly, leaving some very big openings in the process. I quickly sidestepped its large fist and left a deep gash across its ribs. I transferred the war scythe between my hands with a taunting flourish. It was a stylish move, but it was wasted on someone like the Ogre who couldn''t recognize it as an insult. A dangerous right hook was thrown my way and I tilted my body backward while swinging the scythe upward with one hand. A vertical cut appeared on the chest of the Ogre who let out a painful roar. ¡°I need a little help!¡± Jameson said in a panic as his opponent mercilessly rained down strikes on his shield. I kicked off the broad abdomen of the Ogre I injured and used it to propel myself toward Jameson¡¯s opponent. I was happy that my wall jumping skills were showing their use. I landed a sneaky strike on the back of the Ogre who didn¡¯t even notice my approach. ¡°Aaargh!¡± The Ogre reflexively clawed for the war scythe in its back as blood poured out like a tide and Jameson took his chance, lowering his shield and thrusting his sword at the Ogre¡¯s neck. It began choking on its own blood as it keeled over, but before we could celebrate, an urgent look appeared on Jameson¡¯s face. ¡°Behind you!¡± Along with his shout, I could hear something heavy swinging toward me but calmly raised my arm to protect the side of my face. My mind instantly told me that using Crow-Shift wouldn¡¯t work well since the strike was on its way. With that in mind, I braced and accepted the heavy blow. The shock delivered from the punch was all but absorbed by my body, though I was slightly thrown off balance. I quickly reacted when I was given the chance and body exploded into a pile of feathers as a flock of crows took my place. All twelve crows split around and flew to the back of the Ogre where I made my reappearance. I twisted my body while swinging the war scythe, separating the head of my attacker clean off before landing gracefully. ¡°Ouch.¡± Or, it would¡¯ve been a graceful landing if it wasn¡¯t for the aching pain on my arm. The synthesized combat suit and my Bone Strengthening rendered the punch non-threatening. That being said, it did nothing to numb the pain. ¡°Aw and you would¡¯ve been so cool if you didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Jameson seemed to think the same thing as he joked. ¡°Hey, I helped you, didn¡¯t I?¡± I tenderly rubbed my sore arm as the pain began to subside. Flesh Mending was truly a godsend. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, whatever style of fighting that is, it¡¯s pretty cool to watch,¡± Grant said as he approached with a syringe in hand. ¡°It¡¯s almost like a ballet performance,¡± Emma added, hitting the nail on the head. "...If you ignore all of the blood, that is." I coughed and tried to change the subject when I noticed something was off. The air began to tremble and even the ground under us seemed to be moving. ¡°Hold on.¡± My face grew serious as I had to maintain my balance. ¡°What the hell?¡± Jameson cursed as he and the others began to stumble from the growing quake. ¡°An earthquake?¡± Sophia put the idea out there as the ground grew more violent. ¡°No that doesn''t make sense, nothing like that is supposed to happen here-¡± As Jameson tried to be rational, the ground began to split open and red mist shot out. ¡°Watch out!¡± I pushed Jameson out of the way as the ground underneath him began to open up. ¡°Hey!¡± Grant caught me as I was about to slip within the widening chasm. The landscape began to shift violently as massive swathes of mud began to be upturned by some unknown force. ¡°I¡¯m slipping!¡± The moist soil didn¡¯t do much to help his footing even as he scrambled back. ¡°Hold on!¡± I dropped my war scythe and dug my feet into the dirt as I hurried to climb. ¡°Casper!¡± Emma rushed over and grabbed my free hand as more red mist spilled out of the growing fissure. I could see them slipping and my foothold wasn¡¯t doing me any good. ¡°You have to let go.¡± I said as I released my grip. ¡°Shut up!¡± Emma yelled at me with a fierce expression. Any other time and I would¡¯ve been surprised, but I was dead set on falling. ¡°Let go-¡± ¡°Jameson! Come help!¡± Emma shouted as she looked over her shoulder. ¡°Hold on! Just...- Give me a minute!¡± I heard Jameson shout. I couldn¡¯t see, but maybe he was in a similar predicament. ¡°Grant!¡± I shouted as I wrenched free of Emma¡¯s grip, forcefully prying my arm away. ¡°Don¡¯t do it!¡± Emma pleaded tearfully as she tried to assist him. ¡°Grant!¡± I could see he was hesitant but we all would fall if they held on to me. I had already used up my Crow-Shifting in the previous fight. But I wasn¡¯t worried as I had the highest chance of surviving a fall due to my strengthened bones. I also had bone mending which would fix anything that broke or fractured. I just didn¡¯t have time to explain that to them. ¡°We''re all gonna fall! Let me go!¡± I began pulling my arm away from him. ¡°I¡­-¡± He gave me an apologetic look before turning to Emma with the same expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± His voice was heavy with regret, so I braced myself for what was about to happen. ¡°Don¡¯t-¡± Emma tried to shout but Grant had already let go of me. I fell into the depths of the red mist with a single thought, why did Emma suddenly seem so emotional? We hadn¡¯t known each other for long. Hell, we only just agreed to go on a date a few hours ago. I¡¯d have to ask her about it all when I- I couldn¡¯t finish my thought as I hit something and suddenly blacked out. ¡­ I woke up sometime later only to find myself hanging upside down. How much time had passed? A few seconds, a few minutes, a few hours, it was impossible to tell at the moment. ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± I was dangling by some thin thread and not in a figurative sense but an actual thread. Unfortunately, my ankle was bent the wrong way and the pain began to slowly announce itself as my consciousness came back to me. As I swayed back and forth, I began looking around, quickly taking note of my new environment. I was in a forest filled with a bloody vapor that cast a dark red haze over the entire place. The only source of light to be found was the glowing light far off in the distance. Whatever it was, it had enough power for its light to dimly illuminate the edge of the forest that I was located in. ¡°That¡¯s enough looking around for now.¡± I managed to groan out. I turned into a flock of crows and managed to escape from the thread before I suddenly flew into a tree branch and fell to the ground. It was an agonizing fall that made me draw a sharp breath of agony. I closed my eyes, taking short, quick, breaths before snapping my ankle back in place. ¡°Fuck!¡± I shouted without an ounce of control. ¡°That hurt.¡± Verbalizing my pain gave me the illusion of temporary relief, but it wasn¡¯t a smart thing to do. The trees around me were all tall and lifeless without so much as a single living branch to be found on them. The bark was blackened like the entire forest had been torched. As I titled my head to look at the treetops, I could make out the glittering of fine threads. It was the webbing from a spider and since this was probably a ruin, it wouldn¡¯t be an ordinary spider. I checked for my ivory ring and was satisfied to see that it was still on my hand. If there was anything to take comfort from, it was that. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± I limped forward as my ankle gradually repaired itself. A sudden thought filled my mind and that was ruin events. It was due to one that I had a chance to get the nameless book. Suffice to say, I was most likely in the middle of one right now, but I doubted it would work in my favor. I spotted something skittering above and dove behind a tree. I steadied my breathing and stayed as still as possible. The dark silhouette of an arachnid-shaped entity glided through the trees with quick, rapid, leg motions, arriving at the spot I had only escaped from moments before. It made a quick turn and began looking around, traversing the fine pathway of webs it had already laid out. ¡®Calm down.¡¯ I felt my heart rate briefly rose when it passed over me, but I was undiscovered. I could now see the giant spider quite clearly and I estimated it was at least half the size of a bus. After finding nothing, the huge spider headed off in the distance. ¡°Shit.¡± I exhaled as the danger passed. It was almost if I descended into some sort of hell. I could only hope that the others didn¡¯t fall with me, but something told me that wasn¡¯t the case. Chapter 23: Forest Of Nightmares Pt.2 I carefully navigated through the red haze, going from tree to tree. My final destination was the light source in the distance, but I didn¡¯t know if that would be my salvation or a quick end. Well, hopefully, a quick end, a drawn-out death sounded much, much, worse. As I headed toward the center of the forest, I began to discover cocoons that were torn apart. I¡¯m sure at some point they held something, but whatever it was, it had been moved or...- Maybe it escaped? If it was one of the others, I needed to find them. That reminded me, I needed to check my current amount of souls. I looked around and found a spot under a fallen tree. I crawled under it and removed my ring before it turned into a book before my eyes. Current Amount Of Souls: 420 I already had 70 before I dealt with seven of the Ogres. It seemed that each Ogre had a value of 50, twice as much as the Lizardmen I had killed before. ¡°I need something useful,¡± I muttered as I looked through the pages, just barely able to make out the words under the cover of darkness. There have been many to explore every aspect of death, to purchase the fruit of their labor, you must have the required amount of souls. Cursed Blood: Should an enemy spill your blood, let them understand the price that comes with it. Price: (Purchased) Blood Arrow: Use your own blood or the blood of another to fire a poisonous projectile. Price: 25 Corpse Puppet (Basic): Raise an unintelligent undead servant. Price: 30 Cost To Upgrade: 50 Skeleton Soldier(Basic): Raise a skeletal warrior to defend you. Price: (Purchased) Cost To Upgrade: 50 Demon Pact: Enhance your body¡¯s physical strength, increase your intelligence, or gain a fortune, by making a pact with a demon. When a pact is made, the demon will receive a portion of all of your souls for the duration of the pact. (Warning, not many demons can be trusted, show caution when dealing with them.) Price:40 To further explore the knowledge within this book, more souls are needed. Current Amount: 15/250 There was no real way to tell what level of ruin I was currently in. It didn¡¯t feel like it was a class-3 based on the environment and my knowledge of ruins was still too shallow to identify it. The huge spider was a huge sign that it perhaps a class-4 ruin or higher and that wasn¡¯t a good thing for me. So for now, combat capability was my highest priority. A long-range attack like Blood Arrow could be a great diversion or a way to delay enemies, so it was my first purchase. Next was Demon Pact, I went for it immediately after and was left with 335. As the knowledge of the Demon Pact filled my mind, I closed my eyes and a few sentences seared into my head. As a Death Bringer, your soul cannot be traded, exchanged, or loaned to other entities. Several demons of the underworld have sensed your apprehension and wish to establish a contract. Your presence is too weak to gain the attention of the Arch Demons. The following demons would like to establish a contract:Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Demon of Blood and Rage. In exchange for all of your current souls, you will receive the Brand Blood and Rage that will grant you a temporary increase in strength. The brand can be used a single time. To gain another brand, a new contract must be established. Demon of Wealth. In exchange for all of your current souls, the number of souls you gather will be doubled for a brief period of time. Demoness of Patience. The Demoness is offering a contract, the total length of the contract is one week. During this week, the Demoness will require half of all the souls you collect until a total of 500 is reached. If the designated amount isn¡¯t earned, a penalty will occur. In exchange, you receive the Brand of Patience which will grant you the ability to alter your perception of time. I wanted to think hard about my choices, but this place didn¡¯t allow me the time or comfort. Even now, I felt like something was creeping toward me. I hurriedly selected the brand of Blood and Rage. As my souls were drained, I felt a burning sensation on the back of my hand. My eyes shot open to locate the source of pain and I quickly found it. A fiery symbol was being burned into my hand and the smell of burnt flesh filled my nostrils. When everything finished, the image of a bull¡¯s head was left scorched into my right hand. I steadied my breathing and wiped the moisture from my head before standing up and continuing my journey. I needed to find the others and if they weren¡¯t here, I needed to find a way to escape. ¡°Ah,¡± I muttered as a sudden realization hit me. Higher-leveled ruins needed to be cleared before you could leave. Just knowing that felt like a gut-punch as I didn¡¯t think I would be able to do it at my current level. I decided to focus on one thing at a time since worrying needlessly would only distract me. I couldn¡¯t find an opportunity to use a crow to scout ahead and the treetops were covered in webs. As I moved further inward, the webs grew denser and so did the broken cocoons. Faint sounds of skittering and clicking echoed in the distance and even as the light source grew brighter, I found that the place became eerier. ¡°I wish I could find my war scythe¡­ or at least a bone.¡± I had to settle for a fallen branch that was good enough to serve as a staff, at least, temporarily. I marched ahead and continued my search for someone. ¡­ Elsewhere within the forest, Jameson and Sophia were cautiously exploring the area. ¡°This is bad,¡± Jameson whispered as he walked ahead, one arm hung limply, while the other clenched a sword tightly. ¡°This a Class-Five Ruin, isn¡¯t it? The Forest Of Nightmares?¡± Sophia murmured while continuing to keep an eye out. ¡°You¡¯ve heard about it too?¡± Jameson chuckled wryly. ¡°Then you should know that you have a big incompatibility with it. Fire is the best weapon against the Dark Arachnids here.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Shit¡­ I wonder if anyone else made it¡­ You see anything.¡± ¡°No.¡± The two walked in silence, keeping an eye out for any sudden movements within the forest. ¡°The worst part of this forest is the Spiderlings.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they easier to deal with?¡± Sophia inquired. ¡°You¡¯d think that¡¯d be the case, but they serve as foot soldiers for the real enemies. And if a Brood Mother appeared this time, well, we¡¯d might as well just off ourselves and get it over with.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t¡­- Wait.¡± Sophia huddled down with urgency and Jameson followed. A human silhouette was slowly moving toward them. ¡°Who is it?¡± Jameson asked as he peered over a small stump. ¡°I can¡¯t see,¡± Sophia replied. ¡°Should we call out for them?¡± Jameson¡¯s injured arm seemed to have been treated with medicine as he began to move it more. ¡°If it isn¡¯t one of our friends, I should be able to deal with it.¡± ¡°...I can prepare a spell just in case.¡± ¡°Good call.¡± Jameson agreed as he stood up and moved to the open. Meanwhile, Sophia began preparing for the possibility of a fight breaking out. ¡°Hey!¡± Jameson shouted. The silhouette abruptly turned to face him, standing silently. ¡°Grant? That you?¡± Jameson asked as he raised his sword. ¡°Y-yeah...It¡¯s- me¡­¡± A familiar yet strange voice emerged from Grant as he approached. ¡°Are you injured?¡± Jameson began to lower his guard. ¡°Y-yeah...N-need...help¡­¡± He sauntered over as he said so. ¡°It¡¯s just Grant, Sophia.¡± Jameson finally relaxed. All seemed well and just as Grant was close enough to be seen by Jameson, a few silk strands flickered behind Grant¡¯s back. ¡°Shit!¡± Jameson dove to the side as a pair of insect legs emerged from Grant¡¯s back and swiped at him. ¡°Sophia! Run!¡± Jameson called out as he rolled away. Grant¡¯s skin began to peel away and more insect-like legs emerged from his body, showing that it was no longer him in control. As Jameson shouted, more human shapes appeared, falling from the treetops. Each one had a thread attached to their back and they moved stiffly. ¡°Shit!¡± Jameson cursed again as the situation began to get worse. He grabbed Sophia by the arm and the two of them fled deeper into the forest while being pursued by a growing number of enemies. Chapter 24: Forest Of Nightmares Pt.3 A loud inhuman shriek drew me away from my path and sent me running in the other direction. I didn¡¯t know if it was a trap or not, but one of my friends could be in trouble and I didn¡¯t know if they were in the position to fight off any danger. I used my crow-shifting and flew close to the ground. It was hard to maneuver around but I made sure I didn¡¯t hit anything. If a tree appeared, I split the flock and went around. I continued like that before I could make out a few people in the distance. The dark forest didn¡¯t show me much more than their shadows, but from my position, I could tell there were too many. I proceeded under the presumption that they were enemies, so I planned out my attack. The branch wasn¡¯t an effective weapon for a head-on fight and I only had Blood Arrow as my strongest skill. I flew until my transformation gave out and then fell into a sprint while keeping the momentum from the flight. As I closed on my first enemy, I raised my hand and fired off a Blood Arrow. I could feel something emerge from my palm before it shot out like a bullet, hitting the unknown enemy. It let out a screech as it fell out, Blood Arrow was already a poisonous projectile, but the effects of Cursed Blood were triggered with a single thought. Its friends, whatever they were, slowed down while others pressed ahead. ¡°Damn it!¡± I hurried to my first victim and used all of my weight to impale it on the black branch. I could feel the stick sink into its flesh while it screamed. I kept it pinned and pressed my foot against its neck. Its form was revealed to me fully and I was horrified to see that it was a mix between a human and a spider. Its eight ruby-like eyes remained to stare at me, at least it seemed it was. Its mouth revealed strange fangs that chattered as it spat out a pale liquid. As three more insect-like humanoids approached, I twisted the branch and stomped down as hard as I could. As my first enemy died, I converted it into a skeleton soldier with a single thought before rolling out of the way as a pair of long legs were swung toward me. I hated to admit it, but without a staff or polearm in my hands, all I could do was dodge with the boost from Soul Siphon powering my steps. I weaved in and out the radius of quick, violent, attacks while the arachnids began to shriek. I took it as a call for help and knew I had to hurry so I rolled away and headed toward the rising skeleton soldier. I violently ripped off its arms and swung it down as hard as I could before it turned into the familiar shape of a war scythe. Strangely enough, the shape had been slightly altered as there were sharp spines on the backside of the blade. I assumed it to be due to the source it came from but I didn¡¯t have time to contemplate it thoroughly. With a quick rotation of the war scythe, I was ready to deal with the monsters surrounding me. A pair of insect arms stabbed toward me, but I swatted them away with the butt of my war scythe before thrusting it forward. I felt the weight on the front of my war scythe and knew I had struck one. I exerted all of my strength and lifted it into the air before flinging it to one of its companions. I could see them slam into each other so I focused on the next enemy. ¡°Come on!¡± I shouted as rushed forward and brandished my war scythe violently. I aimed for its arms first and once I sliced a few of them, the creature recoiled in pain, leaving a strong opening. I planted my foot in the pit of its stomach and used it to push myself toward the other two, cutting away their limbs in the same manner. Without their ¡°weapons¡± they became easier targets. I swung the war scythe with one hand, opening the abdomen of one while my other hand fired off a Blood Arrow. Accuracy didn¡¯t matter at such a close range and once the curse activated, the creature¡¯s began clawing at its melting face. As one died, Soul Siphon gave me another boost in strength and I kicked the last creature away from me, sending it falling backward. I retrieved my war scythe and finished it before it could get up before moving to the final one who writhed in the ground in pain. After cutting its suffering short, I sprinted forward to catch up with the rest of the monsters. I bolted through the forest, jumping over any obstruction while chasing the strange creatures. I caught up to one just as the effects of Soul Siphon were fading. I lunged forward and caught the arachnid creature on the tip of war scythe. The sharpness of the blade easily ripped its back open and caused the thing to fall to the ground mid-sprint. I quickly finished and resumed the chase. ¡­ ¡°Come on!¡± Jameson shouted at Sophia. Before she could respond, a creature leaped into the air and tried to grab them but he held it off with a swing of his sword. The brief attack slowed his momentum and only helped the creatures to close the distance. ¡°I see something up ahead!¡± Sophia called out as she continued. ¡°A cave!¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°Go for it!¡± Jameson shoved away one of the creatures and headed for the cavern. Sophia reached for the emergency kit attached to her belt and produced a glow stick before twisting it and tossing it down the tunnel. The decomposed remains of past victims were present, but the tunnel soon became a dead end. ¡°Fuck!¡± Jameson cursed when they were forced to stop. ¡°I¡­-¡± ¡°Jameson,¡± Sophia spoke urgently. ¡°Hold on¡­- Ah! I got it!¡± Jameson began collecting the corpses littering the cave and piled them up as high as he could. He then moved to stand in front of the blockade of corpses while keeping his sword ready. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know how effective your ice spells will be, but we need to try something. Concentrate if you can, I¡¯ll hold them back as long as I can.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Sophia replied nervously. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to ignore the sounds of their enemies approaching. The faint clicking of an inhuman maw that was eager to devour another being. All of a sudden, the cries of the creatures outside began to grow louder, moving closer to the entrance of the cave. They grew more violent and hurried before they abruptly fell silent. A few moments passed under a layer of stillness, but the tension increased for Jameson. His grip tightened until his hands ached. His forehead became so heavily drenched in sweat that his disheveled hair stuck to his face. ¡°...Get it over with,¡± He whispered as his heart palpitated wildly. A figure entered the cave along with his thoughts so he rushed forward without a shred of hesitation. ¡­ As I entered the cave searching for someone, I was immediately met with a sword. ¡°Woah! Easy!¡± I called out as I twisted my body. I prepared to brandish my war scythe but I stopped as I saw a familiar face. ¡°Jameson?¡± I was surprised and relieved as I saw him. ¡°Casper?!¡± It seemed the sentiment was shared. Before I could say anything else, a torrent of ice came flying toward me. ¡°Ah!¡± I burst into a flock of crows and evaded the attack before reforming. ¡°Sophia?¡± ¡°Casper?!¡± She spoke with a mixture of weariness and joy. ¡°You guys- Wait, where¡¯s Emma and Grant?¡± I asked. At my mention of the names of the other two of the group, their expressions darkened. I knew that expression, the one that spoke of loss. I never really felt that when someone died, just, well, I guess it didn¡¯t matter right now. ¡°...You didn¡¯t see Grant outside?¡± Jameson asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°He was a husk,¡± Sophia remarked as she collapsed to the ground. ¡°A what?¡± Just as I started to get confused, Jameson gestured for me to follow him outside the cave. ¡°This is a ruin known as The Forest of Nightmares. There are three types of enemies here¡­- well, four. The Brood Mother, Dark Arachnids, Spiderlings, and Husks. The Brood Mother isn¡¯t guaranteed to appear but if she does¡­ let¡¯s just hope that she doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°So the Dark Arachnids?¡± I asked, sensing that I already knew the answer. ¡°Basically, they¡¯re big spiders but something out of our league, or¡­¡± Jameson took a pause to look at the dead monsters in front of the cave. ¡°Maybe you¡¯d have a chance.¡± It might have seemed like that was the case from his perspective, but I needed to build power to even thinking of hurting a creature like that. That required an adequate amount of enemies to be around and the bigger ones to not get involved. ¡°Spiderlings are large, but they¡¯re more manageable. The only problem is, we¡¯ll have to deal with a lot of them. As for these things...¡± Jameson trailed off as he flipped over the body of one of the dead creatures. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I certainly recognized the face even if the body had been altered. ¡°Husks, once the Dark Arachnids drain the life out of people, they become these things.¡± Jameson fell backward with an exasperated expression. ¡°Grant and I knew what could happen but it still doesn¡¯t feel real, you know? We were friends for years and now¡­ he¡¯s just gone.¡± I quietly nodded but knelt down to focus on the corpse. I needed to use his memories to find Emma. A quick flash of events played back in my head, a sudden shift in darkness, Grant waking up, struggling to get free of the webs¡­ dying. He was afraid, who wouldn¡¯t be? Covered in webbing before being drained and filled with another creature. The worst part had to be the fact he wasn¡¯t exactly dead. He was turned into an echo of himself without the faintest realization of what happened. Still, I felt no real sadness from his death. Maybe because his memories confirmed he had lived, or maybe because I couldn¡¯t feel that ever since my mother passed. I hadn¡¯t been able to see a glimpse of Emma so maybe she was still alive? I hope that she managed to make it and was somewhere within this place. I lifted the war scythe and began to remove the spider-arms protruding from Grant¡¯s back. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jameson asked. ¡°We have to bring the body out right? For the funeral,¡± I muttered as I finished removing the last of the arms. At least now, he¡¯d look like a human and not whatever they turned him into. ¡°...Yeah, you¡¯re right. We¡¯ll leave his body somewhere safe and come back for it.¡± Jameson seemed to gain some sense of motivation. We carried the body back into the cave and then we all just... rested. The aftereffects of Soul Siphon left me exhausted and Jameson and Sofia had been running almost as long as they had arrived. We needed a brief rest to collect ourselves before planning our next move. Chapter 25: Forest Of Nightmares Pt.4 ¡°Is there anything else I need to know about this place?¡± After regaining my strength, I spoke up. We couldn¡¯t wait around in this cave forever. I decided to see if I could retrieve anything from the withered corpses that were already inhabiting this place before us. ¡°Other than the need for fire¡­ I can¡¯t think of anything else,¡± Jameson replied. ¡°This is one of the Ruins that people are hesitant to enter due to its nature.¡± ¡°Do you think a guild could be here?¡± Sophia asked. ¡°Maybe.¡± Jameson nodded. ¡°As far as I know, unknown ruin events like this one seem to occur with people inside. Since we know the ruin we¡¯re in, maybe there are people around just like us¡­ hopefully.¡± I focused on a nearby corpse as the two of them continued speaking and a few broken memories appeared in my mind. The corpses were a group that ended up being chased after running into what seemed to be a Brood Mother. A towering spider with the vague appearance of a woman. Their injuries were too severe and this cave became their last resting place. The key details were all a distorted in my mind and I guessed my true gift wasn¡¯t able to piece together everything else. Though, I didn¡¯t really need to see everything. A few images and memories of the terrain would be quite useful to me. I absorbed the remnant souls, they were drastically weakened but I needed everything I could get. ¡°I¡¯ll go scout it out,¡± I said as an excuse. It sounded much better than I¡¯m going to deposit the souls of the dead into a book of death. ¡°Huh?¡± Jameson was a bit taken aback by my sudden declaration but nodded in approval. He knew it would be bad if enemies suddenly appeared and forced us into a fight with our back against the wall. I wasn¡¯t too worried as I still hadn¡¯t used the Demon Brand affixed to the back of my hand. ¡°Wait¡­ Casper¡­¡± Sophia called out to me but seemed to be holding something back. ¡°About Emma¡­ she¡­-¡± ¡°She¡¯ll tell you herself, Casper.¡± Jameson interrupted her. It seemed that he didn¡¯t want me to feel sorrow at the possibility of some unspoken last message... I just gave a dry smile and nodded as I left the cave. ¡°Oh shit!¡± As soon as I stepped out I was face to face with a skeleton that simply stood without an order. ¡°Holy hell, you son of a...!¡± I sighed as I was about to unsummon the thing but quickly realized that it would be a good distraction if it came down to it. ¡°Just stay here then.¡± I moved past the clambering pile of bones and didn¡¯t stop until I was an adequate distance from the shallow cave. I surveyed my surroundings and made sure I wasn¡¯t followed before I dropped down and crossed my legs, bringing out the book after I did so. Current Amount Of Souls: 750 I wasn¡¯t too happy to see the number of souls I had gained since I had only dealt with the lowest rung of enemies. There were still many more lurking somewhere within the forest and I doubt they would die so easily in my current state. I carefully planned out my next move as a single wrong decision might spell my end. For one, I had one skill remaining on the Death Bring Path and that was Shadow Of Death. Shadow Of Death (Unique): Those who step within Death¡¯s shadow will escape without punishment. Choose one target and lock them in place for a short duration. (Warning, targets with powerful souls will not be affected at the current level of this ability.) Price: 100 Cost To Upgrade: 150 I figured that this skill would help my problem of dealing with an extremely skilled enemy, but that wasn¡¯t necessary for this place.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. The general knowledge which only had Corpse Puppet left wasn¡¯t much help either, so I decided to advance what I had into the non-path skills. I had already put 15 souls toward it, so 235 souls drained in an instant. There have been many to explore every aspect of death, to purchase the fruit of their labor, you must have the required amount of souls. Cursed Blood: Should an enemy spill your blood, let them understand the price that comes with it. Price: (Purchased) Blood Arrow: Use your own blood or the blood of another to fire a poisonous projectile. Price: (Purchased) Corpse Puppet (Basic): Raise an unintelligent undead servant. Price: 30 Cost of Upgrade: 50 Skeleton Soldier(Basic): Raise a skeletal warrior to defend you. Price: (Purchased) Cost of Upgrade: 50 Demon Pact: Enhance your body¡¯s physical strength, increase your intelligence, or gain a fortune, by making a pact with a demon. When a pact is made, the demon will receive a portion of all of your souls for the duration of the pact. (Warning, not many demons can be trusted, show caution when dealing with them.) Cost: (Purchased) Second Layer Of Knowledge: Sanguine Palm: If you¡¯re going to spill so much blood, why let it go to waste? Let it heal you. Let it nourish you. (Any poison, diseases, or curses will not affect you through absorption of blood.) Price: 100 Spirit Sight: Look between the veil of living and dead and nothing shall remain hidden. Price: 150 Hellfire Bolt: Summon the flames of the demon world to burn away any who oppose you. Price: 200 Haunting Wisps: Summon a flurry of spirits to disrupt and confuse your enemies. Price: 150 Corpse Explosion: The bodies of the dead are weapons, use them well. Price: 150 To further explore the knowledge within this book, more souls are needed. Current Amount: 0/1,000 With 515 souls, I had to make my purchases meaningful since I had no idea when I¡¯d get another chance to. Spirit Sight would help alleviate the worry of a sneak attack. Sanguine Palm would restore my energy and speed up my regeneration by the looks of it. Hellfire Bolt would be immediately useful because of the arachnids seemed to be weak to fire. Corpse Explosion was extremely useful since I had a surplus of corpses, but that made Corpse Puppet more viable now. I didn¡¯t even spend a second thinking about Haunting Wisps since it was useless in this situation. My first choice was Sanguine Palm, followed by Spirit Sight, and finally Corpse Explosion. I had 115 souls left, but Hellfire Bolt was still too much. I brought Corpse Puppet for 30 souls and quickly upgraded it for an additional 50. I had gone from a few hundred souls to only 35, but I hardly cared. I was more concerned with seeing the result of the upgrade. The runic lettering quickly shifted and I was met with a new description. Corpse Puppet (Intermediate): Raise three undead servants with limited intelligence and non-fighting physical capability. Cost Of Upgrade: 250 After I finished my purchases, I returned the book to its ring form and digested all the knowledge I received. Sanguine Palm only required a simple touch. Spirit Sight required conscious use of the ability and Corpse Explosion was the same. By now, I had a good grasp on how to use a gift. I activated Spirit Sight and felt a numbing sensation in my eyes followed by a shift in the scenery. Everything became covered in a layer of dark grey, but white outlines of unknown beings could be seen moving far off in the distance. ¡°That¡¯s probably not good.¡± As I continued observing, my eyes began to feel as if electricity was running through them. After a few seconds, I was forced to cancel the ability and close my eyes. I suddenly had a thought and began to make it a reality. I knelt down and sent out a crow, focusing on its perspective before attempting to active Spirit Sight. From my own perspective, I could the crow luminescent white eyes before I guided it further into the distance. It hadn¡¯t gone far, but the connection caused a searing pain in my mind and eye the longer I maintained it so I was forced to cut it short. I recalled crow soon after and gave myself time to recover before trying the last test. I shifted into a flock and attempted to use Spirit Sight, but I only was able to use it for a few seconds before my eyes felt like they were set on fire. I reformed and crashed onto the ground before letting out a few painful groans. I could feel warm liquid slowly pouring out of my eyes and I knew it wasn''t tears trailing down my cheeks. I had pushed past the limits of my new ability and suffered as a result. For a moment, I could barely see two feet in front of me, but Flesh Mending quickly repaired whatever was wrong. Maybe I damaged optic nerves to a dangerous extent? I shook off the residual pain and headed back to the cave with our next move in mind. Chapter 26: Forest Of Nightmares Pt.5 To make a long story short, we were heading toward a group of the creatures. My small brigade of three Corpse Servants lead the way, serving as a distraction and walking minefield. Well, I could detonate them at any time so I guess they were more like remote mines. ¡°When did you learn to do this?¡± Jameson whispered as he walked beside me. ¡°A few minutes ago,¡± I answered honestly. Of course, I left out the important parts. ¡°Really? I¡¯ve heard of Gifts evolving in stressful situations but its so rare that I never expected to see it happen in front of me,¡± Sophia responded with wide-eyes. I felt a little bad for misleading her, but I couldn¡¯t tell her the source of my abilities. ¡°Ah, that necklace you have. It¡¯s an artifact, right?¡± I pointed to her pendant. ¡°Yes.¡± She softly grasped it as if it was her lifeline. ¡°I¡¯m renting it from my guild so it isn¡¯t really mine. It was supposed to be my last line of defense if someone slipped past Grant and Emma¡­ Once a day, it will provide a shield for me, but I doubt it¡¯ll work on anything in this place.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The clattering bones behind me distracted me from any further thoughts and I quickly remembered there was another line of defense behind us, a one-armed Skeletal Soldier. I resolved to upgrade it whenever I gained enough souls and time to do so. As of now, it was slower than the lumbering corpses moving in front of us. Unlike the soldier, they kept a brisk pace and avoided tripping over their feet. ¡°Hold up, let¡¯s slow down a little and let them push ahead.¡± I recognized the area around us from the pieces of memories I collected and I personally had seen living presences close to the current location not too long ago. ¡°Got it.¡± Jameson readied his sword while slowing his pace and Sophia tightly gripped her staff. We let the living corpses move on their own while we remained behind. ¡°Ah, that reminds me, how did you guys land safely?¡± ¡°Unlike you, we managed to keep from falling but everything went black and when I opened my eyes we were here¡­ I think the two ruins merged together or the Class-Three Ogre Ruin collapsed into this one.¡± ¡°You think the Ogre Brute is still alive?¡± I asked, realizing there may have been another enemy to worry about. I hardly could see how an Ogre from a Class-3 Ruin could compare to even the weakest monsters of a Class-5 one. ¡°Its impossible to say anything for sure,¡± Jameson responded with uncertainty. It was only then that I realized he had a lot of responsibility as the leader of this group, or, what remained of it. Information, strategy, morale, whatever you could name seemed to land on his shoulders. It was a role I had no confidence in taking if I was in his shoes. Yeah, it seemed that ordering around corpses and skeletons was more of a fit for me. ¡°I see something¡­ I think.¡± Sophia strained her eyes to peer through the deep red fog that seemed to permeate every corner of this place. ¡°I¡¯ll check.¡± I used my Spirit Sight and the outlines of eight creatures that weren¡¯t husks but definitely weren¡¯t big enough to be classified as Dark Arachnids. ¡°There¡¯s something,¡± I confirmed Sophia suspicion, but she and Jameson seemed to focus on the change of my eyes. ¡°Not now.¡± I reminded them to focus on the developing situation than another part of my ¡°gift.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ What did you see?¡± ¡°Spiderlings I think. They weren¡¯t Husks, that¡¯s for sure.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The Corpse Servants served their purpose as bait and the Spiderlings emerged. A gaunt, sunken torso sat atop spider parts. They were much larger than humans, that¡¯s for sure. Some of them came slowly crawling out of the forest while others descended from the treetops. They surrounded my Corpse Servants and began to weave their webs, but before they could entomb their potential prey the corpses rushed forward. They knew their purpose and each sought a different spider. As soon as the corpses latched onto their targets, I made them explode with one thought. The stench of blood filled the air as bone fragment flew out like shrapnel, cutting into the Spiderlings and causing them to hiss in pain. I felt Soul Siphon grant me strength so I took it as my cue to attack. ¡°Protect Sophia.¡± I left Jameson with those words as I rushed forward while the Spiders were still confused. Perhaps I was feeling confident, stupid, or both, but I took the fight on my own. Sophia''s ice-related gift was ineffective against all arachnid-creatures and Jameson was only a Class-2 Fighter. I pushed off the ground and leaped into the air, before stabbing my war scythe into the first one. I twisted the blade around before using all my strength to cut through its torso. I wanted to separate it in half, so even as the blood spilled out, I didn''t stop guiding the war scythe through its body. Its innards were tough to cut through and I had to put my all into just to gain some progress. I snatched the war scythe out and before I could make my next move, I felt something hit my back before I was pulled away. ¡®Webs.¡¯ I thought to myself as I rolled across the ground. When I came a halt a Spiderling was standing over me and stabbed one of its legs downward, piercing my shoulder through the synthesized combat suit. ¡°Casper!¡± Jameson¡¯s voice managed to reach my ears. ¡°Aah!¡± I let out a cry before gritting my teeth and thrusting my war scythe upward with my free hand. I hit a hardened portion of its body and barely pierced through so I repeated the stabbing motion until blood began spilling onto me. The Spiderling recoiled from the pain and I quickly shifted into a flock of crows and headed toward its backside where I reformed. I pushed my war scythe through its abdomen with all my weight and held on as it thrashed around. The War Scythe was dug deep into its body so I planted my feet and pulled it toward. It abdomen slowly tore open revealing its insides to me. Without thinking much of it, I dug my hand into its organs and felt a burst of vitality enter my body as Sanguine Palm began to draw in its blood. The ache from my wound had lessened but I couldn¡¯t continue to draw blood as more Spiderlings approached. I jumped backward and shifted back into the form of the flock but more silk strings flew toward me, hitting one of the crows and stopping my transformation short. I braced for impact as I was slammed to the ground and assaulted with the sharpened ends of their legs. As I rolled to the side, the two Spiderlings I killed rose up and headed toward one of their ex-comrades, before exploding into a blood and organs. A blood arrow emerged from my palm and struck one of the last two Spiders on its human-like chest causing it to let out a shriek. While it writhed around in pain, I rushed toward its friend, performing a series of swings. Soul Siphon gave me a huge increase in energy and I was able to spin the war scythe so fast it became a blur in my eyes, but that didn''t mean I couldn''t control it. I meticulously cut away at the Spiderling until it lost all mobility and with its legs gone, it was nearly eye to eye with me. I beheaded the vaguely human head sitting on its shoulders and kicked off from its body before finishing the last Spiderling off with three power swings. By the end of the fight, I was filled with gashes and lacerations. My lungs burned as I drew in air and the war scythe felt like it weighed a ton. My brain felt like it had been filled with nails and my body became stiff. ¡°...Shit.¡± I coughed out a bit of blood before dropping my war scythe and plunging both of my palms into the wounds of the Spiderling. Sanguine Palm served as a cure-all for me, relieving the pain and speeding up both my Flesh Mending and Bone Mending. The bleeding of my wounds stopped, but the mental fatigue I built up wasn¡¯t going anywhere. ¡°Casper!¡± Jameson rushed over to me with Sophia in tow. ¡°Give me a sec,¡± I mumbled with closed eyes. I could feel the blood draining out of the Spiderlings corpse and crawled over to the next one before I pulled out every pinch of vitality that I could gather from it. ¡°Do... Do you need medicine?¡± Sophia asked, ready to offer her own supply of pills and salves to me. ¡°No, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± When I opened my eyes, the Spiderling had grown noticeably more withered and dried up. I examined my body, wiping the blood off, and found my wounds had sealed themselves shut and begun the process of healing completely. ¡°Almost as good as new,¡± I said aloud in a bid to convince myself that statement was true. After the soreness was gone, a whole new type of hurt emerged from my ruined combat suit. I saved up a lot to buy it and looking at it now made me want to shed a tear. ¡°You poor thing,¡± I muttered. ¡°What did you say?¡± Jameson seemed to have caught part of my whispering but I just shook my head. I picked up my War Scythe and spoke to them, ¡°Are you ready to move?¡± Chapter 27: Inner Demons And Outer Demons (Fixed!) The number of Spiderlings increased drastically, but they were more spread out. We either ran across loners looking for meals or small groups scavenging together. In the case of the former, it was a quick fight, a sneak attack usually settled it and I could drain its blood to recover. In the case of the latter, I ended up receiving wounds. My upper part synthesized combat suit became tattered and I was nearly shirtless. The sleeves had been torn to shreds, exposing my lacerated forearms that were healing at a quick pace. Parts of the abdomen had been ripped and my flesh was left out in the open, vulnerable to attacks. I had just finished my fifth fight and could taste blood in my mouth. My hair was stuck to my face along with blood, some of it my own, and dirt. The smell of death clung to my body but it didn¡¯t bother me. I grunted as I pulled my war scythe out of the corpse of a Spiderling before using my hands to collect the blood like it came from a faucet. The silver lining of this situation was that I still didn¡¯t have to use my brand yet. Knowing I still had a card to play put a smile on my face and I even let out a few hollow chuckles. This place was really hell and no matter how much of Sanguine Palm revitalized me, I still felt exhaustion dig into my bones. It wasn¡¯t purely physical fatigue, it was deeper than that. I was fighting creatures that were stronger than me by a sizeable margin. To do that, I had to focus on everything and use multiple abilities to give myself an advantage. ¡°Casper, you should rest.¡± I peered over my shoulder and could see the pitying expressions of Jameson and Sophia. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I waved at them. I really wanted to check my souls, but there wasn¡¯t a particularly safe place to stop. I used my Spirit Sight to check around us and there were presences all around. I blinked as my vision returned to normal and shook my head. ¡°We need to keep moving.¡± I finished healing up and decided to form a new war scythe, my current one was beat up. I pulled off one of the legs and the dark exoskeleton changed into a war scythe. The ivory color had all but vanished and it showed a more ominous appearance. Well, could things get scarier than a weapon made of bone? I rested the newly made weapon on my shoulder and resumed my pace. ¡°Did you feel this way when you first started out, Penelope?¡± I spoke to myself without caring if the other two overheard. As avid practitioner of Penelope¡¯s Dance, I was able to see glimpses of how she fought. The way she moved was the epitome of graceful. It made me think she never ended up in a distressed state like this when she had finally perfected her dance. Though, I¡¯m sure she was more miserable than me when she had to create her fighting style from scratch. I let out a sigh as I continued. ¡­ Deeper within the Forest of Nightmares, a group was on the move. A total of twelve humans, not Husks or Spiderlings, but real humans, were fighting off the Arachnid creatures. They weren¡¯t struggling, no, because not all of them were involved. Six of them were all that was needed to deal with the encroaching group of Spiderlings and Husks. ¡°A Dark Arachnid above, Guild Leader.¡± Someone spoke up as a large silhouette skittered toward them from above. ¡°Yeah, I see it.¡± A woman, with glowing reptilian eyes, narrowed them toward the approaching creature before lifting her arms up. Her hands were protected with gauntlets that began glowing red as she prepared to move. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. The Dark Arachnid descended toward the ground and she moved like a flash. She kick off and left a small crater behind as she shot into the air. Her fists were even quicker and after a brief exchange, the corpse of a huge spider tumbled toward the ground. It was still attached to the webs above so it simply swung back and forth like a giant pendulum. ¡°As flashy as ever, Alexandra.¡± A man shook his head before he punched a husk directly in the chest, sending it sailing into a tree. Casper would surely recognize him as the well-dressed, but poorly mannered man at the Gifted Testing Facility. The woman he referred to as Alexandra, was the leader of the Iron Wyvern Guild which was mistakenly referred to as the Iron Dragon guild. As she landed, her blue robe fluttered open, revealing a metallic chestplate with an engraving of a wyvern etched into it. ¡°If you can talk, your training isn¡¯t hard enough, now keep it moving.¡± She replied with disinterest. It was clear her quick ¡°battle¡± required very little effort on her part which meant she was an extremely powerful Gifted. She turned her gaze to a body covered in a thin tarp that seemed to offer some sort of protection. ¡°Anyone got any ideas on who she is? She''s still breathing and the last group to clear this ruin succeeded with no casualties or missing people. There''s no way she should be here.¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°Well, her appearance might explain those ogres from earlier. We could¡¯ve experienced a ruin event and just not noticed.¡± ¡°My eyes should¡¯ve picked it up then.¡± When Alexandra finished speaking, her eyes flickered back to normal, no longer keeping a draconic appearance. ¡°Just in case, we¡¯re going to hurry up and clear this place. If there¡¯s trouble outside we¡¯ll need to offer a hand.¡± With her order, the others in the group stepped forward to speed up the pace of the training, easily dispatching all of the monsters they came across. ¡­ Moving toward the source of light turned out to be a terrible idea, but to be fair, there wasn''t much of an alternative. ¡°Shit. Shit. Shit.¡± I cursed. I assumed that my luck was pretty good after finding the book and becoming a Gifted. I guess I was mislead because the giant fucking spider in front of me seemed to be the biggest sign of that. Well, I should correct myself, it wasn¡¯t in front of me, it was heading my way. It would be in front of me soon. Very soon. ¡°You both should run.¡± I turned to Sophia and Jameson who seemed just as stunned as I was. ¡°That thing¡­ That¡¯s a Dark Arachnid, we have to go!¡± Jameson snapped out of his daze and began to step away. ¡°Nah, I think I¡¯ll fight it.¡± I made an incomprehensible remark. We all couldn¡¯t escape the Dark Arachnid even if we tried. The Spiderlings displayed their ability to catch people by sending out webbing as if it was a net. It was quite frustrating to deal the first few times, but I had gotten the hang of it. Now, the Dark Arachnid was an entirely different beast and its webbing was probably too strong to resist. So, I decided a fight would be better than just running and hoping for the best. ¡°I can handle it so you guys should go.¡± I shooed them away while preparing to release the Demon¡¯s Brand. ¡°Casper, stop joking and come on!¡± Sophia spoke urgently as the Arachnid approached. ¡°Please, hurry up and go.¡± I waved as I activated the brand. ¡°I can handle it just fine so you guys should get going before you end up dying. I hardly have enough friends as is.¡± None. I had none outside of this group, but I will admit it was hard to make them when corpses seemed so much more appealing. The symbol of a bull¡¯s silhouette lit up like it was on fire and I felt a huge burst of strength enter my body. ¡°Haaa.¡± I exhaled steam as my body began heating up. I think¡­ I think Jameson was saying something. When I turned to look at him, his mouth was moving, but I couldn¡¯t hear anything over the thundering beat of my heart. After he finished speaking, he took Sophia by the hand and ran away. I was too busy feeling all my fatigue and exhaustion being washed away. The warmth of my blood and the sensation as it flowed through me was the only thing on my mind. My arms were filled with strength and I had an irresistible urge to use it on something. A massive spider began descending toward me and all I felt was satisfaction as I raised my war scythe. Chapter 28: A New Debt The Demon¡¯s Brand made it feel as if my entire body was set aflame. Each breath I let out created a faint cloud of steam. The brand itself burned in a steady rhythm that pulsed throughout veins. I felt that if I didn¡¯t direct the growing agitation in my body I would begin to suffer. So that¡¯s what I did. The War Scythe was nothing but a blur as I spun it. I kicked off of the ground, simultaneously avoiding the thick webbing being shot toward me like a net. Fighting a spider that was larger than a bus wasn¡¯t an easy task. I struck one of its legs and a shock was transferred through my bones. The damage wasn¡¯t negligible, but at the same time, it slowed my momentum and threw me off. The spider seized the brief pause and swiped at me. I was just barely able to raise my war scythe to block it but was still sent flying. The war scythe snapped in half and I turned into a flock of crows before I could smash into anything, gathering myself and landing. Perhaps the spider didn¡¯t wish to continue fighting me itself, as silvery threads began to sway in the air. What immediately followed was a group of husks and spiderlings that began to emerge from the inner depths of the forest. Sprinting wildly out of the hellish red haze like monsters from a bad dream. I let out a hollow chuckle as I watched them approach. Had I gone crazy? Had the Demon¡¯s Brand rotted my mind? No. I just found this entire situation funny and the fact that I couldn¡¯t feel any fear caused me to laugh a bit. I still had my sanity- well, whatever sanity I started with. ¡°I bet you didn¡¯t have to deal with this Penelope,¡± I whispered softly as my body continued heating up, my blood almost boiling under the surface of my skin. I inhaled deeply and moved to meet my new foes. I raised both of my arms to fire a torrent of Blood Arrows that came with an immediate drain on my body. I ignored it as a chorus of hissing emerged from my victims. Not all of my arrows hit, but they did just enough to disrupt the crowd of enemies. I launched myself into a husk who was suffering from the bloody projectile and slammed my knee into its face. Whatever bones it had were broken, but that wasn¡¯t enough. With a thought, it became my Corpse Puppet. Next, I lifted it into the air with my increased strength from the brand and Soul Siphon before tossing it into the group. Another thought and the corpse exploded into chunks of flesh and blood, that I stormed into. Webbing came flying toward me, but the Spiderlings couldn¡¯t restrain me and I managed to get my hand onto a body. I held it down with my foot and pulled its arm off before swinging it downward. With a new war scythe in my hands, I could fight properly. I could see nothing in front of me but enemies and all I could hear was my own heartbeat through a wall of white noise. I fought as hard as I could, making everything seem like a blur. I absorbed any blood that spilled and ignored my wounds. My war scythe cleaved through my targets easily until there were no more. I had a rush of souls filling my chest and enough blood to fill a bathtub absorbed into my body, but I was- I looked at my arm which had split open, revealing burnt flesh and my bones that were inscribed with runes. I didn¡¯t even notice, but my body had become much thinner. ¡°Ah¡­¡± I exclaimed from a parched throat. I was mistaken to think I could power through my exhaustion at my current state. Was this my inexperience being shown firsthand? I think I could say it was now a little too late for that to matter now. A clump of webbing suddenly restricted my already weakened body. I was snatched from the ground and experienced a fierce whiplash, but all I could think is that it would be a perfect time to be saved. My body came to an abrupt stop as I was wrapped in a thick, suffocating, cocoon. The Dark Arachnid won in the end. Once again, I found myself greeting death but I couldn¡¯t feel any fear which was frightening and relieving. The feeling soon passed as the webbing held my body and I felt myself falling into a deep sleep, one I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d wake up from. My consciousness separated itself from everything and I was left in the dark. That¡¯s when the fear finally came in the form of deepening anxiety that slowly unraveled. The feeling where you first learned to swim and you thought you might drown. I thought I might lose my mind as that terror-filled my body and then¡­ I felt arms placed around me and felt a calm drift over me. Someone held me tightly as if letting me know I wasn¡¯t alone. I couldn¡¯t see them or hear them, but just knowing they were there was enough. I let myself sink further into the tranquility that came with their embrace. For a moment, I felt that the arms around me were Penelope¡¯s. ¡­ Jameson and Sophia ran without looking back. The sound of fighting and the hissing of insects faded out and the only sound remaining was their breathing, hurried and frantic. Guilt, frustration, helplessness, all those feelings welled up as they moved to safety. Casper sent them away without a second thought as he was the most equipped to deal with the problem, but even he had his limits. This was not a place that a single Class-3 Gifted could survive for long. Especially one that was still relatively fresh to Ruin Clearing. In spite of that, he sent them away and gave them some time. ¡°Damn it!¡± Jameson growled as he rushed ahead. They began to tire, but soon stumbled upon human-shaped silhouettes in the distance. ¡°Jameson.¡± Sophia cried out softly as she stopped. ¡°I see them.¡± He gripped his sword tightly and pulled her behind the cover of a tree. The shadows approached at a steady pace, meaning they hadn¡¯t been discovered.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Hey! You two!¡± Or so they thought. The human voice that called to them didn¡¯t allow them to relax and they wordlessly broke into a sprint until a powerful gust of wind brushed past them and a woman in armor stood at their front. ¡°I¡¯ll assume that the both of you are running because you are scared.¡± The woman spoke. Jameson and Sophia were both shocked at the fact the person in front of them was a living human, but even more so when they recognized the emblem on her chest. ¡°The Iron Dragon Guild!¡± Sophia shouted in surprise before looking at the woman¡¯s face, she squinted her eyes under the reddish haze and could barely distinguish any features. ¡°Are you-¡± ¡°Alexandra Hallworth, leader of the Iron Wyvern Guild.¡± She corrected Sophia¡¯s previous statement. ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess you two need artifacts to see in the dark, right?¡± Alexandra signaled to one of her subordinates and one produced a small clay lamp that began to hover around. It produced a bright spotlight that illuminated the area well enough for Jameson and Sophia to see her clearly. A woman with a strong build that instilled the impression of a strict mother. ¡°You both aren¡¯t very strong, so you two must be with her I¡¯m guessing?¡± Alexandra pointed to a body covered in a thin cloth. ¡°Emma!¡± Sophia covered her mouth as was about to rush over when Alexandra grabbed her shoulder. ¡°She isn¡¯t dead, it¡¯s a protective artifact. You see, this ruin was to serve as a training ground for my guild members. It appears to have merged with another ruin which brought you-¡± ¡°Casper! You have to help Casper! He was fighting a Dark Arachnid by himself! He¡¯ll die without help! Please!¡± Jameson suddenly cried out, pointing in the direction where they last saw Casper. Alexandra narrowed her eyes when she was suddenly interrupted, but gave a meaningful nod to her subordinates. Two men rushed off ahead of everyone else while Alexandra began to speak. ¡°Settle down, we¡¯re going to clear this ruin and then return to the surface. In the meantime, catch your breath and tell me what happened from the start.¡± The two did as instructed, but gave a shaky recount of what happened from start to finish. They didn¡¯t leave anything out and Alexandra¡¯s eyes widened as she learned of Casper¡¯s actions. At first, she turned suspicious and her eyes flickered to a reptilian pattern that held a dim glow. Sophia hiccuped with fright as she suddenly recalled the synopsis of Alexandra¡¯s evolving gift. She was granted an ability people called, ¡°Wyvern¡¯s Eyes¡± that allowed her to spot the flow of magic, surges in ruin energy, and other things that weren¡¯t revealed to the public. There was speculation that she could even see if someone was lying by looking through their soul. In reality, she simply read their vitals and could detect minute changes that would indicate someone was telling a lie. ¡°You¡¯re telling the truth.¡± Alexandra¡¯s eyes became a normal green color and she stood astonished. The name ¡°Casper¡± suddenly began to ring a bell as she recalled a video of a young man displaying his gift. The most interesting part was the fact he seemed to be able to enchant weapons. Although the Iron Wyvern guild wasn''t driven by corporate interests, she wasn¡¯t one to pass up on an opportunity to recruit someone talented. ¡°Watch them.¡± Alexandra gave the order to one of her subordinate¡¯s before she put strength in her legs and shot forward. Her speed greatly overcame human limits but she showed no sign of tiring. She overtook the two she originally sent to find Casper, and soon ended up at the sight of a battle. Corpses of Husks and Spiderlings covered the ground, some were even still fresh. ¡°Ah,¡± Alexandra let out a low exclamation as the significance wasn¡¯t lost upon her. It was rare for raw talent to appear in turbid situations and whenever it did, the large guilds would snatch it up for themselves. She activated her Wyvern¡¯s Eyes and peered deeply into the forest, before spotting a bright white flame that resembled the form of a woman. ¡°What?!¡± Alexandra continued moving but blinked her eyes as if she was seeing illusions. The activation of Gifts took many forms and shapes through her gaze, but she had never seen something so human-like and powerful. It wasn¡¯t until she moved closer did she notice that the form wasn¡¯t coming from Casper, but was surrounding him as if protecting him. The signature from Casper was a much smaller flame in comparison that had nearly died out. Alexandra didn¡¯t even spare a glance to the Dark Arachnid hanging over her as she was too focused on the glowing white form of a woman. The apparition made of white flame turned to look at her, its expression full of melancholy. It slowly released its hold on the smaller fire and began to fade from sight. A faint tinge of reluctance was painted on her face, but she didn¡¯t linger and disappeared. ¡°What the hell?¡± Alexandra muttered before dodging to the side as a pile of webbing landed next to her. She launched herself into the air and drove her fist through the head of the Dark Arachnid with one clean strike, ending its life in an instant. She then ripped the cocoon from the web as she landed and tore it open, revealing a gaunt young man who seemed to just barely be alive. His condition was horrible as even his bones could be seen, along with a series of symbols that were engraved into them. At that point, Alexandra could no longer voice a reaction as things just seemed to grow increasingly startling. She reached for the pouch on her belt and produced a vial of bright glowing liquid. Its value would drive most people insane with greed if they knew, but Alexandra prepared to use it without hesitation. ¡°Hey,¡± She whispered as she lightly tapped Casper¡¯s cheeks. Although her appearance said otherwise, Alexandra wasn¡¯t as young as she seemed. She even had a few children of her own, which would explain why she held Casper like he was one of them. It seemed his pitiful appearance gnawed at the motherly part of her. Without further ado, she opened the vial and poured a small drop of the liquid onto his tongue which caused him to convulse. His eyes slightly opened and he gained some semblance of consciousness. ¡°Listen close, I will save your life, but it¡¯s going to cost you.¡± Alexandra began to speak to a barely cognitive Casper. ¡°Mom?¡± He asked in dazed, clearly mistaking her for someone else. In spite of his error, she continued speaking. ¡°If you accept this, you¡¯ll have to join my guild until you earn enough to pay it off, do you understand?¡± She intoned clearly. Casper blinked dazedly before his eyes began to rollback to which she forced his mouth open and poured the rest of the contents into his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as yes,¡± Alexandra said with a sigh. In the blink of an eye, Casper¡¯s body began mending itself at an incredible speed that was far faster than his own regenerative abilities. Alexandra¡¯s subordinates arrived a beat late and surveyed the area. Finding there was nothing for them to do, they simply waited for their next order. ¡°Double your speed, we¡¯re going to clear this within the next hour or you all are getting punished, understand?¡± She spoke sharply. ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am!¡± The two replied in an orderly manner as they felt she was in no mood to joke. So, the members of the Iron Wyvern Guild sped up their pace and began to kill the arachnid-related creatures earnestly. While Jameson and Sophia watched over Casper and Emma, ensuring that there were no sudden changes in their health. Chapter 29: An Offer Of Cooperation My eyelids were heavy, but that didn¡¯t stop me from forcing them open. I was then struck with a few seconds of absent mindedness. The clear blue afternoon sky was a bit shocking to see and even more so when my memories flooded back. ¡°Ah!¡± I sat up, ignoring the aches traveling through my body and looked around only to spot a woman wearing dark sunglasses me sitting next to me. ¡°Up already?¡± She asked without looking. She was too preoccupied with scrolling through her phone to look my way. Or at least, it seemed like that was the case. ¡°You¡­¡± I stared at her, recognizing her face quite clearly. The armor she was wearing told me she was a Gifted, but that¡¯s not how I knew her. No¡­ She was in the Ruin, I remember seeing her for a brief second. ¡°Your friends are okay and the one who died has been taken care of.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ What¡¯s- What happened?¡± At my question, she finally put her phone away and looked at me. ¡°A wide scale merging of ruins, that¡¯s what they¡¯re calling it. Apparently, several different ruins connected together resulting in a huge event. You just happened to be in one of them. Luckily enough, we were already in there so we managed to save you.¡± She explained carefully. I felt I could relax a little after hearing what she had to say, so I laid back on what seemed to be a stretcher. We were currently inside of an emergency area outside the ruin so I didn¡¯t have much to worry about. ¡°...Who are you exactly?¡± I asked. ¡°Alexandra Hallworth,¡± She replied with a bit of pride in her voice. I sat there with a blank expression as the name rang out as unfamiliar. I didn¡¯t want to be rude, but I had no idea who she was. In fact, I hardly paid attention to any of the Gifted prior to my awakening. ¡°You don¡¯t know who I am?¡± She asked, seemingly surprised. ¡°You¡¯re the one who saved me, right?¡± ¡°While that is true, I¡¯m also the leader of the Iron Wyvern Guild.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± I widened my eyes as I remembered a reporter mention something about them a while back. ¡°Wait, wasn¡¯t it called the Iron Dragon guild?¡± ¡°Common mistake, but wyverns are much different from dragons.¡± Alexandra spoke passionately but then shook her head before sighing. ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s important though¡­ We need to talk, Casper.¡± I silently gulped as I felt an ominous omen creeping up on me. ¡°You¡¯re apart of my guild until you pay back what you owe.¡± ¡°What?! What does that mean?¡± I sat up in a fluster. ¡°I gave you a potion to keep you alive. A very expensive potion, Casper.¡± ¡°...How much?¡± I asked, burying my face in my hands. ¡°The current market price is nearly a million dollars.¡± ¡°A million.¡± I repeated in a hollow voice as the debt climbed onto my shoulders. ¡°I run a small guild with a membership number that hasn¡¯t exceeded forty since its founding. As a small guild with a selective recruitment process, we don¡¯t have a lot of swing on the political front. At least, as a guild alone.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°How do you think a small guild is able to afford to give away a potion like the one you consumed?¡± ¡°I don''t know¡­-¡± ¡°The Government. This isn¡¯t something you¡¯ll ever hear publicly but we mostly do odd jobs for them. You see, you aren¡¯t in debt to me, but rather, the Emerian Government.¡± I looked toward Ms. Hallworth with a stunned expression. A Gifted who owed the Government was likely to become a prisoner, forced to clear and explore ruins with little freedom. ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t really me who gave you a potion, but rather, I lent you a government asset without permission from the owners. Now, there is good news in all of this.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± I answered bitterly. ¡°I am willing to take on your debt, but in exchange you¡¯ll join my guild until you¡¯ve earned enough to clear it. I won¡¯t add any interest but if you wish to use any items or materials, it will be added onto the outstanding amount.¡± ¡°Is this how guilds normally operate?¡± I inquired dejectedly. ¡°No, in fact, this is me being extremely kind to you. I can see you¡¯re talented but I¡¯m taking a chance on you and giving you a way out. Other guilds would¡¯ve taken advantage of you by drawing up an unbreakable contract with strict clauses. You wouldn¡¯t even be allowed to negotiate your terms as your only other choice is imprisonment.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m allowed to negotiate now?¡± I laughed. ¡°Sure, what are your terms?¡± Alexandra asked with a thin smile. ¡°I¡­ Well¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t actually think of anything right now. I had barely managed to keep my life during my struggles in the ruin and now I was tossed into a situation where my freedom was on the line. I was in no shape to properly deal with negotiating. She had to know that. ¡°Then do we have a deal?¡± Alexandra asked, perhaps sensing my plight. ¡°...Yes.¡± I answered. ¡°Oh, cheer up. I even said you can leave whenever you pay off your debt. If you managed to gather up one million dollars right now, I wouldn¡¯t make a fuss at all.¡± Now that I think about it, her conditions were extremely kind, almost suspiciously so. In fact, I was very skeptical now. There was something that popped into my head so I sought to resolve it with a question. ¡°When you said odd jobs, what did you mean?¡± I suddenly asked. I swear the air around Alexandra grew still as she seemed to get serious. "Who do you think deals with Gifted who refuse to follow laws? The ones who kill whoever they want and steal whatever they want. Do you think that cops and normal soldiers are enough?" I could get the gist of what she was saying but I was completely shocked. ¡°Wait, you mean¡­ I thought it was against International Law for Gifted to operate as soldiers?¡± I blinked rapidly as her words finally made sense. ¡°Officially, yes. However, when dozens of people with superhuman abilities take over a small city in some foreign country, what then? What about if they chose to do the same to us? These are enemies that can¡¯t be stopped with bullets and explosives all of the time. So we quietly take care of the ones who make too much noise.¡± I took it all in and was mostly surprised at the fact she was so open with what would be a very classified secret. I don¡¯t know if her kindness was all a pretense or if she was actually very calculating. The fact that I now knew the Emerian Government made use of Gifted wasn¡¯t a good thing. If I told anyone, I¡¯m sure they¡¯d mark me with the crime of treason and force me to work. ¡°Please, don¡¯t tell me anything else,¡± I muttered. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­ Do I need to give you my information or-¡± ¡°I already have it.¡± I could clearly feel Alexandra¡¯s eyes peering at me through her sunglasses. ¡°Courtesy of the Emerian Government.¡± "Ah, also, you can rest easy knowing we didn''t try to pry that artifact off of your hand." She stood up and gave me a pat on the back before heading off toward her guild members. It was only then that I realized the ivory ring remained untouched. I felt that if Ms. Hallworth knew the true value of this artifact she would''ve cut my finger off just to take it. The sudden turn of events made me wonder if this was a dream. ¡°Casper!¡± Jameson called out to me. Sophia followed behind him while helping Emma who need a crutch to move. ¡°Ah, Emma?¡± I climbed to my feet to greet them, but Emma increased her pace and suddenly hugged me. I flinched because of the pain, but ignored it and held her with a wry expression. ¡°Grant¡¯s¡­ He¡¯s¡­¡± She began to cry and I didn¡¯t blame her. This group probably knew each far longer than they knew me. The only thing was I couldn¡¯t feel sadness at the fact Grant was gone. That wasn¡¯t to say his life was meaningless to me, no, it was the exact opposite. The fact that he was dead meant that he had lived and that was important to me. Wasn''t there something good in that? I couldn''t say that aloud though, it was insensitive and might even seem heartless. So I kept it in and consoled the others as best as I could. As I continued to hold, Emma, I spotted a woman far in the distance. She resembled my mother, but I knew it wasn¡¯t real. Unlike the first time where I chased after her, I chose to remain where I was this time. There was no point in chasing ghosts. Chapter 30: Dearly Departed ¡°He¡¯s out!¡± Hope, sat up abruptly while inhaling deeply. Mental and physical fatigue filled her with weariness, but a satisfied grin still remained. As a Dreaming Witch, she specialized in tracking others. Although it was by no means an omnipotent power as spells needed to be cast ahead of time to make a target susceptible. At the same time, Rusalka exhaled a sigh of relief. ¡°It is good that the tracking spell still works.¡± ¡°I think he¡¯s starting to notice,¡± Hope replied. ¡°That means nothing,¡± Rusalka responded. ¡°If anything, it proves that he does indeed have a the bloodline of a witch running through him. The High Mother will be pleased to hear.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s¡­ I think it¡¯s hurting him. He sees a woman each time.¡± ¡°His mother?¡± Rusalka inquired. ¡°Yes, I think so,¡± Hope answered quietly. ¡°That may become a problem¡­ We shouldn¡¯t take any actions that may harm him. I¡¯ll consult with High Mother Evanora to see if we should finally introduce ourselves.¡± Hope¡¯s face brightened at Rusalka¡¯s statement, making the latter visibly uncomfortable. ¡°If that¡¯s all then I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± Rusalka dismissed herself under Hope¡¯s kind gaze, finding it to be too much. ¡°...I think you¡¯re a nice person, Miss Rusalka,¡± Hope said as Rusalka disappeared from the room. ¡­ I finally made it back home some time later. After being examined, given my account of what happened, and filling out paperwork, I was released. As I stood in front of the door to my apartment, I couldn¡¯t help but notice things didn¡¯t feel quite real. I let out a sigh as I entered and tossed my carrying case to the side. The combat suit inside was shredded beyond belief so there was no point in treating it with care. I dragged my feet toward my room and collapsed onto my bed, but I didn¡¯t rest just yet. Instead, I removed the ivory ring and watched as it quickly turned into a book. Current Amount Of Souls: 1730 I stared at an impressive amount of souls. The cost to advance as a Death Bringer would be nearly three times the amount I currently possess, but I still found some comfort in getting this far. I felt that if I killed that Dark Arachnid, my current amount would be way higher. Even with the Demon¡¯s Brand to help me I don¡¯t remember doing much damage to it. I realized it was wrong to expect a different result and now that I was able to think clearly¡­ fighting that giant spider head on wasn¡¯t smart at all. If I gained its attention for a little and used the power of the brand to flee, I would¡¯ve had a drastically different result. ¡°Idiot,¡± I murmured to myself. All I had to do was give Jameson and Sophia time to get away. Who said I had to have a fight to the death? ¡°Maybe it was the stress,¡± I mumbled, seeking to justify my own actions. Inwardly, I resolved to run from a fight I wasn¡¯t confident in winning. With that in mind, I began to look through the book in search of any skills. I was interested in a few, but there was no urgency to purchase something immediately. ¡°That¡¯s right, I need to perfect what I already know before learning more.¡± Yeah, nothing that¡¯s built on an unstable foundation will last for long. With that in mind, I turned the book back into its ring form and stretched out on my bed. I was a bit curious so I decided to use Spirit Sight on a whim. My vision immediately shifted into a backdrop of cloudy grey, but everything that was living held a white outline. ¡°Huh?!¡± I sat up as I stared in the direction of my next door neighbors, clearly making them out through the wall. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. I wasn¡¯t performing any voyeuristic acts, nope- well, technically...- Anyway, that¡¯s not important. It¡¯s not like I could see any distinguishable features, just silhouettes and shapes. For some reason, my dear old neighbors seemed to be glowing brighter than anyone else in my building. Whether it was life force or the strength of their souls, they stood out noticeably more. ¡°Wait a...- Hold on!¡± Something in my own apartment caught my own attention. My vision returned to normal as I climbed to my feet and ran toward my fridge. I flung open the door and grabbed the fruit basket. It was the item that stood out when I used my Spirit Sight and I didn¡¯t need to guess why. I dumped all of the fruit onto the counter and inspected the basket closely. At a glance, it seemed to be a plain wicker fruit basket. Looking closer, the way it was woven did appear to be deliberately intricate. I flipped it to examine the underside and was filled with shock. A very small set of runes were carved into parts of the basket. They were less advanced than the runes I was familiar with, making them far harder to decipher. Think. Think. Think. Do I run? I didn¡¯t know what sort of effect the runes had for one. I hadn¡¯t felt any changes in my health so they probably didn¡¯t have any negative effects. Was it used to monitor me? That¡¯s the only thing that made sense. I was afraid to say anything aloud, so I carefully put the basket onto a table. As for the fruit, it was all thrown away because I wasn¡¯t willing to take any risks. I knew Rosemary and her daughters had to have some questionable circumstances, but who would¡¯ve guessed- Actually, now that I thought about it, I let my guard down because Rosemary seemed like a nice mother. I inhaled deeply and try to think of what I knew already. Clearly, Rosemary and her daughters were connected to the school my mother attended. So, I had to wonder if they discovered me because I began investigating it. It made sense, but I felt that a lot was missing from the picture. ¡°Damn it.¡± I ruffled my hair in frustration while pacing back and forth. Whatever the case was, I decided to exercise much more caution toward them until I figured out what to do. I¡¯ll just have to let them think I¡¯m still ignorant toward their actions for now. I would make my move once I could figure out what they wanted. ¡­ I spent the next few days without doing much other than some online shopping. Well, I practiced Penelope¡¯s Dance out of habit but I was mostly waiting. There was going to be a funeral for grant and I was set to attend. Although Jameson messaged me to say it was fine if I didn¡¯t want to go, I wanted to go anyway. My previous purchases included a black suit. Nothing fancy, just something appropriate for a funeral. It wasn¡¯t my first time attending one after all. ¡°Damn it,¡± I mumbled bitterly while buttoning my shirt. I felt that I could¡¯ve did more to save him if I just¡­- Frustration. That¡¯s what I could feel bubbling up as I thought of my behavior in the ruin. There was so much I could¡¯ve done differently to avoid all of this. I guess that was the beauty of looking at a situation after it had already occured. A sudden knock at my door set my thoughts on pause as I moved to answer it. ¡°Who is it?¡± I asked as I approached. ¡°Sunny¡­ Sunny Goodman.¡± The answer made me stop in my tracks. ¡°I just¡­- Did something happen to you? I haven¡¯t seen you so... I came to check on you is what I mean to say¡­- Listen, you know what, maybe this was a bad-¡± I opened the door before she could finish. ¡°Sunny,¡± I greeted her with a nod. She took a moment to exam my clothing before coming to her own conclusion. ¡°Someone die?¡± ¡°Yeah, a friend,¡± I replied with a dry smile. I wanted to ask who she really was but I kept my mouth shut. ¡°Sorry for your loss.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± It was a familiar phrase. I remember hearing it at my mother¡¯s funeral, but I wondered why others were sorry. After all, the grief of the matter didn¡¯t actually hit me as it should¡¯ve. There I was again, drifting off. I focused on Sunny, carefully studying her face. ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t want to sound like an asshole, but you don¡¯t seem too upset.¡± She quietly scanned me in return. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m not,¡± I gave an honest response. My phone vibrated in my pocket and upon checking, I could see a message from Jameson. He, Sophia, and Emma were all coming to pick me up so we could all go together. ¡°Look, I have to go, but it was nice talking to you, Sunny.¡± I put my phone away and headed toward the building¡¯s exit. ¡°Yeah, I¡­- I hope you feel better, Casper.¡± It sounded genuine enough, but I couldn¡¯t exactly trust someone whose mother tried to monitor me. I stepped outside and inhaled a breath of cool air. Pretty soon after, a car arrived and the window rolled down. ¡°You ready?¡± Jameson asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded and climbed into the back. Emma and I sat in the back of the car while Sophia and Jameson were up front. The mood was as expected, melancholy filled the air between us. No, not us, them. I was felt like an outsider. We drove in silence until Sophia spoke up. ¡°Emma¡­ do you want to-¡± ¡°It can wait.¡± Emma cut her off. Jameson glanced at me in rear view mirror with a look of concern. It seemed they had some sort of discussion that related to me, but I didn¡¯t press. I simply leaned my head against the seat and watched the scenery as we drove. Chapter 31: The Ferryman I felt like there was a sharp jump in time between us traveling and arriving at the funeral home. There was no viewing because of the state of Grant¡¯s body, but there was a wake. I didn¡¯t know if I should¡¯ve been surprised by the amount of people in attendance, but I was. There was a group of large men consoling a small lady who seemed to be their mother. Another woman stood next to her, Grant¡¯s girlfriend I think. His father was a man just as large as him, making his rounds through the room while wearing a stoic face. ¡°Those are his brothers,¡± Emma spoke from my side. ¡°They look just like him,¡± I remarked. I didn¡¯t know much about Grant and I felt regret toward that fact. I wonder if I could even call him a friend without knowing more than his name. ¡°Casper¡­ After all of this is over, could we talk?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± I furrowed my brows at her somewhat urgent tone. ¡°Good¡­ In the meantime, I''ll go around and see how everyone else is doing.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I formed a shallow grin at her foreboding expression. I wasn¡¯t really one to enjoy drinking, but I certainly wanted one now. Since I didn¡¯t know anyone, I simply drifted around before I came to the coffin which stuck out in the center of the room. As I looked at it and pictured the body that lay inside, a flash of memories filled my head- No, it was different this time. I could feel every part of me being moved¡­ somewhere else. ¡°Grant?¡± Someone called to me. I couldn¡¯t answer them because I felt as if I was placed into the body of another person. ¡°Grant? You hearing this?¡± That was Jameson speaking, I could clearly recognize it. ¡°I don¡¯t see how it¡¯s that big of a deal.¡± That¡¯s Sophia¡¯s voice. ¡°Love at first sight, Emma? Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a little too¡­ I don¡¯t know-¡± This time I spoke except it wasn¡¯t my voice, but Grant¡¯s¡­ I see now, this was a memory, but it was different than anything previously. ¡°Cliche? Yeah, I know, but there was something about him.¡± I could tell that was Emma. ¡°Seems a little superficial, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Jameson said with a chuckle. ¡°It''s not just about how he looks, Jameson. I swear.¡± Emma defended herself. Were they speaking about me? It seemed like it. This was around the time where I first met them then. Ah, so that was why Emma seemed so distressed when I fell. I took in the scene in front of me, a group of friends gathered in a cafe. They were enjoying themselves and it appeared to be a good memory. I should''ve found some sort of comfort in it, but I was alarmed. I had gone from a spectator to experiencing part of the memory myself. ¡°Casper?¡± A sudden voice, filled with a hint of sorrow, ripped it all away in an instant. The memory was torn apart like a piece of paper and my actual reality came into focus in front of me. ¡°Hm?¡± I turned to face Emma. ¡°You spaced out¡­ are you sure you''re okay?¡± She asked. ¡°Oh, yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± That was half true. I was inwardly fearful that I would lose control of my ability once more. ¡°Grant¡¯s going to be laid to rest soon.¡± I looked around after she finished speaking and realized the room had begun to empty out. Our next destination was the cemetery that was a little ways down the road. I said nothing as Emma guided me out and still remained silent as I climbed back into the car. A few minutes later, we were sitting in our chairs waiting for a priest to say a few words. ¡°We¡¯re gathered here today¡­¡± It began just as I remembered.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Grant¡¯s mother and girlfriend both wept, his father sat with a darkened expression, and his brothers were on the verge of tears. I looked at the tombstones in the background and my mind began to drift away. I felt my gift taking hold of me but I couldn¡¯t control it, just like at the funeral home. In an instant, everything around me began to stretch out like it was being pulled to its limits, becoming more and more distorted. I buried my fingers into my knees in an attempt to resist, but it failed. ¡°Come on. Calm down, just...¡± I whispered in an attempt to stop it from happening, but things moved beyond my control. I closed my eyes and calmed my breathing only to feel a familiar chill come over me. It was as if I stepped into that ancient tomb all over again. After inhaling freezing air, I opened my eyes. ¡°Ah,¡± My low exclamation echoed throughout the frosty mist that surrounded me on all sides. ¡°Coin for the ferryman?¡± A feeble voice entered my ears. ¡°Huh?¡± I looked in front of me and discovered two things. One, I was sitting on a small row boat that seemed to be one strong wind from breaking. Two, the one paddling this shabby raft was a man completely covered in a tattered cloak. ¡°I asked if you could perhaps spare a coin?¡± He replied, adding an unnerving and sickly laugh. ¡°What? A coin? I don¡¯t have a coin¡­ Wait, just where are we?¡± I tried to stand up but the small boat shook wildly and I was forced to remain seated. ¡°Young man!¡± He hissed with a surge of annoyance. ¡°You have a coin! Right there, in your pocket.¡± A greyish and thin finger, attached to a corpse-like arm, emerged from his cloak and pointed at me accusingly. ¡°My pocket?¡± I dug into my suit jacket and pulled out a scratched coin. Just as he said, I had an old bronze-colored coin. ¡°Hm?¡± I looked closer and I could even see my name scratched into it. ¡®Property of Casper Clay.¡¯ ¡°Wait, what do you want this for?¡± I asked, suddenly feeling the urge to guard this coin with my life. ¡°It is my fee, young man! Now, pay me!¡± He thrust out his hand and latched onto my wrist when I attempted to put my coin away. ¡°Get the fuck off of me!¡± I shoved him away and the boat began to thrash around. Before I knew it, I tumbled into the water under us only to find it was shallow. Though, I felt a biting cold seep into my bones. ¡°You¡¯ll wish you paid me!¡± A vindictive voice called out from behind me. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± I raised my middle finger to the departing boat while the man cackled to himself. I was forced to walk through frigid water and while it was a minor inconvenience, it wasn¡¯t that bad. It was certainly not worth paying him for. That¡¯s what I thought until my leg got caught on something. I pulled my foot away and felt something scratch me, drawing blood. ¡°Ow! Damn it!¡± I cursed as I moved away but this time, something grabbed me. ¡°Your coin! Give it to me!¡± A horrid voice emerged as a hollow body burst out of the shallow water. ¡°No, give it to me, please! I have to tell her how I feel!¡± Another body, a gaunt human shape without eyes appeared. ¡°Shut it! My daughter is waiting for me!¡± ¡°No! No! No! They killed me! I need to get payback!¡± Emaciated bodies continued to rise from the water, clinging onto me. I panicked, removing the coin from my pocket and holding it as high as I could with a tight grip. ¡°Ah!¡± I shouted as more bodies piled onto me, more than I could count. Their voices buzzed in my ear as they spoke of desires that could only be accomplished with my coin. I fell forward as the weight of the corpses became too much to carry. I splashed around in the water as I tried to crawl but a pile soon formed, trapping me under. As I was forced under the cold water, I pulled the coin to my chest and held onto it. I couldn¡¯t hold my breath for long as the corpses pressed down on me. My lungs ached, crying out desperately for air and before long, I couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. Everything burned as I inhaled water. In response to being drowned, my body shook wildly and then I suddenly felt warm. As my thoughts turned muddled and my grip grew weaker, I couldn¡¯t help but loosen my fingers, almost letting the coin go. Then, a hand snatched me from underneath the water and pulled me out. It was so abrupt my whole body was thrown forward and I fell face first onto something. I coughed out water for a few moments before I raised my blurry eyes only to find I was back on the boat. ¡°Be grateful for your luck, young man.¡± A bitter voice rang out. The ferryman sat with his arms crossed and the boat was no longer moving. Apparently, we had reached the shore. ¡°Did you¡­ save me?¡± I asked, completely exhausted. The ferryman laughed in response. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one to help you¡­ no, if you were not a Death Bringer, you would have not survived without paying me. Even your natural affinity with death would not have mattered, young man¡­ Now get off my boat,¡± He practically hissed out his words. Without the need for any more persuasion, I moved to leave the boat, but before stepping out, I spotted runes carved into the bottom. I tried to decipher them, but his temper surged in an instant. ¡°LEAVE NOW!¡± Apparently, my actions set him off as he violently shoved me forward. I stumbled and as soon as I touched the sandy shore, my surroundings shifted. ¡­ ¡°...And let your eternal light shine upon him.¡± The priest finished speaking. ¡°Amen,¡± A series of voices replied. I looked around me in a slight fluster, before I finally settled down. Just when I thought I had control of my ability, something like that happened. It felt like a nightmare, but at the same time, it was way too real to be just a dream. ¡°Casper?¡± Emma pressed her palm against my dampened forehead. ¡°You¡¯re cold? Are you sick?¡± ¡°N-No, I¡¯m fine.¡± I moved my head away from her and smiled. She seemed to be reluctant to let it go, but it was time for us to finally bury Grant so we couldn¡¯t linger on. Chapter 32: The Descent Into Madness Can Be Abrupt ¡°America?¡± I repeated, my face surely showed my confusion. After the funeral came to a close, we headed to the car. Before we could even leave, the others gave a surprising announcement. With tears in her eyes, Emma nodded her head. ¡°I can¡¯t- We can¡¯t do this anymore after what happened and-¡± ¡°And I have connections for non-combat focused work through my guild, but unfortunately¡­¡± Sophia trailed off. ¡°The only open spots are in America.¡± Jameson finished the rest for her. I didn¡¯t feel anything from the announcement, except shock. Then, anger slowly started creeping up. It didn¡¯t feel fair to me, to have these people- people I considered friends- just leave. ¡°How long?¡± The words came out of my mouth on their own. ¡°What?¡± Jameson asked. ¡°How long did it take you to decide?¡± ¡°We spoke after¡­ Grant died.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re all going? When?¡± ¡°In a few days,¡± Sophia replied before continuing, ¡°The positions won¡¯t be open forever.¡± ¡°And no one wanted to tell me? Aren¡¯t we friends? You couldn¡¯t just¡­- If you just-¡± I felt myself getting worked up. ¡°Listen, Casper...¡± Emma interrupted. ¡°Compared to you, this was never something we could do for long. For us, the end goal has always been to build up enough experience to find an easy position. It was¡­ It was like we were just pretending, but you¡¯re the real thing. It hasn¡¯t been long since you started and yet you¡¯re already so strong.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I-¡± ¡°Would you quit and come to America with us if we asked?¡± Jameson asked. I became bitter at the question because I knew the answer. I would¡¯ve refused, but even knowing that didn¡¯t alleviate my feelings on the matter. We stood in silence for a few moments before they exchanged looks. ¡°Sophia and I will go start the car.¡± Jameson gave his excuse and headed off with Sophia, leaving me alone with Emma. ¡°...You¡¯ll be someone great, Casper. It¡¯s obvious, it may not be today or tomorrow, but one day soon everyone is going to know your name. I just hope you wouldn¡¯t have forgotten about me when that time comes. ¡± Emma smiled at me. It was a genuine smile that seemed to wholeheartedly believe in me. That smile just made me hurt more than I already had. ¡°Casper.¡± She approached me, drawing in close. ¡°I¡­¡± Instead of finishing her sentence, she suddenly kissed me. Then, she just wrapped her arms around me and began to tremble ever so slightly. And I¡­Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. There were things I wanted to say to them and to her. Terrible thoughts filled my mind, urging me to call them all selfish. I was filled with the mistaken belief that I could somehow try to convince them to stay. I even- I felt like just Emma staying with me would be just enough and wanted to tell her that, but¡­ I didn¡¯t know if that desire stemmed from fear of being alone or the reciprocation of feelings. Since I couldn¡¯t differentiate between the two, I said nothing at all. I wouldn¡¯t be the corpse to drag her down like I had been so many times before. I just hugged her, thinking this was probably the final time I would ever see her. A little while later and I was standing outside of my apartment. At some point, I had arrived here, but I still didn¡¯t realize exactly when that was. I turned back to face the car where I could see my friends. They waved at me, but there was no joy in it. It was the kind of wave you give when you know it¡¯s likely to be the last time you¡¯re seeing someone. I gave a weak wave in response before I entered the building. My mind was a mess of all the things that had transpired ever since finding the artifact on my finger. I didn¡¯t know if I was heading in a better direction or not, but it was far too late to even turn around. I knew that for certain. Perhaps to distract myself, I removed my ring in the hopes of discovering what the strange interaction back at the funeral was about. To my surprise, my souls had increased. Current Amount Of Souls: 2230 Cemeteries seemed to be a place worth visiting more often. Just entering one had netted me 500 souls, but I¡¯m not sure if it was due to the strange sequence of events that came with it. I turned the page and a new set of words began to form in front of my eyes. Your innate gift has evolved. There was no additional explanation that followed which told me I needed to figure out what changed for myself. If I was forced to sit in that rowboat with that crazy old man then I¡¯d be in for a nightmarish experience. I dove into my bed and stared at the ceiling for a while. ¡°Haven¡¯t I suffered enough?¡± I closed my eyes, but sleep didn¡¯t come as easy as I wanted it to. As bitter of a thought it was, I felt the answer was a universal ¡°no¡± deep down. What did I want with my abilities? Power? Money? Status? It didn¡¯t matter really. The only thing I could say for certain was I hadn¡¯t suffered nearly enough to begin to desire any of those things. I fought, sure, and I nearly died, but those experiences meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I mumbled as I climbed out of my bed. I found some bone fragments and summoned my war scythe before heading into my living room. I wouldn¡¯t find peace at this rate. As much as I obsessed over death and saw it as something graceful for others, my own didn¡¯t scare me. I could understand why at that moment. I had accomplished nothing and I hadn¡¯t struggled nearly enough. Of all the deaths I¡¯ve witnessed, the memories I peered into, those people all lived in some way and most died unwillingly because they had lived in their own way and felt that it was good enough to struggle for. In this incredibly small piece of existence, ordinary people had lived to the best of their ability and valued their own lives so much they grew attached. The hallucination at the cemetery showed me that much. Even those who were dead for an unknowable amount of time still clung onto me for the slightest chance at life. ¡°And what was it that I held onto?¡± I asked myself as I began practicing Penelope¡¯s Dance. No, this time, it wasn¡¯t just practice. I put everything I had into each movement in an attempt to grind out every single fiber of strength in my body. I would go until I collapsed on the ground and could no longer move. It was as if I was struck by enlightenment like someone receiving a divine revelation. Life was sometimes a cruel struggle to carve out your existence so that you could die knowing that you had lived. I could see why my own death felt hollow to me. I hadn¡¯t lived properly, especially considering the power I had gained. ¡°So I¡¯ll start living from this moment,¡± I said to myself. I practiced every single step of Penelope¡¯s Dance as if I was fighting for my life. It was something I could sustain for a long time and just as I expected, my body gave out and I collapsed to the floor as a sweating mess, but I laughed. I laughed like a complete psycho and didn¡¯t care if anyone could hear me. So what if they did? I had taken the first step onto what would be a very long journey. There was cause for celebration, even if that only entailed excited laughter. Chapter 33: Many Forms I studied and I trained without paying attention to anything else. Three weeks passed without a single message from Alexandra Hallworth. If I didn¡¯t know better, I would¡¯ve thought she had forgotten about me. Confining myself to my apartment, I earnestly sought growth and I received just that. Firstly, I delved deeper into the nature of artifacts learning the system used to appraise them. There were four grades of artifacts. In order from highest to lowest, there was Grade S, Grade A, Grade B, and finally Grade C. All artifacts assisted the user in some way, but Grade S and Grade A were on an entirely different level of power. The artifact I possessed would be classified as a Grade-S grimoire. Its value would definitely be somewhere up in the hundred million range. Even if the prerequisite for its use required a user in possession of a necromantic gift, it still would keep the same value for its potential alone. I made it up in my mind to never say a word of it to anyone else. Next was my advancement in Penelope¡¯s Dance. I reached a critical juncture where I couldn¡¯t use my home as a place to practice. Simply put, my swings felt a bit too strong and it didn¡¯t take much to overturn all of my furniture. The good news was, my forward step with Penelope¡¯s Dance unlocked a third section within the grimoire. While the first concerned my path, the second held general knowledge, the third was related to¡­ well, weapons. At least, that¡¯s how I interpreted it. I opened up the grimoire and took another look. Your experience with a single weapon is only the start of your journey. Death is boundless, so do not constrain yourself. Take as many forms as needed. Current Souls: 2230 Scarlet Blades (Sword/Shortsword): Solidify your blood into two powerful blades. If the blades are broken, your vitality will temporarily fall as a result. The effects of blood-related abilities are transferred to the blades. Price:1000 Koschei¡¯s Finger (Sword/Rapier): A skeletal rapier that inflicts a chain of life-draining curses once it pierces the target. When this weapon is summoned, you will be stricken with a mental affliction that grows stronger with each use. Can be from summoned anywhere. Price:1000 Sword of The Deathsworn (Sword/Greatsword): A hefty blade that grants a massive increase in strength but every swing drains a large amount of your vitality. Once your vitality falls beyond a certain point, the sword will automatically be unsummoned. Can be summoned from anywhere. Price:1000 Pale Bow (Bow/Longbow): A translucent bow that fires spectral arrows that can pass directly through any non-magical or non-enchanted material Arrows do not cause physical damage, instead they weaken the victim''s vitality. Arrows will seek out whoever you choose as a target. A maximum of three arrows can be fired before the weapon is unsummoned. There is a large draw time between each arrow. Arrows cannot be fired in quick succession or your soul be damaged. Price:1000 Ghoulish Warhammer (Maul/Warhammer): A warhammer that increases strength, speed, and resistance to all forms of harm. In exchange, you will be driven into an uncontrollable frenzy. Can be summoned from anywhere. Price:1000 Skeletal Caestus (Battle Gloves): Use your own bones to create a caestus. The strength of your strikes can be increased up to fivefold, but in exchange, the caestus will erode faster. Once the caestus is shattered, your bones will become weaker for a period of time. Price:1000 Phantom Spear (Polearm/Spear): An ivory spear that can be created from bones. It has a spectral form that is able to pass through non-magical or non-enchanted material and deliver a soul-piercing strike. Once it¡¯s spectral form is used, the spear is immediately unsummoned and cannot be used again for a period of time. Price:1000 Up to two weapons can be summoned in quick succession. Two weapons cannot be summoned simultaneously at your current level of strength. More weapons may appear as you grow stronger. I was excited by the list of weapons I had to choose from. Each had their own strengths and weakness that could change the way I approached a battle. I could see a few weaknesses in the weapons that needed my bones to create them. Although I usually carried a pouch of skeletal fragments when I went into ruins if they were lost, I¡¯d be weaponless and screwed. Not only that, but ruins held many types of enemies and not all would have a skeletal system. Oddly enough, ¡®Koschei¡¯s Finger¡¯ was a skeletal weapon but fell under the category of ¡°can be summoned from anywhere,¡± which I guess meant I wouldn¡¯t need bones to summon them. Of course, each one came with a downside that couldn¡¯t simply be ignored when compared to everything else. I put those options aside and selected the Scarlet Blades as my first choice. The effects weren¡¯t as damaging as the others and they seemed to be the most ideal. The Pale Bow came in as a close second even though it had no obvious negative effects. The delay between each shot and the fact I could only use three arrows each time it was summoned made it hard to choose first. Seeing no reason not to, I purchased the Scarlet Blades for 1000 souls. When the knowledge of their use poured into my mind, I was slightly surprised. ¡°Hm?¡± I summoned them, feeling a warm sensation above wrists as two crimson blades appeared and extended forward. They appeared to be around 50-ish centimeters in length and were incredibly sharp. I stared at the glossy surface of the blades in awe, feeling a bit like a certain comic book mutant. I stood up and tried to swing them a few times, making a lot of awkward attempts in the process. However, once I tried Penelope¡¯s Dance in conjunction with the blades, I began to feel like a fish in water. It was a great foundation for footwork and fit perfectly with the way the blades were meant to be used. ¡°Ah, I shouldn¡¯t get distracted.¡± I halted my demonstration and returned to the grimoire. Current Souls: 1230 I could either save the souls I had or purchase another weapon. I decided to go with the second option. Souls were easily earned, but having another weapon to rely on would only be beneficial for me. The War Scythe was good for multiple enemies or keeping my enemies at a distance. The Scarlet Blades would obviously be better at a shorter-range as well as dealing with a few enemies. If I wanted a true long distance weapon, I felt like the Pale Bow would be the best option. Especially when I had a crow-shifting ability that would allow me to reach a greater height. If I could stealthily find a perch to aim from, the slow-firing rate of the bow wouldn¡¯t be a problem for me. ¡°Ah!¡± I facepalmed as I remembered I was in possession of Spirit Sight. That further increased the potential of the bow, making it a very powerful weapon. I didn¡¯t have to convince myself any further and immediately purchased it, leaving me with 230 souls. Just like with the Scarlet Blades, I tried out the Pale Bow. It was a bit strange, but I posed as if I was preparing to fire a bow, mostly copying what I had seen in videos and movies.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. A translucent blue bow slowly formed in my hands. A curved thorn pattern covered most of the limbs while a skull was directly in the middle of it. At the... um¡­ The place where the arrow was shot from. I really didn¡¯t have much knowledge of bows beyond knowing about the limbs and the bowstring. Speaking of, the latter was a fine twinkling thread that once pulled, caused an arrow to appear. I pulled the bowstring back as hard as I could and watched as the arrow slowly moved into place. ¡°Damn this is harder than I thought,¡± I muttered as I finally readied the bow to fire. I relaxed my grip and unsummoned since I was afraid of shooting someone through a wall by accident. Even if it didn¡¯t cause physical damage, I¡¯d hate to accidentally hurt someone. Just when I was attempting to figure out what to do next, my phone began ringing from somewhere inside the room. ¡°Ah!¡± I hurriedly scrambled around for it before checking the caller ID only to find that it was an unknown number. ¡°Hello,¡± I answered. ¡°Casper Clay?¡± A man spoke. ¡°Yeah. Who¡¯s this?¡± I replied back. ¡°Who do you think?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m not too sure...¡± ¡°Try to think really hard and I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll come to you,¡± He said sarcastically. ¡°Look, could you just tell me?¡± ¡°The Iron Wyvern Guild.¡± ¡°Why not start with that then-¡± ¡°Outside. Five minutes.¡± He cut me off before I heard a click. ¡°What do you mean outside? Hello?¡± I was a step late in realizing he had hung up. ¡°Asshole,¡± I muttered before going to grab some clothes. ¡­ I threw on a grey hoodie, some pants, and an old pair of shoes before heading out. I turned to lock my door like normal, but when I turned back around Rosemary was standing there with a fruit basket in hand. ¡°Fuck!¡± I pressed my back against the door after being startled. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to scare you¡­ Sunny told me about what happen and¡­ Well, we haven¡¯t seen you in a long time so we were beginning to get worried. I just put together this fruit basket in hopes of cheering you up a little.¡± Rosemary smiled. The smile I found motherly now seemed a bit fucking creepy. Especially coupled with my knowledge of what she had done to the last basket and the decorative sweater she wore. ¡°Oh¡­ Thank you.¡± I accepted the basket with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to eat it on the way.¡± ¡°On the way?¡± Rosemary¡¯s eyes briefly flashed with surprise before projecting an innocent curiosity. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to run some errands.¡± ¡°Y-You want me to hold the basket until you get back?¡± She asked with a hint of panic. ¡°No, no, that¡¯s okay. It¡¯s perfect because now I have a snack with me.¡± My smile became genuine as I observed her. ¡°Anyway, my friend is waiting on me.¡± ¡°Oh, okay, you take care, Casper.¡± Rosemary formed a dry smile and waved. ¡°You too,¡± I replied as I headed out. A black sedan with tinted windows sat right outside of my apartment complex. The more I looked at it the more it screamed: ¡°We¡¯re extremely shady!¡± The windows rolled down as I approached and I saw a vaguely familiar face inside. ¡°Get in,¡± said A well-dressed man probably a little older than me. His hair was short and neat which went very well with his curt, straight to the point, attitude. I did as instructed since I had no reason not to, but I stared at the man hoping he would catch on. ¡°What?¡± He noticed my gaze. ¡°Have we met?¡± I asked. ¡°Unfortunately, we have.¡± ¡°Really? Where?¡± I inquired further, ignoring his snarky comment. ¡°The government facility where you went to report your gift.¡± ¡°Wait! I think I actually remember you.¡± I clapped my hands together as my memory pushed out a brief encounter. ¡°You said your gift made you really good at punching things, right?¡± ¡°That''s correct.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± I nodded. After our brief greeting, we drove in silence before he suddenly spoke again. ¡°Is that all of your questions?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, no. Would you like some fruit?¡± I lifted the fruit basket with a polite smile. ¡°You have no idea do you?¡± He frowned. ¡°About what?¡± I narrowed my eyes in confusion. ¡°About what we¡¯re going to do.¡± ¡°We¡¯re meeting Ms. Hallworth, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± He said with a snide laugh. ¡°You¡¯re going on your first assignment.¡± ¡°What?¡± I was surprised by what he said and I mean really surprised. ¡°That¡¯s unprofessional, don¡¯t you think? I mean shouldn¡¯t there be a meeting first or something?¡± ¡°Ha!¡± He let out a short derisive chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re going to kill a few criminals.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± I began to get a little upset. His uptight attitude was getting harder to ignore the more he spoke. ¡°There¡¯s a small gang of black market dealers illegally selling materials harnessed from monsters.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°So, we¡¯ve been told to take care of them.¡± ¡°I thought it was only Gifted you all dealt with.¡± ¡°We do, mostly. Though, from time to time we have to take on jobs like this. It isn¡¯t something negotiable.¡± ¡°So you want me to kill them alone?¡± ¡°Is that a problem for you?¡± ¡°You want me to kill someone who¡¯s only selling illegal goods, so yeah, it¡¯s sort of a fucking problem.¡± ¡°Is it a moral thing?¡± He asked with contempt. I narrowed my eyes at him as he pushed the limits of my patience. ¡°If it is you shouldn¡¯t worry. These guys do some very, very, terrible things to people.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°You know what? I think I¡¯ll have some fruit.¡± He reached into the basket and grabbed an apple before biting into it with an obnoxious crunch. I half-hoped that Rosemary put poison in it, but then I realized he was the one driving and that it would be a bad if he suddenly passed out or died. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your name by the way?¡± ¡°Matthew,¡± He answered. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t like you, Matthew.¡± He grinned happily as if I just complimented him before replying. ¡°I feel the same way, Casper.¡± Our ride was filled with silence for sometime before we arrived at some beat-up laundry place with a neon sign that barely flickered. It was the sort of place that you wouldn¡¯t want to wash your hands at, let alone your clothes. Just passing by, I couldn¡¯t see any people inside washing their clothes. Just a few men who seemed to be playing cards in the back. ¡°I¡¯ll drop you off a little further up,¡± Matthew said before pulling into a back alley. He shut the car off and opened the glove compartment before taking out a black box. ¡°Here.¡± He opened the small box and handed it toward me. ¡°Are you proposing to me?¡± I asked while looking at him strangely. ¡°What? No, no, just- Just take the earring and put it on, smartass. It¡¯s a communication artifact.¡± I picked up a silver earring, a clip-on to be exact, and attached it to my ear lobe. ¡°Just touch it with your finger if you want to speak.¡± Matthew put on his own earring. ¡°Testing. Testing.¡± He spoke aloud but his words echoed in my mind. ¡°It works,¡± I replied as I activated the earring. ¡°If you run into any problems just signal me and I¡¯ll come to help¡­ There is a mask and a combat suit in the trunk, the former is an artifact, so don¡¯t damage it. The mask should improve your eyesight and reflexes and the armor will stop low-caliber bullets.¡± ¡°I thought these were small guys?¡± ¡°Are you immune to bullets?¡± ¡°Not completely, no.¡± I mean, my bones would hold up decently, but my internal organs wouldn¡¯t fare well. I wasn¡¯t exactly eager to test the limits of endurance with a few criminals. ¡°Then take it. Oh, and there¡¯s a bone in the back too. The guild leader said you need bones to fight apparently.¡± ¡°Not this time,¡± I mumbled while climbing out of the car. I opened the trunk and the equipment was already prepped for me. I donned the all-black, near-skin tight ensemble of gear that was a clear violation of the law. There were no markings to distinguish what guild or group the armor belonged to which the government strongly disliked, but apparently, it was alright for their private hit squad. The last thing I equipped was the mask which had two amber lenses over the eyes. When I put on the mask, the world became clearer. My eyes darted around as I adjusted to the improvement to my sight. There was no doubting that it was an artifact. I kinda felt a vigilante in my current get-up, but I didn¡¯t linger on it too long. I contemplated bringing the bone with me, but I wouldn¡¯t be able to return it if I used it to make a war scythe. And I wanted to avoid piling on debt. I made up my mind to use my new weapons as I shifted into a flock of crows and quickly flew toward the laundromat. Chapter 34: Traces of the Unwilling As Casper headed toward the laundromat, Matthew grabbed a folder from underneath his chair before propping his feet up on the dashboard and opening it. Inside, there were photos, detailed reports, and a general layout of the building Casper was sent to. It was all vital information, but Matthew withheld it from Casper for reasons unknown, whatever drove him to do so was likely related to his hostility toward the latter. He grabbed another apple from the fruit basket and enjoyed it while musing over the contents of the report. ¡°Casper Clay,¡± He seemed to scoff just saying the name. Suddenly, his phone rang. He gave a cursory glance, appearing to ignore it, but then read the caller ID and immediately changed his stance. He removed the communication earring he shared with Casper and gave his full attention to whoever was on the phone. ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± He answered with a ruly tone, unlike his previous behavior. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± The voice on the other side was none other than Alexandra Hallworth. ¡°Well, very well,¡± Matthew replied. His tone did anything but inspire confidence as Alexandra let silence sit between them for a few seconds. ¡°You recall what I said earlier?¡± Alexandra asked, his voice cold and stern. ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am,¡± Matthew replied, his voice quivering as his forehead became slightly dampened. ¡°And just what was it, Matthew?¡± ¡°I¡¯m supposed to ease him into what we do.¡± ¡°Exactly. You volunteered to help me on this one and I trusted you, but I swear to whatever god there is, if you fuck this up, you¡¯re gonna really, really, regret it, Matthew.¡± ¡°But, you¡¯re my-¡± ¡°Aunt? Is that what you were gonna say? Oh boy, I really hope you weren¡¯t gonna say that. If that¡¯s what your next words were it really makes me wonder if you tried something like rookie hazing. I told you that Casper Clay isn¡¯t like the rest of you. He is more of a partner than an official member, you understand? That means pulling any type of childish shit like that would be really upsetting to me.¡± ¡°I know, ma¡¯am, that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t. It¡¯s just¨C what makes him so special? I mean, I¡¯ve got greater prospects so why is he-¡± ¡°Is that jealousy I hear, Matthew?¡± Alexandra chuckled. ¡°You know what, where is he?¡± ¡°Who?¡± Matthew answered with a tinge of nervousness. ¡°Casper Clay,¡± Alexandra spoke slowly, making her annoyance clear. ¡°He said he needed some air after I told him about things¡­ I think he¡¯s the over-emotional type.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Alexandra asked doubtfully. ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he stormed in there on his own and did something idiotic.¡± ¡°Oh? You wouldn¡¯t? Well, it¡¯s your job to prevent that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing my best-¡± ¡°Are you? You know what¨C I¡¯ll be there in ten just to see how much of a good job you''re doing, just stay where you are.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, I really don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary, I can handle any¨C¡± A click ended the conversation before Matthew could convince Alexandra not to head over. ¡°Fuck!¡± Matthew drove his fist into the car¡¯s dashboard, denting it, but it was sturdy enough to hold up against an undisciplined blow thrown in anger. In fact, it could hold up to much more since it was no ordinary car, but that was of no concern. Matthew frantically ran his hands through his hair before inhaling deeply. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± He told himself, calming down. ¡°Just how much trouble could he have caused already?¡± He fixed his suit and pressed the communication earring, ¡°Casper?¡± When he was met with silence, Matthew immediately got out of the car. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck!¡± He swore as he ran for the laundromat, but just as he reached it, a body came flying through the window. A short groan came from the victim who coughed up some blood before rolling over and letting out his last breath. ¡°Just what-¡± Matthew came to a stop as he stared at Casper Clay, kneeling on the floor while cradling someone in his arms. ¡°You¡­¡± Matthew could only gape at the scene, severed body parts littering the building along with seemingly endless blood splatters. ¡­ 20 minutes earlier. ... I landed on a rooftop across the street from the criminal front. I wasn¡¯t going to rush in without a plan, even if that¡¯s what Matthew seemed to want. ¡®Is this a test?¡¯ I wondered, as I sent out a crow to scout the area surrounding the building. There were empty shopping lots and residential buildings bordered by tall fences. Signs indicating the properties were purchased were attached to the fencing, but they didn¡¯t seem new. So, whoever had brought the places around this lone laundromat had done it long ago and didn¡¯t seem to be ready to renovate. I moved away from the obvious conspiracy and focused on the laundry building as a whole. It was in general disrepair on the outside. I began to use my spirit sight, I could immediately see a dozen shapes inside and about three more below it. ¡®A basement level,¡¯ I quickly returned my vision to normal and unsummoned the crow, contemplating a route to the doorway. ¡°Was there a boss around?¡± I asked, pressing my finger against the earring beneath my mask. I waited for Matthew to respond but it never came. ¡®Did something go wrong?!¡¯ I reactivated my spirit vision and looked in the direction of the car, but I could see Matthew¡¯s presence, as clear as ever. ¡°So you¡¯re just ignoring me? Just how am I supposed to do this? Are these guys even guilty of anything or is there some specific person I¡¯m aiming for? Is this a test of judgment and then at the end you''ll say ''there was no wrong answer''? Do I just go with my gut and hope I kill the real bad guy? What¡¯s the plan?¡± I let out a torrent of questions but nothing came back in reply. ¡°Yeah, well, fuck you too,¡± I cursed, feeling the urge to strangle my unfriendly companion on the spot. I gave it some thought for a minute before gathering my head. If there is a boss, he¡¯d be hiding in the basement, petting his hairless cat while smoking cigars in a big comfy chair, no doubt. I hadn¡¯t killed a person before, but I killed things, living things. I could do the same to a person if need be¡­ At least, I felt like I could. I had seen a lot of death after all. ¡°Please just be a puppy murderer and make this easy for me. That¡¯d really be enough,¡± I mumbled before crow-shifting. A group of birds descended toward the slightly ajar door of the building and squeezed in before erratically circling the cramped area before finally resting atop the lights. ¡°The fuck is this?!¡± A man shouted, much to the chagrin of his companions. ¡°What, what, what? What the hell are you so loud for?¡± Another man stomped out before going speechless. ¡°What is this?!¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°They just got in, I don¡¯t know!¡± The two entered a shouting match before more arrived. They all seemed pretty shifty, dark clothes, even darker gazes, with an anti-authoritarian air about them. However, their apparent delinquency didn¡¯t garner a death sentence. As if to spite that line of thought, one drew a gun and immediately fired a shot toward me causing several of the men to duck in surprise. The bullet struck the light and made me take to the air almost immediately. Almost forgetting that I was wearing armor that was supposed to be bulletproof. Still, that didn¡¯t mean I could wait for him to hit me, being abruptly forced out of the flock by a strong impact would still hurt like hell. ¡°Fucking cut it out!¡± Someone snatched the gun from the trigger happy man who seemed angered by it. ¡°And just how do you bastards know that isn¡¯t some spy artifact? A bunch of fucking crows really found their way into this building all at once? You idiots! Shoot the damn thing or we¡¯re all fucked!¡± A look of realization seemed to fill the faces of the men and they all began to draw their weapons. ¡®That''s not good!¡¯ I flew toward them in the form of the flock, narrowly avoiding their attempts to swat me out the air and headed into a back room. There was a large metal door left open, no doubt from one of the men running up to check the noise. I headed right for it before a bullet struck one of the crows and forced me back into my human form. I tumbled right down the basement stairs while suppressing a grunt before crashing into the floor. ¡°Ow,¡± My head felt as if it were split open even though the armor I wore did more than enough to protect against the bullet which put me in this state. My vision cleared as I recovered my footing, looking around the dimly lit and filthy basement. The mask did more than enough to filter out what was likely to be a putrid scent. Dried bloodstains all led to a drain that was dirty with strands of hair. ¡°What is¡­¡± As the faulty light above me buzzed, I could make out a few figures. A sickly feeling filled my abdomen, but I suppressed it. ¡°You said they¡¯re selling illegal shit, but these are people down here, Matthew!¡± I shouted pressing my hand against the earring. I didn¡¯t care if the men upstairs heard me at this point. In front of me were three restrained and bloodied figures. The dozens of cuts decorating their bodies were left to fester. It was the result of an act cruelty, one that I didn¡¯t expect to see firsthand. One of the men, reached toward me weakly, muttering softly as he did so, ¡°Please¡­¡± I rushed over to them and cut the chains apart with a scarlet blade. ¡°Easy now,¡± I was careful as I handled them. Luckily, the boy was in the best condition, having only bruises when compared injuries than the two other men. However, he was clearly starved and dehydrated. He tried to say something to me, but as his cracked lips parted, I couldn''t bring myself to let him force the words out. ¡°Hold on, I''ll get you out of here.¡± I quickly turned around and searched for at least a bottle of water, but the only thing of notice was an ashtray filled to the brim with cigarette butts. When I turned around again, there were people standing behind me. People that weren''t really there anymore. ¡°Will you bring us with you?¡± A bright-eyed woman asked with a sweet smile, her voice trailed off as her image faded. ¡°I need to get back home. I promise to play baseball with my son,¡± A man interjected with a soft tone. ¡°So, will you help us?¡± A boy asked in a tiny voice. More and more people began to pop up and it dawned on me that whatever happened here had been going on for a while. ¡°You''re dead.¡± I cautiously stepped backward. ¡°It''s too late, even if I wanted to, I can¡¯t save you anymore.¡± I felt the ivory ring on my finger began to ache as I finished speaking. I was half-afraid they would ask for my coin, but I tried not to let it show. ¡°But you can help us, can¡¯t you?¡± A small hand reached out to touch me. A flash of visions poured in from different eyes. There was a man, a tall, thin man, who smiled with pleasure as he cut people. ¡°Stop!¡± I shouted as my mind became a garbled mess. Anger, fear, sadness, all sorts of emotions that weren¡¯t mine began to pour in without restraint. I was forced to see the last thing they saw, the man who killed them. No, not all of them died, they were forced to watch as a lucky few were taken somewhere else. ¡°Why?¡± I felt tears flowing from underneath my mask as I asked a pointless question. Part of me felt bitter, the spirits hijacked my mind and filled me with emotion that I couldn''t control. ¡°So will you help us?¡± Someone asked me once more. And they still asked me for help, despite that. I stopped my hands from shaking and looked up to face them. I had no words, no promises, and no guarantees that could possibly satisfy them, but I nodded. It was a stiff and solemn nod as I was partly unwilling, but that was enough for them it seemed. Smiles of relief filled their faces as they began to fade from my sight. I could no longer see them, but I felt a warm breeze that went straight through my armor and crept over my skin. I inhaled deeply as I felt something move inside me. Regaining my senses, I checked the stairs, my eyes flickering as I activated my spirit vision. I could see the men waiting for me in ambush since there was only one way out of this basement. Turning back to the three victims in all of this, I tried to reassure them. ¡°Please, just wait here for a moment,¡± I spoke as gently as I could. ¡°D-don''t¨C¡± The youngest of the three cried out, but I ignored him, I had too. I put the mask back on and drew the spectral bow, watching as it formed in my hands. I softly plucked the bowstring before pulling it back which caused an arrow to appear. ¡­ As the men waited for whoever had broken in to emerge, they could hear indistinct shouting that caused some confusion. Checking the cameras which covered every corner of the building, they could see just one person who stood in the middle of the basement speaking to himself. ¡°Is he fucking crazy?¡± Someone whispered, flipping off the safety of a sub-machine gun. "Maybe he¡¯s just panicking cause he knows he¡¯s fucked.¡± A heavy set man with a cigarette in his mouth was as calm as ever. He drew a knife instead of a gun like his companions. ¡°Anyone of you ever killed someone with a gift?¡± ¡°No, we don''t have a gift like you. Why ask?¡± ¡°My gift isn''t anything special, I''m just a bit stronger than the average guy, but I killed a few of ''em in a fight. Here''s the thing, there are a bunch of gifts that don''t do shit. If that guy had somethin'' strong, you think he would''ve tried to disguise himself as a bunch of birds? The only thing we need to watch for is if he has an artifact of some sort. If we see him try to call someone or he doesn''t come up in time, we''ll rush him.¡± ¡°He''s doing something!¡± One man shouted, glancing at the security console. The men watched as the intruder in black lowered his posture and took up a strange position. Pulling one of his arms back while the other remained outstretched as if he held something within it. ¡°Is he- Is he doing yoga?¡± One man uttered a taunt before a dim blue light shot pierced through his torso and knocked him onto his back. He let out a terrible scream as his skin quickly withered up as if someone drained all the water from his body. Following up, Casper rushed up the stairs like a blur, stabbing his scarlet blades into the man who stood closest to the entrance. It didn''t take long for the bullets to start flying after that, but the armor worked as intended and kept Casper safe. The impact, however, was still partially transmitted to his body. ¡°Ah!¡± A scream came from another victim screamed as the blades lopped his arm off before one found its way into his throat, silencing him immediately. Casper lifted the now dead man up to act as a human shield while charging into the hail of bullets. ¡°Kill him!¡± The heavy-set man cried out as his friends ran out of ammo. He discarded his knife and ripped a loose pipe from the wall, brandishing it as a weapon. Seeing him do so, the other men joined in, grabbing whatever they could as a weapon before rushing toward Casper who discarded his human shield in response. His footwork was almost mesmerizing as he gracefully retreated, deflecting the makeshift weapons before going on the attack. Soul Siphon gave him a burst of strength and he had already killed a few, so he when he delivered a sharp kick to the sides of one unlucky man, it was no surprise that something burst. The man let out a strange cry as he fell forward, landing directly on one of Casper¡¯s blades. While Casper was briefly distracted, a pipe struck his head with so much power that it bent on contact. Casper¡¯s head jerked to the side like he had experienced whiplash, but he continued moving as if nothing happened. His skeleton has been strengthened greatly so blunt force trauma was hardly a worry. When it was all finished, there was a lot of carnage left behind and in the center of it, Casper stood to let out rough breaths from underneath his mask. A sense of shock overcame him, as his he felt much weaker than before, but made sure not to collapse. ¡°You don¡¯t know who you fucked with¡­¡± The heavy-set man who lay slumped against a defunct washing machine spat toward Casper. The man, whose hair and face was wet with blood and viscera, seemed to have the energy to smile, even though everyone around him had already been killed. His words served to sober Casper up. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ll figure it out soon enough,¡± He replied listlessly, extending one of his scarlet blades once more before stabbing it deeply into the man. A flash of memories came in as the last man was killed. Casper, feeling disgusted, tossed the body as hard as he could, sending it crashing through a window. Letting out a deep sigh, Casper turned around and saw that the boy he released had made his way upstairs. ¡°Mister?¡± He slipped in a puddle of blood fell forward, but Casper caught him. ¡°You really shouldn''t look.¡± Casper put on a smile beneath his mask. ¡°You¨C¡± Matthew¡¯s voice came from behind, ¡°Just what did you do?¡± he asked in sheer disbelief. ¡°Get this kid some help first,¡± Casper replied, just barely looking over his shoulder. ¡°Yeah... I''ll handle it,¡± Matthew answered back, putting aside any other thoughts he had. He immediately dialed up Alexandra and attempted to explain the situation. Meanwhile, Casper let his empty gaze rest on the bodies of the men he killed. From the memories he gained, they weren''t the perpetrators, but they didn''t care what went on a floor below them. Chapter 35: Cleanup Crew At some point, Alexandra Hallworth arrived along with a team dressed in white hazmat suits or something similar. They moved in a practiced manner and got to work without hesitation. They seemed to have artifacts that made the clean-up easier and quickly began removing the traces of whatever was left behind. Seeing how quickly they erased the scene of the crime was downright frightening. The most important thing was the boy and the two other men he was with. While it was easy to heal the former, it seemed the two men were in a worse condition and would need repeated treatments. Elsewhere, Alexandra had made sure to ¡°talk¡± to Matthew. ¡°I trusted you to handle this, you ungrateful little¡­!¡± Her fists rained down on the curled up and bloodied Matthew. He squeezed himself into a fetal position, protecting his face, but that only made Alexandra use her legs to kick him while he was down. ¡°I had to miss my daughter¡¯s violin recital for this, you fucking ingrate!¡± She didn¡¯t stop, even as his body began to get covered in bruises and lumps, or as his mouth filled with blood. I think I heard a few bones snap as her attacks began to get increasingly powerful. However, Alexandra seemed genuinely pissed and I didn¡¯t want really want to stop her from venting her grievances. She spent a few more minutes ¡°reprimanding¡± Matthew before she finally felt as if she did enough. ¡°Don''t think this is the end of it, asshole¡± She huffed before facing me with an apologetic smile. ¡°This was never supposed to happen, Casper.¡± It was hard to read her since she was wearing sunglasses as always. ¡°But it did, but that''s hardly important right now, right?¡± I responded, glancing at the building that was being scrubbed from top to bottom. ¡°Do you know how many people died in there?¡± I continued. ¡°Our awareness of situation was vague at best. We had our suspicions, but nothing concrete.¡± ¡°So you''re saying you had an idea then?¡± I asked, feeling anger rising up, but it wasn''t my own. It was as if someone implanted it into me. The unsettling feeling that came with that thought helped to calm me down. ¡°I thought you handled stuff like this?¡± I shifted to a different topic. ¡°We do,¡± she asserted, her lips bending into a frown, ¡°As much as you might hate to hear it, these guys are nothing. For every group like this, there are ten more that threaten the lives of hundreds if not thousands of people. We can¡¯t possibly get to every single bad thing and there is tons of legislation in place that makes it nearly impossible for us to operate above board. The guilds can deal with the stuff done in broad day, they have that ability. Shit like this? It needs evidence and warrants, by the time that clears, they''re gone and we have nothing. If what we do comes to light, people would get scared. It sounds good in theory right? A bunch of superhumans watching over everyone else, but we¡¯re still people just like everyone else. Think about it, one day some poor guy is working a miserable job cleaning toilets and then suddenly, the very next day, he can burn down a city block in less than a minute. You think everyone is equipped to handle that sort of power?¡± ¡°This and that are two different things.¡± I crossed my arms, watching as the clean-up crew put up plastic around the windows to obscure messy interior. ¡°What does that mean to the ones who died? You think they¡¯d be alright with your reasoning?¡± ¡°You say that as if you know.¡± I could practically feel her eyes narrow from behind her shades.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°That¡¯s because I do.¡± Even as I said it, I wondered if they were still out there, the victims in all of this, waiting for some sort of resolution. Did they really leave? If so, did they have faith I¡¯d honor their wishes? No, when I thought of the situation I still felt a wave of overwhelming anger toward it that urged me to act. While I sympathized with the ones who died, these feelings weren''t my own. I began to see a downside in my gift if things like this would continue to happen. Did that mean the thousands who were killed by creatures from the ruins would force me to charge into someplace outside of my skill level? Was I going to be roped into every unresolved issue at this rate? I had to control my gift before things could spiral to that point. The grimoire did notify me that my innate ability had changed, but that appeared to be all it could do. After all, it was an ability that didn''t come from the book itself. ¡°If you can talk to the dead then tell them they''ll get their turn eventually.¡± Alexandra retrieved a cigarette from a subordinate as she finished speaking and offered it to me. I didn¡¯t smoke, but I accepted it nonetheless. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to try, or at least, I felt like I really wanted one. ¡°Do you really mean that?¡± I inquired curiously as I brought the cigarette to my lips, inhaling a bitter and acrid taste before my lungs violently coughed in rejection. I stood corrected, it really hurt to try. ¡°Oh god, that is just¨C terrible.¡± I spat onto the ground while Alexandra took the cigarette from my hands. ¡°Yeah, I mean it. Besides, if I don¡¯t keep my word they can¡¯t do shit about it, right?¡± ¡°They can''t do shit to you, yeah,¡± I answered. My mind went all sorts of places as I thought back to past events, but they all stopped on one thing. ¡°Say¨C¡± I started. ¡°What?¡± Alexandra perked her ears up. ¡°The ones they didn¡¯t kill were sent to New Era.¡± I revealed what I learned from the memories of those men It came to me as shattered pieces since I hastily absorbed their souls, but there was still valuable things left in them. I came no closer to the tall, lean, man who was responsible, but I had something. ¡°What did you say?¡± Alexandra tossed her cigarette aside and stared at me. ¡°Are you sure? Did one of them say it or did-¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure of it,¡± I replied. ¡°That complicates things then.¡± Alexandra clicked her tongue before retrieving her phone and texting someone. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone drive you home today, someone I can actually trust.¡± She sent a brief look toward the pitiful figure of Matthew still balled up on the ground. ¡°No, I don¡¯t plan on going home just yet. I think I¡¯ll stay in a hotel or something for now.¡± ¡°Alright, if you say so. Oh and keep the armor, free of charge, just please don¡¯t wear it to clear Ruins.¡± ¡°What about my debt?¡± ¡°This entire thing was bigger than I expected, so let¡¯s say, a quarter million for all of this. It¡¯ll double if your info checks out.¡± I hid my surprise behind another question, ¡°By the way, do you know anything about a man, tall, kinda pale, very lean.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°He has short hair and looks about forty or fifty, maybe.¡± ¡°There are a few people who fit that description. You know what, I¡¯ll send you some info later on, so keep an eye on your phone. In the meantime, get some rest¡± ¡°Got it.¡± I nodded as she left while calling someone. I walked along the street for a while, staring at nothing in particular until I reached an alley and immediately rushed into it. Iheaved, spewing out a mixture of whatever I had last eaten before all that was left was the astringent taste of stomach acid, burning my throat as I spat it out. A cold sensation swept over my body as my hands began trembling. Was it the act killing or the invasion of my mind that caused it? I couldn¡¯t quite answer as my body reacted strangely and I felt my consciousness grow faint. ¡°Shit¡­¡± I cursed as I fell over, feeling my eyes were too heavy to keep open any longer. Chapter 36: The Great Witch, Evanora When I opened my eyes, I was staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. I raised my body and checked my hand before anything else, only when I saw the ivory ring was untouched did I exhale a sigh of relief. ¡°Are you awake?¡± A woman¡¯s voice filled my ears, her gentle enunciation muddled my thoughts as a sense of comfort swept over me. I came to my senses after hearing it and realized there were several things wrong with the situation and I refused to be wrapped up in the soothing voice. ¡°Don¡¯t use your gift on me,¡± I practically growled in alarm, jumping to my feet and placing my back against the wall nearest to me in order to face any attacks properly. The woman in my room had long, naturally gray, hair but a youthful appearance in spite of that. Her eyes were dark and faintly chilling, but her skin was radiant in contrast. A small grin was present on her red lips as she looked at me. She dressed formally, with a long black coat, pants, and heels, but she definitely wasn''t ordinary. ¡°I apologize if I offended you, I only wished to ease you into things,¡± she said. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the way to do it.¡± I remained guarded while my eyes darted around the room in search of an exit. Besides the window behind me, the only other way out was through the door she was sitting near. ¡°I¡¯m aware and as I¡¯ve said, I¡¯m sorry,¡± She apologized again. "I couldn''t gauge how you react and so I acted without thinking." ¡°You¡¯re with Rosemary and the others, right?¡± Ignoring her ¡®kind¡¯ words, I got right to the heart of the matter. ¡°Yes, my name is Evanora Prower.¡± The name sounded familiar for some reason. I slightly lowered my head in thought, but kept my eyes on Evanora just in case she tried to attack me. ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯ My eyes widened unconsciously as I recalled the school my mother attended. ¡°Who are you really? Why is your name associated with the school my mother went to?¡± "That¡¯s what I¡¯m here to speak to you about. How about you sit down?¡± She gestured to the bed, but I shook my head. She didn¡¯t insist and began speaking once more, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about the best way to explain this to you, but even now I find it difficult¡­ Have you heard about the precursor theory?¡± ¡°Yeah, something about gifted being around hundreds of years ago or something.¡± I narrowed my eyes. ¡°Since you know that it will certainly make explaining easier.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all ears,¡± I relaxed a little and edged toward my bed. I sat down but I hid one arm behind my back and extended one of my scarlet blades just in case. ¡­ A little while later, Evanora told me a story that was hard to believe to say the least. The precursor theory was beginning to be accepted, but her story, if it was the truth, confirmed it to be a fact. Apparently, the first individuals with gifts had appeared thousands of years ago through unknown means. A lot of mythical and legendary figures were based in reality, but their existences had become obscured over the years and entered the realm of fantasy. There were wars, battles, and powerful people littered throughout history, but had either been lost to time or intentionally erased. There were two important things I took from Evanora, all the gifted of the modern era were said to be descendants of the so-called precursors, but not every descendant was guaranteed to awaken. Apparently, Evanora suspected that my gift came from an ancient and powerful witch who wasn¡¯t a kind person at all, but she didn¡¯t go into any further detail. Even when I asked, she seemed to be unwilling to speak any further and changed the subject. The second and possibly most concerning detail was the fact that the precursors still existed. Meaning that there were groups of all sorts of people hiding in plain sight which was worrying to say the least. What sort of wealth and influence would they have built up until now? To give me a sense of perspective, Evanora revealed that her current net worth was upwards of 7.2 billion US dollars and that wasn¡¯t taking any of the artifacts she gathered over the years into account. I didn¡¯t say it aloud, but what frightened me the most was the fact that Evanora was hundreds of years old. Just thinking about the level of the power she must¡¯ve had made me nervous, but I tried my best to hide it from showing. ¡°...Let¡¯s say that¡¯s all true. Why did you come to tell me this?¡± ¡°Let me preface my next words with another apology. I have made a great deal of effort to investigate your life and for that, I ask your forgiveness.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not too surprising,¡± I said, restraining my annoyance behind a thin smile. Between the Iron Wyvern Guild¡¯s dealing with the government and her, I really felt as if I was being toyed with by other people. With where my gift and other abilities stood, I couldn''t do much to resist for now. I was counted myself fortunate that no one had forced me to do anything so far. She seemed to notice my worsening mood, but continued in spite of it, ¡°What I require is your help.¡± I showed confusion, or at least. My expression must have made it obvious that I didn¡¯t understand what she meant by ¡°help.¡± ¡°Why would you need my help? You must be way stronger than me, right?¡± ¡°My personal strength aside, I am lacking as a teacher and have stagnated as a learner. As you may have guessed from my earlier story, my purpose in creating schools was to locate any women with the blood of witches. I presume your mother was a possible candidate but failed to awaken like many others. The women who do awaken are inducted into the group I lead. I attempt to teach them the best way to control their power, but there is a limit to what I¡¯m able to successfully impart.¡± ¡°And you think that I¡¯m a better teacher than you?¡± I asked, adding a doubtful laugh as I tried to picture it. ¡°As I¡¯ve said, I am lacking as a teacher...¡± Evanora reached into her coat and produced a rolled-up scroll, unfurling it in front of me and revealing a set of basic runes. ¡°Do you understand the honorian alphabet?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you call it?¡± I asked, squinting my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to understand the simplified version, but I¡¯m more familiar with the complicated variant.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. As I finished speaking, I saw Evanora¡¯s eyes flash with astonishment. ¡°I only assumed the version you knew was an alternate version but to think you¡¯d say something so¡­- Does this really seem like a simplified version to you?¡± ¡°Um¨C¡± I trailed, only continuing because her excited gaze seemed to urge me on. ¡°Well, simple may be the wrong term. It¡¯s more like someone made a hasty improvisation of the original language rather than a simpler one.¡± I gulped after I finished explaining my perspective. After all, if she were to get offended she could easily kill me. Thinking that, I hurriedly retracted the scarlet blade I kept readied behind me while hoping she didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Casper, if I were to ask you to inscribe the runic alphabet you¡¯re familiar with, would you be able to do it? All I require is simple letters and numbers.¡± Seeing her enthusiasm skyrocket, I could only steady myself as I prepared to say something that could result in a bad ending for me. ¡°How¡­ much is it worth to you?¡± I asked while feeling the urge to shrink away. Her expression turned serious and I could almost feel my heart stop completely as she stared at me. ¡°Hmm¨C¡± She pondered. ¡°At the very least, one and a half million dollars.¡± ¡®A few million!¡¯ I screamed inwardly, attempting to keep my composure. It was safe to say I failed as Evanora misread my expression as disappointment. ¡°Is that not enough?¡± She asked. ¡°No!¡± I shouted without thinking. ¡°It¡¯s more than enough¨Cin fact, I think I may be up-selling you just a bit since there is still a lot I don¡¯t know regarding the runes.¡± I wanted to negotiate for more, but if she discovered I cheated her I wasn''t confident that she would let me off. ¡°That¡¯s of no concern to me. As long as there is enough to learn the foundations of the alphabet, I feel that I¡¯ve gauged the worth correctly. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, I guess so.¡± I laughed wryly, feeling my mood improve by a tremendous amount. ¡°Then do we have a deal?¡± ¡°Yes, of course!¡± I smiled. However, my face soon relaxed as the feeling of exhilaration passed. ¡°I need to know one thing though.¡± I steeled myself up as my thoughts returned to the one detail Evanora held out on. ¡°The witch you think I descended from, who is she? If you can¡¯t tell me that much then I won¡¯t help you.¡± Evanora let out a deep sigh, her excited smile faded as her gaze hardened. ¡°Given your abilities, I believe you are a distant descendant of the Eventide Witch, Eve,¡± She spoke somberly, a tinge of anger, fear, and desolation surfaced in her tone and on her face. At least, that¡¯s the impression I got. ¡°Like the biblical Eve?¡± ¡°Perhaps, or maybe she found the name to be fitting in her own twisted way. Listen carefully, she is one of the vilest people to ever walk this earth. She is the sole cause of the Black Death.¡± I blinked rapidly as I attempted to process what she said. ¡°Then doesn¡¯t that mean-¡± ¡°From what my predecessors taught me, her act of genocide was an attempt to gain the notice of some higher being. She was eventually stopped at a great cost, but she wasn''t killed until much later. Her actions made witches hated beyond belief and most of the other precursors hunted us down, fearing that similar events may occur once again if we were left unchecked. They were so effective in ending us that I don¡¯t know of any other surviving witches who are as old as me.¡± ¡°Then¨C are you still being hunted?¡± I asked cautiously. ¡°No, I¡¯m not sure if there are any others aware of us, but the emergence of gifted as well as ruins has helped to keep us hidden.¡± Evanora seemed sad as she finished speaking, but soon shook her head and regained her calm. ¡°Enough of that, how soon can you impart the runes to me?¡± ¡°Well, right now, if you want.¡± I shrugged coolly, but my mind was a wreck. I hardly expected so much information to appear and I couldn¡¯t do much with it except attempt to process it. If she suspected that I¡¯m the descendant of such a horrible person, did she think I could be a threat? ¡®No.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t important. The precursors who hunted the witches were much more worrying. After all, if they discovered that the ¡°Eventide Witch¡± had a living descendant who awakened to a gift I doubt they¡¯d be willing to ignore me. The more I thought about it, the worse my mind became. ¡®Ah, she said they haven¡¯t shown any sign of still killing witches so I¡¯m in the clear¡­ probably.¡¯ I felt a sense of relief once the thought formed. ¡°Here,¡± Evanora¡¯s voice brought me back to reality. She handed me a blank scroll and a quill pen which I accepted before beginning to transcribe the runes. ¡°Oh, can I ask how you found me?¡± I inquired, shooting her a brief glance. ¡°Rosemary contacted me through Rusalka and informed me your behavior had changed. I was already planning to visit you once you grew a little more comfortable with them, but the plan changed¡­ I hate repeating myself but I¡¯m sorry for instructing them to track you with the fruit basket you received. We only meant to ensure your safety without alarming you.¡± ¡°Water under the bridge,¡± I replied. ¡°At least it wasn¡¯t poison,¡± I added. ¡°Good.¡± She nodded, ¡°As for how I found you today, well¡­¡± She laughed dryly. I raised my head and waited for her to finish. ¡°After entering your apartment, all I needed was a strand of hair to locate you.¡± I felt my lips curl into a frown and Evanora hastily spoke upon seeing my reaction. ¡°I give you my word that we didn¡¯t look through any of your belongings. I simply retrieved a hair from your pillow, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°And what about Sunny?¡± I questioned sternly. ¡°Did you ask her to try and sleep with me?¡± ¡°What?¡± Evanora clearly took offense and spoke sternly, ¡°Of course not. I don¡¯t see any of those girls as simple pawns and I¡¯d never ask them to do something so unbecoming. If one of Rosemary¡¯s daughters wished to be intimate with you, it was through her own volition.¡± ¡°I see, sorry for assuming otherwise then,¡± I responded. My chest lightened up a little bit since it did seem that they did have good intentions. She didn¡¯t even ask me to join up with her or anything which further boosted my opinion, though I was still a bit hesitant overall. ¡°Ah, how exactly will you go about paying me?¡± I asked. ¡°I mean, is it legal to just hand over a million dollars?¡± I finished writing down the runes and handed them over to Evanora who nodded with satisfaction. ¡°When you live to be as old as me, you learn that there is either a loophole or a favor that you can call in. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll have the money within three days.¡± She smiled before standing up. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll leave you to get some rest. I¡¯d hate to see your hair become as gray as mine,¡± she departed with those words leaving me a bit dumbstruck. ¡°Gray?¡± I repeated, but she was already gone. After getting a strange feeling, I moved to the bathroom mirror to check and was shocked to see three strands of gray hair had appeared. ¡°What the hell?¡± I frowned. I didn¡¯t notice them before and no one made any comments so they must¡¯ve appeared only recently. I guess killing those men really did have an effect on me. I was slightly annoyed as I plucked the hairs out before finally calming down. ¡°Alexandra!¡± I shouted like I had received an epiphany. With the money I should be receiving from Evanora, I was more than clear of all my debt, but that didn¡¯t mean I wished to sever ties with the Iron Wyvern guild just yet. As soon as my money rolled in, I decided I would call her and get things settled. For now, I opened up the grimoire of death and began to search through it, finding something new and extremely worrying as I did. Your innate ability undergoes a change¡­ Due to the change in your innate ability, certain abilities are can no longer be purchased while new ones will soon be available. Your promise with the dead prevents you from accessing any abilities within this book. Should you fail, all souls in your possession will be depleted in order to soothe the vengeful spirits around you. If you successfully resolve a longstanding grudge held by tormented souls, you will receive an incredible reward. Current Souls:1230 I frowned deeply. Chapter 37: The Whispering Morning Glories ¡°I really didn¡¯t think we¡¯d meet so soon after the last time, Casper.¡± Alexandra took a sip of tea as she gazed at me. Just like Evanora said, it only took 3 days for the money to arrive. My bank account sang to the tune of 1.5 million dollars just as promised and not a dollar less. It took me a few hours to stop smiling like a complete fool the moment it arrived. Once I received it, I called up Alexandra right away and told her I want to pay for the elixir she used on me. The sooner that weight was gone, the better, after all, there was no telling if the Emerian Government would discover what she did. She sat across from me with an incredulous look on her face, skeptical of the origins of the money. Since we were seated underneath the shade, she took her sunglasses off, exposing her green eyes with slightly sharpened pupils. ¡°You said you got this through legal means, right?¡± She inquired for the fourth time if my count was correct. Twice when I called her, a third time when I first arrived, and now once more. ¡°Yeah, it was an old inheritance or something,¡± I muttered unconvincingly, reaching in my jacket for a cigarette. ¡°And you¡¯re a smoker now?¡± She asked with surprise. ¡°Unfortunately, I think I am,¡± I replied with a look of frustration. Over the course of three days, the urge to smoke had become so overwhelming I picked it up as a habit. When I thought of how it came about, the only thing that made sense was someone I killed was a heavy smoker. If copied traits from people I killed, it could be something useful or extremely dangerous to my health. After a few puffs of smoke, Alexandra checked her phone and nodded to me. ¡°The transfer went through, we¡¯re square,¡± She spoke without a hint of regret. Alexandra kept her word like she said and it didn¡¯t seem like she would say anything to convince. She might¡¯ve thought that I didn¡¯t want to go around killing people, but at this point, I had to. I don¡¯t know how long I wouldn¡¯t be able to use the grimoire otherwise. ¡°I still want to stay involved with whatever you call this.¡± I leaned forward and spoke seriously. She looked at me with a bit of a surprise but didn¡¯t get caught in it. ¡°That¡¯s no problem¨C In fact, it makes things easier and I don¡¯t have to worry about any enmity between us. I¡¯d like to ask you something though.¡± She made a strange expression as her eyes scanned over me. ¡°What?¡± I reclined back into my chair before putting out my cigarette. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re up to it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem, why?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯ve been sleeping much, that¡¯s why. To be frank, you look like shit, Casper,¡± she said as she retrieved a small mirror from her handbag. I looked at myself in the reflection and realized that I had dark circles under my eyes, which I hadn¡¯t noticed until she pointed it out. ¡°I feel well enough.¡± I shrugged. ¡°If you say so.¡± She took me at my word and moved onto other matters. ¡°We¡¯ve found a guy who might match who you described.¡± She pulled a folder out of her handbag and pushed it over to me. ¡°Really?¡± I asked as I opened it but was stunned into silence. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you things were going to get complicated?¡± as she let out a dry laugh. It turned out that the man I was looking for was Henry Cunningham. He officially retired from clearing ruins but remained an active voice among the political circles of the Emerian Islands. Not only was he an honorary member of the Sleeping Lion guild, but he was also quite active in his desire for increased public protection against ruin events. He wore an entirely different face than the one I saw in my memories. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± I closed the folder and pushed it back to Alexandra. ¡°Complicated, like I said. I¡¯ll be honest with you, even though they¡¯re aware of his shady dealings, we won¡¯t get much support from the government without concrete proof.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± I felt anger surge up inside of me, but I controlled it. As I long as I remembered I was the one in control, I could stay calm. ¡°Calm down.¡± Alexandra put her teacup aside and looked around before she continued, ¡°That isn''t to say we really need their support on this one, right?¡± ¡°You have a plan?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it that exactly. I pulled some strings and got you a chance, but everything after that is on you. My government contacts still don¡¯t know about you and I plan to keep it that way so try to be discreet, alright?¡± After saying as much, Alexandra pulled out a piece of paper and handed to me. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I questioned as I unfolded the paper. ¡°That''s his schedule for the next week and his home address.¡± She spoke like a spy handler from an action movie, but I found it hard not to laugh as I looked at the paper. ¡°Uh¡­¡± I flipped it over and showed the crudely drawn picture of a dragon along with the message ¡®Good luck, mommy!¡¯ written on it. ¡°For fuck''s sake,¡± Alexandra palmed her face as she took the paper back before handing me the right one. ¡°Sorry.¡± She smiled wryly. ¡°My youngest just turned six and he wants to be an artist and a superhero.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I checked the paper and after confirming it was real I nodded. It appeared that Henry kept a strict business schedule that he followed religiously with very little deviation. I guessed the only time that couldn¡¯t be accounted for is when he went off to murder people which was obviously a pleasure for him. ¡°I¡¯ll send you pictures of the locations he frequents as soon as they come to me, feel free to do whatever you feel is best.¡± As she finished speaking, her phone began vibrating. At first, she took a passing glance at it but then her eyes widened. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked with a bit of concern. She silently showed me a video which began playing aloud. [Breaking news: China has announced that they have successfully managed to produce man-made familiars using minerals gathered from within ruins. At the moment, they are able to replicate the combat abilities of class-one, class-two, and even class-three gifted in the form of summoned familiars. Rumored to be called Golden Tiger Force, due to the nature of the familiars. It is expected that the Chinese government will begin deployment of these forces within the year. While some members of the UN raised concerns, experts say that development of such technology doesn¡¯t breach any international law as the soldiers making use of said technology aren¡¯t gifted themselves. However, some human rights groups have taken issue, stating that it is aimed at furthering authoritarian interests on a global scale. In other news, the US and Russia are both expected to announce their own successful projects later in the week.] ¡°So what does it mean?¡± I asked, I was in the dark on things like this and she seeing as she reacted stronger than I did, she likely knew more than me. ¡°It means nothing for now, but in a year? I think this entire thing is going to challenge the necessity of gifted in the eyes of the public. Plainly put, if you aren¡¯t strong enough, you¡¯re going to start to feel a tight leash around your neck,¡± saying so, Alexandra began to pack her stuff up, throwing a wad of cash onto the table for the waiter. ¡°Keep your phone open and get yourself re-registered, even I can see you¡¯re a class-three or thereabouts.¡± She waved as she headed to her car, but I was too busy thinking to properly see her off. ¡­ I did like she advised and went through a short process of being examined on the spot. As expected, my Ruin Energy Signature had raised significantly. Officially, I was a Class-3 Gifted, but I was told my RES wasn¡¯t far from Class-4. They estimated it¡¯d take me around a year based on records of similar growth spikes, but I personally felt differently. If I could unlock more secrets within the grimoire, the time would probably be cut in half. After receiving a brand new identification card, I arrived home in a flash and ran into Sunny as I did. To tell the truth, I was somewhat avoiding Rosemary and her daughters for the past few days, but I felt like I could speak to them now, or at least, Sunny. ¡°I heard you talked to the High Mother?¡± She asked, making it clear she was disdainful of what I assumed was Evanora¡¯s official title. ¡°Yeah.¡± I retrieved a cigarette and plopped down right in front of the building. ¡°And you picked up a bad habit too?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°I did,¡± I mumbled. Thinking about where the habit stemmed from made me uneasy. ¡°At least share then,¡± She sat next to me and pillaged the box of death sticks from my jacket before lighting one up with a flame conjured at the tip of her finger. ¡°So you¡¯re a witch?¡± ¡°Something like that, yeah,¡± She replied. We were both silent as we continued the monotonous routine of inhaling and exhaling smoke. ¡°You know, you look sort of miserable,¡± she commented after some time. ¡°It¡¯s a step up from shit, so I¡¯ll take it.¡± I smiled while Sunny chuckled. ¡°You know, all that stuff before. I didn¡¯t- I wasn¡¯t trying to seduce you or anything. Just so you know.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I grinned while watching cars pass by. ¡°So... You got any plans tonight?¡± She suddenly asked. ¡°Hmm¨C¡± I checked my phone and saw that it was only 3:30 in the afternoon. I didn¡¯t have much on my plate for right now. After all, I planned on visiting Henry Cunningham much later. In spite of Alexandra¡¯s advice, I wanted him dead as soon as possible and I felt I had the means to do it with the Spectral Bow and my Spirit Sight. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill a guy,¡± I said while deadpanning, before I continued, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You wanna get something to eat before that then?¡± She asked unperturbed, apparently taking my statement as a joke. ¡°Why not? But can I at least shower first?¡± I replied and forewent correcting her. ¡°That''s fine with me,¡± she responded. I didn¡¯t think too much of her dinner offer and shrugged before heading up. ¡­ It didn''t take long to get ready. I stepped out of my apartment and the first thing I saw was Sunny and¨C ¡°Uh¡­¡± I fumbled for her name before recalling it. ¡°Ms. Rusalka?¡± ¡°Just Rusalka,¡± She corrected me before her eyes fell on Sunny who stood opposite of her. There was obviously bad blood between them as an invisible war raged. Meanwhile, I was just the poor soul caught between. ¡°Was there something you needed?¡± Sunny asked with an annoyed tone. ¡°I received my copy from the High Mother, but she¡¯s still attempting to understand them so she can¡¯t assist me. I only wanted to ask for your assistance in using them,¡± Rusalka ignored Sunny and spoke directly to me. ¡°You sort of caught me at a bad time since I¡¯m about to head out now.¡± I smiled wryly. ¡°I¡¯d be more than happy to help when I come back though.¡± ¡°I understand¨C When you get back then.¡± Rusalka nodded as if memorizing my words before stepping aside. She had no interest in Sunny which seemed to irk the latter a little. As soon as we stepped outside, I spotted Hope, I think it was, who was planting a few seeds right near the entrance. I recall seeing her doing the same once before, but I didn¡¯t ask her too much about. ¡°Ah, Hope,¡± I called out, waving to her. ¡°Hello!¡± Hope waved back, turning to her adoptive sister next. ¡°Hi, Sunny!¡± ¡°Hi, Hope,¡± She replied. ¡®High Hope,¡¯ I thought of something stupid and grinned. ¡°What are you planting?¡± I leaned over to look at the freshly turned dirt. ¡°Moon vine,¡± She replied, unafraid of getting her hands dirty as she toiled. It was a flower that I hadn¡¯t heard of and to be frank, my knowledge of gardening was practically non-existent. ¡°Will it grow in the cold?¡± I asked. ¡°It will,¡± Hope nodded with the utmost confidence. ¡°We''re witches, remember?¡± Sunny nudged me. ¡°Plus, Hope¡¯s a dreaming witch. So if anyone was to know what the future holds it would be her.¡± ¡°Ah, I see,¡± I replied with a smile. If I had to have any siblings, I¡¯d think it would be nice to have a sister like Hope. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what you had to see,¡± Hope suddenly turned to me and said. ¡°Come again?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Whenever we tried to find you, it made you see your mother, right? I¡¯m sorry for that.¡± I was unsure of how to respond but forced a smile and spoke anyway, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯m just glad I got to see her again.¡± Hope visibly brightened at my words and gestured for me to bring my ear toward so she could whisper something to me, probably an embarrassing secret about Sunny. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, more than all ears. ¡°You¡¯ll see her again one day,¡± Hope spoke innocently, but I found myself doubtful. ¡°And how do you know that? Did you see it?¡± I inquired. ¡°No, but the flowers told me,¡± she said, pointing to the soil. ¡°What does that¨C¡± ¡°Our ride¡¯s here,¡± Sunny interrupted before I could finish my question. I gave up on my question and waved goodbye to Hope, albeit a little reluctantly. Chapter 38: Another Debt Resolved Henry Cunningham. Years of careful effort allowed Henry to become an established figure in the upper echelons of society. He wasn¡¯t someone who caused the world to stop with his name alone, but he was still afforded status. His gift would never move past class-4, so there a limit to his power, but he forged enough connections to keep himself as someone prominent. In order to maintain his level of influence, it was necessary to be active. That may have been why Henry was returning from a small social gathering amongst the non-gifted elite. Men and women who, while having a large sum of wealth, found it hard to break through the barriers surrounding the exchanges with guild leaders and the gifted who were above class-5. That was where the real power could be found as that¡¯s where the secret auctions and exchanges occurred. Potions which could bring back years of youth, charms which could grant a fortune, and special curealls for any disease. One of the few people who served as a bridge between the gifted and non-gifted markets was Henry. To keep his position, Henry needed to tread over legal boundaries but he thought that he was careful enough not to draw notice. That was right up until he crossed paths with Casper. It was dark when men and women began stepping out of the venue. There were a few silver-tongued individuals who made sure to see Henry off in an attempt to gain a leg up. While he maintained a stoic face on the outside, on the inside he enjoyed watching people fall over themselves in an attempt to earn his notice. Before his awakening, he was an office jockey who would force himself to fawn over his manager. It was likely his superiors enjoyed the smallest amount of intoxication that came with wielding a great deal of power. He laughed to himself, thinking they wouldn¡¯t be able to feel a tenth of what he felt at that moment. After some pleasantries, he climbed into a dark sedan before being greeted by his driver. ¡°Did you enjoy your evening, Sir?¡± The driver asked in a routine manner. ¡°I did, very much so,¡± Henry replied with a blissful smile. ¡°And will you be returning home this evening?¡± ¡°I will, yes¨C¡± Henry¡¯s words were cut short as a staggering pain filled his chest. An intangible blue arrow emerged from his chest before flying forward and disappearing. The veins in Henry¡¯s neck bulged as his organ seemed to be frozen. While he roared in agony, his confused driver attempted to pull over. ¡°NO! Keep driving!¡± Henry shouted, clutching at his chest. Not even a minute later, another arrow zipped through the car and pierced Henry once more. ¡°Sir, It¡¯s mandatory that we pull over and call for medical attention-¡± The driver slowed to a crawl but Henry didn¡¯t allow him to stop. The injured man forced his hands around the driver''s neck in a frenzy. Half of him thought the driver was in on the assassination attempt and the other half was desperate to survive, so he threw all reason out of the window. Henry pushed the man¡¯s lifeless body aside and climbed into the driver¡¯s seat. He thought about gunning it, when a figure dressed in black appeared on the road. Hardly able to think because of the unending pain, Henry stepped on the accelerator but the mysterious figure in the street burst into a group of crows which quickly dispersed. The sedan swiveled out of control and collided with a street pole before coming to a complete stop. Casper landed a few meters away from the scene of the crash and summoned both scarlet blades before moving forward. ¡­ The sedan¡¯s engine hissed, indicating the car was totaled. My spirit vision showed that there was at least one living person inside on the driver¡¯s side. So I guess Henry died? ¡®Was it during the crash?¡¯ My attack was reckless but the opportunity was one I couldn¡¯t pass on. I decided to at least make sure the driver was safe and confirm that Henry died before I left. I pried open the driver¡¯s side door and just as I was about to put away my scarlet blades, a body lunged at me. I felt something sharp pierce my shoulder so I thrust the scarlet blade attached to my free hand in response, striking flesh. I pushed the man away from me and discovered it was Henry who managed to survive. Henry choked on the blood caught in his throat with a pale blue face. While he rolled around on the street, I took note that Spectral Bow didn¡¯t have the same kill potential for everyone. It seemed that the gifted were more resilient as Henry still had the strength to try and catch me by surprise. When his body became weaker, all he could do is look up at me with an unwilling gaze that demanded answers from me. I didn¡¯t give him any. I pried out the sharp needle that was embedded into my shoulder as I looked over him. I was the last thing he saw and his life ended just like that. With him dead, I could finally run away. By now, there were people peeking through their windows or standing in doorways nearby, taking videos of me. I dashed into a side-street and ran for some time until I thought I wouldn¡¯t be discovered before taking to the air. All the while, I felt my mind growing clearer as well as a weight being lifted from my shoulder. ¡­ A few hours later and I was dragging my feet to the apartment complex. It was late when I came back and I was tired, but I hadn¡¯t failed. I saw the entire situation going a bit differently in my head. My sore shoulder was a biting reminder of letting my guard down for a moment. ¡°Hmm?¡± I softly exclaimed after seeing someone familiar sitting in front of my door. Speaking loudly, I called out to her, ¡°Rusalka?¡± She jolted awake, looking around in a daze before quickly standing. I looked at her closely and she didn¡¯t appear to be angry. Or¡­ well, to tell the truth, it was difficult to make out what her current expression was. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Were you waiting all this time?¡± I asked apologetically. ¡°...Yes,¡± She said only after a few moments had passed. I took notice of the notebook in her arms and could see that her desire to learn was her primary motivation. With a wry smile, I moved past her and opened the door to my apartment before gesturing toward her. ¡°Make yourself at home,¡± I said, but inwardly I couldn¡¯t help but think that it would be best to just check the grimoire before going to bed. ¡­ A little while later, I was handing a cup of coffee to Rusalka before sitting across from her. ¡°So¡­ what is it that you don¡¯t understand?¡± I inquired. ¡°Some of the elemental runic signs appear to repeat with minute differences, is there some significance?¡± She slid a copy of the runes I passed to Evanora toward me. I scanned over them before nodding accordingly. ¡°Ah, um, so-¡± I paused, thinking of how to best explain it. The structure of the runes was still a bit of a mystery to me, but there were still some things I could easily answer. ¡°Oh!¡± I clapped, finally understanding how to explain. I traced my finger over three similar looking runes and began speaking. ¡°The slight variations in the runes are actually pretty important. For example, this wave-like character means water, right? The character next to it may look similar but it means rain. The third one is a bit more complicated as it can mean, fog, mist, or cloud. So, while they are all related, each one would have a different result when applied. Imagine thinking you tried to use fog to cover your escape, but you accidentally made a little rain instead.¡± I chuckled to myself but stopped after noticing Rusalka seemed to lack an active imagination. Yeah, it was definitely her and not me who was the problem. ¡°Okay, I think I understand,¡± She spoke aloud, but it didn¡¯t feel as if it was directed at me. She traced the water sign across the table and left a trail. Before I could ask about it, a small- and I mean tiny- cloud of condensed fog rose up and began to float in the air. ¡°You¡­¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how she did it or- ¡°Wait, is that apart of your innate gift? ¡± I asked. Rusalka simply nodded her head before dissolving the rune she drew and moved onto the next one. ¡°Does this rune mean ice?¡± ¡°Snow,¡± I corrected her. The rune in question resembled a straight line with three solid circles above it. Alternatively, hail was represented by three diamonds above the straight line. Ice, the main rune, was symbolized by three overlapping lines. Just one or two lines were, in fact, the earth sign. Complicated, yes Runes representing blood, poison, and things that didn¡¯t represent elemental signs were even harder to decipher. Funnily enough, the runic alphabet was pretty straightforward when comparing it to everything else. We went over the signs a bit more and Rusalka surpassed all expectations I had, almost instantly comprehending them. I asked if all witches could learn as fast as she had and she told me it varies. So, it was a matter of talent I guess. I was a little jealous, to begin with since I thought all witches were fast learners, but seeing as she was just a genius made me feel a tiny bit better. After all, a majority of my comprehension came from the grimoire on my hand rather than directly learning. A little over an hour later, she left after imparting me a formal ¡®thank you.¡¯ After making sure my door was locked, I headed to my room and unsealed the grimoire from its ring form. Opening it expectantly, I was happy with what I began to read. When you choose a path, you must walk with conviction, some roads offer no return. You have settled a debt with the dead, gaining a deeper affinity with death. Select an additional path, but be warned, it cannot be changed afterward. All of your current knowledge will be altered to fit both your current path and whichever you select, should you choose to do so¡­ expect your body to resist. Once again and for the last time, you must choose: Path of the Curse Wielder: The first lich spoke in a cruel tongue, one that could rival the song of angels, and those who were made to listen to it were broken, unable to bear the sound of it. Inherit the language of the first lich and let yourself be heard until they cannot hear anything more. Path of the Death Priest: There is something divine in death, this cannot be denied, no matter the path you take. If you choose to embrace that innate divinity, the long forgotten and otherworldly deities who can exert control over death may embrace you as their saint. Each sacrifice made in their name will bring you closer to something greater. Path of the Dread Sorcerer: The ancient arcana found in this path were built on the concepts of life and death. This path is an affront to all of creation and to embark upon it means to stand in solemn defiance, drifting between the barrier of both living and dead and areas even beyond that. Shallow words denoting the harsh realities of this choice are not necessary. You will be broken. I carefully poured over each line, finding the descriptions had become more elaborate and hinted at some history that wasn¡¯t of this world. If that wasn¡¯t obvious enough. I felt my heart race a little. Not from the idea of gaining more power, but the fact that the artifact in my possession seemed to be far stronger than I thought. Unless it was false-advertising inscribed on the pages in front of me, then I was looking at an opportunity to exceed some of the strongest gifted. That was a prospect that was equal parts exciting and daunting. My finger hovered over each, now finding them to be more complex than I originally knew. If my previous comprehension was too little, then what was the true nature of the Path of the Death Bringer. How would it affect my current choice? When I thought that, a new line of text appeared. During the twilight hours, Penelope made a promise with a being of unspeakable power. She would serve in both life and death. To become a Death Bringer is to draw from an echo of that old promise. For Death Bringers, the night is eternal and the wars are endless because they are the heralds of both. Goosebumps rose on my skin as I read it. Did I sell my soul away unknowingly? No, it didn''t say so¨C Besides, even if I did, the moment I chose to enter the tomb which sealed the grimoire was essentially the moment I relinquished my freedom. I could have died then or I could¡¯ve been possessed- or any number of terrible things. The main point is, I made a choice while fully aware of the consequences. It would be idiotic to think this sudden change in my life didn¡¯t have any strings attached. ¡°Whatever comes, comes,¡± I said aloud. I spoke to the grimoire, but it didn¡¯t respond. Even still, I wanted it to know that I wasn¡¯t afraid of whatever else came. I contemplated the weight of each choice and thought if I even wanted an additional path, but in the end, I decided to take one. To become a Curse Wielder would be a callous decision. If I couldn¡¯t guarantee that I could control the language mentioned, I faced the possibility of inadvertently hurting a lot of people. I had no desire to endanger random people in the pursuit of power. Much like the first time, my sense of hesitation toward being a Death Priest hadn¡¯t changed. Although it seemed like a beneficial relationship, the ones who hold all the power would be the deities I needed to appeal to. Though I wasn¡¯t religious, I was hardly ignorant about the subject. Nearly all religious texts had some example of some dumb ass who ended up invoking the wrath of an angry god or even multiple gods. I had no confidence that I would somehow end up differently. So, my eyes landed on Dread Sorcerer. It the most imposing choice of the three, but the one that gave me the biggest sense of security. By now, I realized there was pain involved in everything in this grimoire. Weapons that hurt me, skills that broke my bones, knowledge that burned itself inside of my mind. The idea that more pain would come was hardly off-putting. The grimoire understood my choice and the words began to fade before it rose into the air and slammed shut. The moment it did, I felt like a puppet with its strings cut and instantly collapsed. Chapter 39: I Dreamt A Dream That Wasnt A Dream At All I was dreaming- or maybe- seeing a vision. A thick fog permeated every centimeter of the area I was in, but it slowly parted, revealing barren soil and streams of blood. Incoherent whispers could be heard close by, and it seemed that¡¯s where I was supposed to go since it was blocked by the least amount of fog. I stepped forward, pausing after the occasional clicking or chattering that echoed just at the edge of the white barrier surrounding me. I have seen more than enough horror movies to know that shouting ¡®HELLO¡¯ as loud as I could probably wouldn¡¯t end well. Though, now I could understand why they did it. There was an urge to shout and hope that someone, someone human and, maybe, familiar, replied to me. If that did occur, certainly the risk would be worth it since you¡¯d receive a comfort. However, this wasn¡¯t real. At least, it didn¡¯t feel real to me yet, so I wouldn¡¯t yell out to people who probably weren''t even really there. I kept my eyes forward, ignoring the growing discomfort that only increased from each sound. Left foot. Inhuman skittering in the distance. Right foot. A sound that resembled a wail, but was too far and too faint to be certain about it. That¡¯s was pretty much how each step went. There was always a strange noise in between. That was until I heard a thumping. Not like a heartbeat, but rather something solid being hit against another object. As I thought that far, the fog in front of me cleared, revealing a vaguely human figure. Underneath a cloth that was drenched in blood, there was someone hammering at something. I observed them closely, refusing to approach any further as I noticed that the streams of blood all originated from that cloak which constantly released tiny drops of blood. Going by logic, there was no way the tattered cloth on the being in front of me could hold enough liquid to create a single stream, let alone multiple, but there were too many logic-defying phenomena surrounding me for questions to arise now. The sound I mentioned earlier, the rhythmic bursts of something being struck, came from a boulder in front of the cloaked being. It chiseled words into the face of the boulder which was obviously flattened beforehand. ¡°To take your destiny¡­ to wrench it from... the indifferent and unfeeling hands of fate...¡± It said in a grating voice that made me wince. Even worse, it spoke in a language unlike anything I¡¯ve heard, but somehow I could understand it clearly. Each syllable, as grunting a bestial as they were, seemed to scrape across my brain like thousands of tiny shards of glass. I felt physical pain that nearly made me black out, but found relief each time the being paused. ¡°Crawling like a worm¡­ out of the comfort of warm soil and¡­ into the terrifying unknown¡­ just to perish¡­¡± I was on the ground clutching my head by the time it finished talking. I had begun screaming in pain the entire time too, but there was a sense of separation. Even as my body recoiled in horror, my mind maintained immense clarity. It was a strange sensation, but it allowed me to think about what was being said to me. ¡°If even the stars in the heavens die, does that mean that all is for naught?¡± I listened carefully and forced my eyes open, so I could peek at the being who carved away at the stone. It was only then that I noticed, its pallid hands which were covered in dark veins, hosted six fingers. Exactly like the figure inscribed onto the sarcophagus I received the grimoire from. I shuddered to think of about the thing that hid under that blood-stained cloak. ¡°Break the promise of inevitability.¡± Its words weren''t broken sentences anymore. It paused with its chisel in hand and slowly began to turn toward me. I couldn¡¯t help but stare, even as my heart throbbed in sheer panic and my brain screamed at me to look away. The desire to know overcame it all. I forced my eyes to confront what my body could not and I quickly learned that was a mistake. Horrifying was too kind of a word. What I stared at wasn¡¯t human or demonic or ghastly. It was the subject of some twisted joke that evoked the sensation of drowning or suffocating. Having your body thrash around in sheer panic as death came closer was likely the closest feeling to what I felt looking at it¨C no ¨C to have it look at me. It ignored my shaking body and the high-pitched, unending, scream that emerged from my mouth and opened its robe blood-stained robe. I wish I kept my eyes closed. ¡­ You don¡¯t simply wake up after a dream like that. Your eyes open, sure, but you don¡¯t wake up. Before relief of escape comes, there is skepticism and caution. I wanted to bury myself under a rock and only peek out after a hundred years had passed just to be safe the danger passed, but I could see that I wasn¡¯t alone. ¡°You gave us a scare, Casper,¡± Evanora sat on the edge of my bed, reading a book.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. My heart jumped, thinking it was the grimoire, but when I looked it over, it turned out to be her own personal notes on the runes. I looked to my finger and discovered the ivory ring wasn¡¯t present, but a dark red spot was. When I focused on it, I felt it getting heavier. I guess the grimoire was still with me so I shifted my attention. ¡°How long have I been asleep?¡± I asked the need to drink water rattled my brain as I staggered out of my bed. ¡°Careful.¡± Evanora raised her hand and the clothes on my body pulled at my back, stopping me from falling. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty,¡± I croaked. ¡°I¡¯ll get you some water then,¡± Evanora replied. A cup came floating toward me soon after she finished speaking. As soon as it was in range, I lunged for it and gulped it down like a man who had spent a week in the desert. I wiped my mouth and looked at her before saying what was on my mind after seeing her move clothes and dishware. ¡°Do you ride a broom around too?¡± Evanora shook her head, ¡°We¡¯ve long since abandoned that practice.¡± I couldn''t tell if she was joking or serious, but she continued on despite that. ¡°To answer your earlier question, you¡¯ve been sleeping for a week, Casper. Rusalka and the others contacted me and informed me that cold air was pouring out of your apartment. I came as quick as I could, fearing the worst. You were in some sort of coma that altered the area around you, making it unbearably cold for any ordinary people. I prevented it from leaking out as much as I could, so no one else in this building should have noticed with the exception of the witches.¡± ¡°I see,¡± I gave a half-hearted reply. Seeing my reaction must¡¯ve sparked Evanora¡¯s curiosity as she leaned closer. ¡°You¡¯re aware of why it happened?¡± ¡°Another awakening,¡± I lied even as she looked over my face with a hint of doubt. However, she didn¡¯t pursue it and stood up after seeing I was healthy enough. ¡°I have to go, but I hope you¡¯ll be careful in the future. Your behavior this time was reckless. I really don¡¯t mean to overstep my boundaries by imparting you with some responsibility that you didn¡¯t ask for, but what you did could¡¯ve endangered Rosemary and her family. What happened to you counts as using your gift in public which is strictly prohibited in this country like many others. If you knew it would occur, or felt it happening, I only wish that you would have warned them. Your secrets are your own and I made sure everyone would respect your privacy going forward, but you risked your freedom by acting rashly. If there comes a time where a similar situation might occur, we can protect the area with hexes and charms. If you don''t want our protection, then at least give them a chance to leave.¡± ¡°S-Sorry,¡± I answered back, a bit taken off guard by her stern tone. After what felt like a motherly lecture, Evanora departed, leaving me a tad guilty. The safety of the Rosemary and the others weren¡¯t my responsibility like she said, but if it wasn¡¯t for them I would have been discovered and arrested without a doubt. However, the guilt passed, I didn¡¯t want to weigh my actions against their own, but the way they went about getting to me wasn¡¯t exactly right. Each time they tracked me, I was forced to see my dead mother. So, I considered us even at the moment. Turning to the mark on my finger, I concentrated on it on, and the ivory ring surfaced from my finger. It was a bit unsettling to see, but I had already seen something far more horrific. I couldn''t recall it, but I vividly remember the fear that stemmed from seeing it. The grimoire came to life unfolding in front of me revealing the changes that occurred while I was asleep. The two paths you''ve chosen have brought you onto the path of the unknown. The skills and knowledge you¡¯ve learned thus far have been shattered and remade to fit accordingly. You cannot advance further on the Path of the Death Bringer until certain requirements are met. The demon princes of hell gaze upon you with disgust, as a result, you can no longer receive a demon¡¯s brand or access any form of demonic knowledge. All demonic entities will immediately become hostile should you come across them. Your necromantic skills have changed to fit the Path of the Dread Sorcerer. They must be reacquired through this path to be used. Path of the Dread Sorcerer: Nothing on this path can be purchased with souls. Only your desire to learn will lead you to fruitful gains. The Endless Penumbra: Something is growing within your body¡­ Until you learn to control it, all of the souls you gather will be devoured by it. Art of Sanguina: To free yourself from the restrictions of the living, you must first control your lifeblood. Once you are untethered, you will find it hard to discover any limits to this art. This art is necessary to advance further on this path. Art of Mortality: To think that raising the dead is the peak of necromancy is pure ignorance. Only once you explore your own death and gain enlightenment will you gain an idea of the power you could wield. This art can grow based on how many beings are killed by you. Alternatively, a strong understanding of death can further your advancement. Form of Bones: For a Dread Sorcerer, your body is your greatest defense. To be bent, broken, and crushed is a small price in that regard, wouldn¡¯t you agree? Form of Flesh: To use this form requires you to act as a medium between worlds. If you use your flesh as a gateway, you may summon spirits to fight for you¡­ for as long as you can withstand the pain, that is. Or perhaps you wish to carve runes upon your skin and make use of their effect for a time? Song of The Crow: Because you possess an artifact with a small affinity toward death, you can enhance its powers further and permanently bind it to your soul. Song of Silence: This will summon a death fog in the area around you. The longer your enemies stand within it, the more you can will it to weaken them. You cannot move or speak while using this power as any sound you make will cause the death fog to target your soul. Penelope¡¯s Song: A unique skill that is the result of walking the Path of the Death Bringer and Dread Sorcerer. Once a month, when the moon is at its brightest, you may meet with Penelope should she be willing. Breathless Walk: Move as the spirits of the dead do, silent and unseen. Pass through any solid object that is not affected by magic or living. While in this state, you can not harm others. Beings with strengthened perception or eyesight may discover you if you are not careful. If discovered by the living, you will be forcefully removed from this state. In addition, the moment you breathe is when this technique will end. The Broken Scale: A pound of flesh is the greatest collateral of all. Offer a vital part of your body up and your sorceries will become more powerful. Any part that is exchanged will be rendered unusable for a long period of time. Stampede of Pale Horses: Call the ones who ride pale horses. They do not acknowledge your existence, grow stronger to gain their notice. Touch of Azrael: You cannot accept this in your current state as it would tear your soul asunder. Inheritor of Thanatos: You are absolutely worthless and will continue to be seen as such until deemed otherwise, Casper Clay. I read each skill before stopping at the final one. The emboldened letters carried a vaguely threatening tone and whoever or whatever directed those words at me seemed to think I was completely repugnant. Chapter 40: Benign Masochism Losing a week of time was a bigger amount than it seemed. I had to spend around a day collecting myself and that entailed several tasks. Alexandra called me about seventy times and left countless messages. She was less than happy to be left out of the loop after I killed Henry, but she calmed down once I told her I was in the middle of the awakening and relented. The entire situation had been ¡®handled¡¯ in one way or another. Which I took to mean that she worked out some deal with the Emerian Government and they made short work of the entire situation with a cover-up of sorts. Pushing the idea that it was a robbery rather than a blatant assassination. Since Henry was a fairly prolific individual, his death made a lot of headlines. The blurry cellphone footage of a "figure" fleeing the scene was starting to make its rounds among forums and other websites. After finding that the situation was settled for the moment, I headed straight into research. I ignored the sudden flood recruitment emails from the various guilds that filled my inbox, most of which ¡°coincidentally¡± appeared in greater frequency after I was assigned a higher classification. I used my time scrolling through forums, articles, and anything else that could help me gain even the smallest bit of insight into the Dread Sorcerer¡¯s path. My results could be summarized in three points: One, Thanatos was the name of the Greek personification of death, non-violent death to be specific. Two, Azrael is the name of an angel of death who was said to have a body filled eyes and tongues that corresponded with the number living on earth. I couldn¡¯t shake the image of some random guy covered in tiny googly eyes which I would absolutely prefer over the more realistic expectation. Three, and by far the most confusing, The Endless Penumbra. Apparently, a penumbra was the edge of a shadow cast by an eclipse and that¡¯s as far as I got. Really, I had no idea what it meant. Of course, in just about all forms of mythology, an eclipse was hardly a good thing. I didn¡¯t get concrete answers, not that I expected any, but at least I had somewhere to start¨C Ah, I almost forgot! I lifted my shirt and glanced at the black ring around my navel. It had definitely appeared during the time I was asleep and it was obviously related to the penumbra. I tried everything to get a reaction from it, but I got nothing back. I concentrated for an hour straight, shouted at it, poked it, I did just about anything I could think of before begrudgingly giving up. Meaning, I had to leave this parasitic thing to its own devices while it did whatever it was going to do to the inside of my body. It didn¡¯t mean I was content with the many possible dangers, but I had no means of interacting with it and I didn¡¯t want to consult Evanora yet. My relationship with the witches was a cordial one, but I wasn¡¯t going to lean on them too heavily. I exhaled lightly before closing my eyes. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Disregarding everything else, it was time to start learning the Art of Sanguina. Before taking on the path of the Dread Sorceror, I had a few abilities related to blood, so I wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with using it. However, the description of the Art of Sanguina didn¡¯t seem to relate to blood exclusively but rather, life as a whole. Even though I should''ve looked for the bigger picture, I couldn¡¯t help but imagine millions of red cells flowing throughout my body, which was in direct opposition of what the grimoire spoke of. I was supposed to find something more than just blood. So, I imagined something different. A single red cell, but not just blood. I tried to see something beneath it and then something reacted within my mind. The tiny little blotch of red surrounded by the darkness of my subconscious had begun to dissolve. It was almost as if someone had used a paintbrush to smear it. My confusion at the sudden change began to grow. ¡®Is there some significance to the shape?¡¯ Once that thought crossed my mind, the red streak shifted into something else. It was only then did I realize I was the one controlling the streak. At some point, I had transitioned from simply imagining, to entering into a different state of mind. I felt I could actually control this tiny drop of blood. I forced it to expand, in search of whatever lay inside of it. Well, I didn¡¯t know if there was anything, but I wouldn¡¯t stop my search. Stretching the small amount of blood to its limits made it split into two, setting me a step back. ¡®Think, Casper,¡¯ I ignored the rising frustration and sought some other avenue of enlightenment. Ok. I needed to first look at it from a simpler point of view before going further. The true value of blood was in its potential. A single drop was nothing to think of, but when millions came together. What could they become? I could form blades, arrows, use it as poison, and even absorb more. Those were all predesignated uses, knowledge that I had acquired through exchanging the souls I gathered. There was so much more I could make if I could tap into my own knowledge, but that was hardly what I was after at the moment. I recalled the term ¡®lifeblood¡¯ being used in the grimoire and it made me wonder. What gave a soul its power? If it was the lifeblood then the amount of vitality in a being and its soul were intrinsically linked if that was the case. I thought of Alexandra, Evanora, and the witches who had souls much more powerful than the average human. If I took them into account, it had to be a matter of vitality. Or, at least, vitality played a big part. The evidence was strong enough to proceed as if that were the truth. So, the Art of Sanguina wouldn¡¯t be just forcing my blood to take on different forms, although that was one benefit. The main essence of the art would be manipulating life energy. Or maybe, to alter the link between both the physical, the blood, and the non-physical, the soul. The image of two shapes made of blood suddenly changed when I had reached that point in my pondering. Like an explosion, the two cells began to multiply at an alarming rate. I watched as my subconscious became filled with the sight of red and felt a certain weight fill my body. The sensation was so strong that I could no longer concentrate and was forced to open my eyes and I was greeted with the sight of blood. Boiling droplets fell from my face and I could even see it leaking from underneath my fingernails. A stinging burning sensation slowly climbed up from inside of me. I could only resist for a moment before blood was expelled from my insides, spilling onto the floor. I immediately pressed my palms into the puddle of blood than began gathering underneath and me before absorbing back into me after panicking. ¡°Agh, fuck,¡± I barely managed to speak as blood was forced out of my eyes, nose, and mouth simultaneously. Chapter 41: Experimenting With Blood I tossed a bag full of blood-soaked towels into the trash before heading out. The process of learning the Art of Sanguina was a messy one, to say the least, but I was incredibly excited at the prospects that lay ahead. I signed up to clear a ruin in order to try and experiment. If I was only limited by my imagination then all I needed to do was expand my horizons so to speak. So I began thinking on the more extreme end of the spectrum as I walked. I was certainly no expert on the subject and hadn¡¯t thought about the science behind cloning, but I knew it required a sample of DNA. So, keeping that in mind, was there not something similar I could make use of? Could I regrow limbs and organs if I continued studying the art? Or maybe I could do something greater like getting a second life by regrowing my body if I ever sustained a fatal injury. There would probably be drawbacks like a drain on my vitality or something similar, but it was well worth it if it meant I could avoid death at least once. Of course, all of that was far off since the most I could do was freely manipulate my blood. It was the most basic of stages, but I wouldn¡¯t disregard it just because of that. `Ah, wait!¡¯ I only just remembered I had around 750k after paying off my debts. Being a class-3 gifted made it so I could purchase a lot more weapons and artifacts, but they were all standard. Henry Cunningham took part in illegal auctions where black market artifacts were sold. Parts of his memories revealed that there were some amazing things being exchanged. Unfortunately, to even get near that market, I¡¯d need to put 10 million dollars to take part. The market around illegal trade was hesitant to let non-buyers take part given the danger they put themselves in to make items available in the first place. I strolled past a bar where a group of people gathered around a tv that displayed a news report. Feeling curious, I stepped and went completely unnoticed and I joined them. [Just as expected, the US has officially unveiled one of its major development projects. For the first time, an artifact was artificially created using resources gathered from an unspecified ruin. Researchers on the project state they were able to create what they call a suit of ¡®enchanted armor¡¯ that can be used by ordinary humans. It is said the first models have the combat equivalent of an individual class-two gift, but by early spring they expect to be able to manufacture models that can reach up to class-four. US officials have stated that the suits will be strictly used to combat domestic threats and protect allies during Ruin Eruptions and criminal acts perpetrated by gifted. Some human rights groups are expressing their concerns over the issue of over-policing gifted, others argue that the development acts as a deterrent to criminals as well as opens a new field of technological possibilities. Some may recall that Russia has begun development into it''s Iron Soldier¡¯ project which aims to create ¡®golems¡¯ that can be remotely controlled. There are several individuals from across the globe with gifts that allow the creation of pseudo-golems and they are reported to be close advisors on the project¡­] I left just as the report was coming to close, amidst the heated discussions of the customers filling the bar. Just as Alexandra said, it seemed the landscape around the importance of gifted was shifting and at a rapid pace. The biggest superpowers in the world had made landmark achievements which should¡¯ve been cause for celebration, but without knowing how things would progress, I felt a little uneasy. Putting aside those thoughts, I headed straight for the ruin close by. ¡­ ¡°Sir, it is extremely dangerous to go in without protection,¡± A security guard told me at the ruin¡¯s entrance. My destination was a class-2 ruin filled with imps. Primate-like creatures that attacked with numbers rather than strength alone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my gift has it covered,¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°Understood, I¡¯m supposed to warn you, but if that¡¯s your choice feel free to enter.¡± He stepped aside without saying anything else, probably expecting me to come out injured. I ignored him and descended into the ruin while studying my surroundings. As expected of lower ruins, the interior was much like a cavern, but it hosted a lot of plant life like shrubbery and moss lining boulders and parts of the walls. As I moved further in, I could hear echoing cries of the imps which caused me to smile. The reason I chose this ruin is that I had experience fighting imps. I still recall the time where some of them climbed out of the sewers and almost caused a disturbance. ¡°Ah, that video was a bit popular wasn¡¯t it?¡± I spoke aloud, reminiscing about my five minutes of fame. Anyway, I stopped just short of a smaller tunnel that would likely lead to the imp nest and began to manipulate the sanguina. First up, armor. The problem with purchasing armor was that it was expensive and had costly upkeep and unless I shelled out millions of dollars, I doubt I would find something that could survive an encounter class-4 ruin. I needed to find out if I could solve this by manipulating my blood. Since I could create scarlet blades formed from crystallized blood, then it stood to reason I could pull off something similar while using the art of sanguina. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Picturing the black combat suit Alexandra gave me, I tried to replicate as droplets dark red blood emerged from my pores. I felt an incredible strain as my blood began to move under my command. The closest thing I could compare it to would probably be lifting weights with just my brain. Even though I wasn¡¯t making any physical effort, a strange pressure seemed to weigh down on me. I think maybe ten minutes passed before I had created something of note. Underneath my clothes, a layer of blood-covered my skin, extending all the way up to the top of my head. The major flaw was a series of exposed areas that were a failure on my part. Slips of concentration left some areas of my body exposed. Another problem was the rigid feel of the blood as well as my joints being more exposed since I could seem to create a flexible enough layer that would allow movement. Still, I was happy with my first attempt since it proved that I could protect myself without shelling out thousands of dollars toward armor. If I improved the blood armor, there was no doubt it would create a better defense. There was also the question of whether runes could be applied to my blood, but I would hold off on that for now. I needed to test the combat potential of my the sanguina. So I headed deeper into the cavern where the high-pitched noises of the imps were the loudest. It didn¡¯t take me long to come across the skittering creature with bright orange fur which jumped in surprise after seeing me. It let out a cry of alarm which echoed through the caves, no doubt bringing more of them toward the area. I raised my palms and released a torrent of bloody darts which completely ripped the imp apart. ¡°So that works.¡± My first attack was crude and a bit wasteful. In theory, I could produce maybe five to ten times the blood of a normal person in order to fuel the Art of Sanguina, but it required me to shift my attention and was extremely draining after a while. I noted that I would need to explore options to extend my endurance while using the arts before my eyes fell on a group of imps that attempted to encircle me. Now, previously, I had a skill that made my blood poisonous and a skill that could make corpses explode. I would try to replicate those next. I shifted my palm toward the most exposed imp and fired off a clump of blood that painted its chest red. I focused on the imp I marked and pictured a massive explosion going off. What I got in reply was something similar to the sound of a firecracker. The imp tumbled onto the ground, but it wasn¡¯t dead. It seemed to be hurt a little, but it was a far cry from the results I wanted. With a scream, an imp jumped toward me and I instinctively moved away. ¡®What about this?¡¯ I forced the blood armor covering my body into the shape of a spike that impaled the imp, but its weight was too much and the spike shattered, causing me to feel the backlash. With a grunt, I fell to one knee feeling exhausted and that¡¯s when the rest of the imps decided to rush me. Like dogs, they tried to nip and tear at me, burying me in the center of their blockade. I brought my arms together and protected my neck and head as they attacked in a frenzy. I maintained a calm head as the painful attacks struck me. ¡®Density is key,¡¯ I made a mental note of it before picture my blood solidifying in a way similar to the scarlet blades. My body became stiff as the layer covering me hardened and the impact of the imps striking me was greatly reduced. They hardly relented though and I could feel the crystallized blood chipping and even cracked in some areas. ¡®High defense and low mobility and basically no sight.¡¯ Entering a crystallized state rendered me immobile and partially blind, but on the upside, if I improved it I would have a steel wall to protect myself. ¡®Now for a counter-attack.¡¯ The imps weren¡¯t showing any signs of stopping so I needed to do something before they broke the crystallized blood and I was really in danger. Since I couldn¡¯t create strong enough spikes, maybe I could try to make use of a whip. Focusing on the blood protecting my back, I allowed it to soften before extending it and causing it to thrash around. I didn¡¯t see the result, but I could hear the imps crying out as well as feel the attacks come to a stop. I undid the crystallization and rose to my feet a few seconds after, surveying what was left. The whip wasn¡¯t sharp enough to sever limbs or remove heads, but the imps were definitely hurt. ¡®So it must¡¯ve been the weight behind the attack.¡¯ I guess it acted as a blunt instrument rather than a whip, but it worked. Maybe the answer to making a bladed whip was to improve on flexibility and density while reducing weight. Since the scarlet blades could slice through most things, the same could happen with a bladed whip. The imps staged a retreat, heading deeper into the caves to lick their wounds, but a blood tendril emerged from my back and grabbed one who was slower. ¡°Hold on, I need someone to help me with this,¡± I spoke to the shrieking creature. It thrashed around in a wild panic, but I made sure that it couldn¡¯t break free. Now that I had a breather, I wanted to test blood poisoning, burning, and maybe even injecting my blood into another being to see if I could control its movements. For the sake of learning, the imp I grabbed wouldn''t be able to die just yet. ¡­ An hour later, I cleared the ruin without much of an issue. This was one of the easiest ruins in comparison to others as imps were cowardly creatures by nature and chose to run away and group up. My souls were stolen by the strange ring around my navel, but that wasn¡¯t a big concern at the moment. I earned a lot of progress in the Art of Sanguina which was worth not gaining a few hundred souls. As I emerged, the security guard spoke while staring at me strangely. ¡°Do you need medical assistance?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± I looked at my blood-soaked clothes and shook my head with a dry grin. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± His face grew uncomfortable as he continued looking at me, but I ignored him. Was my smile that unsettling? I hope I didn¡¯t pick up on any strange traits from Henry. He liked using knives to cut people and gained some sort of enjoyment from it. I had to experiment on imps, but I didn¡¯t exactly enjoy it. Well, the only I felt good about was the fact that I was making progress. ¡®Oh, yeah,¡¯ I coughed aloud as I finally realized I was standing in front of the security guard while wearing a grin and thinking to myself. I probably looked like some sort of sadistic pervert in his eyes, reminiscing about killing the imps. I quickly walked off to a changing station while hiding my face in shame. The price of learning didn¡¯t come without its costs. Chapter 42: It Eats Wearing the free replacement clothes that you could get at ruin sites, a plain grey sweat suit, I returned home while pondering a few things. ¡°Hi, Hope,¡± I greeted the girl who was tending to the patch of dirt just outside the apartment. ¡°Hello, Casper!¡± Hope waved to me eagerly. ¡°Have the flowers said anything today?¡± ¡°No.¡± Hope pouted. ¡°Just whispers.¡± ¡°Well, maybe they need time.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re probably right. They sure were talked a lot when it came to you though,¡± she grumbled under her breath. I smiled before heading up. I collapsed onto the couch and ran through what I¡¯ve learned. The key thing is that the effect of the art of sanguina wasn¡¯t reliant on my imagination. So, whether I pictured a giant explosion of a small one, the end result would be like a firecracker. I tried creating other elemental effects like poison, burning, freezing, things like that. Most of my attempts ended in failure, falling short of what I imagined. Instead of flames rising up from my blood, it boiled. Sure, it hurts the imp covered in blood, but it was hardly deadly unless I covered them from head to toe and spent a few minutes waiting. My blood didn¡¯t freeze but turned into a thin layer of ice that melted almost as quickly as it appeared. The poison aspect was more of an allergic reaction rather than poison. I was disappointed to see that attempting to poison the imps led to them only being slightly irritated. So, it seemed that the strength of the effects was dependent on the quality or quantity of my lifeblood. I didn¡¯t know of any ways to increase it so I looked for the next best thing, artifacts. There were a lot of ¡°vitality-boosting¡± artifacts that went unsold due to the lack of a solid market. The most expensive artifacts were the ones that could add years to your lifespan, so the ones that added a week or two at most went unsold. I browsed through a catalog of artifacts on sale and found that most were useless, but there was saying about trash and treasure. I went through buying options and found that there was leasing, rental, and installment options for the grand total of 100,000 dollars. It was hardly cheap, but if I could artificially boost my vitality until I figured out how to increase it, I¡¯d be able to make greater use of my sanguina. Since the purchase had to be made in person with my identification ready, I reserved the item ahead of time and went back to figuring what else I could do. Using my blood to control other beings was off the table for now as once it was away from my body, it was much harder to control. ¡°Now for this thing,¡± I lifted my shirt and stared at the black ring surrounding my navel. It gobbled up all of my souls without reserve and left me with nothing. If I didn¡¯t get it under control, then I wouldn¡¯t be able to grow in other areas. It was bad enough the skills and abilities I lost weren¡¯t refunded. I poked at the black ring, hoping to get some sort of reaction, but nothing happened. Meditation, using runes, speaking to it, there was nothing that worked so I was forced to put it off again. The last thing on my list of stuff to do was to try and contact Penelope. The time of a full moon was coming around in a few days so I made sure my schedule was clear. If I could get any sort of wisdom or techniques from her then it would be incredibly valuable. There was the possibility that she wouldn¡¯t want to talk to me, but I had a feeling she would. ¡­ I headed to purchase the vitality ring the very next morning. ¡°Ah, I should get a car or something at some point. Maybe I should call dad too,¡± I mumbled as I entered the shop. Locked behind reinforced glass cases with special locks, probably artifacts themselves, were tons of rings, bracelets, antique pens, and all sorts of things. ¡°Can I help you?¡± A man greeted me as a glass orb floated above me, hovering in place before retreating. Was it a surveillance artifact? ¡°Uh¨C I¡¯m Casper Clay, I put in a reservation order for a vitality ring.¡± ¡°Oh, no problem. Do you have your order ID number and the correct identification? If you don¡¯t meet the basic requirements for purchase then I¡¯m not allowed to sell you anything.¡± ¡°No worries, I have it all sorted,¡± I handed over two different cards as well as the number for my reservation. After going through some info on the computer next to him, the store clerk nodded with a smile before moving toward a set of cabinets and retrieving a box. ¡°Here we are,¡± he said as he placed the jewelry box in front of me. ¡°Now, these items do come in a set. If you purchase them all together, I can give you about a twenty-five percent discount.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°What are the effects?¡± I opened the box and looked at the ring first. It was made of silver with a bright green gemstone attached. Next to it was a smaller ring with a red gem, in addition to a bracelet, necklace, and a small hand mirror. The items certainly had a very Victorian feel to them. ¡°Now, all together, these are technically grade-c items. As you can see from the certified measurements of the ruin energy signature. The main piece is exactly what you selected, a ring that may add up to a month onto your lifespan as well as make you more energetic and refreshed.¡± The clerk put on a show, but I carefully listened and nearly laughed at him when I realized his choice wording. ¡®Up to a month.¡¯ I found that funny since it actually meant that the actual range was somewhere between 1 and 31. Still, I wasn¡¯t looking to extend my life with the item, rather I wanted to boost the strength of my sanguina, so I listened. ¡°This hand mirror offers increased mental clarity. The ring with the red gemstone helps with respiratory functions. The bracelet helps filter impurities from your diet. The necklace, on the other hand, improves airflow between your lungs and brain.¡± ¡°I see,¡± I gave a less than enthusiastic reaction. ¡°How much in total?¡± ¡°As I said, the set comes at a discounted price, so it will be no more than three hundred thousand dollars before tax.¡± I simply nodded but the inside of my head was practically on fire. To be honest, I wasn¡¯t completely prepared to spend 100k, but hearing the total price was three times the ring. I couldn¡¯t think of accepting. There were still other options for me¨C I felt a static sensation around my navel and was shocked. The penumbra had finally responded when I was about to refuse the offer. ¡®So there¡¯s something!¡¯ I held back the glee which threatened to burst out of my body before accepting the deal. ¡°I¡¯ll take them,¡± I said. The store clerk showed a look of relief, probably just as happy as I was. He could empty his useless inventory and I could get the penumbra to open up, so I¡¯d say we both were satisfied. ¡­ The jewelry box was safely packaged and handed over with a temporary effect applied to it from a charm. Apparently, if I said a certain word, the box would be locked for 72 hours and a tracking effect would activate, in case it was stolen. It was apparently free service offered by the store so I didn¡¯t complain. I rushed home, forgetting about the steep price of the jewelry and opened the box once I was safely inside. ¡°Ok, now what do you want me to do?¡± I carefully laid out each time in front of me, waiting anxiously for the penumbra to show me a sign. As time went on, my mood started to wane. If it had nothing to do with the penumbra and it turned out I was actually hungry I¡¯d be pissed. I lifted my shirt and looked at the black ring encircling my navel but was shocked to see it was slowly being filled in. The ring tattoo became a fully colored circle that began to stir. I watched in shock as the circle began to gain a sense of depth to it and I nervously reached toward it, but my hand didn¡¯t go into it. ¡°Weird,¡± I muttered. It felt like there wasn¡¯t an empty hole in my abdomen when I touched it, but it definitely looked like it. ¡°What the fuck?!¡± I cursed as something began protruding from the black circle. A hand began emerging from my stomach under my astonished face and reached toward the jewelry. It collected each piece with a swipe of its dark hand and retreated back into my abdomen. ¡°Seriously, what the fuck?!¡± I poked at my stomach but it still felt solid. ¡°Holy shit, that¡¯s fucked up.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but curse. A few seconds later, the hand reemerged and stretched forward before uncurling its onyx-like fingers and revealing a silver ring. ¡°Is this for me?¡± I sheepishly reached for it, quickly retrieving it. The moment I did, the hand was sucked back into my body and the black circle faded, reverting back to the previous ring tattoo. Feeling as it was obvious, I placed the newly acquired accessory onto my finger. In response, the silver ring shifted into a mercurial substance that clung to my skin before being completely absorbed into me. And¡­ pain. Bulging veins appeared on my left arm as my muscles forcibly contracted as if protesting the strange substance that entered me. I suppressed my groans and waited for the moment to pass, feeling relieved once it did. The adrenaline running through made me a little numb so I quickly brought out the grimoire to see if it could offer some insight into my situation. The Endless Penumbra is currently sated and has become dormant. As long as it is well-fed, all the souls you collect will be kept in your possession. The greater the nourishment, the more effects will develop for the penumbra. Be warned, the nature of what is consumed may affect how your penumbra develops. Your exchange with the penumbra has permanently increased your vitality. The Endless Penumbra is still immature, feed it well and it will grow. Bingo! The value of those items was laughable when compared to unlocking the penumbra. Was it a living thing? Or a sentient thing? I wasn¡¯t sure, but it digesting artifacts helped it grow, I would be more than ready to do so. I was full of questions, such as what sorts of artifacts would alter the penumbra? Could the developmental effects be both negative and positive? Was I able to absorb the benefits of any artifact or would they all increase my vitality? ¡°I guess I¡¯ll need to experiment when I get the chance.¡± I smiled contentedly as I used my sanguina. The difference became clear straight away. Not only did the drawing the blood out feel lighter, but I felt as if my level of control advance. I formed a clump of blood into a sphere which floated above my palm and then manipulated it into other shapes. I was hardly close to ¡®unlocking the secrets of my lifeblood,¡¯ but the fact that I could achieve basic manipulation meant the beginning stages were now easier. As a testament to that, I directed the blood to its armor form and it transitioned smoothly. The pressure and strain I felt before were gone and it didn¡¯t feel as stiff as it covered my body. In fact, the blood stuck to my skin so tightly that it almost felt as if wasn¡¯t there. In addition, I managed to make it dense enough that it didn¡¯t stain my clothes. I checked the mirror and felt strange seeing how the blood-covered my face. It sort of looked like I painted my face red since it followed the shape of my facial features. I made some minor alterations and ended up with a smoother mask-like covering rather than a 1 to 1 recreation of my actual face. Satisfied, I absorbed the blood back into my body. My first significant step into the art of sanguina made me feel giddy, so I chose to celebrate with a drink. Chapter 43: High Risk, High Reward I needed to contact Evanora. She was someone who lived for a long time and was bound to have artifacts she didn¡¯t need and given I accepted 1.5 million dollars for my knowledge of runes, I felt like I had room to request some other things. As long as she didn¡¯t try to ignore our previous exchange and make it out as if she was doing me a favor, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem. I know the little crow figurine I took from the school is an item of theirs, but since she didn¡¯t bring it up, I wouldn¡¯t either. If that was her way of apologizing, then she could bear to give me a few more items. ¡°What now?¡± Putting a pin in it, I checked the grimoire to see how the path of the Death Bringer had been affected by the addition of a new path. I had gotten so caught up in the Art of Sanguina that I hadn¡¯t paid much attention. As usual, the words on the pages shifted around and I could see everything. A change has taken place due to the addition of a new path. As a result, there is more knowledge available for purchase. Current value of souls within your possession: 0 Path of The Death Bringer: Bind: Bring forth any incorporeal foes and chain them to the material world for a period of time, making them vulnerable to physical attacks. If used against living creatures, the effectiveness is halved. The strength of this ability is connected to your understanding of death. Cost: 5,000 Penelope¡¯s Vow: Draw on the power of Penelope¡¯s vow and call to all willing Death Bringers. Those who accept will manifest as spirits and assist you for a short period of time. Cost: 10,000 Phantom Heart: This ethereal and unbeating heart will strengthen your connection to spiritual realms as well as offer a greater form of protection to your soul. Cost: 25,000 The secrets of this path are being withheld from you. Seek out Penelope and gain her favor in order to advance. General Knowledge: Spirit Eyes: There aren''t many things which the dead can¡¯t see. With this ability, you will not reach the same height as the undead, but with this, your Spirit Vision will be greatly enhanced allowing you to even see your own death once per day. Cost: 25,000 Organ Transposition Ritual: There was once an ancient doctor who was obsessed with chimeric studies. He sought out all manner of creatures and attempted to bond their vital organs with his own. Whether he found success or not is unknown, but a piece of his legacy has found its way to these pages. With this ritual, you can alter one of your vital organs to replicate special properties of any living creature, however, the possibility of rejection is dependent on the nature of the organ you wish to use. Be warned, this ritual can only be used once. Cost:30,000 Runic Alchemy: This will advance your understanding of the ancient runes, allowing you to reach greater heights. In addition to the souls necessary for purchasing such knowledge, your own comprehension is also needed. Cost: 25,000 There is more knowledge to be found within these pages. Continue your growth and the hidden secrets will reveal themselves to you. Arms of Death: Koschei¡¯s Finger (Sword/Rapier): A skeletal rapier that inflicts a chain of life-draining curses once it pierces the target. Price:1000 Undying Knight¡¯s Sword (Sword/Greatsword): A hefty blade that grants massive increase in strength but drains vitality in exchange. Price:1000 Ghoulish Warhammer (Maul/Warhammer): A warhammer that increases resistance to all forms of attack, but in exchange you will be driven into a frenzy. Price:1000 Skeletal Caestus (Battle Gloves): Use your bones to create caestus. The strength of your strikes will be increased, but if the caestus is destroyed, your skeleton will be temporarily weaker than normal. Price:1000 Ghost Spear (Polearm/Spear): An ivory spear that can be created from bones. It has a spectral form that is able to pass through normal armor, but once it is used, the spear is unsummoned and cannot be used again for a period of time. Price:1000 Blade of Parish (Dagger): And it was with this blade did Parish strike down his cursed lover. The screams of that fateful day still reside within this weapon and will afflict anyone struck with it, slowly driving them to insanity. The user of this weapon will temporarily experience a weakened version of its effects every time it is used. Price: 10,000 Death Cannon (Bow/Crossbow): It is said that the bones and tendons of dragons went into creating this weapon. A single-shot from this weapon will instantly shatter all but the strongest of bones, but its destructive capabilities are well worth it. Price: 15,000 Well, it appears the price of nearly everything had gone up. I suspect that gaining an additional path was the cause, but it seems there were very powerful skills I had access to. There was also the line about Penelope which made meeting with her much more important, though I had already planned to reach out to her regardless. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. I couldn¡¯t even begin to think about what I would purchase seeing as I needed to kill a lot of things before I could grasp even the cheapest skill. I would have to throw myself into a constant schedule of ruin clearing which would be difficult. If I joined a guild, I could probably get a team which would make things easier than attempting to go solo. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really want to sign a contract at the moment.¡± Now seeing a glimpse of the behind the scenes from Alexandra, I was wary of getting tangled up in guild politics. At least, not until I could dictate my own terms. I sighed, returning the grimoire to the blood mark on my finger before stepping outside my apartment. I sheepishly knocked on Rosemary¡¯s door and waited for someone to answer. It didn¡¯t take long for someone to answer. ¡°Hi again, Casper,¡± Hope greeted me. ¡°Hi again, Hope,¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°Rosemary, but Sunny, Joy, and Miss Rusalka are still here.¡± ¡°Who is it, Hope?¡± Sunny shouted. ¡°Its Casper!¡± Hope yelled back. ¡°Oh!¡± Sunny emerged from the apartment a few moments later. ¡°You need something?¡± She seemed sort of expectant and I didn¡¯t mind going to dinner with her¨C well, with anyone for that matter, but I was here for something else. ¡°Yeah, I was wondering if¨C¡± ¡°Sunny, where is the ink?!¡± Rosemary¡¯s other daughter, Joy, spoke from deep within the apartment. ¡°I don¡¯t know, try looking for it!¡± Sunny responded with annoyance. So, this is what having siblings is like. I think if it was me I¡¯d get used to it. ¡°Anyway, you here to ask me out to dinner this time?¡± Sunny grinned. ¡°Maybe another time¨C¡± I answered, quickly shifting to my purpose for coming over. ¡°Could you ask Miss- uh- Rusalka to contact Miss Evanora for me?¡± I felt a bit awkward as traces of visible disappointment appeared on Sunny¡¯s face. It¡¯s not as if I didn¡¯t hanging out with her, but I really had to keep focused on the important things. ¡°Hope, you tell her,¡± Sunny quickly passed the task off. ¡°Uh¡­¨C We could do something this weekend if you¡¯re up to it,¡± I suggested. ¡°Sure,¡± Sunny nodded. ¡°The weekend it is.¡± I was about to continue speaking, but my phone rang. I checked the caller ID and saw it was Alexandra, so I stepped away from Sunny and Hope before taking the call. ¡°Hello?¡± [Right, I¡¯ll make this quick. You were right about New Era being involved in the human trafficking and it wasn¡¯t just those small-time guys involved but some bigger organizations too. It¡¯s still too early to get an exact read on things, but we¡¯ve caught the snake¡¯s tail, so to speak. If you¡¯re ready to take on a new job, let me know. If you want to pass, I¡¯ll get someone else on it.] ¡°No, no, I can do it,¡± I replied, clenching and relaxing my fist in an attempt to get rid of the tension I started to feel. [Great, I¡¯ll send you an address, meet me there in an hour.] ¡°Got it,¡± I replied before she hung up. Turning back to Sunny and Hope who seemed curious about my call, I spoke, ¡°I have to go out for a bit, but can you make sure to pass along my message to Rusalka?¡± ¡°Sure thing,¡± Sunny said. ¡°Alright,¡± Hope responded more enthusiastically. I waved goodbye to them before going to meet Alexandra. ¡­ A little while later, I was standing beside Alexandra at a public fountain. ¡°Stanley Wilkes,¡± She handed over a picture. The man in the photo was just as young as me, early twenties, but he had a great sense of flair about him. I mean, he wore a stylish leather jacket and rode a sleek-looking motorcycle in the photo. Actually, the more I looked at it, the less it looked like ¡°intel¡± and the more it looked like something that belonged in a fashion magazine. ¡°As soon as you told me about the New Era connection back at that laundromat, we spent our time shaking things up to find whatever we could. We¡¯ve managed to figure out that he¡¯s the intermediary between some of the criminal orgs in the city and New Era.¡± ¡°Does he have a gift too?¡± I asked, flipping the photo over which revealed a hastily written schedule on its backside. ¡°Apparently he has a basic class-one physical enhancement gift, but his line of work has put a lot of potentially powerful artifacts in his pockets. Ideally, we¡¯d want him alive to get something out of him, but given the danger of apprehending him, it''s probably better to just kill him and be done with it. His death would leave a gap of communication between the fronts. When that happens, the suits wanna put someone in his place.¡± ¡®So the government has someone lined up to replace him?¡¯ I didn¡¯t ask her for any confirmation since that would just be pushing myself into a deeper level involvement and that¡¯s not what I wanted. I also chose not to tell her that I would be able to read his memories once I killed him. Alexandra wasn¡¯t hostile toward me, but I wasn¡¯t stupid enough to just tell her what my gift actually does. That¡¯s something I would have to keep to myself for the foreseeable future. ¡°So, this guy loves the nightlife?¡± I inquired, noticing that he frequented nightclubs. ¡°It¡¯s the best place to meet people covertly given that he goes on crowded nights. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s taken surveillance artifacts into account, so trying to plant a recording artifact is useless.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess so,¡± I folded the picture and stuffed it into my wallet. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you, Casper. I¡¯m not even sure if I should give this one to you. That blunder with Matthew was a clear misjudgment on my part, but I¡¯m hoping I¡¯m right about this one.¡± ¡°I can¨C¡± ¡°Just listen,¡± she interrupted me. ¡°There will be civilians on the premises so that makes things a little difficult. If they are killed by Stanley and the people that are there protecting him, that¡¯s no concern of ours. Unfortunate, yes, but not exactly our fault. If you end up killing even one of them, we¡¯re both gonna be in a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°I see,¡± I replied, thinking about it for a bit. ¡°I¡¯m going out on a limb here by giving this job to you so right here, right now, tell me if you aren¡¯t one thousand percent confident.¡± The high stakes of the situation didn¡¯t instill me with much confidence. Half of me wanted to pass on the job since a single mistake would end badly, but I calmed my mind and stopped overthinking things. If Alexandra was confident enough to hand this assignment to me, then it wasn¡¯t an impossible task. All I needed to do was be careful. ¡°I can handle it,¡± I spoke assuredly. ¡°I either need to get everyone out of the club or get Stanley away from the building, right? That¡¯s easy.¡± After thinking for a few moments, I could definitely make sure things didn¡¯t get out of hand. ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it,¡± she said before releasing a sigh. I could clearly see there was something else on her mind, but I avoided saying anything. Compared to the members of her guild who were experienced with this line of work, I wasn¡¯t the right one for the job, from an objective standpoint that is. So was there some turmoil within her guild? Otherwise, there was no reason for her to trust me with this. I pretended not to notice her expression and started talking again. ¡°What about his artifacts?¡± ¡°What?¡± she questioned. ¡°You said he¡¯s carrying some potentially powerful artifacts. So what do I do with them?¡± ¡°Keep them. We can¡¯t risk leaving them there for someone to steal and we need to hide our involvement anyway. If you take them, it¡¯ll look like a robbery.¡± ¡°Okay, I got it,¡± I replied while secretly being overjoyed. It was a kill two birds with one stone situation since I could feed the penumbra and gain some souls at the same time. After wrapping up my meeting with Alexandra, I headed back home. I decided that I would take care of Stanley tomorrow night since it was one of the days he''d be at a nightclub. Chapter 44: A Not So False Alarm Since there was nothing that needed immediate attention, I put in a request for a class-3 ruin. Since I was a class-3 myself, finding a temporary team to partner up with wasn¡¯t difficult. I messaged them through the forums and got a reply pretty quickly. It was decided we¡¯d meet at the start of the following week to discuss distribution terms and make a plan of attack. Money wasn¡¯t a huge concern for me right now so there¡¯d be no problem with a smaller split. I was more focused on absorbing souls which were more valuable in my opinion. There was also a note left on my door that told me Evanora would reach out to me very soon. Since she was the leader of a lot of witches, it made sense she was busy. Though, I wondered how much of her time she put aside to meet me personally. I half-suspected she was held up somewhere studying the translation of the runes I gave her. I couldn¡¯t demand that she drop everything to see me, but she should be more inclined to hand over some artifacts since she put off meeting me right away. At least, if she was as kind-hearted as she made herself out to be. She survived for hundreds of years while maintaining secrecy which made me think she wouldn¡¯t have an issue with killing someone who got in her way. After all, to think that she somehow kept the moral high ground while her fellow witches were being hunted down would be pure ignorance. ¡°When did things get so complicated?¡± I asked myself, feeling listless all of sudden, but that didn¡¯t last long. The best way to get a handle on things was to get stronger first. I began pondering about my lifeblood since I had a few hours before I was due to see Stanley Wilkes. The key words used in the grimoire were ¡°untethered¡± and ¡°control.¡± As far as I knew, I hadn¡¯t untethered myself and I didn¡¯t quite get what that meant. Control, was obvious but I couldn¡¯t figure the difference between plain blood manipulation and lifeblood. ¡®Oh, yeah there was that wasn¡¯t there?¡¯ I clapped my hands together. There was the Art of Mortality too. It had a much grimmer description since it directly stated I needed to explore my own death. I had no means of temporarily ¡°dying¡± or entering a ¡°near-death¡± state, so it had to mean the Art of Mortality was dependent on understanding lifeblood first. ¡°I could ask Evanora for references too,¡± I mumbled, just realizing there was no better source to go to than a witch who lived for a few hundred years. Maybe she had some old historical records or books I could look through for reference. ¡®So, I¡¯ll guess I¡¯m putting that off until she arrives,¡¯ Like the path of the Dread Sorcerer said, I wouldn¡¯t receive anything for free on this path. I would have to take a direct approach if I wanted to grow. If that meant reading thousands of pages without a guaranteed payoff, well, I was more than up to it. Without a clear goal in mind at the moment, I simply practiced controlling my blood. I went through basic shapes and altered their density in order to gain experience with using it. Now, while I could manipulate blood while it was outside of my body, I was hesitant to the same with the blood being pumped through my body. There wasn¡¯t exactly room for error if I accidentally cut off the supply of blood to a vital organ. That technically meant there were three big stages involved so far. External Manipulation, which allowed me to create armor, projectiles, and weapons. Internal Manipulation, which would, in theory, allow me to possibly regrow limbs, regenerate faster, alter my blood flow, and increase my muscle strength for a period of time. I guess the third stage could be described as Property Manipulation seeing as I could change the properties of my blood. Leaving lifeblood out from the equation, each stage had its own strengths and weakness, like range, energy required, and usage limit. There was also the fact that repeatedly switching between each one would be taxing on my body regardless of which one I chose to use. That aside, both external and internal manipulation complimented the death bringer path if I opted for close combat. Manipulating the properties of my blood was no doubt the strongest possible stage. If I could develop it more than it was worth expanding on. I was also reminded of drawing runes in blood which made me wonder. Was that a form of lifeblood manipulation? Seeing as my blood was the medium used to empower the runes. I¡¯d have to experiment the next time I entered a ruin alone. I easily lost myself in time while practicing the Art of Sanguina and only noticed it was late in the evening after the sun was already setting. ¡°I guess it''s about time,¡± while saying so, I got up and threw a coat on before leaving.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡­ Under the cover of a quickly darkening sky, a murder of crows flew toward the downtown area of the Emerian Island. As the focal point of the city/island, there were tall sky rises and upscale storefronts befitting the nature of the businesses surrounding them. Deeper in the city is where the nightclubs, bars, and other venues were. In the era where gifted were oftentimes more famous than singers or actors, it wasn¡¯t strange to see a packed building due to a guest appearance. It also wasn¡¯t unheard of to hear about a drunken fight between two or more gifted breaking out. As a result, police, as well as guild patrols, always remained close to the district. It was a fact that didn¡¯t escape Casper¡¯s notice as he flew overhead. He surveyed his destination from above, discovering that there was an increased amount of security when compared to the other venues. It made sense, seeing as Stanley was probably well aware of what type of position he was in and made sure to bring his own people. ¡®If you were worried, you should¡¯ve hidden yourself in a bunker,¡¯ Casper thought as the crows descended into an alley. His method of approach? Slip in through the back entrance of the club. His eyes flickered pale white as surveyed the two security guards in his way and found they were ordinary people. Behind them, there were blotches of souls that blended together but from that entanglement of people, he could make out a few bright presences. It meant that there were gifted among the club-goers, obviously, they were real security for Stanley while the two men outside were more or less fodder for Stanley. All in all, there were several class-2¡¯s who were possibly carrying artifacts in addition to Stanley himself who was probably armed to the teeth with expensive artifacts. Hunkering in the shadows of the alley, Casper carefully thought about the specifics of his plan. First and foremost, cause a disturbance to get non-combatants out of the building. Using a security guard¡¯s gun or pulling the fire alarm would probably work. However, the former would cause them to stampede out faster, which was all and well, but it would bring the nearby guild and police patrols just as quickly. If the fire alarm was pulled, they¡¯d leave in a slow and orderly manner. Also, the police and guild patrols would wait for the fire department to arrive rather than rush in. If he was confident and killing everyone in a short time span, he¡¯d go for the first option. Due to the chance of artifacts being present, the second choice was his best bet if nothing went wrong. ¡°Okay, I think it¡¯s all good.¡± Casper¡¯s habit of speaking to himself had clearly had yet to disappear. He feigned his best injured/drunken gait and stumbled toward the two of Stanley''s personal armed guards standing outside while muttering incoherently. ¡°Hey!¡± One of the men immediately shouted as he approached. ¡°I-I need help,¡± Casper said with a stiff tone, hardly convincing to the ears of the two men. Luckily, he manipulated his blood, to cover his hand, making it seem as if he were nursing a stomach wound. ¡°The police, call the¨C¡± Casper tumbled over, falling to the ground in a slightly rigid and restrained manner, but it went unnoticed by the security guards. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± One security guard approached while the other pulled out his cellphone, however, the number he was attempting to dial wasn''t an emergency line, but Stanley himself. Before either one of them could say anything, two crystalline needles shot out from Casper¡¯s hand and pierced bodies. Less than an expert marksman, Casper missed any spots that would kill them instantly and had to fire a few more needles all at once. The security guards collapsed after suffering from the sudden attack, leaving Casper to dust himself off as he climbed to his feet. The sensation of souls trickling into his body was odd after going without it for so long, but he ignored it and retrieving a gun from one of the dead security guards before prying open the backdoor with a scarlet blade and slipping inside the club. He tucked the firearm into his waistband just in case the fire alarm failed to work properly and he needed a plan B. The music blared obnoxiously along with the muffled conversations that seemed to be filling the area. As Casper proceeded inward, he felt the air was warmer and stuffier than outside. The dense crowd was a little intimidating for him, not just because their safety would affect his life, but also the fact he had rarely been to such a crowded place. ¡®I should definitely keep focused,¡¯ Casper honed in the growing discomfort and scanned around the club for Stanley. And, as expected, sitting comfortably in a VIP booth was Stanley Wilkes with an attractive woman nestled up beside him. Watching the perimeter of the booth were the gifted who were tasked with protecting him. A few of which were wearing jewelry, but it was hard to tell if they were artifacts or just plain accessories from sight alone. As if telling him, Casper suddenly felt the penumbra began to grumble. ¡°What¡¯s that boy? You smell artifacts?¡± Casper spoke to the penumbra jokingly but was quickly met with silence. Clearing his throat, he maneuvered through the crowds of people and stuck to the wall. Since the lights were dim, he didn¡¯t stick out as much as he should¡¯ve. His plainclothes and gloomy demeanor were eyebrow-raising enough given the flashy and expensive outfits being showcased around the club. Eventually, Casper arrived at the fire alarm plastered with warnings not pull unless there was fire. ¡°Sorry to ruin your night guys,¡± He mumbled before pulling the lever downward. The emergency lights immediately began flashing as a high-pitched alarm filled every corner of the club. A voice came over the loudspeaker urging people to proceed outside in a calm and orderly manner and for the most part they did. Casper turned to see what Stanley was doing but was stunned to see that the person in question was staring directly at him as everyone left. An arrogant smile filled his face as he pushed the woman away from him and stood up, whispering something to the several gifted who surrounded him. They slowly spread out, advancing toward Casper while Stanley fell back into his chair and propped himself up as if a good show was about to play out. Taking a glance to the cameras around the club, Casper covered his body in blood armor which also helped to obscure his face. Since the crowd had begun to clear out, it would be hard to continue to hide his identity during the fight. The gifted, instead of drawing guns, drew knives with detailed guards and master-crafted blades. They were no ordinary weapons, that much was clear. ¡°Artifacts,¡± Casper murmured begrudgingly while his scarlet blades silently extended from underneath his sleeves. Chapter 45: A Bloody Good Time Before Casper knew it, several people brandishing knives rushed him. Their attacks were coordinated and practiced to his surprise. He deflected the knives that stabbed and slashed at him before retreating. ¡°This is the part where you tell me who¡¯s paying you,¡± Stanley was incredibly relaxed, even taking a sip of alcohol as we watched the fight. Casper responded by aiming a scarlet blade toward him and sending it forward. When it looked as if it would hit Stanley, a thin ripple reverberated around him, sending the projectile ricocheting. Stanley laughed tauntingly, as the gifted began to pressure Casper even more. ¡®Shit,¡¯ Casper couldn¡¯t help but curse as he noticed the gifted attacking him were becoming more coordinated. They had already left several slashes on his body but failed to cut through the layer of condensed blood protecting him. That wasn¡¯t to say their attacks were pointless as his armor was slowly being peeled away. ¡°Now!¡± One of the gifted shouted causing the gifted to retreat. Before Casper could respond, the man¡¯s cheeks puffed up strangely spitting a colorless mist toward him. Seeing it as an auspicious sign, Casper crystallized the blood armor before a violent fire rose up around him. His clothes were singed and he could even feel the heat through the hardened armor. The earlier attacks had weakened it in several different places, meaning parts of his skin were burned. Suppressing the urge to scream, Casper raised his hands and unleashed a spray of blood shards. The gifted dove for cover the moment his hands went up, avoiding most of the damage before moving toward him once more. Instead of all attacking together, they made sure to spread out, ensuring he couldn¡¯t fire blood shards in just one direction. Like hunting dogs encircling their prey, their knives sliced at his body, tearing through his armor. ¡°You guys are seriously annoying¨C¡± Casper spoke, unintentionally leaving himself exposed. One of the men stepped forward and thrust the enchanted knife into the pit of his stomach. It pierced through the layer of blood protecting and sunk deeply into his torso. The man wielding the knife felt as if his blade plunged too far into Casper''s torso to be normal. ¡°Dumbass,¡± Casper whispered as two-bladed whips emerged from his back and repeatedly stabbed the trapped man, shredding his skin with ease. ¡°Ah!¡± With a painful and short cry, he died just like that. His body slumped forward, collapsing onto the ground, but something held onto his arm tightly. Stanley nearly choked on his drink as he witnessed an incorporeal black arm pulling one of the enchanted knives into Casper¡¯s body. Along with the elated feeling that came with absorbing a soul, Casper saw a flash of memories. ¡°So, that¡¯s it,¡± ignoring the astonished gazes, he spoke calmly. The fresh corpse in front of him was wearing a gold ring, but it was hardly ordinary. From what he saw, the ring was apart of a set that allowed each user to understand each other''s intentions. It explained why their attacks were so in tune. Casper reached for it and another man rushed toward him but was stopped by the bladed tendrils extending from Casper¡¯s shoulder blades. Casper pried the ring off the still-warm body and the penumbra grumbled, bursting out of his navel and reaching toward it. ¡°No, hey¨C Stop!¡± Casper avoided the dark hand that burst out from his navel and tried to take the ring. He wrestled with the shadowy limb for a few moments before it finally gave up and retreated. ¡°Was that so difficult¨C?¡± He tried to ask but felt the sharp sting of a knife sliding between his ribs. Casper clenched his teeth and grasped the arm of his attacker in response. Under his control, blood completely drenched the man¡¯s arm before it solidified, ensuring Casper¡¯s grip couldn¡¯t be broken. ¡°No, no, no¨C¡± The failed attacker tried to break away but was met with the sharp tendrils that pierced into his body under Casper¡¯s guidance before tearing him apart. The arm of the penumbra emerged once more and quickly pried the ring from Casper¡¯s hand, much to his annoyance. It didn¡¯t stop there as it even stripped the dying man of both his knife and ring before quickly retreating like a rodent. ¡°You know, I¡¯m a bit surprised!¡± Stanley spoke loudly, throwing his drink aside. ¡°You couldn''t possibly be above a class-three with the way you¡¯re struggling, but your gift is something else. Is that strange arm apart of your gift, or does it come from an artifact?¡± The fiery attack from earlier still burned the furniture, causing smoke to rise up which triggered the sprinklers. It didn¡¯t take long for everything to be soaked, however, the invisible barrier covering Stanley kept him dry. ¡°How about this, I''ll give you one more chance to tell me the name of the person who sent you here and I won¡¯t hurt you. Oh, and I want whatever artifact that is that you have on. Consider it repayment for all the shit you just messed up.¡± Stanley rose from his seat and flashed his ring-covered hands. Casper kept quiet, simply looking toward the three remaining men before turning his gaze back to Stanley. The bloody tendrils protruding from his back seemed to twist around like serpents, making him seem more like a nightmarish creature rather than a human. ¡°Is that a no? I¡¯m a bit sensitive to being turned down.¡± Stanley gripped his chest and frowned. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Why do you choose to work with New Era?¡± Casper suddenly asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t they kidnapping people? Do you really feel no remorse for everything you¡¯re doing?¡± Stanley¡¯s expression turned into a deep frown as he looked at the man who had completely ruined his night and tried to kill him and then to top it off he began speaking about morals. It was all like some sort of big joke, one that Stanely hardly found amusing. ¡°There goes my patience, asshole,¡± Stanley said as he became incensed. He bent his finger which hosted a sapphire gem and a cold wind blew forward. The club instantly became encased in ice, and since Casper had long since been soaked with water he was included. Even Stanley¡¯s men were caught up in the sudden freeze and made horrific expressions as their bodies went frigid. Trapped underneath a coating of ice, Casper urged his blood to become warmer causing steam to emanate from his body. ¡°Still kicking, huh?¡± Stanley bent another one of his hands and a storm of translucent swords flew toward Casper. With the sound of ice shattering, Casper freed himself before diving away. He was a step too late, his leg was impaled by a clear sword. Collapsing behind the bar counter, Casper couldn¡¯t help but release a stifled groan while cradling his injured leg. ¡°You¡¯re like a fucking roach, you know that!¡± Stanley bent yet another finger. A shockwave erupted from behind the counter and sent Casper¡¯s body tumbling through the air before he crashed through a table and landed on the cold floor. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Casper rolled over and inhaled deeply. His ears rang loudly and all sorts of pain stimulated his nerves. He squeezed his eyes shut and manipulated the blood surrounding him, forcing his wounds closed. Once the bleeding was staunched, he willed himself to stand. If his bones had yet to break, then it meant he could still fight. ¡°Do you feel like talking now¨C?¡± Stanley stopped just short of laughing when he met Casper¡¯s sunken eyes that peered at him. It was an unsettling gaze that took the former off guard for a brief moment. Casper waved his arms and splashed Stanley¡¯s barrier with blood. Since the barrier seemed to be impenetrable, the blood that Casper flung traced over an invisible dome before unceremoniously falling to the ground, forming a circle around Stanley as it did. ¡°I guess not,¡± Stanley muttered, he gave Casper the middle finger before bending it. Casper burst into a flock of crows and avoided the attack, flying in all directions. ¡°Is that your last trick?¡± Stanley commented before unleashing the might of the artifacts decorating his hands. As the sound of explosions filled the air, a lone crow still managed to evade Stanley. He assumed the others died as there was still one which he guessed was the real Casper. How could he have known that Casper was hiding in his blind spot, drawing the spectral bow? Finding it hard to concentrate on both tasks, Casper¡¯s control waned and the crow was hit by Stanley¡¯s attack, bursting into feathers the moment it had. A sharp cry of pain resounded from behind Stanley, startling him. He twisted his head toward the source and saw the bloody form of Casper holding a translucent bow. Without hesitation, Casper released an arrow that flew forward and struck the barrier, shattering it the moment it made contact but it dissipated immediately. "The thing you''re standing on is my last trick,¡± Casper spoke mockingly, pointing to Stanley¡¯s feet. Stanley glanced downward, discovering that he stood within a blood circle. In the center of the circle, the two streams of blood connected and formed an odd symbol. ¡°Wha¨C¡± A powerful fire rose up from within the circle and engulfed Stanley the moment he tried to speak. An agonizing shriek filled the air and Stanley rolled on the ground. He fought with the flames while his flesh was burned away. He made a few desperate and sloppy attempts to activate his artifacts but it was too late. By the time the flame died down, he was barely hanging onto life by a thread. Casper dragged himself over and finished Stanley with a quick stab to the throat, seeing no reason to drag things out any longer. Once he was close enough, the arm of the penumbra emerged once more and snatched away the rings, breaking Stanley¡¯s charred fingers as it did. Ignoring the thieving arm, Casper tried to immerse himself in Stanley¡¯s memories, but the sound of sirens made him pause his actions and leave. ¡­ Was winning supposed to hurt so much? I had to ask because every breath, every step, every second, hurt. A lot. I severely underestimated the power of artifacts, but there was nothing that could be done in that situation. That barrier of his was extremely annoying, but what could I do? The Spectral Bow was clearly the only thing I had that was capable of breaking Stanley¡¯s barrier, but I needed a few seconds to draw it. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t try to fire hundreds of blood shards at him to try and exhaust the power of his barrier. It was such a good artifact that I began to regret not stopping the penumbra from stealing it. ¡°Well, if I get something good out of it there¡¯s no harm,¡± I spoke aloud. My slightly bitter mood perfectly complemented the astringent copper taste filling my mouth. It didn¡¯t help that I was currently resting atop the roof of some building while waiting to crow-shift once more. ¡®I really need a car.¡¯ What I gleaned from my look into the life of Stanley Wilkes was that he enjoyed a lavish lifestyle. He seemed to be a fan of motorcycles in particular. ¡°I wonder¡­¡± I closed my eyes and sank deeper into his memories. The scenes of Stanley¡¯s life played out like a movie, but I had to admit, I was curious. I was thrown into the habit of smoking after reading the memories of one of the men I killed. I don¡¯t know what sort of weird trait I got from Henry Cunningham or if I had received one at all. Now that Stanley was dead, I wanted to know if I could take a trait from him. Since it was apart of my innate gift, I should be able to at least partially control it. I had nothing else to do so I may as well test it. I stirred up Stanley¡¯s memories of him riding around a private racecourse. The feeling of air whipping past me, the rumble of the motorcycle engine underneath me, the sound of it. Slowly, I could feel the sensations that were too real to be my imagination. The line between memories and reality felt blurred as I rode the motorcycle with a grin. ¡°Wooo!¡± I screamed aloud, I slowed down to turn a corner before twisting the throttle with experienced motions. Warm air brushed past my face as I zoomed around the course. I felt a rush of excitement from the memory I dwelled in. Before, I had been nothing but a spectator, but now I was¨C I felt a burning sensation on my arms that interrupted my train of thought. I looked at my sleeves and found my body covered in flame. The feeling of my flesh being melted away was overwhelming. I couldn¡¯t even let out a scream before I was forcibly removed from the memory. When I opened my eyes, I was in the middle of rolling around and my fingers were half bent¡­ Just like Stanley before I killed him. My body seemed to reject the entire experience as I suddenly vomited. After expelling everything, I nearly fell over right as I tried to stand. Unlike the time at the laundromat, I didn¡¯t pass out. I had taken something from Stanley¡¯s memories, but my enthusiasm had waned drastically. I stared up at the sky in an attempt to distract myself from the short yet unnerving experience. Looking at the moon, I was able to see some good news in all of this. ¡°...I guess there¡¯s only a day or two left now.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be much longer before I could attempt to speak to Penelope. Keeping that in mind, I headed home. Chapter 46: Penelope I spent a day allowing blood mending to repair the damage done to my body. The enchanted knives that cut me left wounds that took longer to heal than a normal weapon would. While sitting in the darkness of my own apartment, I rested with a cigarette in my hands while contemplating all sorts of matters. I had already informed Alexandra that I completed the job to which she congratulated me before telling me the payment would be coming soon. I had done something different than just viewing memories. I, for a moment, had experienced it myself. Knowing my own innate gift had given me that ability was cause for excitement but it was denied by the overwhelming shock. I had lived a moment Stanley¡¯s life and his death. ¡°Control." That was the keyword. Maybe I needed to control what I gained from the memories of others rather than fear that I would be forced through the pain. So far, I had gained a terrible smoking habit from one of the first men I had killed. Henry Cunningham might have lowered my aversion to killing, though I hardly enjoyed it. It was still the same grim affair as it was when I started. Whatever hidden trait I might¡¯ve gained from Stanley¡¯s existence remains to be seen, however, I managed to copy his riding experience through my own effort. I was now more than confident in my ability to ride a motorcycle. So, I now had to question whether the price of ¡°stealing¡± experience from Stanley¡¯s memory was reliving his death or if that came from my own lack of control? I put out my cigarette, wishing to be free of the disgusting taste it left in my mouth and stood up, opening the grimoire. The current value of souls in your possession: 1000 The Endless Penumbra is currently digesting the items it consumed. Due to allowing your penumbra to eat while it was sated, it is developing the ¡®Greed¡¯ attribute. The ¡®Greed¡¯ attribute will cause the following to occur: -Increased vitality can be absorbed from living beings. -Powerful weapons instilled with egos, blessing, and curses can be discovered and devoured with greater ease. -Allows for the creation of ¡°greed reflection¡± weapons. These shadowy armaments manifest in the form of whatever weapons you have devoured. Each weapon can be manifested once and carries an extremely powerful affliction to be used against your foes. -Greed causes the penumbra to yearn for greater sustenance. In order to satiate its ever-growing desire, you will need to seek out both powerful items and souls that carry immense value. While its hunger isn¡¯t persistent offerings of lesser quality will not sway the penumbra. -If you fail to appease the penumbra after it develops the ¡®Greed¡¯ attribute, it will develop parasitic traits and gradually drain your souls before draining your vitality. In order to prevent the penumbra from manifesting the ¡®Greed¡¯ attribute, do not allow it to consume anything else until it grows hungry. I appreciated the warning, but I had no idea of how to prevent the penumbra from suddenly emerging. I think I needed to look into purchasing an artifact that could seal or hold certain items. Or¨C ¡°A runic seal?¡± I thought aloud. If I created a seal around the penumbra¡¯s mark, it wouldn¡¯t be able to burst out at random. The creation of that type of seal required advancements in the Art of Sanguina. Turning my mind to other tasks, I recalled applying to clear three ruins over the course of the next week. One class-1 and two class-3¡¯s. The latter would put me up with a guild team under the guise of showing myself off as a prospect of sorts. It was a common practice among stronger guilds in order to scout rising talents. I didn''t plan on joining a guild but I would take advantage of the recruiting system they had in place and expand the range of my sanguina. ¡°Ah, the time,¡± I mumbled, nearly forgetting the importance of the day, closing the grimoire and checking my phone soon after. 8:13 pm. I took a peek out of my window and saw a clear sky that had darkened and the moon was full. It was the perfect time to make an attempt at contacting Penelope. I found myself calmer than I had ever been. Maybe that was thanks to Stanley? I sat in the center of my living room and closed my eyes. There was no mention of a need for a special ritual or runes, so I just concentrated. ¡®I want to speak with you, Penelope,¡¯ I spoke inwardly, hoping she''d hear me somehow. At the very least, my intent should have been clear to whatever receptive party was waiting. There was no reply, as expected, but I maintained my steadiness. It felt like minutes began to pass, but I didn¡¯t lose hope and figured she¡¯d respond in some way... eventually. As a result, I spent an unknown amount of time sitting in the dark. At some point, the air turned cold and I felt goosebumps cover my skin. The feeling of a frigid breeze drifted over me along with the distant howling of the wind. I opened my eyes without hesitation. I had seen much worse, so I didn¡¯t fear the idea of Penelope being some sort of monster. But...¨C ¡°Woah,¡± I mumbled, unable to stop myself. Standing across the room, with her back slightly turned to me there was a woman in a frayed robe stood gazing at the scenery outside of my window. Her shoulder-length black hair was intersected with streaks of white. And her skin, well, the phrase ¡®as pale as a corpse¡¯ came to mind after one look. Despite that, she was objectively beautiful. There was no argument against that, but there was also a strong air of melancholy around her. ¡°What a peculiar world,¡± Her words were soft and gentle. She continued gazing at everything outside with slight curiosity and astonishment. I had gotten so lost by the sight of her that I continued staring until I fully processed what was happening. While I was carefully thinking of what to say next, she turned to face me. Her pale blue eyes scanned over me, but there was nothing communicated through her serene expression. ¡°I imagine you have questions, Casper?¡± She inquired. ¡°You''d be right then,¡± I managed to reply with stumbling around. I was a bit surprised she knew my name, but I didn¡¯t focus on it too much. I barely noticed my manner of speaking wasn¡¯t as shaky or uncertain as it had been in previous days. ¡°Then ask and I shall do my best to answer,¡± She spoke unhurriedly. I couldn¡¯t tell if her tone meant that I had a lot of time or if that was just her calmness. Either way, I made sure to think hard about my first question. ¡°I have the ability to see the memories of the dead and relieve parts of those memories. Do you know what it means or where it comes from?¡± ¡°There is no meaning to it... Your soul is naturally in tune with the realms of the dead and the realms that lay in between. Understand that there are ill effects from using such a power as you may have already discovered. In essence, your own ego may become distorted as time goes on. Take heed, Casper, the dead will seek to consume and possess your being should you show the slightest sign of weakness.¡± ¡°I think I understand a little more now, thank you,¡± I responded humbly. Seeing memories of the dead was due to my soul being in "tune" with the realms of the dead, as she put it. It helped to know more about the nature of my gift. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Penelope had given me an idea of why I had begun receiving random traits from others. I began to wonder if that hallucination during Grant¡¯s funeral was a part of showing signs of weakness. It was an emotionally turbulent time for me and I was in a place covered in death. That vivid experience of unwilling souls attempting to steal the "coin" in my possession still bothered me. I looked toward the solemn woman standing in front of me and pondered what to say next. I felt asking her about the old promise between herself and the mysterious entity that was said to have granted her power would be going too far. ¡°The second path I¡¯ve chosen requires me to take control of my lifeblood, but I just barely know what that means. What is it that I need to do?¡± Penelope¡¯s answer wasn¡¯t immediate, instead, it was prefaced by her unshakable gaze. ¡°It is a simple task, but difficult to execute. You must enter a state between life and death, Casper. You can halt the beating of your own heart to reach it, but be prepared to face what comes after.¡± Her description of things seemed cryptic at best, but it certainly confirmed that the way to study my lifeblood required me to be near-death. ¡°You''ve said to enter a state between life and death but does that mean, well¡­¨C are you alive? Are you even here? Or is this a vision of some kind.¡± Penelope approached me and I quickly noticed her steps were completely silent just as she was described in the grimoire. She stopped in front of me and stretched out her palm. My eyes shifted between her face and her hand before I reached out to touch her. The moment our hands touched, I felt a bone-chilling coldness, but strangely enough, it wasn''t painful. ¡°You¡¯re really here then?¡± I was shocked that she was real, or rather, standing in front of me. ¡°Yes,¡± She replied, pulling away from me right after. "As for my mortality, I suppose that I am neither living nor dead, but somewhere beyond that." I felt as I touched a sore spot so I quickly changed the subject out of consideration. ¡°Then, do you know anything about the grimoire?¡± ¡°There are very few who know about the origins of the Pale Tome you carry and I am not among their number. There was a time where I heard whispers of its origins, rumors that spoke of a book that would corrupt, but it is simply hearsay and should not enter your into consideration.¡± ''So, she doesn''t know much about it either?'' Well, its origins didn¡¯t seem particularly important as of now. For some reason, I felt as if the entity carving into the stone bore some relation to it, but I couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°I think my last question is about the grimoire saying that I needed to seek you out and gain your favor to advance as a Death Bringer. So, I¨C¡± ¡°Casper?¡± Penelope interrupted me before I could get the question out. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you know what is required of you?¡± She asked. ¡°What¡¯s required of me?¡± I repeated out of confusion. ¡°Nothing, there is absolutely nothing required of you. You, in this very moment, are free. That fills me with both envy and admiration toward you. In such a small period of time, you¡¯ve accomplished so much¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ve barely done anything,¡± I interrupted with a dry laugh. I began feeling guilty because I didn¡¯t see myself as being free. I had been steamrolled by constant obstacles and more or less went along with whatever I couldn¡¯t control. The more I thought about the more I began feeling as if had let down Penelope in some way. ¡°The moment you accepted the heritage of Death Bringers, I felt your presence. A small yet vibrant soul that seemed so fragile. For the first time in hundreds of years, I was no longer alone... Inside of this undying body of mine, I felt a spark of hope just knowing that. I watched closely as your soul grew before it was nearly snuffed out, but my worries were meaningless as you persisted. You may not be aware, but your death would summon you to me, however, I don''t wish for you to suffer the same fate as I did. To fight for eternity is a cruel fate for anyone.¡± My eyes widened as I continued to listen. If she had been alone, I guess it meant the other Death Bringers were dead or couldn¡¯t reach her. Maybe they didn''t want to reach her. Then, there was also the fact she said that if I died, I''d be summoned to her and then I''d have to fight alongside her forever, presumably. Penelope¡¯s eyes became downcast as she went on, ¡°I was able to witness you growing brighter with each passing moment and then, you accepted a new path, one that would allow me to speak with as I am now. I didn¡¯t restrict your advancement as a Death Bringer because you needed to prove yourself to me. I simply feared that if I didn¡¯t gain your notice, you would have not have sought me out at all.¡± I was stuck for a response, but thankfully, she didn¡¯t seem to be finished. Penelope raised her head, and her pale blue eyes pierced straight through me. ¡°The second path you have embarked on will cause you staggering amounts of pain and fear, but remember that you are free no matter what you suffer. It is only when you lose sight of that will you have forfeited your own freedom.¡± ¡°...You say that but what happens if I mess up?¡± I asked, finding her perception of me to be overwhelming. ¡°If I end up dying then it was all for nothing, right? Wouldn¡¯t that mean that I failed to live up to your expectations?¡± She was much stronger than I was, I could see¨C no, I felt it. In spite of that, she spoke as I was someone to be admired. I didn''t delude myself into thinking I was greater than I am. So what did she see exactly? As if she found the idea of my failure impossible, Penelope began to smile. ¡°You may fail others and you may even fail yourself, but you cannot fail me, Casper... Should there ever come a day where everything around you crumbles and you pass from this world, I will greet in the one that follows.¡± I quietly absorbed what she said, dissolving the inner turmoil polluting my thoughts. ¡°...Thank you, Penelope.¡± The words had nearly been lodged in my throat, but I managed to get them out. I needed to thank her. ¡°There is no need,¡± She gave a simple reply. ¡°No, really, thank you,¡± I said, continuing on, ¡°Before everything with the grimoire¨C or tome, or whatever it''s called¨C happened, I didn¡¯t have anything except a gift that forced me to be alone and nearly ruined my life. I know it might seem trivial when you¡¯ve been fighting alone longer than I lived, but it¡¯s¨C what I mean to say is, I can¡¯t tell you how much it means to hear those words. So, thank you.¡± Maybe I made her feel as if she couldn¡¯t turn down my repeated thanks, so she nodded. ¡°If there''s a way that I can somehow undo the vow that you took then¨C¡± ¡°Never burden yourself with the promise of the impossible, Casper. Indulging my selfishness and allowing me to speak with you is the greatest kindness you could have offered to me.¡± Penelope cut me off before I could ask about breaking the promise she made with a "greater entity" and said something I couldn''t believe. She hadn''t spoken much about herself and the focus of our interactions was mainly me attempting to understand more about my own abilities. Still, I took her advice and didn''t insist on helping her undo the vow, but I decided to offer something else. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I can call for you again next month... It would be nice to speak to you more.¡± Her eyes widened before she expression settled into another smile. ¡°I will eagerly await your summons¨C¡± Her eyes suddenly flickered before she could finish and the melancholic air that had vanished for a few moments had returned. ¡°It seems that I have to depart, but I have enjoyed my time here with you, as brief as it may have been.¡± ¡°Yeah, it was great!¡± I was quick to reply. ¡°Take care, Casper.¡± ¡°You too, Penelope¨C¡± Before I finished speaking, she had already disappeared. I sat there with my hand half-raised before I finally put it down. I didn¡¯t know anything about Penelope, whether it was what led to her to become who she was or what it cost her. I wanted to know, but I decided never to ask her. If she appeared in front of me again, maybe I¡¯d show her things about this world. If all of her moments were spent fighting, I could at least attempt to distract her from that. I found myself sighing for some reason before I summoned the grimoire. Path of The Death Bringer: Bind: Bring forth any incorporeal foes and chain them to the material world for a period of time, making them vulnerable to physical attacks. If used against living creatures, the effectiveness is halved. The strength of this ability is connected to your understanding of death. Cost: 5,000 Penelope¡¯s Vow: Draw on the power of Penelope¡¯s vow and call to all willing Death Bringers. Those who accept will manifest as spirits and assist you for a short period of time. Cost: 10,000 Phantom Heart: This ethereal and unmoving heart will strengthen your soul and your connection to spiritual realms as well as protect you from the entities that may populate them. Cost: 25,000 Soul Reaving: Beyond increasing the effects of siphoning the souls of the dead, this ability allows you to strip weaker beings of their souls which may outright kill them. When used against beings with souls either stronger than or equivalent to your own, it will serve to weaken them for a time. Cost: 25,000 Invocation of Limbo: Invoke the power of the purgatorial realm itself and trap your foes between the land of the living and the dead for a short period of time. Any being caught within the radius of this invocation will not be able to move. The power of this ability will exert a terrible burden on your body, so it would be wise to exercise restraint in its use. Cost:30,000 Skeleton Key: This is a weapon forged by your soul and tempered with your flesh and blood. Your very existence grants this weapon power. As long as you persist, this weapon will not falter. Cost: 50,000 There were three new abilities I could purchase and they were as strong, if not stronger, than what I expected. The last one was a bit vague, but I know for a fact that both Soul Reaving and the Invocation of Limbo were astounding so the effects of the ¡°Skeleton Key¡± had to be just as good. A smile crept onto my face as I shut the grimoire. Penelope¡¯s words still felt fresh in my mind and as a result, I was inspired to practice. "The moment I lose sight of my freedom is the moment I forfeit it," I said, echoing her words from earlier. It would be an unspoken promise that only I knew of, but I would remember her words until I die. Chapter 47: Someone Elses Shoes I had solved all my problems in a single night! Is what I wish I could say. Even after spending an entire night pushing myself into a state of complete focus, I couldn¡¯t get a handle on the flow of my blood, nor did I expect to. I was satisfied enough with just the experience. I also chose to further embrace Stanley¡¯s memories, specifically the outgoing parts of his personality, feeling that there was nothing wrong with having his general demeanor influence my own. On the brighter side of things, I felt extremely refreshed even without sleep and my wounds were fully healed. As the sun started to rise, I received a knock on my door. ¡°Hold on,¡± I shouted. I activated my Spirit Vision and an extremely powerful soul was revealed to me. Obviously, it was Evanora who had finally shown up. With Penelope¡¯s words still in my head and confidence that wasn¡¯t my own, I began to feel a strong sense of annoyance. If I were to simply ignore Evanora taking her time, I felt as if it would be admitting my time wasn¡¯t that valuable. I lit a cigarette before opening my door. ¡°Come in,¡± I said before Evanora could speak. While she gave me an incredulous look, I plopped down on the sofa. I guess it was worth mentioning that all I was wearing was a pair of sweatpants which may have explained her reaction. ¡°I was informed by Rusalka that you needed to speak with me.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I exhaled a puff of smoke while my posture grew relaxed. I suppose this laissez-faire feeling was how Stanley felt all of the time. It was quite fun actually, my usual worries of Evanora¡¯s power were far away, not to say I became cocky, but I was aware of my worth. There was a limit to what they could draw from the runes seeing that I had yet to purchase Runic Alchemy which seemed to be levels above simply invoking the runes. ¡°I¡¯m in the process of understanding runic alchemy,¡± I told her half of a lie. Though it was technically the truth since I was always gathering souls which would eventually go toward that knowledge. ¡°Oh?¡± She leaned forward, clearly interested in something that could greatly benefit the witches. I wouldn¡¯t be brought as easily this time. ¡°It¡¯ll take some time for me to understand, but I was hoping for some artifacts and books if possible in order to speed along the process.¡± ¡°I see,¡± She gave a short reply, slightly retreating. Her gaze gained a faint sharpness while her lips pursed into a thin smile. We both said nothing, apparently waiting for the other to bite first, but at the end of the day, I would be fine with or without her assistance. ¡°And what sorts of artifacts and books would you be looking for, Casper?¡± She finally asked. ¡°Things you won¡¯t miss. Any sort of trinkets that can improve vitality or regeneration. They don¡¯t need to be life-saving items, just simple things. As for books, anything relating to understanding life and souls will do.¡± I could practically see her features loosen once she heard what I wanted. I could¡¯ve assured her I didn¡¯t want anything extremely valuable, but there was no fun in that. Not after everything she''s done. ¡°That will hardly be a problem, but I must say¨C you seem to have changed.¡± ¡°Yes, I have¨C just a little,¡± I said with a refreshing grin. It wasn''t as if I was some new man overnight. I sought aspects of someone who was nearly the completely opposite of me. I knew it wouldn''t change much in the grand scheme of things, but I needed a start or else I''d be strung around. ¡°Well, I can have the necessary items delivered by tonight. I¡¯d advise you to leave a window open if possible¨C¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Ah, hold on.¡± I saw she was about to leave and called out to her. ¡°Yes? Was there something else?¡± ¡°If it isn¡¯t too much trouble, is there any way you could make a license and a motorcycle certification for me?¡± ¡°That can be done easily, but can you actually drive?¡± She asked, seemingly concerned about my safety. I chuckled briefly before I gave her a self-assured nod, ¡°Of course I can.¡± ¡­ ¡°Casper Clay? You must get tons of questions about your name, huh?¡± A suit-wearing man at the dealership inquired. ¡°Yeah, mostly from children,¡± I replied with a dead-pan expression. ¡°Ha, is that so?¡± He forced a laugh. ¡°Yeah, it is,¡± I answered plainly, much to his discomfort. It was completely unnecessary for him to try and talk me up since I had already committed to the purchase. As a sign it was becoming a terribly detrimental habit, I felt the urge to smoke to combat the general presence of the salesman in front of me. I reached into my pocket for a packet of cigarettes under his anxious gaze. ¡°Oh, um¨C There¡¯s no smoking indoors,¡± He sheepishly eked out. I gazed at him for a few moments before giving up. There was no need to make his life harder even if I felt he was bothersome. ¡°Everything went through without a hitch!¡± The superior the salesman beside emerged with a set of keys in hand. ¡°Did you know, you¡¯re our first ever customer who was also gifted?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t say,¡± I accepted the keys and the title. ¡°Honest to God, you¡¯re the first. I hope you recommend us to all of your friends,¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any,¡± I gave a very straight-faced reply. ¡°Oh,¡± The sales manager had exclaimed before feigning a frown. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± I asked for confirmation. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± He chirped in a brighter manner. ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯re very welcome,¡± I heard him say as I moved to get as far as I could from them. Immediately after starting up the bike, I drove around without a clear destination in mind. I imagined I¡¯d need a helmet, but there was surprisingly no mandatory law concerning the matter. Since I had forgone the concept of safety, I was able to feel the air whip past me. Frankly, it was liberating which helped me understand why Stanley collected so many motorcycles throughout his short life. I went to districts of the Emerian Island that I had never been to before stopping at one clothing store. My current style was the epitome of bland, I admit it. If I was superhuman, I should at least dress like it. Well, that made it sound as if I was looking for a spandex suit. I had to give it to Stanley, he was a better dresser than I could hope to be, but then again, that wasn¡¯t exactly a hard thing to do. When I didn¡¯t have anyone to impress or anyone in general, I just wore whatever I had. After deciding that I would switch things up a little, I entered a clothing outlet. ¡°Welcome, can I help¨C you at all today?¡± A rather cheery woman greeted me, but I couldn¡¯t help notice she faltered around the middle of it. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m looking for¨C¡± I examined my current outfit which was the definition of bland. ¡°The opposite of whatever this is.¡± She laughed but I didn¡¯t think it was that funny, or funny at all. ¡°You came to the right place Mr...¨C¡± she trailed which was obviously a cue to introduce myself. ¡°Casper. You can just call me Casper,¡± I muttered. ¡°Right, well then, could I ask about your budget, Casper?¡± Although she had a polite tone, it was a really invasive question that would¡¯ve turned me into a nervous wreck a few months ago. ¡°Around ten thousand dollars.¡± Stanley¡¯s lavish spending was infectious, but I didn¡¯t want to become consumed in his sort of lifestyle. I just think it wouldn¡¯t hurt to ignore my frugal nature once in a while. ¡°Very good!¡± She seemed happier than I was, but I¡¯m pretty sure that the clerks in high fashion outlets get some sort of incentive on sales. Then again, it was just as likely those salesmen at the dealership had muddled my thinking. ¡°Do you have any particular colors in mind?¡± ¡°Anything would work,¡± I replied. "I feel as if you''re leaning toward darker colors," She hummed out. The woman¡¯s expression brightened considerably when she was given free rein but her passion was reassuring. While she began to zip around the store, I trusted she had things under control and waited. ¡­ I returned home with a fancy bag full of clothes that I probably paid way too much for. Also, through no effort of my own, I received the clerk¡¯s number which was sneakily written on the receipt. Ignoring that, I parked my bike outside and headed up into the apartment. On the way up, I ran into Sunny. ¡°Hey, perfect timing,¡± I greeted her, inwardly recalling the offer a weekend outing which meant either today or tomorrow. ¡°If you¡¯re not doing anything let¡¯s go eat or something.¡± I¡¯m sure she was feeling cooped up with the other witches and I had time to kill, at least, until Evanora sent over all the stuff I asked for later tonight. ¡°Really?¡± She seemed surprised by my forwardness. ¡°Yeah, why not?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Just let me put all this stuff away.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait here then,¡± She said as I went up to my place. Being direct like this was nice too. Chapter 48: The Dawn Of A New Era A group of men and women stood in front of a large compound. The words ¡°New Era¡± could be found on nearby banners and clothing items which they flashed with pride. Among this crowd, there were cameras and recording equipment pointed at a singular platform only a few meters away from them. Moving to stand on the raised platform was Ezekiel, the leader of New Era and likely the most wanted man in the world. Wearing thick and baggy clothing while also sporting a long, entangled, blonde hair, and an untrimmed beard, he made his way to the center of the stage. Even though he was met with cheers, he remained quiet and examined those in front of him like a hawk until it became silent. ¡°When I was young...¨C¡± he began, his voice low and commanding. ¡°My younger brother, Jace, and I dreamed of a world where heroes and justice reigned. Where the threat of otherworldly creatures would be far off and everyone would live in peace and harmony. My upbringing was a modest one and I didn¡¯t want for much. That simple life of mine soon fell apart when my brother stopped speaking one day. At first, my parents and I assumed it was a childish protest or a joke he was content on keeping. Unfortunately, after a few days, our concerns grew. The doctors couldn¡¯t make sense of it and neither could anyone else. After a few months, there wasn¡¯t a day that passed without worrying about him.¡± Ezekiel paused, his gaze briefly landing on a camera before turning his focus elsewhere. Each step carried an unseen weight that made him appear far more opposing than his rough appearance would let on. ¡°At first, I resented my brother. I formed the idea that his constant silence deprived me of my parent''s love and affection. As a result of that sudden jealousy, I teased him. I started with small things to annoy him at first, but because I had become dead set on the idea that he was only pretending, I moved onto more overt acts of torment to no avail. Even as I twisted his arm to the point where I thought it would snap, he silently cried without saying a word. Even then, his stifled groans did little to alleviate my deep insecurity.¡± A listless expression could be discerned among the mess of hair that obscured his facial features. ¡°Eventually, I became bored and lost interest in hurting my little brother when I failed to get a reaction. As you may have expected while hearing me tell this story, the reason for my brother¡¯s silence was revealed to me as well as my family when a ruin appeared near to us. Could you imagine our horror and shock? Creatures we had only seen on TV destroyed our entire neighborhood, killing without any hesitation. And do you know what happened when those monsters came to our home?" After a brief pause, Ezekiel continued. ¡°My brother spoke. I can¡¯t recall what he said, but what I can vividly remember is the pain and shock from that day. Jace''s voice destroyed everything as far as I could see. Through some miracle, I managed to survive, while my parents weren¡¯t as lucky. A single word from my brother¡¯s mouth was so powerful that there were no traces of any creatures or even humans to be found. In the aftermath of it, my brother and I were rescued. I told him how sorry I was for everything and I tried to comfort him, to protect him from that feeling of loss, but Jace was taken away from me after that day and I was never able to see him again.¡± The air around Ezekiel roiled with tension, his hair began to sway as a suffocating force radiated from his body. ¡°Regardless of the false image attached to me, I want to make three things extremely clear. One, I love my brother more than anything in this world. Two, based on the strength of my brother¡¯s gift, I believe that Jace is the first human in existence with a class-eight gift but it could possibly be even higher than that. Three, I know for a fact that my brother is being held, against his will, somewhere in the US.¡± Directing his chilling glare into the camera, Ezekiel spoke. ¡°This is a warning to every country, every guild, and every individual out there with a gift. My fight isn¡¯t with you all, but there are many of you who have tried to stop me up until now. Therefore, I will go forward while treating you all as enemies no matter how small your transgressions against us. Expect to see New Era very soon. And if you manage to hear this Jace, I promise I am going to bring you home.¡± With that, Ezekiel¡¯s speech ended. Thunderous applause rang out from the members of New Era surrounding the stage. It would only take ten minutes for Ezekiel¡¯s message to be heard all over the world. ... ¡°So you¡¯re looking to win badass of the year, right?¡± Sunny joked. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. I laughed, hardly taking it to heart. ¡°Aside from the motorcycle, I didn¡¯t choose anything else.¡± ¡°Then what about smoking?¡± She asked. ¡°What can I say, I¡¯m impressionable. I must¡¯ve picked it up from someone.¡± I shrugged lightly. This was our second outing, but I felt that I could be good friends with Sunny. Ignoring our first encounter, I think we had a lot in common¨C or, just enough to speak comfortably. ¡°Oh yeah, I meant to ask you about witches,¡± I sat up with interest. We¡¯d already finished eating and by now I was just waiting for the bill. ¡°Ask away,¡± she replied. ¡°I remember you called Hope a dreamer or something like that, but what does that mean exactly?¡± ¡°Well¡­ All witches don¡¯t have the same abilities if that¡¯s what you¡¯re wondering about. There are four main types as far as I know. I¡¯m a spellcaster, same for Rusalka. Control over a certain type of natural element or things similiar to that our niche. Joy, who you probably haven¡¯t seen much of is an enchanter. What she does is self-explanatory. Hope is a dreamer, or dreaming witch, which just means she¡¯s clairvoyant and a little eccentric sometimes. Lastly, there''s Rosemary who is a healer. I think that explains it all pretty much.¡± ¡°When you put it like that, how is being a witch much different than having a gift?¡± I asked. ¡°Well, for starters, we aren¡¯t restricted to just what we specialize in and we have more control. I¡¯ve heard that for most people, having a gift is like having a specific action pre-programmed for them whereas we have more potential for growth. I''m sure the line between witches and gifted probably blurs as you go further up the ladder, much like the other precursors.¡± Sunny took a sip from her drink before glancing off into the distance. ¡°The last question is about Evanora,¡± I spoke, briefly taking note of her reaction as I continued. ¡°What type of which is she?¡± ¡°Well, she¡¯s much different than the rest of us, I can tell you that. A so-called ¡®Great Witch¡¯ as I¡¯ve been told hundreds of times.¡± Sunny said, making air quotes as she expressed her skepticism. ¡°It¡¯s a nice way of saying she is good at everything whereas I would struggle to have prophetic dreams without first performing some very complicated ritual.¡± ¡°Ah, I think I get it.¡± I nodded. I couldn¡¯t get much else out as a small commotion began to take over the area around us. The ringing of phones filled the air as everyone glued their eyes to their screens. ¡°What the hell?¡± I mumbled as I checked my phone. Sunny did the same and we both stumbled on the answer quite quickly. Covering every news site, forum, and social network was New Era, or specifically, the ringleader, Ezekiel. As if we had some tacit understanding, both Sunny and I viewed the video and showed the same perplexed expression. ¡°I¨C¡± My own phone rang, and the caller was none other than Alexandra. ¡°Hello?¡± I answered. [I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve seen it already?] Alexandra inquired. ¡°Yeah, I have,¡± I looked at a curious Sunny, but didn¡¯t give an explanation. [Good, saves me the trouble of explaining things. Remember when I told you that Stanley was going to be replaced with an informant?] ¡°Sure.¡± [Well, that informant has been, for lack of a better word, informing us of some things. From what I¡¯ve heard, it looks like New Era is going to make good on Ezekiel¡¯s promise and this island is one of the targets. As a pre-emptive measure, we¡¯re going to be raiding several suspected hideouts in a few weeks but there¡¯s some bad news...] her voice trailed off, making feel as if something was off. ¡°What is it?¡± [They will most likely put a lot of resources into finding out who killed Henry and Stanley as well as any operations that disrupted their actions here.] ¡°Do you think they¡¯re going to use artifacts to find me? Over two guys?¡± I was stunned to think they would go that far. [I¡¯m almost certain they will, that¡¯s why I''m calling to warn you. New Era is essentially on the level of Sleeping Lion, except they have the benefit of operating in whatever they want without accountability. These aren¡¯t like the guys you¡¯ve been fighting so far and they are extremely fucking persistent. It would be in your best interest to take a long vacation¨C I''d suggest somewhere much warmer.] ¡°Thanks for the heads up but I can¡¯t just leave. My dad still lives here and he definitely won¡¯t want to leave.¡± [I guessed you¡¯d say something like that¡­ It won''t help to hear this but the Emerian government is in possession of several obscuring artifacts that would help protect you from being tracked down, but they won¡¯t even let me rent one for you. They¡¯ve wizened up to the fact that you aren¡¯t apart of my guild and deemed you an ¡®unpredictable asset,¡¯ which basically means they want you to personally come forward and get tangled up with them. I refused to give them anything on you and in return, they¡¯ve refused to let me borrow an artifact that would help you.] ¡°It¡¯s fine, really¡± I replied calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out.¡± [Sure, but call me if you need help otherwise, just try to be careful.] Alexandra left me with those words before she hung up. With cold water poured on my mood, I was just about ready to leave and Sunny seemed to notice it. She didn¡¯t ask about my phone call, but it was obvious that I wasn¡¯t very chipper. ¡°You¡¯re ready to leave?¡± She asked. ¡°Yeah, just about,¡± I said, flashing a smile while hiding other thoughts behind it. Chapter 49: Eat Your Heart Out, Casper Clay Putting aside the possibility of being attacked New Era, I cleared my first ruin in a while. A basic class-1 ruin wasn¡¯t much of an obstacle and only netted me, 250 souls, putting my grand total at 1250. At this point, I don¡¯t think there was much to be gained by killing weaker monsters. Gathering experience was always a good thing, but the creatures I killed went down pretty easily. Before leaving, I opened the grimoire and read its contents. The penumbra has finished digesting. Due to the qualities of the items it consumed, it has produced a weaker manifestation of a weapon known as the ¡®Dagger of Premonition.¡¯ While this dagger is your possession, you will be warned of any perceived danger, including extreme bloodlust and hostility as well as lower forms of stealth and false appearances. This weapon has an innate concealing effect and can take the form of a ring. If you wish to use the full manifestation of this ancient weapon, thereby gaining greater effect, the blade must be consumed with higher quality items. If the process is unsuccessful, the blade will be destroyed. To retrieve this weapon, summon the penumbra. The penumbra is currently sated, feeding it any more will incur the development of the ¡®Greed¡¯ attribute. After reading the grimoire, I immediately returned it to the blood mark on my hand and focused on the penumbra. I was still in the dark on how to best control it, but since I was told to summon it, I simply formed the intention in my mind and hoped it would take notice. My efforts weren¡¯t in vain as the mysterious shadowy limb emerged from my abdomen and presented a small dagger to me. Both the handle and blade curved giving the weapon a slight J-shape which didn¡¯t mean anything to me seeing as I wasn''t skilled in using daggers. No, what interested me was the fact that it could be used in the form of a ring. I accepted the dagger the penumbra offered and changed its form as the dark limb retreated into my navel. Its appearance became that of a worn-out ring with a surface full of scratches. Anyone who was aware of me being gifted would easily guess the ring I had was an artifact since there weren¡¯t many times people with gifts wore accessories that were just for show. In that sense, some artifacts acted as a replacement for high fashion and were a show of status. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get back home,¡± I mumbled. There was something more pressing I needed to deal with, but the Dagger of Premonition would alleviate my worry of New Era popping up somewhere I didn¡¯t expect. ... Filling my living room was copies of different texts. Whether it be passages from the Egyptian book of the dead or the theories of the soul from Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle. There were also plentiful theological references included. I would be lying if I tried to say that Evanora skimped on anything. There were also various small trinkets, rings, and charms that dealt with healing in some way. The fact that most were made from natural things like bones, wood, braided hemp, stones, and countless other things, I assumed that they had to have been created by witches at some point. After all, there were gifts that allowed others to ¡°create¡± or imbue things with enchantments and special qualities. That aside, I was preparing for something I felt was dangerous. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Halt the beating of my own heart,¡± I muttered as I recalled Penelope¡¯s instructions. A common theme among most of the material I read spoke for the duality between the soul and physical body. That was something I had already guessed, but additional confirmation was never a bad thing. I took a glance at all of the artifacts given to me by Evanora, but kept them out of reach since the penumbra was likely to reach for them. I decided I would put them on since I couldn¡¯t exactly have the autonomous shadow arm drain them of vitality. I carefully began to retrieve the artifacts, taking one at a time, keeping a tight grip all the while. I figured out that the penumbra couldn¡¯t, or at least wouldn¡¯t, take artifacts I managed to wear. I imagine that if I fed it properly, I would be able to control it better. After equipping myself with enough accessories to shame a gypsy, I sat in a cross-legged position and closed my eyes. First, I got a feel for the beating of my heart. Honing on the steady rhythm allowed me to better imagine the flow of my own blood. An unending constant that was powered by each heartbeat. I thought to slow the entire process down and I felt my heartbeat slow. Rather than panic, it was an almost relaxing ordeal until a sense of fatigue set in. I felt light-headed and could barely maintain my concentration after some time had gone by. Fearing I would pass out before I was able to finish the ordeal, I forced my heartbeat to a standstill with all the focus I could muster. It felt like a sledgehammer hit me when it finally occurred. There was a sudden release much like a taut rope being cut in one motion as my body lost its tension. And then, I felt cold. ¡­ My body felt as if it were sinking into endless quicksand, bogged down by some unthinkable weight. It didn¡¯t occur to me what was happening at first, like seeing something odd in a dream. And just like a dream, once the realization hit, there was a sharp jump in what was occurring. My slow and peaceful descent had shifted into a high-velocity fall straight into an abyss. When I finally hit solid ground, there was no impact. In fact, it was only now had I felt the weightlessness of my own body. Had I felt it before, I think the fear of falling might¡¯ve been cut down a little. Taking a look around, there was red as far as I could see. The ground was the color of blood and red fog seemed to fill every direction except forward. Behind thin clouds of red, there was a star. No, it only resembled a star, but I understood it was my own soul, or at least, a representation of it. As I moved closer to the sphere emitting a pale light, its radiance began to grow exponentially until it was nearly blinding. I raised my hand to shield my eyes from its light while making out a tether that connected my soul to the undulating pond of scarlet below it. Easing closer, I felt that there was a certain unnatural force pushing me away. Each step increased the resistance, but I continued to silently struggle forward. With one hand outstretched, I blindly reached for the tether. I knew I had it in my hands when the mute chaos had come to a stop. The light that prevented me from seeing anything dimmed once more and I could clearly see the tether within my hands. I had to question whether or not this was a real experience or perhaps my mind attempting to make sense of it all? The answer wasn¡¯t as important as going through with the final step. There was an unseen weight to my hesitation. I had come this far and I shuddered to think about what sort of mess my physical body might be in by now. Still, something told me that destroying this tether wasn¡¯t something that could be done casually. ¡®Here goes nothing,¡¯ I thought as I began to rip the tether. The link connecting the sphere and the blood beneath it snapped unceremoniously, causing me to doubt my previous assertion about it. With the destruction of the tether, the blood beneath the glowing sphere trembled ominously before it parted and I fell to a lower level. My plummet was a short one, as I landed into a large pool of fluorescent blood. The opening above me disappeared and I was left in a cramped space with the only light being from the blood that brushed against me. ¡®Lifeblood,¡¯ I thought. The lifeblood seemed to pulse and I was filled with the urge to drink it. In order to complete the ritual, I suppose I needed to. I grabbed a palmful of it and drank, but an indescribable agony was broadcasted through my every nerve. It felt as if someone injected molten glass into my veins, burning everything inside of me. The pool lifeblood seemed to awaken and dragged me underneath. I struggled with no gains, feeling the intensity of the pain multiply with each second that passed. As if that wasn''t enough, while I drowned in the lifeblood, it soaked into every pore of my body. I struggled to maintain myself in the middle of it all and eventually, I decided to give up. The moment I wanted to choose death over the ungodly pain that infested my every nerve, it came to a stop. And for the last time, I fell. Chapter 50: Who Is Casper Clay? Pt.1 A high-pitched ringing sound stirred me from my sleep. I blinked frantically as my vision came into focus. The lethargy I felt stemmed from both physical and mental exhaustion. The shock of the experience dulled my senses and I questioned if I had re-entered reality. ¡°What¡­?¡± I muttered, finally realizing my apartment had been covered in blood runes. From the floor to the ceiling there was an unending symmetry created from the runes. Protection. Binding. Pathway. Vein. Release. Consuming. Absorbing. Concealing. I recognized the runes easily, or at least what they meant. I had never attempted to invoke anything other than some rather basic runes. I stood up¨C no, I tried to stand up but my body fell over. My fatigue caused me frustration, but I was able to see that my own body was covered in blood runes. The only spot that wasn¡¯t touched by blood was an untouched circle on my floor that surrounded me. ¡°Ah, the artifacts?¡± The charms I had worn were completely drained, depriving me of all their properties. So, I channeled the blood circulating in my veins and forced myself to stand. My body creaked and it felt as if shards of glass were embedded in my veins. I suppressed a grunt with each step until I stepped outside of the circle and there was a sharp pain. The blood runes began glowing before they dissolved before disappearing altogether. Since there was one less mess to clean, I didn¡¯t mind. The pain subsided and my slow walk to the bathroom was uninterrupted. ¡°What the hell?¡± I was dumbstruck by my own reflection. A streak of gray hair intersected my previously brown hair and my skin was a shade paler. I had become visibly similar to Penelope in that way who had several streaks of gray hair within her black hair and had very pale skin tone. ¡­ Minutes later, I washed myself up and prepared to open the grimoire. At first, I assumed that days would¡¯ve passed, but it turned out that it had only been a few hours since the ¡°ritual¡± was completed. I felt no obvious changes, but I felt I could channel my blood more fluidly. Since I couldn¡¯t make sense of it myself, I brought out the grimoire and began to read the changes. You have defied fate, this accomplishment is not without consequence. There are beings who will seek you out to challenge your resolve. Defeat them and receive great rewards. The Path of The Dread Sorceror: The Endless Penumbra: The penumbra is currently sated, feeding it any more will incur the development of the ¡®Greed¡¯ attribute. Art of Sanguina: Take control of your lifeblood and you will find the only restriction in the use of blood arts lay within your imagination. You have successfully gained control of your lifeblood and the force within it. Explore its limits. Art of Mortality: To think that raising the dead is the peak of necromancy is pure ignorance. Only once you explore your own death and gain enlightenment will you gain an idea of the power you could wield. You¡¯ve looked upon the structure of your own soul and altered it. You have started to understand the concept of mortality. Form of Bones: For a Dread Sorcerer, your body is your greatest defense. To be bent, broken, and crushed is a small price in that regard, wouldn¡¯t you agree? Form of Flesh: To use this form requires you to act as a medium between worlds. If you use your flesh as a gateway, you may summon spirits to fight for you¡­ for as long as you can withstand the pain, that is. Or perhaps you wish you carve runes upon your skin and make use of their effect for a time? Song of The Crow: Because you possess an artifact with a small affinity toward death, you can enhance its powers further and permanently bind it to your soul. Song of Silence: This will summon a death fog in the area around you. The longer your enemies stand within it, the more you can will it to weaken them. You cannot move or speak while using this power as any sound you make will cause the death fog to target your soul. Penelope¡¯s Song: A unique skill that is the result of walking the Path of the Death Bringer and Dread Sorcerer. Once a month, when the moon is at its brightest, you may meet with Penelope should she be willing. Breathless Walk: Move as the spirits of the dead do, silent and unseen. Pass through any solid object that is not affected by magic or living. While in this state, you may not attack others. Beings with strengthened perception and eyesight may discover you if you are not careful. If discovered by the living, you will be removed from this state. In addition, the moment you breathe is when this technique will end. The Broken Scale: A pound of flesh is the greatest collateral of all. Offer a vital part of your body up and your sorceries will become more powerful. Any part that is exchanged will be rendered unusable for a year. Stampede of Pale Horses: The ones atop pale horses look at you with curiosity, but do not accept you as worthy. Touch of Azrael: You cannot accept this in your current state as it would tear your soul asunder. Inheritor of Thanatos: You are absolutely worthless and will continue to be seen as such until deemed otherwise, Casper Clay. The grimoire was hardly short on surprises. After essentially liberating my soul, I inadvertently upset an unknown number of beings. Whether they perceived my actions as arrogance or completely disapproved of me, I didn¡¯t know. ¡°We¡¯ll just add it to the list then,¡± I said aloud. So far, I had disgusted the Demon Princes of hell. Which hell was it exactly? I didn¡¯t know. I successfully pissed off New Era and would probably be meeting some of the members rather sooner than later. And now, to top it off, there was an unknown number of unknown beings who wanted to see my limits. ¡°Delightful,¡± I said sarcastically. In spite of that, there was no way I¡¯d live in fear of everything, after all, I had been through much worse so far. ¡­ A day later, I was standing outside of a Class-3 Ruin. Waiting for the guild team to arrive while indulging in the habit of smoking. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. They came together, arriving in a stylish sedan before nearly stepping out of the car in sync. A group of four men carrying suitcases decorated with a sword symbol made it clear who they were. The ¡®Eternal Sword¡¯ guild was the second strongest guild in the world, just after Sleeping Lion. ¡°You¡¯re Casper Clay?¡± One of them approached me. ¡°Yeah.¡± I flicked the cigarette away under his reproachful gaze. I wasn¡¯t intimidated by his stern expression, it¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t want to be rude and wanted to curb my bad habit as quickly as I could. While they were all business professional, expensive suits and everything. I was clearly more casual, wearing a black hoodie, track pants, and sneakers. ¡°I see,¡± He said, clearly less than enthused. ¡°And do you understand the nature of this test?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied, glancing at the suited men behind him. They all seemed sort of pissed, but I guess if you were meant to scout prospective talent, you¡¯d get a little fed up. Especially if the aforementioned talent turned out to be a bust. ¡°Just to be clear, I¡¯ll repeat the terms. You are expected to clear at least three-fourths of the ruin alone. This will demonstrate adaptability, strength, and ingenuity thereby showcasing your talent and combat ability. If you manage to do as instructed, you will receive sixty percent of the profit and will be able to negotiate for better terms. If you clear the ruin in its entirety, you will receive one hundred percent of the profit barring the discovery of any artifacts. All artifacts on your person must be accounted for before entering the ruin. If we discover that you attempted to steal any artifacts, you will be restrained and reported to the authorities. If you fail to meet the requirements, you can signal us for help but doing so will forfeit all profit and the possibility of joining our guild. Do you understand?¡± Suppressing the urge to yawn, I nodded my head. ¡°I got it so can we start already?¡± The four men all showed different reactions toward my question and none of them were very positive. ¡­ For the sake of proving myself ¡°adaptable,¡± I was given little on the ruin and had to search for details myself. The creatures I was meant to deal with today were Trolls, monsters that were physically similar to ogres, but that was where the similarities ended. Trolls were more feral and uncoordinated than ogres, rarely operating under a hierarchy, unless a Great Troll appeared. Besides their social structure, trolls healed from their wounds at an unbelievable rate if you let up for a second and had a greater resilience overall. ¡®Ah, the smell!¡¯ couldn¡¯t forget the best part. Maybe it was a defense mechanism or a way to mark territory, trolls often covered their fur in as much filth as they could. In addition to the putrid smell, their claws were basically poisonous if they managed to tear into the skin. I purchased a cheap combat suit but I¡¯d be relying on my sanguina to protect my body. Hopefully, it would be more effective this time. ¡°Do not take up too much time or our agreement will be null,¡± The talent scout from Eternal Sword sent me off after saying that. I didn¡¯t reply since I hadn¡¯t even seriously considered joining their guild. I doubt there was anyone who chose to use recruiting assessment in order to train, but here I was. A sent a crow out to survey the area around me, finding the thickets filling the landscape to be counterproductive to my efforts. With a quick flicker, I enabled Spirit Vision which revealed around a dozen or so presences within 500 meters or thereabout. There were several souls concentrated in a cluster near a brighter one which was a likely sign of a Great Troll being present. I began sprinting toward one of the fainter presences that happened to be alone. After trudging through fields of tall grass and mud, I arrived at the location of the semi-clueless monster. It began sniffing the air almost as soon as I moved. With a deep growl, it bore its sharp crooked teeth at me as it rose to its feet. It rushed forward without hesitation. ¡°Woah.¡± I backstepped, avoiding the reckless charge of the heavy creature. At the same time, I sent two blood arrows toward its thick hide. A loud grunt sent in response let me know that they landed. ¡°Arggh!¡± The Troll seemed to grow angrier and its speed increased greatly. Its body swelled with rage as it jumped toward me. I remained attentive and avoided the frenzy of swings. ¡°Haargh!¡± Another incoherent shout spilled from its mouth while its eyes went bloodshot. I seized every opening and fired a steady barrage of blood at the massive target. I wasn¡¯t looking to kill it or fatally injure it, I just needed to inject it with enough of my blood to test something. In spite of the assault it suffered, the troll grew more rabid with each moment and it didn¡¯t help that my environment was difficult to navigate. It brought its fist down on me and as I tried to dodge, my feet were slowed by the mud. Without any choice, I attempted to control the large amount of my blood that should¡¯ve been flowing inside of the troll. I forced its body to come to a stop mid-swing and began counting. ¡®One, two, three, four, five¡­¡¯ The troll became rigid but put up fierce resistance, slowly wresting control back. By the time seven seconds went by, it had broken free of my control and charged at me once more. I twisted my body out of the way before extending a sharpened blood spike into its waist. It took effort to force the spike into its flesh and I hit bone almost immediately. With a thought, the solidified spike turned flexible and stretched further into its muscle fibers and organs. ¡°Aaargh!¡± The troll bellowed in agony before throwing a punch that could shattered bones toward me. Before it could land, I forced the blood spike to burn. The pain all caused the troll to contort, stopping its attack midway. A scarlet blade emerged from my free hand and plunged into its abdomen. Ignoring the putrid smell that was downright disorienting, I dragged the blade through its belly which spilled its entrails onto the ground. ¡°Disgusting,¡± I insulted the dead troll, pinching my nose to protect myself from the potent rotten smell. I sent a small blood dart into its body and began to take control of its own stagnating blood. As the murky red fluid was drawn from its body, I thought about the Art of Sanguina. By the words of the grimoire, its potential was said to be immense, but that didn¡¯t mean whatever I think would just happen. I had to form an idea, build on it, and gather enough understanding and experience to. Right now, I could wield my blood into whatever shape or construct I wanted and cause small effects like tiny explosions, but it wasn¡¯t special. Drawing a blood rune could exert a greater reaction, but that required a touch of precision. If the rune sign was smeared or blurred, it would fail to work. I absorbed the troll¡¯s blood into me which gave me a burst of energy and washed away at least half of my fatigue. There was also Soul Siphon which gave me a temporary boost of strength which usually went away within 30 seconds. The amount of blood that my body could hold seemed to have a set limit as a portion went unabsorbed and began to orbit around me. I think I¡¯d have to name this state ¡®Overflow¡¯ on account of the fact that blood was overflowing in a sense. I wielded the excess blood, firing a ball toward a tree. ¡®Fire,¡¯ I thought. I felt something click inside of me and the orb of blood suddenly caught fire. It struck the tree and doused part of it in blood. The damp tree failed to catch fire, but that wasn¡¯t the result I was looking for. I fired off another blood orb with the intention to have it explode which it did. However, instead of causing a fiery explosion, the blood orb splattered everywhere. I sent another blood orb away, aiming for an acidic reaction. The blood landed on a tree and began eroding it like a powerful acid. A puff of steam arose from the tree I targeted. The effects were certainly more potent than before, but they weren¡¯t at the point where I could cause a bigger impact. Maybe on something on the level of half of a kilogram of dynamite to start with. I wanted to be capable of killing most class-3 monsters in one attack or injuring them at the very least. ¡®Your foes are approaching from the east, take heed,¡¯ The ring on my hand whispered to me, cutting my tests short. ¡°Dagger of Premonition, huh.¡± I looked at the dull silver ring with slight surprise. It didn¡¯t speak during the fight, so it either didn¡¯t think I was in danger or there wasn¡¯t enough ¡°bloodlust¡± or ¡°hostility¡± as the description said. I crow-shifted and flew toward the trees to observe whatever was approaching. It didn¡¯t take long to find out as not even a minute later, a fierce-looking troll entered the area with several others in tow. ¡®A Great Troll?¡¯ I thought as I watched them. Carrying a rough-shaped club and wearing the bones of other trolls, the Great Troll stomped toward the lukewarm corpse. It inhaled deeply before releasing a horrid breath that was eye-watering even while in the form of crows. ¡°Huuurgh,¡± The Great Troll growled. Its eyes slowly turned toward me and I flew away without hesitation. Immediately after, a powerful roar filled air letting me know just how mad the Great Troll was. I quickly put some distance between us before the shifting ability ended and headed toward another lone troll. Chapter 51: Who Is Casper Clay? Pt.2 Casper stood over the slightly burned corpse of a troll. A large scorch mark was present on its chest, while the rest of its body seemed to be littered with wounds. The self-named, state of Overflow had ended, but he managed to deal with the creature all the same. ¡°Your friends will be here soon,¡± Casper mumbled as he carved a rune onto its chest. It briefly flashed before turning back to normal, a sign it was ready to be invoked. With a thought, a small pillar of fire would rise up making for the perfect trap. ¡°The name of the game is attrition,¡± Casper said aloud. He was undaunted by the appearance of a Great Troll, thinking it all the better. ¡®They come for you,¡¯ The dull ring whispered to him. He turned serious and dismembered one of the dead troll¡¯s arms. He raised it high before perform a downward swing that created a rattling sound. The flesh evaporated from the limb as the bones extended into the form of a war scythe. ¡®It¡¯s been too long,¡¯ He thought as he sprinted away from the scene. He imparted three runes on the blade of the war scythe, sharpness, weight, and reinforcement, temporary runes for a temporary weapon. Once he made it to a spot where he could view the bait from afar, he hunkered down and waited. Marching through the brush with heavy steps were the band of trolls. The Great Troll seethed with anger at the intruder who ran amok in his territory. He hardly cared about the deaths of the other trolls but more so the fact there was a challenger who continued to avoid him. With a loud grunt, he sent one of the trolls at his side to view the latest victim. The troll dragged its feet forward without a hint of caution before taking a whiff of the scent left at the site. Caspers blood carried a distinct scent that the trolls easily picked up. Just as the troll was about to look in Casper¡¯s general direction, fire burst from the body of the corpse, engulfing the stunned troll in its radius. In spite of its muddy fur, it didn¡¯t escape several burns that forced its eyes shut. As the other trolls recoiled in shock, Casper rushed forward. He increased his blood flow, strengthening his body which granted him a burst of speed as a result. He lowered his body and like springs, his leg muscles launched him forward. His body shortened the distance between Casper and the burnt troll in an instant. He twisted his body while in the air and brought down his war scythe with a powerful swing. The blade of the ivory war scythe glided through the neck of the troll and beheaded it with little resistance. As Casper landed, he rolled to recover his footing before thrusting his hand forward, drawing out the blood from the headless corpse. The Great Trolls and his remaining comrades were already rushing forward but were forced to stop as a short wall of blood rose up and crystallized around their limbs. They broke free without much of a struggle, shattering the blood wall, but Casper had already shifted into a flock of crows and headed off into the distance. ¡°Aaaargh!¡± The Great Troll grew enraged and swung toward a clueless troll at his side. The club completely obliterated the skull of the weaker troll and added another headless body to the surroundings. ¡­ Off in the distance, Casper landed sloppily. He returned to his human form and tumbled in the mud as he heaved. Temporarily increasing the flow of his own blood carried an exhausting effect. He drew in deep breaths as he stabbed the war scythe into the ground, using it to support himself. Underneath his mud-stained combat suit, his muscles cramped in a grotesque manner causing him no shortage of pain. Gritting his teeth he waited for the ordeal to pass which didn¡¯t take long. After about thirty seconds, his body returned to normal and he stood up, immediately running further into the swampland-like environment. ¡®It''s probably better to absorb the blood of whatever I kill to offset the cost of physical enhancement,¡¯ he thought. Even Soul Siphoning did little to help him recover from the cost of overtaxing his body. It seemed that only entering a state of ¡®Overflow¡¯ would work. He figured the real problem stemmed from suddenly demanding his body operate at a higher output than it was accustomed to. ¡°The permanent solution is likely building experience in this case,¡± Casper said as he slowed down. He began mentally categorizing all he learned so far: -Wielding -Invocation -Augmentation In addition to freely wielding his blood, he could invoke magical effects and even amplify his physique albeit temporarily. Casper didn¡¯t count blood absorption among his newly developed skills and he couldn¡¯t quite categorize the state of Overflow since it was apart of absorption.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Even though it wasn¡¯t the place to daydream, Casper couldn¡¯t help but think of using his blood as a method of traveling or even creating clones from his own blood. He brought himself back to reality and focused on something more attainable like the ability to suppress pain. Since every bodily function relied on blood to facilitate it, he figured he could key in on that and reduce the pain he felt from injuries. ¡®Again, they approach you with ill intent.¡¯ Casper nodded before realizing that the ring wasn¡¯t able to reply. Ignoring that, he waved his hand and doused the area in his own blood before moving to hide. He summoned the Spectral Bow and waited for the approach of the trolls who seemed set on killing him. The moment the Great Troll appeared, he fired the translucent arrow and it pierced straight through him. He groaned, gripping his chest from the pain of the arrow passing through him, but recovered within the next moment. Casper didn¡¯t wait to see the arrow hit and instead lowered his posture and scrambled through the tall grass. His mud-stained outfit offered camouflage and his scent was obscured due to the blood he spread around the area. It was the perfect environment to fight multiple enemies who relied on their senses and had little intelligence overall. With no clear plan, three of the weaker trolls charged into the brush chasing after the slightest of sounds. One unknowingly moved closer to Casper who launched himself out of the grass and pierced its chest, striking its heart. For good measure, he thrust a scarlet blade into its neck before absorbing the blood that spilled out. With the potent blood overflowing from him, he fired several blood orbs in the direction of the Great Troll who posed the biggest threat. ¡°Aaargh!¡± The Great Troll who started toward Casper stopped after hearing the loud hiss of his fur and skin being dissolved. Unfortunately for Casper, its injuries healed just as quickly as they appeared. ¡®Shit,¡¯ Casper cursed inwardly but moved toward the two weaker trolls. He augmented his strength once more and his speed increased threefold due to Soul Siphoning adding onto his agility. He brought down his scythe on its head, splitting its skull into halves before forcing the blood out of its body. A dozen small scarlet arrows formed in the air before piercing into the last of the ordinary trolls. It staggered back, but as Casper barreled down on him, he was as good as dead. His war scythe slashed across its chest and just as he was about to experience the recoil from augmenting his strength, he absorbed its blood. ¡®Move!¡¯ The whisper grew louder, but Casper just barely managed to respond. He raised his war scythe and received the earth-shattering blow from the Great Troll¡¯s club. ¡°Gergh!¡± A strange sound left Casper¡¯s mouth as he nearly spit blood. The Great Troll flashed its teeth menacingly as it added more strength to the club. Casper¡¯s feet sank into the mud while his bones creaked painfully. The difference in strength was clear and if he attempted to block the Great Troll¡¯s hit again, he¡¯d come out as the loser. Even the reinforced war scythe was filled with cracks which were a testament to the brute strength of the Great Troll. With immense effort, Casper side-stepped and the club came crashing down where he previously stood. A deep crater was left in the mud and dirt was sent everywhere. Without losing a step, the Great Troll performed a wide swing that split the air. Without room to dodge, Casper solidified the blood protecting his body and took the brunt of the strike. His body was frozen in place from the solid layer of blood surrounding him, but he still was pushed through the mud. ¡®It hurts like hell but it¡¯ll work,¡¯ Casper thought. He managed to gain some distance and now had room to maneuver. A volley of scarlet arrows rained down on the Great Troll who wisely lifted his club and blocked most of them. Doing so also impaired his vision giving Casper an opening. A blood orb splattered across the knee of the Great Troll and began to dissolve its skin, but Casper didn¡¯t stop there. He rushed forward and swung his scythe toward its leg, choosing to focus on one body part instead of its entire body. The two of them traded strikes, the Great Troll brought his club down while Casper nimbly avoided it while slicing its calf. With the frightening regeneration, Casper''s attack had very little effect which meant they both failed to leave any lasting damage. Casper wasn¡¯t put off by the recovery of his enemy and attacked once more. The two of them were unrelenting toward one another, but the Great Troll grew stronger with each passing moment. His rage served to make him ignorant of any pain and exhaustion that came from performing the physically demanding attacks. Casper, on the other hand, grew tired. The battered landscape hindered his footwork making his work twice as hard against an opponent who only seemed to get stronger with time. Sensing that he couldn¡¯t keep up with the Great Troll for much longer, Casper forced his muscles to expand and pushed for a decisive attack. He launched a flurry of blood orbs as a distraction while lunging toward the Great Troll¡¯s leg. The war scythe cut deeply severing the muscle tendons but snapped in half right after. With no choice, Casper pushed out a scarlet blade and with every ounce of strength he had, he stabbed into the base of the Great Troll¡¯s jaw. The Great Troll¡¯s arm was still upright with the club in hand when Casper impaled his jaw. With a gurgle, he began to let out an unending growl. He also seemed to want to finish the fight in one strike. He raised the club higher but as he went to strike Casper, a fire burst inside of his skull. A puff of smoke left his mouth as he lost his grip, dropping the club which managed to barely graze Casper¡¯s head. The Great Troll looked down at the tiny creature who stared back at him, wearing a sardonic smile underneath a murderous gaze. ¡°And that¡¯s the end of it,¡± Casper said lightly. As he finished speaking, a series of muffled popping sounds could be heard as black smoke poured out of the Great Troll¡¯s mouth. Flames burst out of its eyes before it towering figure went limp, collapsing onto Casper. ¡­ ¡°Has the allotted time passed?¡± One of the men accompanying the recruiter asked. ¡°No, he still has at least ten minutes,¡± The recruiter replied. ¡°You heard the Great Troll, right? Do you think he¡¯s still alive?¡± Someone chimed. ¡°Who knows, but since he hasn¡¯t activated the bracelet we gave him and he has time, we¡¯ll stay here. You know the rules.¡± ¡°Of course, I only¨C¡± The man trailed off as he narrowed his gaze before muttering under his breath, ¡°No way.¡± Covered in mud, blood, and sweat, Casper dragged himself forward with the head of the Great Troll in his hands. His combat suit was in tatters and his hair clung against his face, with a streak of grey just being visible. In spite of his appearance, Casper grinned, satisfied by the reactions of the recruiters. As he arrived in front of them, he tossed the Great Troll¡¯s head at their feet. ¡°So, you said I¡¯d be getting one hundred percent of the profit?¡± Casper asked, but none of the men gave a response. Chapter 52: Awakened Once More With Alexandra¡¯s payments finally arriving and the money that Eternal Sword was forced to give up, not that they would mind, I was beginning to accumulate a great deal of wealth. Well, when compared to what I earned before it was a huge amount. There was no need to compare myself to people like Evanora or the various executives and guild members who wouldn¡¯t spare a lingering thought at what I made. To say I was envious of them would be a lie since I found that the grimoire was more interesting than money. ¡°Casper Clay?¡± Someone approached me. A middle-aged man with a proud smile appeared in front of me with his hand outstretched. The crest of an owl on the lapel of his jacket gave away his guild affiliation with the Red Owl Guild. ¡°Yeah,¡± I shook his hand. And¡­¨C surprisingly, there was no one else with him. Just a single representative which struck me as odd. I almost wanted to double-check that he was a guild officiate, but the ring on my hand was meant to warn me of false appearances. ¡°Is it just you?¡± I asked, making my skepticism apparent ¡°Yes, this ruin is a bit of a special case as you might¡¯ve seen in the info we sent over.¡± As he spoke, we began walking toward the entrance stapled with warnings. ¡°I¡¯ve read up on it, but I couldn¡¯t be sure if it was just an exaggeration or not,¡± I replied. As with most ruins, there was always something beyond the understanding of humanity. Whether it was the defiance of the laws of physics or certain anomalies that made you question your own existence, the ruins were still enigmatic places. With that said, the one I currently stared at was a difficult one, to say the least. In this ruin, there was a single creature who was quite adept at combat. A guardian beast, they called it if I remember correctly. What awaited me was a powerful creature who rested in a desert-like environment. The tricky part wasn¡¯t the creature, but the fact that the strength of the creature changed based on how many people entered the ruin as well as what equipment they had. As expected of something that peculiar, a lot of people died at this ruin due to lack of preparation. ¡°Even if I won¡¯t be fighting it directly, it¡¯s best to go in as few as possible. And¨C¡± He flashed a sheathed dagger from underneath his suit jacket. ¡°The only item I¡¯m bringing in is a non-enchanted weapon. My gift is fairly uncommon and perfectly suited for killing that thing should you need my help.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± I nodded. Inwardly, I wondered if the grimoire and the knife of premonition would affect it. If it did, then I can safely say that I would be in for a trial by fire. However, the point of this ruin seemed to be to test one¡¯s limits. I just needed to be prepared for the chance the artifacts I had would affect the challenge I face. ¡°If you think it''s too dangerous, we have the rights to other ruins which are less worrying. I can arrange a later date to test you if you don¡¯t want to take an unknown risk.¡± ¡°No, I think I¡¯ll stick with this one, but thanks anyway,¡± I said, dismissing his offer. While there was the possibility of his offer being a ¡°secret¡± test of my courage, he seemed genuine enough. I couldn¡¯t help but think that the info surrounding my previous ruin clearing must¡¯ve made it to their ears and they were being careful. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll go change,¡± I spoke while gazing at the eerily quiet entrance of the ruin. He nodded his head and stepped to the side while I headed off to get ready. ¡­ We descended the stairs without speaking about much. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see him again so it made small talk needless in my opinion. As we moved lower, I felt the air shift, growing warmer with each step. ¡°We¡¯re close,¡± he said as we spotted light below. I stepped out and the first thing that greeted me was dunes of sand surrounded by a huge wall made of sandstone. ¡°Wow,¡± I muttered. Ruins were indeed something special. There was an entirely different world within each of them and it only became more awe-inspiring the stronger the ruin was. We climbed up a small dune and there it was¨C the half-buried body of some strange creature. ¡°I¡¯ll hang back here,¡± The representative from Red Owl said. ¡°Got it,¡± I replied. ¡°Do not be deceived by appearances, the foe ahead hides a tremendous strength,¡± The ring whispered to me. ¡°Ah,¡± I exclaimed and didn¡¯t approach just yet, but it was too late. The entire ruin began shaking as the creature stirred to life. ¡°What the hell?¡± Behind, I could hear a surprised voice, meaning this wasn¡¯t normal.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°What¡¯s going¨C¡± I turned to question him but the sand beneath his feet exploded in a dust cloud and carried him out of the ruin in a flash. ¡°Shit,¡± I cursed. Before I could think about running, the entrance to the ruin was blocked with a wall of sand that quickly solidified. ¡°How long has it been¡­¡± An ancient voice filled the air, speaking a strange language that I was able to understand. As the ruin continued to change, the dunes of sand shrunk before being replaced with grandiose columns with faded markings inscribed into them. Further away, viewing platforms began to form on the walls along with tattered banners whose colors had long since faded. The creature in the center also turned into something different. Its previously dried and sand-covered appearance had undergone a revitalization as if someone had breathed life into it. Tufts of dried fur fell off in clumps revealing human-like skin. However, it stood taller than any human I had seen. At least four meters in height. As all shred of weakness and age were torn away, a hairless, vaguely human, man dressed in thick armor was revealed to me. His unfocused gaze soon sharpened and his eyes fell onto me. ¡°I presume you are the cause of this change?¡± He asked. His voice, though it was deep, had lost its thundering tone. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I spoke cautiously, quietly reinforcing my body with blood armor. ¡°Do you know what ground you tread upon?¡± He questioned me once more. ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± I gave a curt reply. His words were hardly indicative of friendliness, so I pushed out my scarlet blades. Regardless of whether or not he took it to be a threat, I needed to ensure I was protected. ¡°It all seems so faint, so fleeting... There was once a time where thousands trekked through the deserts of¨C¡± His eyes narrowed in deep concentration as he attempted to recall something. ¡°I cannot remember¡­ It has been ages since that time.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I inquired, keeping an eye on my surroundings as well as his movements. As far as I knew, there were no sightings of human-like entities and even fewer showed actual intelligence in ruins. The most I knew of were certain bipedal monsters who could say broken words. For the most part, very few monsters of actual intelligence appeared. Seeing the towering man in front of me had to be the first occurrence, but I didn¡¯t stand around in awe. His appearance made me feel more threatened than anything. ¡°This place is a proving ground and I am its proctor. Countless men and women of varying origin stood where you stand now and faced me. As long as they qualified, they were allowed entrance. However, that time has long since past and I have slumbered here, but I lived an unending nightmare. To be slain by those who are unworthy and to disparage the majesty of this place by killing those who would be too weak to even step foot here in the distant past. I have experienced a shame like no other.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying I have to prove myself by fighting you?¡± Seeking clarification, I threw a question out. The statements he made in between were alarming enough. ¡°You carry the traces of a powerful inheritance and because of it, I am no longer constrained to that accursed form. This is a defiance of the fate which was pressed upon me, perhaps you¡¯ve shared a similar feeling? You, who has clearly altered his own humanity.¡± I was stunned into silence by his words which seemed to put a look of curiosity on his face. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°Among the secrets you carry, the change inside of you is one that cannot be hidden from the likes of me,¡± He replied. I began thinking. Was the grimoire the cause? Or was it the two paths I obtained from the grimoire? Maybe it was both? If any of those questions were true, then it meant whatever time or age he spoke of was one where people were much stronger. To start, the grimoire was obviously a high-class artifact of immeasurable value. The paths I embarked on were even harder to classify. So, it seemed this place had the ability to read potential with extreme accuracy. ¡°Hear me as I speak, I shall resume the duty I was given countless years ago. Ready yourself for I seek to test your worth... And understand that this isn¡¯t a trial of combat but something greater,¡± The Guardian suddenly spoke. ¡°I¨C¡± My mind raced but there was no way out of it so I gave a short reply, ¡°I understand.¡± I activated my spirit vision and found his soul was filled with a burning radiance that covered his entire body. It would be difficult, I could see that much plainly. ¡°Are there any bones beneath the sand?¡± I asked hopefully. The Guardian nodded and a skeleton rose up in front of me. I touched it, converting it into the form of Wilma¡¯s War Scythe before adding blood runes. I doubt he¡¯d tell me his weakness and his armor seemed sturdy so I decided to place runes of sharpness, reinforcement, and weight. If I used the Art of Sanguina to create a weak spot in his armor there was a chance I¡¯d land a fatal attack. ¡°Are you prepared?¡± He asked in a respectful tone, plunging his hands into the sand, retrieving a huge greatsword. Though for a man standing somewhere over 4 meters tall, it must¡¯ve been the perfect size since it was nearly the same length of his body. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± I answered back. I would make my first attack one of my strongest. I needed to draw blood from him and use it to empower my sanguina so I could endure. ¡°Then we will start,¡± He raised his sword and adjusted his feet, taking up a basic stance. As soon as he finished speaking, I circulated my blood launched myself forward as fast as I could. At the same time, several blood arrows flew out from around and me, flying at the guardian from different angles. He stood without moving which made me abandon my direct charge out of caution and shift into a flow of crows, flying around him as the arrows landed. Consecutive explosions rang out as I arrived behind him and returned to my normal form before thrusting my war scythe forward along with orbs of eroding blood. I heard something snap but before I could celebrate, I watched in pure shock as my war scythe broke in half and then, I found myself on the ground. ¡°Huh¨C¡± I muttered as I stared at an empty blue sky. I tried to raise my torso but I felt as my strength had been drained away. It was hard to concentrate, but I knew the fight couldn¡¯t be over so I forced strength into my limbs¨C No, I attempted to, one hand made contact with the sand while the other didn¡¯t. I felt numbness and gazed at my arm only to see it was missing. Blood spilled into the sand from the spot where my right arm was cleanly severed. ¡°What¡­¨C¡± I couldn¡¯t help but stare at where my limb should¡¯ve been. A few moments later, I looked over and could see it sitting near the feet of the guardian along with my shattered war scythe. ¡°The only way to leave this place is by victory or by death,¡± He began speaking to me, the blood from my arm still trickling down the edge of his sword. ¡°I will not take your life until you ask it of me, so prepare yourself and come at me again¡­¡± His words sounded distant as I fell over, losing all strength in my body. It was only then I noticed a huge wound across my chest that gushed with blood. ¡®I can¡¯t die like this... not this easily.¡¯ My thoughts were of total disbelief but my consciousness faded away. Chapter 53: Burned and Broken Gathered around the ruin site that Casper was trapped, was a huge crowd of people. Reporters, government officials, and even guilds filled up the bulk of the site while other bystanders stood off in the distance. ¡°We are here at the sight of a Ruin Anomaly in progress. A man by the name of Casper Clay is allegedly trapped inside after an unknown change took place inside of the ruin while he was undergoing a test for entrance to the Red Owl Guild. While no official statement has been made, it has been deemed impossible for anyone to enter the ruin while this change occurs. ¡± A reporter rattled on in front of a camera. Deeper in the crowd, Sunny and Rusalka stood together, eyeing the ruin from afar. ¡°Did you call Evanora?¡± Sunny asked impatiently. ¡°Yes, I contacted the High Mother,¡± Rusalka corrected, in spite of the event unfolding before them. ¡°And?¡± Sunny ignored Rusalka¡¯s reprimanding tone and demanded a response. ¡°And she has made it clear this is a delicate situation. If none of the guilds can gain forcefully gain entrance, it isn¡¯t likely we will be able to either.¡± ¡°Is that really it?¡± Sunny asked with a look of disbelief. ¡°The High Mother is on her way as we speak, but it is doubtful she will take any overt actions. We are not authorized as the guilds are.¡± ¡°Bullshit,¡± Sunny spat, turning her eyes back to the guild. ¡°I believe that Casper is extremely capable. At least, the High Mother has made it clear he is someone important." ¡°That¡¯s because you just want what he knows,¡± Sunny muttered under her breath, "All of you are the same," she added. Elsewhere, other guilds spoke in hushed tones. ¡°What¡¯s Red Owl¡¯s stance on this?¡± A man bearing the symbol of an arrow on his armor spoke to a woman. ¡°While we know ruins can suddenly undergo changes, this one had maintained a steady RE signature for years despite its strange nature. So, we think Casper Clay may have triggered the change since our own guild member was ejected from it,¡± she replied. ¡°If he manages to make it out, let it be known that the Eternal Sword guild has already made plans to recruit him. He passed our test with flying colors and we are in the process of negotiating a contract. I bet he simply came here to be professional,¡± Another man suddenly spoke. His words were all half-truths, but in the world of guilds, there was a need to be ruthless and cunning to procure some of the strongest individuals in the world. ¡°You¨C¡± Just as the woman was about to say something, her eyes darted to a man dressed in a large shirt with baggy sweatpants and sandals. A trace of alarm flashed on her face before she gathered herself. ¡°Yo!¡± A man with messy blonde hair and a pair of sharp eyes waved casually. ¡°What is an executive from Sleeping Lion doing here? You aren''t needed in the states?¡± One of the men asked stiffly. ¡°It''s especially surprising to see one with a class-six gift,¡± The woman added. ¡°Ya¡¯ know, I just came here to help out and stuff.¡± They all seemed to release a collective scoff, doubting the man¡¯s words while he ignored them. ¡°Anyway, I couldn¡¯t help but notice you all were talking about the guy in there. Yeah, the government is gonna want to speak to him if he makes it out, but after all that finishes¨C¡± His lazy expression turned cold and threatening while a vicious sneer appeared on his face, ¡°Sleeping Lion wants to recruit him, so it¡¯d be nice if you kept that in mind.¡± ¡°Are you threatening us?¡± The woman from Red Owl inquired calmly. ¡°Huh? Oh, um, of course not,¡± The man¡¯s face broke into a wide smile as he scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°It was just a heads up.¡± Without waiting for a reply, the executive from Sleeping Lion walked off while whistling to himself in a carefree manner. Unable to see the several hostile gazes attempting to pierce into him. As different people reacted to the sudden Ruin Anomaly, there was one who stood out of sight. On the roof of a building, a man who escaped all notice watched the tittering crowd with an amused gaze. Behind were two other individuals with obscured appearances. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Ezekiel sent us here to deal with a few small fries,¡± He mumbled to them. "Whatever, we''re here now so let''s go see what''s been happening with our connections. There is no need to waste any more time on this little uproar." Without knowing one of their targets was trapped in a ruin, they didn''t linger and left the area without being noticed. ¡­ Unaware of the chaos outside, Casper lay half-submerged in a pond of clear water. His wounds had closed, but he was still without an arm. His eyelids quivered before he jolted awake with a gasp. Taking deep and rapid breaths he stared at where his arm had been cleanly severed. ¡°Damn it,¡± He spoke hoarsely as his shoulders trembled. ¡°Take a moment to ready yourself,¡± The Guardian spoke as soon as he noticed Casper was conscious. ¡°Fuck you!¡± Casper growled. ¡°How the hell am I supposed to fight with one arm?!¡± ¡°If you manage to achieve victory, your limbs can be easily replaced,¡± An unsympathetic reply came back. Casper ignored the guardian''s words and clutched his arm, forcing blood toward it. The surface of his skin became warmer while taking on a crimson shade, but nothing came of it. ¡°Fuck!¡± Casper screamed, losing his focus. ¡°Are you prepared?¡± The Guardian asked. ¡°Or do you perhaps wish for me to end your life here?¡± Casper glared at the guardian before he forced his blood to take the shape of a limb. His moment of panic and shock passed as his rationality came back. The blood congealed into a limb, but its overall shape and quality was rough, though he figured it would work well enough. He cupped his hands and drank from the tiny pond before speaking. ¡°Is there something special about this water?¡± He asked quietly. ¡°It¡¯ll keep you from death, but do not expect it to go any further than that,¡± The Guardian replied. ¡°I see¡­¡± Casper¡¯s reply was even quieter. Then without warning, he launched himself forward, firing dozens of blood orbs as he closed in on the guardian. Explosions rang out as Casper suddenly stopped and made a sharp turn. The muscles in his legs swelled under the exertion but he pushed himself further. Sprinting in a circle around the guardian, the relentless rain of blood poured onto him. However, a rune was being drawn around the motionless guardian the entire time. ¡®Now.¡¯ Casper invoked the room as he stopped once more. He felt his tendons scream after being forced to demonstrate a level of agility and stress he was barely accustomed to. As fire emerged within the circle, Casper covered himself in blood armor and made one more push. His blood felt as if it was boiling, but in spite of that, he kept his mind centered on one goal. Pressing immense force onto his left foot, he lunged forward, covering a great distance. His ankle twisted grotesquely, but he arrived in front of the guardian and extended two scarlet blades. He barely was able to perceive the greatsword deflecting the two blades, followed by a large fist smashing into his chest. Before the pain or the sound of his ribs being crushed, he felt a popping sensation inside of his body before he skimmed across the sand and tumbled into the healing pond. ¡°Haa,¡± Casper let out a short cry as he struggled to breath. The pain broke his concentration and with his ribs piercing his lungs, blood began to fill them. There was also the recoil of enhancing his physical body which forced his muscles to contract. ¡®Calm down!¡¯ He shouted inwardly. Casper gathered his breath and closed his eyes. Steadying the flow of his blood, he forced it out of his lungs, falling into a fit of coughing soon after. Blood spilled from his mouth but he felt the relief of being able to breathe once more. ¡°Take time to ready yourself, if you do not choose death then you must defeat me,¡± The Guardian¡¯s voice pierced through any of his current thoughts. He lifted his and peeked over only to discover he hadn¡¯t left a single scratch. ¡°You¨C¡± Casper stemmed the tide of curses that threatened to spill out and instead focused on recovering. He considered all of his options. ¡®The runes failed. The war scythe failed. Even my sanguina failed,¡¯ he thought to himself with surprising calmness. ¡®There is still the Art of Mortality as a possibility,¡¯ he said inwardly. He hadn¡¯t made any progress toward it as he had only just begun understanding the Art of Sanguina, but it appeared he¡¯d have to consider changing his approach if his streak of losses continued. He also had the Form of Bones and Form of Flesh to consider as well as Song of Silence, an ability that was meant to summon a so-called death fog. Casper shakily stood up but not before taking several gulps of water from the pond. Through gritted teeth, he exhaled and knelt, aiming the Spectral Bow toward the Guardian. He released the arrow and it soared toward the stationary target but with a swing of his sword, the Guardian turned the arrow into nothing. ''It must be a magical weapon then,'' He noted. The guardian stepped forward and moved with a frighteningly quick speed. He bore down on Casper who used his crow-shift to escape but was instantly forced back into his human form as the great sword pierced through his torso. With every shred of consciousness he had left, he poured out as much blood as he could. Staining the guardian¡¯s armor red before setting it ablaze. The Guardian said nothing, unperturbed by the fire, but he swung his blade downward with Casper still one it which caused the latter to smash into the ground. And, while still burning, he lifted Casper and brought him close so they both could share in the flames. ¡°Aaaaaaaah!¡± A horrifying scream of agony left Casper¡¯s mouth as his flesh was seared. He struggled fruitlessly as the fire he created burned his skin. Before any fatal damage could occur, he forced his blood armor to cover his body but the Guardian was quick to respond and slammed Casper into healing pond. Casper lost consciousness upon impact while his body became embedded in the moist sand. The Guardian returned to his previous position, stabbing his sword into the ground before waiting for Casper to awaken once more. Chapter 54: There Is Hope Within Despair Appearance-wise, I was nothing like my former self after losing more than forty times to the guardian of the proving grounds. I was battered to hell. Sitting in the sand listlessly, I was without an arm and a leg, scars riddled my body and a few of my ribs needed to be broken and reset. However, the pain served to benefit me in the long run. Each time I breathed I felt my ribs poking my lungs, it was sobering, it kept my mind alert. I could easily repair my bones and block out the pain, but I needed it. If I didn''t have it as a reminder I feared I would lose my mind. The sky was always blue and minutes began to feel like hours and hours like days. I had no idea how much time was going by the very thought inspired panic that pushed me to the brink. So, the pain gave me something else to focus on. Occasionally, I used the healing pond to look at my own reflection. With the lack of food, I became lean, but I the water doubled as sustenance so I wouldn¡¯t starve to death but I would never feel full. In spite of that, I never lost any muscle mass. It wasn¡¯t physically weakening me, but the gnawing sense of hunger was abrasive toward my mental state. I sent a glance at the guardian who never moved and hadn¡¯t spoken of anything since the first day. Or maybe, this was all one day? I couldn''t track time when I was unconscious. My attempts to fly over the walls just lead me in circles. As for trying to break the sand wall sealing me in? The moment I attack it the guardian would attack me. Discovering his reaction toward any type of escape was a very painful experience. Feeling anxious, I summoned the grimoire and began reading it. Current value of souls in your possession: 3500 What greeted me was a number that bothered me followed by another source of annoyance. The penumbra is beginning to grow hungry. The Path of The Dread Sorcerer: The Endless Penumbra: The penumbra is growing hungry. It remains immature and requires time to develop as well as the proper offerings. Art of Sanguina: Take control of your lifeblood and you will find the only restriction in the use of blood arts lay within your imagination. You have successfully gained control of your lifeblood and the force within it. Explore its limits. Art of Mortality: To think that raising the dead is the peak of necromancy is pure ignorance. Only once you explore your own death and gain enlightenment will you gain an idea of the power you could wield. You¡¯ve looked upon the structure of your own soul and altered it. You have started to understand the concept of mortality. Form of Bones: For a Dread Sorcerer, your body is your greatest defense. To be bent, broken, and crushed is a small price in that regard, wouldn¡¯t you agree? Form of Flesh: To use this form requires you to act as a medium between worlds. If you use your flesh as a gateway, you may summon spirits to fight for you¡­ for as long as you can withstand the pain, that is. Or perhaps you wish you carve runes upon your skin and make use of their effect for a time? Song of The Crow: Because you possess an artifact with a small affinity toward death, you can enhance its powers further and permanently bind it to your soul. Song of Silence: This will summon a death fog in the area around you. The longer your enemies stand within it, the more you can will it to weaken them. You cannot move or speak while using this power as any sound you make will cause the death fog to target your soul. Penelope¡¯s Song: A unique skill that is the result of walking the Path of the Death Bringer and Dread Sorcerer. Once a month, when the moon is at its brightest, you may meet with Penelope should she be willing. Breathless Walk: Move as the spirits of the dead do, silent and unseen. Pass through any solid object that is not affected by magic or living. While in this state, you may not attack others. Beings with strengthened perception and eyesight may discover you if you are not careful. If discovered by the living, you will be removed from this state. In addition, the moment you breathe is when this technique will end. The Broken Scale: A pound of flesh is the greatest collateral of all. Offer a vital part of your body up and your sorceries will become more powerful. Any part that is exchanged will be rendered unusable for a year. Stampede of Pale Horses: The ones atop pale horses feel curiosity as they look upon you. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Touch of Azrael: You cannot accept this in your current state as it would tear your soul asunder. Inheritor of Thanatos: You are absolutely worthless and will continue to be seen as such until deemed otherwise, Casper Clay. Form of Bones was bound to be useful since I could use the added protection. As it stood now, my bones were strengthened, but couldn¡¯t hold up to the blade of the Guardian. If there was a way to make even stronger it would be worth checking out. ¡°I need bones,¡± I spoke. The Guardian was silent, but the sand began to shift and a very human skeleton appeared. I examined it closely, even running my fingers across the smooth surface of each bone. I spent hours going over every centimeter in hopes of understanding more. Closing my eyes, I tried to imagine my own skeletal structure, including my missing arm and missing leg as well as my broken ribs. The latter I prevented from healing completely, but my limbs were taken from me by the guardian. ¡®Okay,¡¯ I controlled my blood and pushed it toward the areas where my limbs had been sliced off. I felt a burning sensation as my blood boiled and my skin stretched unnaturally. My level of regeneration moved a step further, but it seemed my own blood wasn¡¯t enough as new limbs failed to appear. ¡°More bones!¡± I yelled at the stationary guardian. His reply came in the form of a dozen or so skeletons rising up around me. I gathered them around and began snapping them open, scraping out whatever trace of marrow I could find. With it, my missing limbs began to take shape. I steeled myself through the pain and continued repairing my body. The horrid scars began to vanish and I began feeling energized. After what felt like an hour¨C maybe longer¨C my body was whole once more, but rather than celebrate, I had to get ready to fight again. Should I purchase new weapons? They carried hefty penalties, but I needed to consider if they could assist me. ¡®No, relying on those weapons won¡¯t get me anywhere,¡¯ or so I told myself. Instead of investing in new weaponry, I pushed out threads of blood and pulled the shattered bones toward me. My blood acted as a bonding agent as I began to form the fragments into something like armor. The beauty of it was that each ¡®piece¡¯ was not a single object. So, unlike the war scythe, I could inscribe more than three runes in total. Protection. Durability. Weight. The makeshift chest plate, a series of ribs and scapula arranged to cover my torso. Protection. Durability. Absorption. For my arms, fragments of fingers and forearms were contorted into gauntlets. Protection. Durability. Quickness. Covering my legs, tibia and other fragments. Protection. Durability. Absorption. And to protect my face, pieces of several skulls made to fit like a mask that encapsulated my entire head. Underneath the bones I wore, there was a layer of blood linking everything together while acting as a sort of chainmail. I didn¡¯t rush in now that I had more protection, no, I continued concentrating. First, I needed to bind the crow artifact with my soul. It was long past due, but there was no need to put it off any further. I felt the penumbra stir as I focused on the artifact embedded within me. I experienced the sensation of a symbol being seared into my skin right above my black ring circling my navel. Along with it, there was a sense of relief that flowed into me. I tried to test it out and with a thought, dozens of crows appeared with traces of red staining their feathers. They silently circled around me, but rather than having to control them all, it appeared as if I could tap into my connection with them at will. If someone destroyed them, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d suffer much recoil unless they were all killed simultaneously. Another thought caused my body to burst into a flock of crows but I could send my consciousness through them freely. I quickly returned to my previous form and sat down. I couldn¡¯t lose focus among all the excitement so I turned to another task. I also wanted to make use of the Breathless Walk, but the guardian was a living being and he could see the changes that had taken place with my soul. Wasting time to learn the technique only to have it fail wasn¡¯t appealing. ¡°Are you ready?¡± The Guardian asked. I grabbed a leftover bone and formed a war scythe. The clattering of bone unfolding into a weapon filled my ears. Then, I began circulating my blood. Pushing through my veins and arteries with as much force as I could stand. Next, I conjured several orbs of blood and let them orbit around me. Finally, I sent out the crows who began to circle the air above. ¡°If you don''t start saying something else, I''m going to seriously lose my mind,¡± I retorted. ¡°If you are ready, we shall start,¡± The guardian raised his sword. I rushed in immediately, feeling faster than I had before. I brought my war scythe down and clashed with the great sword for a brief moment. Just like all of my previous failures, he moved his hands again and I awaited the feeling of something being cut, but¨C His greatsword had come to a stop, barely cleaving through a quarter of my arm. ¡°Ha!¡± There was immense joy pouring in, but I carefully retreated, effortlessly shifting into a flock of crows before landing a few meters away. ¡°Did you see that?!¡± I asked, attempting to suppress my smile. The guardian quietly reset his stance as if goading me, but I couldn¡¯t be flustered by that. It had finally happened, he had finally failed to instantly beat me. I took a breath and calmed down. The growing despair that had slowly whittled away at me began to fade. I advanced ahead once more and managed to exchange several strikes before my loss greeted in the form of a terrible wound. Even still, I was confident that I wouldn''t die here. Chapter 55: Champions Are Made Casper made his one-hundredth attempt, by his count at least. He had many blind charges out of frustration, but his mind was clear for this one. Sand, blood, and fire filled the air all the while the sound of explosions rang out as he fought with everything he had. Until now, there had been few fights as important as the one he was currently in. The layer of bones protruding from his skin wasn¡¯t scrounged from the proving ground but rather his own that he had altered after careful preparation. Twisting his war scythe, he clashed with the guardian head-on. The hefty greatsword sought to cleave through him, but a crow would dive toward the guardian and explode, altering the guardian¡¯s swing just enough to let Casper slip past it. That was just the being of Casper¡¯s tricks. Without losing his momentum, Casper lunged forward among the chaos. The previously imperceptible strikes were visible to him. He twisted his body and shifted his feet, avoiding the fatal swings by a hair¡¯s breadth. Striking the guardian''s torso dead center gave him nothing save a few small scratches, but even those were worth something in Casper¡¯s eyes. Between each strike, he¡¯d fling blood toward the scratch marks, imbuing it with the property of erosion or fire. With his persistence, those scratch marks turned into web-like cracks and as shallow as they were, they remained as a mark of progress. The mighty swings which seemed as if they could split the earth in half were nothing in the face of his unrelenting ferocity. That was only up until the moment Casper faltered and was forced to take a powerful swing directly. The pain was jarring, but he forced his body to ignore it as he tumbled backward to disperse the momentum. Before another attack could come, he crow-shifted and pushed himself upward before changing back. Dropping the war scythe while in the air, he took aim with the Spectral Bow. The Guardian hefted his sword, preparing to defend, but a volley of blood orbs struck him first. A series of rapid explosions prevented him from blocking the falling arrow in time and it struck his chest, creating a loud cracking sound. The guardian¡¯s armor had begun to break much to Casper¡¯s delight. As he descended, the guardian prepared to pierce into him before he touched the ground, but Casper made use of the blood covering his body to steer himself away. A whooshing sound filled his ears, which signified his narrow escape succeeded. And once he placed the war scythe within his grip once more, he resumed his assault. The Guardian seemed to be emboldened, even after receiving some damage. Each time his blade moved, a splatter of blood from Casper would decorate his armor. It seemed that fatigue and exhaustion had bit into Casper¡¯s body as he quickly transitioned from attacking to desperately defending. And then came a decisive strike¨C The Guardian brought his sword down on the war scythe and snapped it in half, slicing off Casper¡¯s arm in the process. ¡°A worthy attempt,¡± The Guardian spoke in a low voice. Rare praise he hadn¡¯t given before. His next strike would be one to ensure Casper would need far more time to recuperate, but he found his armor grew rigid and impeded his movements. He exerted as much strength as he could, but the metal simply groaned in response. ¡°This¨C¡± The Guardian was astonished as he finally noticed small glowing runes decorating the parts of his armor. Everywhere Casper¡¯s blood landed became a location for a ¡°binding¡± rune. While they didn¡¯t mean much alone, if a few dozen were placed in areas that would obstruct the movement of joints and tendons, they would have a greater impact. Casper didn¡¯t waste time being surprised that his plan worked, he just threw himself toward the guardian. The blood dripping from his severed arm expanded into a sharp tendril as he thrust into the opening in the armor. Pushing through flesh and bone, the blood tendril split off in all directions, piercing everything it touched. The guardian let out a low grunt, but Casper wasn¡¯t done just yet. He wanted the guardian to feel even a tenth of what he went through so he made the tendril explode, ensuring that organs were ruptured and bones were shattered. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. For a moment, he had forgotten about the fight and what he was fighting for. He held nothing back as all of the blood he could control poured inside of the guardian to make sure he understood. ¡°You stand...¨C victorious,¡± the guardian muttered with the last of his life, smiling with relief as he died. Casper retracted his arm as the guardian fell backward. His huge frame crashed into the sand, kicking up dust. A complete silence fell over the ruin as a powerful soul rushed into Casper¡¯s body, but he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. His victory felt equal parts hollow and astonishing. Flashes of memories of a grand exhibition played in his mind. It seemed that the memories that were lost to the Guardian were ingrained in his soul. Seeing the lively mood surrounding the proving grounds along with the bloody failures of most challengers and the few who stood victorious and proud did nothing to comfort him. Instead, his body sunk and his shoulders trembled. He maintained his composure as much as he could but now that everything had passed, a flood of emotion broke loose. ¡°Damn it,¡± Casper breathed out with frustration and anger. He slammed his fists into the sand, attempting to dispel the feelings overtaking his mind, but ultimately failed. It was like glass was trapped within his throat. He screamed and thrashed around as he vented everything that had been pent up. It wasn¡¯t until many moments had passed did Casper recover himself. He had belatedly noticed that a set of descending stairs leading to some dim passage appeared in front of him. It didn¡¯t take a genius to guess whatever prize he earned lay below, so he stood up and began his trek downward. As he stepped into the depths beneath the sand, flames appeared, granting light to the passage while revealing symbols lining the walls. He stopped at his own name with a look of astonishment. ¡°Names,¡± Casper murmured listlessly, noticing that all sorts of strange languages filled the walls. He began to think that maybe all of the victors who had once proved themselves had their names recorded. Pressing on further, he arrived at an inner sanctum for those who survived the proving grounds. Rusted weapons which no longer had any value littered the room as if they had been discarded. ¡°Perhaps what you truly seek will not be found here as your strange heritage is unknown, even to these storied halls. However, a suitable prize will be presented for a champion of the proving grounds.¡± A disembodied whisper reached Casper. There were no falsehoods among its words as the souls of any other beings had long faded and there was no way knowledge of the Dread Sorcerer would appear so easily. However, as Casper stopped an altar, there was something he found eye-catching. Sitting atop a pedestal, there was a dark purple gem, the interior of the jewel stirred ominously. ¡°Maybe you will find the Essence of Miasma to be of use?¡± The voice chimed. ¡°If it is not to your liking, there may still be items which may draw your interest but they are not as powerful, Champion.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± Casper said dryly, but there was no answer. It seemed as if whatever voice spoke was pre-recorded and thus unable to answer any questions he might¡¯ve had. As Casper approached the essence of miasma, the penumbra extended forward but was stopped by him. He clenched his hand around the translucent limb and prevented it from going further. It thrashed around rebelliously, but after a few moments it settled and he released it. It carefully reached out and grasped the essence pearl before retreating inward. Unlike when the penumbra absorbed multiple artifacts, the essence pearl was instantly consumed and strange energy expanded within every part of Casper¡¯s body. His skin became flush as beads of sweat formed on his head. ¡°Proceed forward and bathe in the waters of victory, Champion. Once your wounds are cured, depart with pride in knowing that you emerge better than when you entered. ¡± Casper did as the voice said, moving forward while breathing rapidly. Behind the altar, there was a short hallway that lead to a large bath. As the energy within him continued to thrash around his body began to grow hotter. Just as he reached the edge of the water, a violet fire erupted from his veins and enveloped his body, withering his flesh at a rapid pace. Casper wasted no time diving into the water, submerging himself underneath causing the water to boil. ¡­ Hours later, Casper opened his eyes to the view of a clear blue sky. As if everything had never happened, he found himself near the entrance. The alterations to the ruins remained, but the wall blocking his exit had vanished. Shaking off all of his exhaustion, he rose to his feet and proceeded upward. The heat of the desert and vanished during his ascent, replaced with a faint chill. Emerging from the ruin, Casper began to survey the outside, feeling as if he was within a dream. Flurries of snow trickled down, landing on the several guild tents filling the area. ¡°H-Hey! He¡¯s out!¡± A guard shouted as he spotted Casper. All sorts of individuals were set into a commotion by Casper¡¯s sudden appearance and began to move toward him, however, he headed in a different direction. He sprinted toward a vending machine and smashed his fist into the glass, before taking as many chocolate bars as he could. As a crowd of government officials and guild representatives formed around him, Casper began to desperately engorge himself with candy. Chapter 56: Ill Omens It was hard to believe that a month had gone by in the outside world. I''ve read about higher tier ruins having a huge time difference, but experiencing it firsthand was an entirely different experience. As anyone would expect, people were naturally curious about what went on while I was inside. So I was taken to be interviewed almost immediately after emerging. There was hardly any regard for my thoughts and I felt as I was being deprived of time to breathe. For the "inconvenience" I was given a foil blanket, a box of cheap takeout, coffee, and even cigarettes. I refused any medical surface and since my injuries were healed at the very and they couldn¡¯t force me to sit through an examination without a good reason. The only real health-related issue was the feeling of the miasma crawling through my blood vessels. There was no pain, not since I absorbed it, but the sensation of something foreign resting within my body stayed with me. In truth, I wanted to go home immediately, but as there was an uproar about what happened, here I was. ¡°Ah, sorry for the wait, Mr.Clay,¡± A man entered the room and sat down across from me. Wearing an amicable smile, he presented a picture to me. ¡°Now, before anything, there is a matter that needs to be addressed. After you departed from the ruin, we immediately sent in a recovery team to find any possible anomalies however we only found a single body¨C something resembling a human. There is an autopsy being performed as we speak, but it would help if you filled in a few blanks for us.¡± ¡°Do you mind?¡± I asked as I fiddled with a box of cigarettes. ¡°By all means,¡± He gestured in a friendly manner. I wanted to be careful with my next words, as in, make sure I didn¡¯t accidentally reveal I had received an artifact. I was more than aware I couldn¡¯t trust anyone acting on behalf of the Emerian government. It was surreal to think they I had performed illegal tasks on their behalf just recently. ¡°I was given a trial,¡± I exhaled. I felt my hands clench on their own, my mind still vividly recalling all sorts of pain. ¡°Could you elaborate on that?¡± He asked, glancing to a camera nearby. ¡°Didn''t the representative from Red Owl tell you? We went in and everything changed around. After I was left there, I was forced to fight the guardian, but he was different from his original appearance... He began speaking and told that the ruin used to be a proving ground of some kind and I was being tested.¡± ¡°So, you''re saying that there was a single opponent and he could speak English¨C¡± ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t English¡­¨C It was a language I hadn''t heard before, but I was able to understand it¨C And yes, it was only him.¡± I felt my eyes sink. ¡°You mean to say that for the past month, you¡¯ve been fighting a single opponent? What about food and drink? You survived this long as a class-three, which considering the circumstances is a miracle in and of itself? Is there perhaps something you are hesitant to speak about? You have to admit it''s pretty far fetched as is.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but let out a disdainful chuckle. It was hard to believe they decided to be so open with their aggressive approach. I felt like they wanted me to slip up by bombarding me with questions and implying I was being dishonest. And if that failed, I suppose there¡¯d be another method. ¡°Have you ever broken a bone?¡± I asked him plainly. ¡°No ...A sprained ankle is as close as I¡¯ve ever gotten.¡± ¡°Well, I can tell you now, it hurts a lot and it¡¯s even worse when it happens repeatedly. I doubt you¡¯ve ever been beaten unconscious for days on end or given just enough nourishment that you won¡¯t die from starvation¡­ Have you ever lost your sense of time? In that ruin, there was only a blue sky, no sunrise or sunset, not even a single cloud. In between the periods of having my bones broken and my organs ruptured, I found it hard to keep myself centered. But do you know what the worst part is? It''s listening to you ask me stupid questions.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I¨C¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t be sorry.¡± I waved my hand lightly, ignoring the surge of violent urges he caused, I continued, ¡°I¡¯ve already had enough.¡± ¡°Excuse me? E-Enough of what?¡± ¡°Enough of you and just this entire thing in general. I gave you answers and now I want to leave.¡± ¡°Please, I understand you may have gone through a traumatic experience, but try to be reasonable. This event is the first of its kind and we need to¨C¡± ¡°Am I being held for a crime?¡± ¡°N-No, you aren¡¯t. We just need to be thorough for public safety¨C¡± ¡°Yeah right,¡± I said with a sneer. Artifacts, ingredients, minerals, the bottom line was resources. The truth of the matter was, the majority of interest in ruins were about the prospects they brought in fields of engineering, medicine, and technology. Every nation in the world was in an arms race of sorts, at least, that¡¯s what I gathered from the growing innovations coming from ruins. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Mr.Clay¨C¡± ¡°If you can''t legally hold me then I¡¯m leaving.¡± I put out my cigarette and stood up. ¡°Ah, hold on, we¨C¡± As I moved toward the door, it abruptly swung open and another man stood there. Wearing an over-sized hoodie, plain sweatpants, and worn-out boots. He approached me with a warm smile. ¡°Casper Clay?¡± He inquired. ¡°Who are you?¡± I stealthily activated my spirit vision and could see he was stronger than his lazy appearance would lead me to believe. ¡°You can just call me Randall,¡± He said, reaching toward me for a handshake. I glanced at his outstretched hand and ignored it. ¡°I should rephrase my question then. What I meant to ask is who do you work for, Randall?¡± I was direct. Tiptoeing around everyone stronger than me was far less appealing after going through hell. I didn''t have the time or patience. When he saw that I had no intention of touching him, he brought his hand back and laughed it off. ¡°Sleeping Lion.¡± I sent my heavy gaze toward the official investigator who avoided my gaze and then back to Randall. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t be so surprised, everyone knows that Sleeping Lion is very close to the government. We maintain a healthy¨C¡± ¡°Could you move so I can get by?¡± I ignored whatever he was saying and moved to leave. He was taken aback for a moment but stepped aside with a forceful smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± Just as I was about to pass him, he placed a hand on my shoulder with a surprisingly sturdy grip. I was briefly surprised that I couldn¡¯t break free, but I remained calm. ¡°Listen, Casper,¡± He hissed. ¡°You really don¡¯t want to walk off like this.¡± ¡°Is that a threat?¡± I wasn¡¯t shaken by his change in countenance and instead met his cold gaze head-on. ¡°Not at all. You¡¯re a smart guy, you should understand when someone is giving you heartfelt advice.¡± He smiled brightly. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± I replied sternly. My blood began to thrash around forcefully and I broke free of his grip, much to his astonishment. I stepped by him and navigated my way out before I heard him say something behind me. ¡°You know, I think I really like you, Casper Clay! I hope you ignore your impression of me and consider our guild. Really, we aren''t that bad and the benefits are pretty good too!¡± ¡­ At the very least, the officials in charge of investigating the ruin anomaly were kind enough to help me avoid the press. I made it back home and quickly retreated into my apartment. I imagined the witches wanted to speak, but I felt less than reciprocal at the moment. ¡°Haaa,¡± I sighed before diving into the grimoire. The penumbra has consumed a special substance with a strong relation to death. A miasmic essence has bonded with your lifeblood, allowing you to experience rebirth through decay. The air of death around you grows stronger. Current value of souls in your possession: 13,500 Path of The Death Bringer: Bind: Bring forth any incorporeal foes and chain them to the material world for a period of time, making them vulnerable to physical attacks. If used against living creatures, the effectiveness is halved. The strength of this ability is connected to your understanding of death. Cost: 5,000 Penelope¡¯s Vow: Draw on the power of Penelope¡¯s vow and call to all willing Death Bringers. Those who accept will manifest as spirits and assist you for a short period of time. Cost: 10,000 Phantom Heart: This ethereal and unmoving heart will strengthen your soul and your connection to spiritual realms as well as protect you from the entities that may populate them. Cost: 25,000 Soul Reaving: Beyond increasing the effects of siphoning the souls of the dead, this ability allows you to strip weaker beings of their souls which may outright kill them. When used against beings with souls either stronger than or equivalent to your own, it will serve to weaken them for a time. Cost: 25,000 Invocation of Limbo: Invoke the power of the purgatorial realm itself and trap your foes between the land of the living and the dead for a short period of time. Any being caught within the radius of this invocation will not be able to move. The power of this ability will exert a terrible burden on your body, so it would be wise to exercise restraint in its use. Cost:30,000 Skeleton Key: This is a weapon forged by your soul and tempered with your flesh and blood. Your very existence grants this weapon power. As long as you persist, this weapon will not falter. Cost: 50,000 The guardian of the proving grounds had a soul with immense value, but I was still vastly far off from getting anything substantial. I wasn¡¯t upset that I needed more souls because I had at least gained some experience from my ordeal in addition to the miasmic essence. Besides, I needed to learn more about the Art of Sanguina, it kept me alive and I found its usage came easier after repeated tries. And yet, there seemed to be more waiting. I felt the miasma, even now, it was¨C stagnant. It felt as if my veins were filled with sediment or a substance thicker than blood. There was no discomfort, but its presence was apparent. I increased my blood flow and felt the miasma roil within me. Dark veins appeared over my skins as it moved around. A drop of dark red blood rose at the tip of my finger before I let it fall onto my coffee table. The reaction was immediate and the table began to crackle as its wooden surface was eroded. Small flickers of a violet flame danced around but disappeared as I settled my blood. ¡°So this is decay,¡± I muttered. There was obviously more to it than just melting a portion of a cheap table, but I was hardly in a place to explore it. The only thing that could be done in the comfort of my own home was quiet meditation, but¨C Even just sitting still for a few minutes made me feel a prickling sensation. Even if I tried not to think about it, the terrible days I spent in that ruin was still ingrained into my body. I hardly felt at ease even while surrounded by familiarity. Maybe it was only natural to develop an overactive sense of danger. Well, I guess it was paranoia in this case. ¡°An individual bearing ill intent has honed in on your presence,¡± The ring whispered to me. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t paranoia then. Chapter 57: Making It A Fair Fight I headed out as soon as the ring told me someone was coming to kill me, but¨C ¡°There are three who aim for you, their hostility grows as they grow closer.¡± ¡°It gets better,¡± I spoke sarcastically as I stepped out. ¡°Casper!¡± Sunny called out to me. Outside of the apartment, Sunny, Rusalka, and Evanora were all waiting. ¡°I have to go,¡± I went straight for my motorcycle, but she moved to stop me. ¡°What the hell do you mean¨C¡± ¡°I really have to go,¡± I cut her off. Evanora seemed displeased and by extension, so did Rusalka. ¡°Are you serious? Didn¡¯t you just get back?¡± Sunny questioned me. ¡°They move ever closer,¡± The ring whispered. Evanora looked toward my hand¨C So, she was able to notice it being used. ¡°Are you in danger, Casper?¡± Evanora asked. ¡°If you are, we can help you.¡± I weighed my options. I could rely on Evanora to assist me, she was strong enough, but it would definitely come at a cost. Our relationship wasn¡¯t at the point of where we¡¯d do favors for each without a price. In fact, she prioritized the safety of her witches beyond all else and if a fight broke out at my apartment, they¡¯d enter the spotlight. Thinking about that made her offer seem more like a debt trap than a genuine proposal of cooperation. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I answered. I didn¡¯t waste any time explaining myself or hearing them out and drove off. Whoever was tracking me was getting closer and I didn¡¯t have time to wait around to get attacked. ¡­ A little while later, I was outside of the gifted examination facility. The large building sitting in a huge public area that was often rowdy with activity. Storefronts that sold, weapons, armor, artifacts, and all sorts of chemicals were in the area. As well as guild centers where applicants could apply for managerial positions in a guild or put in a request to be scouted. It was an area that made it difficult to start a fight due to constant surveillance and guild presence. Which probably made it the safest area in the city, no matter the time of day. I situated myself in a small cafe that sold enhanced beverages where even the cheapest drink was a few thousand dollars. ¡°Can I get you anything?¡± A waiter asked as I sat near the back. ¡°I guess the ¡®tea of clarity¡¯ and¨C¡± ¡°They are mere moments away.¡± ¡°Three cups of ¡®brightening water¡¯¡­ I¡¯m meeting some people here,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll also take the check right away.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± The waiter replied politely before leaving. The drinks arrived immediately and I immediately indulged in the $5000 drink. Aptly named, the tea gave me a calming feeling and I felt as if my thoughts cleared. The door to the shop swung open and three people entered. The ominous air about them gave away their origins instantly. My eyes flickered as I used my Spirit Vision and three bright souls appeared in response. ¡°Oh, great,¡± I muttered. They looked around for a brief moment before turning toward me and approaching my table. ¡°You guys sure took your time,¡± I said, gesturing for them to sit. They were hesitant at first, cautiously looking around for any traps, but they ultimately sat down. ¡°Those are for you.¡± I nodded toward the cups. ¡°At least he has manners,¡± the woman sitting in the middle of them said. ¡°I don¡¯t like him, he''s too cocky,¡± The man to her right replied. ¡°Quiet¨C¡± The leader of the trio made himself known with a word, ¡°You know who we are, right?¡± ¡°I can guess.¡± I looked at them. Their faces were half-hidden underneath their black jackets. The man who seemed to lead them removed his hood, revealing a face that was heavily tattooed with an intricate pattern of lines. ¡°Don¡¯t guess, tell me,¡± He asserted, leaning forward so that his face within an arm¡¯s reach. It almost seemed as if he was daring me to do something, but I wasn¡¯t so easily spurred on. ¡°New Era,¡± I humored him. ¡°Bingo.¡± The woman whistled at me. ¡°Well, you all sure work fast,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°You think this is funny?¡± The man, who apparently had a short temper, smacked his palm on the table. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. I narrowed my eyes at him, before turning back to their apparent leader. ¡°Listen, I killed¨C what¨C two people and some of their henchman? Was there really a need to come to find me?¡± I reached into my jacket for a cigarette before spotting a no smoking sign. I reluctantly pulled my hand away, it essentially muscle memory at this point since my stint in the proving grounds deprived me of the urge. ¡°New Era doesn¡¯t tolerate interference,¡± The leader spoke grimly, continuing on he scowled at me, ¡°Did you come here because you think we wouldn¡¯t kill you in public? If anything, wouldn''t it leave more of an impact to kill you in the heart of the city." ¡°Huh¡­¡± I thought about for a few seconds and I had to admit, he was correct. ¡°If you put it like that, it¡¯s hard to argue against it¨C¡± ¡°Let me break his fucking jaw!¡± The man who was quick to anger heaved. ¡°Not yet,¡± The leader raised his hand as if to calm him. ¡°You must have a purpose for coming here, other than attempting to hide behind others, right, Casper? If you tell us who sent you to kill our contacts, we might change our minds about killing you¡± He knew my name. So what else did he know? I felt my eyes sharpen. ¡°I have had a really, really, long day. Haven¡¯t you heard about it? The ruin anomaly? You couldn¡¯t have at least given me a day to rest a little?¡± ¡°Cut the shit and talk or I¡¯ll end you right fucking here, kid,¡± The impatient one snarled at me, despite the previous warning from his leader. ¡°No, no you won¡¯t,¡± I shook my head as if pitying them in an attempt to put on an act of sorts. ¡°You¡¯re right about me being sent to kill those guys, but¨C¡± As I remembered those unwilling souls, I felt anger bubble up and I immediately changed my mind. ¡°They fucking deserved it,¡± I spoke through clenched teeth. ¡°You kidnapped people with gifts and for what? Just what do you need them for?¡± ¡°We save them from exploitation. The people that we saved aren¡¯t brainwashed or abused by us as everyone else would have you think. Most of the people we helped were either being strong-armed by guilds or in danger of serving under government restriction,¡± The woman in the middle spoke up, her tone was no longer jovial. ¡°You¡¯re either lying to yourself or you¡¯re blissfully unaware of what goes on, lady. I saw it with my own eyes, I saw the people that were tortured by one of the guys you''ve paid to deliver people to you. You see, the ones you liberate are usually strong, right? The ones with useless gifts though, do you even know what happened to them?!¡± Their posture seemed collectively shift after hearing me shout. The rest of the cafe was disturbed as well, so I took a breath and calmed down. It was astounding to see they were so ignorant of what went on, but since they were technically a bunch of fugitives, they didn''t have the ''luxury'' of stopping dirt from sifting through. ¡°Whatever.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ve already called my friends, so like I already said, you aren¡¯t going to do anything if you want to leave here alive.¡± Of course, I was bluffing, but I maintained what I felt was a perfect poker face, taking another gulp of the tea. ¡°Bullshit,¡± The large, angry, man huffed at me. I guess it wasn''t that perfect after all. ¡°Think whatever you want, just finish your drink, please. That water was expensive you know,¡± I replied, shrugging. The leader of the three smirked at me, his cold eyes darted around before he spoke with surprising calmness. ¡°You have a father, right?¡± My hands trembled for a split second, but that was all he needed to see. His smile grew wider and his posture became relaxed. If I ever held the advantage, it was snatched away by him in that brief window of time. ¡°Nathaniel Clay, I think his name was. We looked into it, you had to have at least prepared for that outcome, right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I answered unsteadily. ¡°Right, right¨C It¡¯s just¡­¨C If I were to send my two good friends here to ¡®check¡¯ on him, he¡¯d be long gone by now, correct? You''d at least be smart enough to send your dad away if you knew we were coming. Or maybe your friends are protecting him?¡± ¡°Listen to me,¡± I spoke seriously. ¡°If you mention another word about my dad, I can promise you this won¡¯t end with just two low-level guys being killed.¡± We locked eyes for a moment that seemed to stretch on forever, but he broke away first, turning to his companions. ¡°Go take care of it,¡± He said. They immediately stood up and departed. ¡°You¨C¡± I tried to stand up but he blocked my way. ¡°That¡¯s your bike outside? Best to get yourself a helmet.¡± He patted my shoulder but the force behind it felt like someone struck me with an iron bar. ¡°Get out of my way.¡± I channeled my blood and forcefully pushed him before running outside. I took a look around and the two he sent out were already long gone. I climbed onto my bike without wasting a second and dialed up my father. It rung for a few seconds before he answered. [Casper? What¡¯s going on buddy?] He seemed unaware of me being trapped in the ruin. It was just like him to miss the craziness going on around him. ¡°Uh, nothing¨C Where are you?¡± I revved up my bike. [Oh, uh, just... the bookshop your mother used to go to.'' ¡°Okay, stay there for now. I''m on my way.¡± ¡°Is everything alright, Cas?¡± He asked with the kind of concern only a parent could show. ¡°Just stay where you are. Please.¡± I quickly hung up and sped off. The cold air stung my face and my eyes watered from the air whipping past me, but I didn¡¯t care. I moved further away from the downtown area into the more open parts of the city where warehouses and storage yards were plentiful. The old industrial area had become a place of storage for artifacts and high-class equipment for guilds. ¡°An attack from your left,¡± The ring whispered, but it was a second too late. Something came flying toward my front tire and struck it dead on, sending me soaring into the air before smashing into a wall. It hurt, but it wasn¡¯t fatal. I brushed it off and stood up, feeling blood trail down my head, I gingerly poked the spot above my eye. Luckily enough, my bones were strong enough to withstand an impact like that. I looked at the brick wall that was full of cracks as well as a sizable indention where I landed before turning my eyes to the ones responsible. ¡°That was a new bike!¡± I yelled, forcing my wound to close which stopped all bleeding. ¡°Oh, I feel a little bad now,¡± The woman said lightly. I looked at my motorcycle, more importantly, the iron rod that had impaled the front tire. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you fell for a simple threat, you fucking amateur,¡± The larger man beside her spat on the ground. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to take the risk,¡± I responded. "I guess I''m guilty of being a good son." I circulated my blood rapidly as they slowly walked toward me. Taking stock of them both, they were weaker than their leader, but that didn''t mean much. If I had to fight one on one, I''d have a chance, but together they had the obvious advantage. ¡°Summon,¡± The man muttered under his breath. With a flash of bright light, a suit of golden armor appeared around his body. ¡°That¡¯s hardly fair,¡± I spoke, feeling jilted. ¡°Don¡¯t outdo me, you show off.¡± The woman playfully laughed at her partner. Thorny vines appeared around her wrists before crawling around the rest of her body, embedding into her. Once they settled, they seemed to be as good as armor for her. ...It was clearly time for me to leave. I waved my hands and sent miasmic blood out that burned with violet fire. A wall of dark purple flame rose up in front of me and I quickly crow-shifted and flew away as they attacked. I exhaled inwardly and flew as far as my wings could carry me. Chapter 58: Were Not Done Here I flew faster than I ever had previously. It was hard to get a feel for it back in the ruin with the guardian, but now, I could see that my crow-shifting had drastically changed. I peeked behind me and I saw the two from New Era steadily keeping up. However, there was an abandoned storage yard up ahead and I could lose them there. I flew over the fencing and dove behind the rusted shipping containers before reverting back. I thought about what I should do next for a few moments before I called Alexandra. [Casper? Are you okay¨C] She answered, referring to the ruin anomaly no doubt. ¡°Listen, can you get to my dad?¡± [...Is there a problem?] ¡°I made a few friends from New Era,¡± I replied while navigating through the shipping yard. I found a rundown warehouse and ripped the lock off before entering. Ignoring the dark and damp interior, I headed for a small office without a door. [Where are you? I can be there in twenty,] She said. ¡°No, just, look after my dad and I¡¯ll owe you a big favor.¡± I could¡¯ve asked Evanora, but Alexandra had proven to be an ally by not giving my info to the Emerian Government. I felt like I could trust her enough to take measures to protect my father until I arrived. [I can do that, but¨C] I heard a loud impact outside and activated my Spirit Vision. They had arrived just a few minutes after me which spoke of their stamina. If it wasn¡¯t the result of their gifts, then they definitely had artifacts that could enhance their speed. ¡°Just take care of that, please,¡± I spoke quickly before hanging up. ¡®Form of Bones,¡¯ I thought of it as my body began to change. The feeling of bones protruding from my skin before curving around my body to act as an exoskeleton was strange. The outer layer of ivory segments settled over each muscle and joint with neat spacing. When my body was fully covered, I threw off my jacket and stepped out. I waved both of my hands, sending out runes to cover parts of the warehouse. This was my greatest strength, after all, if I even had a moment of preparation then I could draw runes with ease. I moved outside to see that they were already turning over the shipping yard in search for me. I stealthily began to draw runes on the large containers that were stacked high before finally heading toward them. The man wearing gold armor stood with his back turned to me as he ripped open a shipping container. I gave no warnings as I sent a blast of decaying blood toward him. Instead of hearing his armor hiss as it melted, I instead saw my attack meet a barrier, destroying it, but failing to hurt the armored-man. ¡°Shit,¡± I cursed, immediately running away. ¡°Got him!¡± The thorn-covered woman shouted. I rolled to the side as a vine whipped past me, and smashed into the ground, leaving a deep scar. My instincts were better now and I didn¡¯t even blink twice at the narrowly missing attack. I sprinted behind a few containers and gave a brief glance over my shoulder. As expected, they were running right for me. I invoked a well-placed rune and an explosion filled the air as a pile of containers collapsed right onto them. ¡°Shit!¡± The armored man shouted as he was buried beneath them. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. I didn¡¯t expect them to kill him, but at least I could isolate the¨C She stopped chasing the moment it became a one on one fight. I could only click my tongue and run back to the warehouse. ¡®That didn¡¯t work,¡¯ I muttered inwardly. Once inside, I spread my hands apart and shaped a long strand of thick blood into the shape of a halberd. With another thought, its bladed edge burned with violet fire. I spun it around to get a feel, adding and removing as much blood as was needed to get a proper weight. After a minute or so, I had a functional weapon. I didn¡¯t ignore their presence and constantly looked toward them with my Spirit Vision. By the time I was finished, the armored man was finally free and they moved toward the warehouse with hurried steps. ¡°Let¡¯s just see if you¡¯re that eager once you¡¯re inside,¡± I spoke quietly, sending out as many crows as I could before retreating into a dark corner. The two of them burst in but didn¡¯t go any further than the door. I watched their heads cautiously swiveled around, keen on seeing the potential set up of another falling hazard. ¡°You know, if you had that tattooed guy with you, I might have been a little scared!¡± I shouted, my voice echoed throughout the warehouse which made it hard to pinpoint my exact location. ¡°Save it, you¡¯ll talk plenty when I get my hands on you,¡± The armored man replied. From the eyes of a crow, I watched the thorn-covered woman silently move toward where she assumed I was. ¡®Perfect, just a few more steps.¡¯ I watched in anticipation as she crept along, edging closer to a rune of mine. Three. Two. One. And¨C The building practically shook as a chain of explosions went off, sending the woman flying toward the other side of the warehouse. I sent the crows toward the armored man and took aim with the spectral bow, firing off an arrow the moment it was ready. I heard the sound of his barrier shattering again, and rushed out, circulating my blood wildly. I augmented my strength and gained an extra burst of speed. When I arrived in front of the armored man and swung my scarlet halberd like the grim reaper himself. The violet flames danced at the edge of the blade while he raised an arm to block. The armor, maybe the result of a gift, didn¡¯t give on the first swing, but the miasmic fire caused steam to rise from his gauntlets. I learned not to engage in contests of strength if I wasn¡¯t completely sure I could overwhelm my opponent, so I released my grip on the halberd. It collapsed, turning into sticky red blood that suddenly hardened and restricted the movement of the armor. I then drew the scarlet blades and went on the offensive, capitalizing on his lack of movement. I covered his visor with a layer of blood to prevent him from seeing and increased the intensity of my assault. A vine came flying between the two of us, interrupting my attacks and causing me to retreat. ¡°Yeah right,¡± I heard her growl at me as a vine wrapped around my ankle. It chewed at the bone segments covering my skin, but I managed to crow shift before any real damage could occur, slipping away unharmed. As I landed, preparing to focus on her, the armored man broke free and closed the distance in a single leap. He roared as he brought his fist down on me. I raised my arms, forming two shields and just barely managed to block in time. The solidified blood shields shattered instantly and I was forced backward until I crashed into a wall. After only a second to catch my breath, another punch bore down on me. Ducking underneath its deadly trajectory, I felt a small shock wave as he drove his fist directly through the concrete wall. To make matters worse, the vines under the woman''s control appeared once more, having drastically multiplied. However, each one seemed deadly as they thrashed around, each swing crackled like a bull whip but caused far more damage. Pieces of bone were being chipped away with each hit that landed, but I wasn¡¯t just standing around and absorbing them. I felt my muscles swell as I dashed away, glancing to the areas that still had runes left. I continued evading attacks as I led them toward the center of the room. ¡°Thanks!¡± It seemed as if they had me cornered, but I was thankful. I dove backward to avoid standing in the radius of the rune which lit up as soon as I invoked it. A sealing rune that was just large enough for the two of them. It wouldn¡¯t last more than a few seconds, but¨C The final explosion happened above their heads, the metal beams above groaned before plummeting downward, crashing onto them. Was it life-ending? No, but it would buy me enough time to leave without the worry of them immediately following me. I grabbed my jacket and crow-shifted the moment I stepped outside. Reflecting on everything that just occurred, I couldn¡¯t help but think that the proving grounds had drastically improved my approach to combat, but something felt off while fighting them. It was a bittersweet thing to have achieved because of the sheer amount of pain it took to reach this point. I doubted that my path would get any easier from now on. ¡®Whatever.¡¯ I put those unpleasant thoughts away and continued flying. Chapter 59: Aura of Blood Alexandra stood near a middle-aged man who chipperly perused a bookshelf. ¡°So, my son is an employee of yours? I mean, Casper¡¯s always been a bright one, he just forgets that sometimes. You know, after his mother passed, he became¨C a little anti-social. I still remember finding tiny bones stashed around the house. Ah, people used to tell me he¡¯d become some sort of killer and that just riled me up. As a parent, how can you sit by and accept that? So I made sure to take extra care of him. Psychiatric exams, therapy sessions, medicine, it chewed a hole in my wallet, but I wanted to make sure he was alright. It¡¯s just, I don¡¯t know if it was the best thing for him.¡± Nathaniel spoke without any sign of stopping. With a cramped smile, Alexandra interrupted him by raising her hand. ¡°Mr.Clay, have you thought about my offer?¡± ¡°What, leaving Emerian Island? I can¡¯t¡­ This is the place¨C this is where Laura is, Casper''s mother. I¡¯m not leaving here,¡± Nathaniel replied with a peaceful smile. ¡°With all due respect, it¡¯s a benefit of¨C employees¨C Casper would be upset if you didn¡¯t take a vacation to¨C¡± ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry, but the answer is no,¡± Nathaniel asserted. He became stern in his refusal, not even considering the prospect of leaving. Before Alexandra could speak again, Casper burst into the store, his eyes darting around until they stopped on the two people he recognized. ¡°Cas!¡± Nathaniel smiled and approached his son, but it was quickly replaced by a look of concern. Casper¡¯s jacket was torn and his general appearance was disheveled, not to mention his skin which was noticeably paler to his father. There was even a streak of grey mixed between his son¡¯s dark brown hair, unaware of that its origins weren''t exactly due to stress. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Nathaniel asked. ¡°Dad, you have to leave,¡± Casper said, turning to Alexandra who shrugged as if she was helpless. ¡°L-Leave? The store?¡± ¡°The Island.¡± Nathaniel was taken aback by his son¡¯s blunt tone, narrowing his brow in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s not safe here... People are trying to kill me and they¡¯ll kill you too.¡± Casper was direct, not choosing to paint a lie or mislead his father. He looked over his shoulder erratically as if to make sure he wasn¡¯t being tracked. ¡°Casper,¡± His father called out to him, but seeing his son was distracted, he repeated himself, ¡°Casper!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not arguing with you anymore, you have to leave.¡± Casper doubled down, opening his phone and purchasing a ticket to some unknown destination. Barely a minute later, he spoke, ¡°You have a flight to catch.¡± ¡°Just what the hell did you get my son mixed up in?¡± He turned toward Alexandra and demanded an explanation. ¡°Dad, she doesn''t¨C¡± ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± Alexandra said pushing past Nathaniel before heading to the entrance of the store. ¡°What? Already?¡± Casper muttered, before peeking out of the window of the bookstore. The leader of the trio raised a medallion with a glowing eye that glared in Casper¡¯s direction. He swung it around tauntingly before storing it in his jacket, a grin resting on his face all the while. ¡°That¡¯s them, right?¡± Alexandra asked calmly, taking stock of the three. ¡°Yeah,¡± Casper replied solemnly. The wheels in his head turned as he tried to figure out how they arrived so fast. The only thing that made sense was either the leader having a unique gift or a powerful artifact. ¡°Well, let¡¯s say goodbye to keeping this hidden,¡± Alexandra said. There was no way she could avoid the public eye if a fight broke out. ¡°You should leave through the back, before they see you,¡± Casper spoke to his father who reluctantly nodded. Alexandra stepped outside with Casper together, both directing their gazes to the leader. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re the one, huh?¡± The so-far, nameless, leader asked. His question was directed to Alexandra who didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Casper, can you handle the two assholes beside him?¡± She mumbled just low enough for him to hear. ¡°Yeah, I think I got it,¡± Casper said, a layer of bone emerged over his skin, lending him a frightening appearance. Underneath the runic mask of bone that covered his face, his gaze seemed to turn dark. ¡°Good,¡± She replied, tossing her glasses aside. Alexandra¡¯s body became outlined with an aura of clear translucent scales. The faint cries of a reptilian beast echoed as she took up a martial stance. Inhaling deeply, before exhaling through her teeth, the concrete underneath her feet split into cracks. Her green eyes had turned into snake-like slits that shone with a dangerous light. ¡°Alexandra Hallworth?¡± Her identity became clear to the leader of the trio. The two who had chased down Casper had already donned their armor and spread out. The leader himself tore off his jacket revealing hundreds, if not, thousands of faces tattooed into his body. He flexed his muscles and the faces opened their mouths, sending a loud boom reverberating throughout the area, shattering nearly all the glass in the immediate vicinity. Panicked screams followed as most bystanders that were close to the scene had begun fleeing while those who further away began taking out their cellphones to record from what they deemed to be a safe distance. There were also a few artifacts on him, the eye-shaped amulet around his neck, several rings on his hands, and two bracelets on both wrists. With a thought, they transformed into a sword and shield which he held with an experienced grip. Alexandra was about to step forward when she noticed a dazed look appeared in Casper¡¯s eyes which had lost focus. ¡°Casper,¡± She whispered, but he just stood there as if lost.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Shit,¡± She cursed, abandoning all plans to go on the offensive and instead took on a defensive stance in front of the seemingly hypnotized Casper. ¡°You¡¯re gonna fucking owe me big time me for this!¡± She growled while three enemies approached her. ¡­ The moment Alexandra formed her draconic aura, Casper¡¯s thoughts became clouded. His heartbeat like a drum after seeing her aura while something inside him threatened to burst out. Fighting the guardian of the proving grounds had forced him to learn and grow. ¡®This isn¡¯t a trial by combat, but something greater.¡¯ The words of the guardian echoed through his mind. In Casper¡¯s subconscious which had suffered the most during his time fighting the guardian, something suddenly clicked. What made Casper freeze wasn¡¯t psychological trauma, but rather, the feeling of enlightenment. His instincts drove him into an outer state of listlessness while his inner thoughts moved like a storm that pushed toward a singular realization. ¡®It was always inside of me, this entire time.¡¯ He whispered before his eyes was a sea of red. Scarlet waves were roiling, crashing together, forming an image of bloody hands reaching toward a red sky. And Casper found himself in the middle of it all. ¡®Is this¡­ it?¡¯ An incoherent question emerged from the edge of his mind. What he sought to understand is if the real power within the Art of Sanguina was before him. He stood astonished by the bloody chaos that began to rage. It resembled a scene from a terrible nightmare. The origins title of Dread Sorcerer became clear as he watched the bloodscape writhed as if filled with an unstoppable rage. Had he not seen worse things, maybe he¡¯d even feel dread at the sight of it all. It seemed fitting that even the ¡®demon princes of hell¡¯ were disgusted by him after taking on the path of the dread sorcerer. He reached toward the sanguinary hell that danced in front of him. He felt so small in front of it but remained undaunted. If anything, he only felt a stronger calling to it as it seethed uncontrollably. The real treasure of the proving grounds didn¡¯t come in the form of the essence of miasma, or battle experience, but the process of opening his mind just enough for a situation like this to occur. The moment he stepped out of the ruin, it was destined to occur and being forced into a fight soon after only served to dramatically speed the process up. Alexandra and was the matchstick that set his mind ablaze. Seeing her draconic aura sent him into endless contemplation. "Behold the sanguine splendor of this raw power. Won¡¯t you take hold of it, dear Casper?" Tantilating whispers from the bloody ocean urged Casper to grasp it. His hand reached toward the crimson sea that raised itself toward him, its darkened maw parted in anticipation, but Casper would be the one to devour it. There was no hesitation as he threw himself in. ¡­ Casper stood blankly with his hands outstretched, his eyes flashed the moment his wits returned, but what greeted him was a large golden fist. A single strike sent Casper flying backward, smashing into a car before his head fell limply. The skeletal mask on his face was cracked, blood trickled forth endlessly. ¡°Casper!¡± Alexandra shouted, but couldn¡¯t turn to check his condition. She raised her arm to block the thorn whips before moving to dodge a sword projection that scarred the street as it passed her. Meanwhile, Casper¡¯s body remained motionless. Blood dripped from his head, and pooled around him, clearly more than humanly possible. Much more than a head injury would entail. ¡°The fuck?¡± As the man in golden armor approached, he spotted the inconsistency immediately. He launched himself forward, intent on destroying Casper¡¯s body completely, but the endless arcs of blood that cut through the air forced him into a retreat. The curved projectiles of blood struck him with incredible force, knocking him backward, but failed to break through his golden armor. Casper¡¯s body rose up stiffly, whatever bones had been broken from the punch snapped back in place and his mask closed the gaps that had been broken. Clarity returned to his eyes, though they had a cold light within them. With an exhale, a red mist began to pour out of Casper¡¯s body. It seemed as if it would expand endlessly, but ending up being drawn back to him. The blood aura around his body pulsed in tune with his heart, its ominous rhythm, and faint luminescence made it seem like a living being. The heated fight that was going on came to a standstill as all eyes fell onto Casper. Alexandra¡¯s dragon-like eyes looked at him and could see a monstrous life force surrounding him. ¡°Casper?¡± The moment she spoke, Casper rushed forward. Surrounded by the aura of blood, Casper let it sink into his muscles to enhance his speed. At the same time, he threw blood arcs toward the figure in golden armor. As they left his hands, the violet miasmic fire flashed and covered the armor in the power of decay. The fiery substance splashed onto the surface of the armor before it spread and slowly solidified until reaching a sap-like state. The glossy surface of the purple blood emitted pulses of light as the miasma consumed what it touched. ¡°Shit!¡± The armored man shouted, his protective armament was a result of his gift but it was being chewed away. Casper arrived in front of him and stretched his hands forward, directing a cloud of blood forward which covered the suffering man completely. A series of bright explosions went off inside of the small cloud followed by a painful grunt. He flew out of the cloud and rolled onto the street with has his body exposed. Casper was about to step forward when he was attacked by a sword strike that cleaved his arm right off. His severed limb was sent flying but threads of blood burst out and pulled it back. With a low groan, Casper¡¯s arm was reattached. The leader of the trio was without a doubt above him, so he sent a meaningful look to Alexandra who hurried to deal with the latter. ¡°Use your artifact!¡± The leader shouted as he contended with Alexandra¡¯s deadly strikes. Raising his body, the man in golden armor reached toward his head as his shining helmet seemed to melt away, revealing an earring. Casper was quick to react, even as thorny vines whipped toward him, he swung two scarlet blades which extended far beyond their normal length. The man¡¯s arm which was about to touch the earring had been cut off as if Casper was paying back the leader of the trio. As it flew into the air, Casper caught the freshly cut limb and swung it downward. The metal arm extended with a clattering sound before unfolding into a golden war scythe with bright blood runes decorating it. The trail of blood lingered in the air, following behind Casper as bore down on the injured man. The dozens of vines that attempted to restrain him did nothing to prevent Casper from beheading his dazed victim. A powerful soul entered his body and along with it came a small enhancement to his strength. The blood from the fresh corpse of his dead attacker was absorbed into his aura, empowering it further. Casper¡¯s eyes fell onto the woman covered in thorns who unconsciously stepped back, even if she didn¡¯t realize it, his focused stare scared her. Just as it seemed as if he was going to charge toward her, he chose to speak instead. ¡°Let¡¯s leave it here for now!¡± Casper shouted, not to her, but the man beside her. The man covered in tattoos of faces didn¡¯t seem to hear anything as he brought his sword down on Alexandra, but in astonishing fashion, she caught the blade in her palm. The image of a wyvern¡¯s head appeared on both her fists. They seemed to cry out as one held the sword between its teeth she sent the other toward the length of the blade with an open palm strike. The sword snapped in half, losing all of his magical properties, almost as if they were consumed by the wyverns. The odds tilted toward Alexandra and Casper which made his offer more appealing to the remaining two of New Era. The tattooed man spoke bitterly as he gazed at the head of his fallen companion, ¡°This doesn¡¯t end here, Casper. Not until one of us dies, and guess what? New Era isn''t going to run out of people anytime soon.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Casper replied, unshaken by the implied threat. ¡°But, you''re at a disadvantage and there are people around who''ll get hurt if we keep it up.¡± He raised his chin toward a crowd of people who were recording from inside of stores or behind cars. ¡°Is that the real reason?¡± The leader revealed his doubt, but ultimately had no choice given they were at a loss if the fight continued. "Since you''re kind enough to shoot yourself in the foot, we''ll back off here, but don''t expect the same treatment. We have an idea of how strong you are, we can track you, and the next time you see me, it''ll be with a lot more people." His tattoos shifted around before a pair of wings appeared on his back. Without a reason to stay, he flew off with his partner in hand before becoming a small dot on the horizon. Once they were gone, Casper could no longer restrain himself and fell onto his knees. He lurched forward, spewing blood from his mouth as his aura all but disappeared. The bones covering his body sunk beneath his skin, revealing his exhausted face. ¡°Woah, hold on, take it easy.¡± Alexandra moved to support him. As the crowd began to emerge, sensing it was now safe, she frowned. ¡°This is going to be a problem,¡± She said, sighing deeply as she helped Casper to his feet. With his arm over her shoulder, Alexandra carried him away, ignoring the increasing number of cameras being aimed at them. Chapter 60: If I Scratch Your Back... Hardly thirty minutes had gone by before we ended up at some restaurant. Alexandra ordered me some food, took a phone call, and then returned. I couldn¡¯t see what she was thinking under her sunglasses, but she didn¡¯t appear to be disturbed. ¡°Why pancakes?¡± I asked, taking small bites in between. ¡°Aren¡¯t you exhausted?¡± She replied with her own question. ¡°Hell, if you aren¡¯t hungry after that you aren¡¯t human.¡± I could only nod in confirmation since my body felt hollow after the fight. Towards the end, I had to bluff my way out of the situation but it worked out. Resisting the urge to pass out on the spot, I pinched my eyes closed and continued on. ¡°What are we going to do about the fight?¡± My face was recorded as well as my abilities, there was no way I wouldn¡¯t be getting a visit from Emerian investigators who specialized in gifted-related crimes. ¡°It¡¯s being handled,¡± Alexandra said, but her tone made her seem a little pissed. ¡°Is there a catch?¡± ¡°There¡¯s always a catch,¡± She asserted. We were in agreement on that. Anything relating to ruins or gifted had a string attached to it. ¡°What is it?¡± I inquired with a strained smile. My entire body seemed to be calling out for me to close my eyes and rest, but I was hesitant. There was another problem at hand that required my attention. ¡°For starters, there is no hiding the fight that just happened, so I gave up on that before we even got here. The story we¡¯re going with is that we were attacked by New Era.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not done. It¡¯s fine for me, but you¡¯re a freelancer without guild protection. It means that if they¡¯re determined, the government can put any number of shackles on you in the form of crimes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s bullshit if I ever heard any,¡± I muttered sourly. Looking back at it, I walked out of the interrogation without cooperating much so they¡¯d probably be eager to get back at me. Considering that, I still felt no regret toward leaving when I did. ¡®Then again¨C¡¯ since she seemed to be calm, I guess she had a solution in mind. ¡°We¡¯ll say that you¡¯re a guild affiliate of mine. As long as I tell them we¡¯re in a temporary partnership, they can¡¯t take any overt actions against you.¡± ¡°If it''s just borrowing your name, I can live with that.¡± ¡°As for the fight, they¡¯ll frame it as a targeted attack on my guild by New Era or something. Whatever makes us look like the good guys and New Era the bad guys. In exchange, we have to clear a very special ruin for them.¡± She tapped her fingers against the table, annoyed at the very thought of whatever ruin we needed to clear. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡®The Hell Gate¡¯ is what they usually call it. In exchange for making us look good and foregoing criminal charges, we need to retrieve an item known as a hell stone.¡± ¡°And that is?¡± I didn¡¯t show an obvious reaction, but I could only think about how bad my compatibility with a ruin called the Hell Gate would be. ¡°It¡¯s a really difficult thing to get is what it is. You see, the ruin we need to clear is a class-five, but get this¨C The moment you take the hell stone it goes up a level. Doesn¡¯t that just sound fun?¡± She laughed at the absurdity of it.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡®It gives new meaning to all hell breaking loose,¡¯ I thought inwardly. ¡°I¡¯ll be helping you with that, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll need as much help as I can get, unfortunately¡­ It¡¯s gonna be difficult, Casper.¡± ¡°When are things easy?¡± I asked her, chuckling to myself, before stopping as I recalled something, ¡°Oh yeah, weren¡¯t you going to raid some New Era hideouts?¡± I felt my fatigue get pushed back as my mind focused on one thing. ¡°It¡¯s still in progress. We have a few definite locations, but before we pinpoint more, we can¡¯t risk scaring the rest of them off.¡± ¡°If you can guarantee that I won¡¯t be held responsible for anything then all I need is the location of one hideout and I can get you the information you needed.¡± ¡°You mean it?¡± Alexandra showed consideration to my proposal. I nodded before putting my head down. ¡°I promise,¡± I mumbled as my vision became darker. Even as I was falling asleep, all I could think of was how much I wanted to hurt New Era. ¡­ Sleep didn¡¯t come easy. Images and flashes of violence were interlaced with moments of brief peace. It left much to be desired and it made me wonder when was the last time I actually slept well. I couldn¡¯t say how long I had been in the proving grounds, but it was enough to make me realize the times I slept involved being knocked unconscious. I raised my head and looked around the now-empty restaurant. I rubbed my eyes as I went to look for Alexandra. It was dark outside, so she must¡¯ve let me sleep longer than I should have. ¡®What?¡¯ I tried to open the door but it didn¡¯t budge. The last vestiges of drowsiness disappeared and peeked outside, but all I found on the abandoned streets were flickering street lights. ¡®Is it an artifact?¡¯ I wondered as I turned around only to see some sort of apparition. ¡°Soon,¡± The vaguely human figure whispered softly to me. Its abnormally thin body was covered in iron armor full of crooked edges and deep scratch marks. Beneath its helmet, which was riddled with signs of battle, I could hear it inhaling deeply as if taking in my general presence. ¡°Such a¨C delicious scent.¡± It groaned while caressing its shoulders with eerily long fingers which seemed to extend well past normal length. ¡°I will soon have it for myself.¡± It let out ear-grating laughter as it began to point at me. ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± I replied, undaunted by the strange creature. It sunk into the floor and I was left alone to clear my mind. ¡­ ¡°So that¡¯s him?¡± I heard someone speaking as I opened my eyes. A man in a suit stood near Alexandra who sent me a telling look. I took it to mean she didn¡¯t want me to speak. ¡°How does that concern you exactly?¡± She asked. ¡°Just get to the point.¡± ¡°Well, your friend there is quite a trending topic. Funnily enough, he was in a viral video a couple of months ago, the ruin incident brought him back to the spotlight, and now this New Era fight? Well, the name ¡®Casper Clay¡¯ is being floated around a lot.¡± ¡°I told you, he¡¯s partnered with my guild under a temporary contract.¡± ¡°Right,¡± The suited man was skeptical but chose not to press for anything. ¡°As long as you manage to get the hell stone within two months, no one is going to bat an eye. If you don¡¯t, well¨C¡± He stared in my direction with clear interest. ¡°In addition to penalizing your guild, we¡¯ll have to investigate Mr.Clay.¡± His threat didn¡¯t sit well with me. I stood up but when I was about to approach him, Alexandra quickly raised her hand to stop me. ¡°Two months is a lot to ask for, but we¡¯ll get it done.¡± ¡°I know that you will, Alexandra. You rarely disappoint,¡± He said, ignoring my gaze as he left. Once we were alone, Alexandra spat on the ground, not caring that we were still inside. ¡°So it¡¯s settled?¡± I asked. ¡°Nothing is settled until we get that hellstone.¡± ¡°Just what is so special about it?¡± Besides the ominous name, there was no obvious tell toward its nature. ¡°If you mess with it enough, you can get a lot of heat and energy out of it as far as I know. They could be powering something or making some sort of weapon. Either way, they wouldn¡¯t tell me.¡± It was one of those things where prying would only leave you worse off than when you started, so I gave up on finding more. Only, the demons of hell were pretty pissed off when I became a dread sorcerer. I contemplated telling Alexandra, but there was no obvious way to tell someone that you made the creatures of hell feel disgusted by your presence? If she didn¡¯t think I was crazy she¡¯d have to at least feel I was a threat and would opt to keep me out. We talked about the situation for a few more hours before she sent me off. ¡°What a wild day,¡± I mumbled from inside of the taxi. I closed my eyes, but this time I couldn¡¯t sleep easily. Chapter 61: A Look At Casper Clay A Profile and Analysis On Casper Clay -TheLookingGlass I¡¯ve gotten a lot of requests for this one (from guilds too), but given that this is a fairly public ordeal, I felt magnanimous and decided to share this to everyone. Usually, I charge upward of five figures for something like this, but I was too psyched up not to do this one. As I have said many times before, my gift allows me to gain insight into most of the things I look at. I say most because there is a limit to what I can see and understand. Once I go past class-5 items, objects, and people, it gets hard (almost impossible) to decipher. Here¡¯s what I have to say about Casper Clay: Estimated Ruin Energy Signature: (Class Four) There has been no actual image of it, but it is well known that ruin energy is perceptible to people with gifts like mine. I did my research and Casper Clay has appeared a few months ago, fighting off imps, quite heroically I might add. At that time, he appeared to only be class-two. I don¡¯t think he jumped two classifications and since there is a huge gap between his appearances, I¡¯d say he grew in that time or his gift evolved. Speculation Into The Nature Of His Gift: I can¡¯t quite make this one out. I know I said going past class-5 is difficult, but sometimes I run across special gifts and abilities that just block everything out. I¡¯ve analyzed every image of Casper I could find and I must say, he is an enigma. I know you¡¯re probably thinking about the blood he controlled or his skeletal body, but dear reader, that isn¡¯t all there is to a gift. Of course, there are a lot of cookie-cutter gifts that do nothing but add general enhancements. The truly rare ones are often unorthodox, shapeshifters, elemental avatars¨C hell, I hear that Sleeping Lion has someone who can shoot beams of light that tear things apart at a cellular level. Isn¡¯t that something? My point is, Casper Clay is very clearly, at least to me, one of those special cases that can¡¯t be quantified due to his uniqueness. Yes, I said it, Casper Clay has a unique gift in my eyes. Keep that in mind by the end of all of this. Estimated Combat Potential: I literally watched that video of Casper Clay fighting those New Era guys over one thousand times (Yes, I counted). Specifically, the point after he gets punched in the face. I know it¡¯s been turned into a gif and meme¡¯d about, but there is something happening to Casper. I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s just standing there, but after he gets up, his RES goes haywire. No, it doesn¡¯t shoot up to an entirely different level, but the consistency of it does become unstable. I personally think that there is something else mixed in with his ruin energy signature, but I have no proof other than an instinctive feeling. If you watched the video to its gory end, then you should be able to see that Casper Clay is a hybrid fighter. I see traces of close, mid, and long-range options within his fighting. What does that mean? I¡¯d say he can perform well in any role given to him. With that alone, that shows he is a great fit for any team composition and could have immense adaptability with enough training and experience. Additional Observations: Now is the time for my favorite part of these profiles and analyzations. I need to backtrack a bit for this one. I know you think we¡¯ve covered everything, but if you go back to the point where Casper is punched and slow it down a little. There is a blink-and-you-miss-it moment where he appears to regenerate the broken parts of his bones! If you¡¯re new to this site, then you wouldn¡¯t know it, but regeneration is almost always a good sign. There are countless forms of regeneration such as elemental, energy conversion, and even sleeping¨C before you flood my comment section, yes, there are those who can regrow limbs and recover from fatal injuries just by losing consciousness¨C that¡¯s just to name a few. Casper appears to have an endurance-based regenerative factor which means, the more punishment he receives, the less he¡¯ll recover. There is a chance that he could have the complete opposite, where the more he¡¯s hit the more he¡¯ll recover. If the latter is correct, it could be supported by the fact that he appears exhausted by the end of the video. Though, if you see where his arm gets lopped off it makes it seems as if he can actively recover. (I¡¯ve watched the part where his arm gets chopped and he barely even flinches!) Lastly, there is the part where he turns that guy¡¯s arm into a polearm. Rewind to a few months ago and you¡¯ll see him doing the same with an imp¡¯s skeleton. It appears that he can temporarily create weapons with limbs and maybe just bones in general. Compared to the imp video, the weapon Casper uses in the new vid takes on gold color. This is NOT a coincidence. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. If Casper has the ability to create weapons, then they appear to be able to adapt to the material used. He can also ENCHANT aforementioned weapons! It is by no means unheard of, but those who can enchant objects are super rare. I mean for Pete''s sake, Eternal Sword is paying their resident blacksmith hundreds of millions of dollars a year to churn a minimum of ten weapons. TEN! He or she has remained anonymous since their tenure started for quite obvious reasons. I am in no way shape or form saying Casper can make an enchantment worth even a tenth of the weapons Eternal Sword creates, but enchanting is extremely useful no matter what level it is. Especially if he doesn¡¯t need super expensive resources to do it. Even if he did (which would be mind-blowing) enchantments can turn the tables in an instant. Conclusion and Concerns: Casper Clay is someone who guilds will and should fight tooth and nail for and I¡¯ll tell you why below. If I were in an executive position, I would make sure to thoroughly examine him before signing him for a multi-million dollar contract. He will save you millions in artifact expenditure and earn you billions! -His growth rate is up there with some of the legendary gifted. He may reach class-5 in another year or two. If he is fed enough resources that go well with his gift, that time could be potentially sped up by a frightening amount. -Casper appears to be very fluid as far as combat roles go. He can stand in the backline of formations and harass creatures as well as anyone with a long-range projectile gift. Alternatively, he can stand shoulder to shoulder in the frontline among those who excel with close-combat abilities. -Regeneration AND Enchantment. Without a direct confirmation from the man himself, it is hard to say how these abilities work and if there is any trade-off. Still, just having them in his repertoire dramatically boosts his value. -Concerns! Other than standard concerns like potential drawbacks, I have a single issue that makes me worry! Where are the bone bois?! I saw the old video and he raised a skeleton from the body of a dead imp. In the new video, as grim as it may be, he doesn¡¯t turn the corpse into a skeleton when the opportunity is right there. This makes me wonder if he has an adaptive/evolving gift. I¡¯ve said things like rare and unique all throughout this analysis, but a gift like that would make him only one of three people in the world with it and destined to reach Class-7 within a decade or less. Ten years ago, there were six people in the world with the type of gift I mentioned, but the nature of it is extremely dangerous to the user. There is still research underway to understand the mysteriousness of an adaptive/evolving gift, but from what¡¯s out there, it is clear that it puts a heavy burden on the body of the one using it. What it essentially does is fundamentally change the user¡¯s body in reaction to fatal injuries, incredible stress, or even subconscious thought. After too many changes, the body begins to break down which ultimately leads to death. -Now before you all run for the hills, this is the only my SPECULATION. I defaulted to the worst-case scenario, but it is more than likely that I¡¯m wrong since there is no evidence and no apparent sign. I just like to stir the pot and overreact sometimes. Last Thing: Do not ask me about the possibility of artifacts, I¡¯m not an amateur. The ruin energy signature of artifacts is extremely different in composition to that of people with gifts. If there was a possibility that he used an artifact, I would have said something. Likes: 200,053 Dislikes: 234 Comments(50,000): Boneboi4life(New): BONE BOIS BONE BOIS BONE BOIS¡­ (Read More) Chill_Pill: Fingers crossed that Red Owl picks this guy up! Managers get a big bonus when special talents roll in. EternalBORED: Those greedy bastards at Eternal Sword don¡¯t deserve this guy. Keep him out of their hands at ALL costs. They¡¯ll monopolize his talents just like they did with their blacksmith and we¡¯ll all suffer for it. TheRealCasperClay(New): Plz take this down or I¡¯ll sick my bone bois on you. HairyLarry: I don¡¯t care what guild he signs with, I just want to see him competing in the guild competitions this year. Plus, if he becomes an official guild member, I get the chance to add him to my guild fantasy team. There is a ten-million-dollar prize pool at the end of the season and if I get him then I¡¯ll be much closer to it. IStandWithNewEra: Why are you guys are praising this fucking guy?! He committed murder on video and all of you are praising him for it. I¡¯m honestly sickened by society these days. Butterboat: @IStandWithNewEra made 233 other accounts just to dislike this post lol. Seriously though, get over yourself. New Era declared war on the entire world so I''d say they deserve whatever terrible thing coming to them. Boneboi4ever(New): @Boneboi4life Bone bois assemble! Boneboi4eternity(New): @Boneboi4life @Boneboi4ever I have heard your call brothers, now let us bone! SeriousNFurious: I swear I know this guy! He used to work at this corpse retrieval place with me. We messed with him all of the time because he acted so weird. Guess it makes sense that his gift involves dead things. LaughingAtYourPain: @SeriousNFurious even if that¡¯s true, you shouldn¡¯t brag about it because you burned the biggest bridge of your life lol. You¡¯re an absolute idiot. If you''re lucky, maybe you can kiss his boots and he''ll forgive you. GimmeDaMerch: Oh, this guy is going to bring in a lot of merchandise deals once a guild picks him up! I''ll be the first to rip it off lmao Chapter 62: Step One, Make Them Aware Of You Sunny stood outside as the sun began to set. A cold wind blew over the apartment complex, but she seemed unbothered by it. ¡°Sunny,¡± Rosemary called out gingerly, a soft smile rested on her motherly face. When the girl hadn¡¯t responded, Rosemary reached out to tap her shoulder. ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± Sunny muttered, becoming aware of her adoptive mother''s presence. ¡°High Mother Evanora has arranged for us to stay in the city tonight. A few more witches from the other branches will also be in attendance.¡± ¡°What, why?¡± Rosemary¡¯s face seemed to bloom with excitement, ¡°I suppose it isn''t too much trouble to say... She¡¯s going to reveal us to the world!¡± ¡°You mean¨C¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Rosemary was unable to contain herself, ¡°For the first time in...¨C forever! She wants to announce the presence of witches. Of course, we¡¯ll also be in attendance when it happens. Just think of it, we''ll finally be able to help.¡± ¡°Do you think Casper is in trouble?¡± Sunny asked offhandedly, an abrupt turn from the original subject. Rosemary¡¯s enthusiasm waned before she opted for an optimistic point of view. ¡°...I¡¯m sure that if he needed our help he would¡¯ve asked, right? Besides, after being stuck in that ruin, he probably just needs time to himself.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for us to depart,¡± Rusalka interjected, appearing behind the two without notice. ¡°Ah, yes, right away,¡± Rosemary replied with a smile, grabbing Sunny''s hand, hardly able to contain her glee. Sunny was the opposite of Rosemary, keeping quiet as she dragged her feet along. ¡­ ¡°This is fine,¡± I told myself, adjusting my posture as I sat on the floor. This faux-fugitive lifestyle wasn¡¯t as uncomfortable as I would have assumed. I bunked in some crappy motel since going back to my apartment was basically leaving myself exposed. I found it was far better than lying on a pile of sand half-dead. The current value of souls in your possession: 16,500 On a brighter note, the typical class-four was worth 3,000 souls apparently as killing the man who could manifest golden armor increased the net worth. I was 8,500 short of purchasing the Phantom Heart, the spiritual organ which would no doubt increase the strength of my abilities. In the meantime, I practiced the Breathless Walk, it was an ability that required attention to certain areas. The most important aspect to using the technique was to control the rate at which my heart beat. I managed to slow it down to 10 beats a minute somewhere around there. The vitality of my blood allowed me to sustain myself without breathing for more than ten minutes, just sitting. Next was to remain calm, a break in concentration could send me falling downward or ending it too early. The last was to inhale as deeply as I could. Although the description said that it would last until I took a breath, it felt as if I was running a marathon underwater with weights tied to my ankles when I used it. The more I moved, the harder it was to maintain. So, as of right now, a distance of 10-20 meters was as far as I could go on a single breath. I managed to squeeze out a maximum of three for now, but I would wager the addition of the Phantom Heart would increase all aspects of it. Settling into a non-physical state caused a numbing chill to drift over my skin. When I opened my eyes, a grey haze covered everything while my own body maintained a pale luminescent glow. When I raised myself up, I felt as light as a feather. My wisp-like movements were slow and airy. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. With a bit of effort, I stepped forward, but I made the mistake of using too much force, a product of my growing enthusiasm. The small mistake sent my body zipping forward, out of my room, and into the parking lot. The sudden distortion of my surroundings ruined my concentration and I fell back into physical existence, rolling on the ground to disperse the impact. ¡°I was too eager,¡± I muttered when I stopped moving. As long as my opponent didn''t have vision like Alexandra or the Guardian of the proving grounds, I had immense potential for ambushes or surprise attacks as well as greater range of movement. As I climbed to my feet, feeling cold asphalt underneath my heels, my phone began ringing, displaying an unknown number. ¡°Hello?¡± I answered calmly. [Casper Clay?] Said the man on the other end, he seemed professional enough. For a brief second I wondered if it was New Era, but I ignored that thought. ¡°Speaking.¡± [Although we are still in the process of performing an autopsy on the body recovered from the ruin, we have examined the possessions held by the individual you killed and found they are not dangerous to the general public. The address where you can retrieve them has been emailed, but your lack of response has caused us to reach out personally. If you wish to recover them yourself, they will need to be properly packaged. If you wish for them to be delivered to your residence, you will need to pay the appropriate handling fee¨C] ¡°Them? What do you mean by them? What is it exactly?¡± I hadn''t put the guardian in my mind after leaving and the miasmic essence helped keep me from wanting more. [The artifacts recovered include a single suit of large armor. Although it is damaged in several places, it still holds various enchantments given the ruin energy signature. In addition, we have recovered a great sword that will be delivered along with the armor set, if you wish.] ¡°Uh, right¨C Just...¡± I contemplated what to do before abandoning the thought of retrieving it immediately. ¡°Hold on to it, for now, I¡¯ll come and get it soon.¡± [Understood, however, if you wish to sell the items then we will pay¨C] I hung up before he could finish his offer, letting out a sigh as I looked around. It was pretty late so there was no one around to witness me fall out of thin air. So, no trouble for now. I breathed deeply once more and vanished again, aiming to return to my simple motel room this time. ¡­ The very next morning¨C er, well, it was still a bit dark to call it morning. The fact that sleep wouldn¡¯t come as easy as it had before the proving grounds was really hammered into my head. I think only after being exhausted could I rest, if I wasn¡¯t drained of energy, I had a hard time just closing my eyes. A stinging discomfort followed me around whenever I remained idle. So I practiced the Breathless Walk for hours until I got a text from Alexandra. An image, a location, and a time. [Confirmed hub for New Era smuggling artifacts out of the country. I¡¯m counting on you to retrieve the info like you said, because if you screw it up they¡¯ll go into hiding. Don''t let the fame get to your head, okay?] I couldn¡¯t help but grin a little as I finished reading it, my innate gift was more than useful for things like this. ''But what does she mean by that last part?'' I read it again and wondered if it was a reference to something I was supposed to remember, but I only drew blanks which made me disregard it entirely. The picture in question was of some tiny factory, a marker of a past age where most industry wasn¡¯t centered around artifacts. It had obviously been repurposed by New Era who saw it as a good place to hide, which was true for the most part. The heart of the city is where eyes were concentrated so small abandoned areas went unnoticed unless the RES around them shot up. I readied myself for the upcoming conflict, which included eating a frozen meal and drinking some water of questionable quality. As I thought about New Era I found, as grim as it may be, that killing people with gifts was the easiest way to acquire souls outside of a ruin and likely better than ruins below class-4. Now, I would never indiscriminately kill whatever gifted person I could find, but New Era really irked me. If I didn''t give them a response for threatening my father, I''d be better off just letting them kill me. With a tinge of anger rising up in me, I stepped outside and shifted into a crow, flying in the direction of the factory. After binding the crow artifact to my soul, flying for an hour at high-speed wasn¡¯t even worth mentioning. It was more efficient than taking a vehicle, but I did have to worry about getting caught using it in public. In no time at all, I had arrived at an emptier part of the city. The sole factory stood in relative isolation, but with using Spirit Vision revealed that it was like a hornet¡¯s nest. There were several dozen people with strong life forces inside of the factory, two standing at the front entrance and many more hidden deeper within. ¡®Hmm,¡¯ I took stock of the general layout of the factory, landing not too far from it. There were mostly people with class-three gifts from what I could tell by the vibrancy of their souls. A few class-two¡¯s and class-one¡¯s filled the inside, moving about without rest. Taking the factory was more than doable after my growth with the Art of Sanguina. ¡®Let¡¯s start then.'' I approached the front entrance without worrying about being discovered. Chapter 63: Step Two, Figure Out The Next Step There were two lookouts posted at the front entrance of the factory. Their presence served as a big deterrent to any curious individuals and if someone stronger were to appear, they at least could delay the intruders and warn anyone inside. ¡°Hey,¡± One of the men called out to his companion, raising his chin to the figure standing under a flickering street light. ¡°Yeah, I see him,¡± the man replied, drawing a knife. ¡°Hey, asshole! This isn¡¯t a fucking rest stop so piss off before you get hurt!¡± When the figure didn¡¯t budge, the man clicked his tongue, throwing off his jacket. ¡°Good, I needed to vent some stress.¡± ¡°If you kill him you¡¯re cleaning it up. You made a real mess last time,¡± The man¡¯s partner replied, grabbing a pack of cigarettes from his jacket. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± The physically imposing man grunted. He stormed forward brandishing a sharp knife when he suddenly lunged and moved several meters with only a few steps. When he arrived in front of Casper, a skeletal visage was revealed to him, forcing him to come to an instant stop. ¡°Shit!¡± He cursed before a blood tendril thrust forward from Casper¡¯s hand and impaled him. He lurched, letting out a pained groan before the tendril expanded throughout his body and ended his life. Absorbing the blood, Casper formed a reddish aura that lingered in the air as he sprinted ahead. The remaining lookout had barely lit a cigarette when everything transpired, he still had it up to his lips when Casper appeared in front of him. A bloody crescent brought an end to his life in a second. A few short memories played in Casper¡¯s mind sporadically, the exact structure of the building became clearer and he moved his feet with purpose. As he passed the empty parking lot, he made sure to destroy any cameras he could see by firing a blood arrow. The roiling blood surrounding Casper continued to twist and writhe as he grew emboldened, confident in his own power. Approaching a reinforced door, he struck it with his fist three times, listening as someone pushed open a view slot. ¡°Hey, shithead, your shift isn¡¯t over yet¨C¡± The bitter voice was cut short as a gaseous cloud of blood poured into the slot before solidifying into a red mass that enclosed itself around the man¡¯s head, he struggled to free himself, but it was pointless. Casper ended it quickly and added more blood to the heavy aura which carried the smell of iron. The blood augmented his physical strength and he kicked the door down, the loud echo no doubt drawing attention to his presence, but he hardly cared anymore. ¡®Okay, here we go,¡¯ He spoke inwardly, inhaling deeply as his body turned incorporeal. He whisked himself onto the rafters above, surprising a group of gifted, albeit for a moment. They struck without hesitation upon discovering him and a string of explosions rang out. Meanwhile, those guarding the interior of the factory had begun to mobilize. Armed with swords, spears, axes, and daggers, they showed superhuman strength and agility as they quickly maneuvered toward the sound of conflict. When the rumbling stopped, a sphere of blood was formed around Casper as a shield. With a thought, its form expanded and spread out, firing crescent arcs in all directions as Casper ascended vertically with a single jump. Two scarlet blades appeared underneath his sleeves as he found his first target, the blood aura changed its shape and pushed Casper forward like a bullet. It seemed almost too easy, separating the man¡¯s head from his body, but Casper didn''t pay it any mind and continued fighting. The moment he landed, there were already a dozen or so men and women on the rafters with, the rusted construction groaning under the heavy weight. A sword aimed for his back, intent on running him through, but dark aura of blood around him slowed the strike down just enough for a reaction. Casper turned countered with a thrust of his scarlet blades while several crows had emerged from his body and flew in all directions before turning around and coming back. They dove toward those who were the furthest away and exploded the moment they made contact, throwing the building into further chaos. The railing collapsed and everyone fell to the ground below, but they had no problem sticking the landing. ¡°Come here!¡± A woman rushed toward Casper with a flaming spear. He stretched his hands, forming a blood spear that burned with the flames of miasma, copying her, before twisting it and parrying her attack. ¡°Surround him, now!¡± Someone cried out swiping downward with an axe that split the floor, narrowly missing Casper who dodged with all the grace of an ice-skater.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. As he weaved in and out of the reach of his enemies, a few strikes managed to hit him, but leaving wounds that he healed with the excess blood floating around him. Casper took a deep breath, loud enough to be heard by those surrounding him, before he vanished. ¡°The hell¨C¡± The spear-wielding woman showed a look of panic before she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. She looked down to see the purple fire on the tip of a burning red spear piercing through her body as indescribable agony caused by decay filled her nerves. Casper slapped his hand on her back, painting a small blood rune before withdrawing his spear and kicking her. She stumbled forward, a near husk of her former self before someone caught her. A fiery explosion engulfed the both of them sending flesh and bone raining down. A man roared angrily, exerting great effort to raise a lantern before aiming it at Casper. A shrill sound filled the air and then wave of fire shot forward, forcing Casper to retreat. He burst into a flock of crows, spreading out to avoid the dangerous attack before reappearing above, sending countless blood arcs below him. They failed to kill anyone, but it brought him a few seconds to make another move. As soon as he landed, he pressed his hand against the ground and four lines of blood spread in every direction like a web. They quickly curved and bent at his will, forming runes that flashed with an ominous glow as a wall of miasmic fire erupted. ¡®Form of Bones.¡¯ Casper felt a pain in his ribs and he thought to try something he hadn¡¯t before. A protruding rib bone poked through his clothes before it snapped as he grasped it. The runic engravings flashed as it he swung it downward, the familiar skeletal clattering rang in his ears like music as it reformed into the shape of a war scythe. It felt heavier than it would have if using the bones of some other creature, but all it took was a small enhancement to his strength to properly wield it. He spun it around, hearing it slice the air as he did so. Finding it to his satisfaction, he dove back into the fray. The factory lit up with various explosions and strange effects that came from artifacts being used. The building shook as the battle went on, with the dwindling numbers of New Era becoming more desperate, they began using whatever they could find. ¡°F-Fuck, don¡¯t come any closer!¡± A younger member screamed. The terror in his eyes and fresh face made it clear he was a relatively new addition to New Era. He raised a humming medallion toward Casper who tilted his head. The layer of ivory that formed into a protective mask lent him a dreadful presence, but Casper didn¡¯t intend to frighten the boy. ¡°Easy,¡± Casper spoke softly. ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking easy me! You just¨C you just killed everyone you motherfucker!¡± A frantic glance at his surroundings revealed only a handful of injured survivors. ¡°Not everyone,¡± Casper said, glancing toward the few people left. ¡°The foe ahead wields a dangerous weapon, proceed with caution or act quickly¡± The ring hissed to Casper. ¡°How old are you?¡± Casper asked, tossing aside his war scythe. His eyes narrowed on the medallion. His weapon hit the ground and crumbled into powder, but it wasn¡¯t as if he made himself defenseless. There was still a faint cloud of blood around Casper that churned hypnotically as if performing a strange dance. ¡°Fuck you!¡± The boy screamed, his hand trembled as he gripped the medallion tightly. Casper¡¯s eyes fell underneath his mask, seeing the situation was volatile, he pondered his next move. With their numbers less than half, it seemed the members of New Era had already given up the fight. Plus, the boy in front of him was scared out of his mind. While Casper didn''t think of himself as a hero, he couldn''t bring himself to kill the remaining people since they posed no threat. ¡°Alright,¡± He said, making his mind up. ¡°This is going to hurt a bit, okay?¡± ¡°What?¡± The boy furrowed his eyebrows but was taken off guard when Casper shot forward. A red mass of solidifying blood enclosed itself around the boy''s hand and then the sound of something breaking filled his ears. He let out a sharp cry and tried to use the artifact, but Casper pried it from him. ¡°There we go,¡± Casper exhaled. The Penumbra had already been enticed during the fight, but the artifact in Casper¡¯s hand was enough to set it off. It burst from his abdomen and tried to snatch the necklace, but Casper restrained it, placing a binding rune on the black circle surrounding his navel. ¡°What a greedy bastard.¡± He clicked his tongue, dissatisfied with the disembodied limb. Turning to the boy with the broken arm, Casper approached causing him to stumble backward. He winced as the hand covered in ivory reached toward him, but Casper didn¡¯t intend to hurt him. He simply injected his blood into the boy and guided it to heal the arm. He hadn¡¯t thought of it before, but since the basis of the Art of Sanguina was exploration of limits, he wanted to see if it worked. ¡°Ah,¡± A soft exclamation filled with relief informed Casper of his success. At the very least, he could use his own blood to heal broken bones of other people. ¡°Now leave before I change my mind,¡± Casper said to the boy who was examining his repaired arm. He turned to the tense members curled up on the ground, ¡°All of you too.¡± They were obviously suspicious but didn¡¯t waste the opportunity to flee and quickly made their way out of the smoldering factory. Casper took the time to sift through the memories and felt certain images and bits of conversation come to the forefront. He pulled out his phone and sent a simple message to Alexandra. ¡®It¡¯s done, I''ve already got the next destination in mind.¡¯ He summoned the grimoire to his hands to see what he earned. The current value of souls in your possession: 25,500 ¡®Just enough,¡¯ He thought. Without hesitating, he purchased the Phantom Heart from the Death Bringer path. He felt the change instantly, with the sensation of an expanding weight grew within his chest. Ignoring it, for the time being, he pocketed a few artifacts, small things like necklaces and rings, before he quickly vanished. Chapter 64: The Drachen Arch I had time to breathe. The phantom heart was slowly forming within me, its empty yet ever-present weight could be felt in my chest. It wasn¡¯t there physically, but as it took shape, it felt like it was manifesting in a corporeal form. Paired with the faint feeling of the miasmic essence resting in blood stream, my body felt strange. It seemed as if the process of the heart''s formation would take a few days, so I began to wonder about what to do next. -The Art of Sanguina was¨C well, my horizons were expanded and there was a lot to be done regarding it. I needed to test every possible thing I could think of in a way. Even the smallest detail could offer greater usage. -My next meeting with Penelope was coming up soon. -I needed to recover the guardian''s artifacts. -In a short two months, I would dive into a ruin and recover a hellstone with Alexandra. I racked my brain as my mind wandered, but my phone vibrated. [I made it, Casper. I don¡¯t think I can enjoy myself knowing you¡¯re caught up in some mess, but I don¡¯t want to make things any harder for you.] My dad texted, in the heat of the moment, I''d sent him to Bali. He loved reading up on the history of different places so he¡¯d enjoy it a bit more than the average tourist. Knowing that he was out of harm¡¯s way took a weight off of my shoulders. I could focus on other issues without his safety worrying me. As the Phantom Heart etched out its existence within my body, I looked at my small pile of artifacts. I kept the penumbra restrained for now in hopes that it wouldn¡¯t develop any negative traits. The rune I placed on myself to restrain it had begun to wear down, but there was no activity from it. ¡®I need to store these somewhere safe.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t feed them to the penumbra yet, so I placed them in a backpack I carried with me. I decorated the inside with blood runes to keep it secure. At the very least, no ordinary person with a gift could open it. After that was settled, I headed out to meet up with Alexandra. ¡­ ¡°Casper you¡­¨C you¡¯re extremely unstable,¡± Alexandra spoke abruptly. We were in the back of a cafe about to order something when she suddenly became disturbed by something, going so far as to remove her glasses so she could take a closer look at me. It didn¡¯t seem as if she was commenting on my mental state so I could only wait for her to explain. ¡°I can¡¯t even understand how you¡¯re sitting in front of me right now without any problems.¡± ¡°Is it that serious?¡± I asked, failing to see what made her react so strongly. ¡°You¡¯re asking if it¡¯s serious?¡± She scoffed out of pure disbelief. ¡°The fact that you can sit here and go on as if everything is normal is honestly a miracle. If you leave it for a few weeks, I really think you¡¯re gonna die. Hell, it might be even sooner if something doesn''t change.¡± ¡°Hold on...¡± I pinched the bridge of my nose. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± ¡°So you really can¡¯t tell? You¡¯re growing faster than your body can keep up with, just like that profile of you said.¡± ¡°Profile?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t seen it yet¨C? We¡¯ll get to that later, but for now I need to ask¡­ Have you ever made a tower out of building blocks?¡± ¡°When I was a kid maybe, yeah.¡± ¡°Right, then that makes it easier to explain. Let''s say you keep adding more and more blocks, but eventually the tower sways. That means it''s unstable, wouldn''t you say? Add a few more and at some point, it''ll outright collapse. That happens because everyone focuses on just stacking them in hopes of making a giant tower without ever thinking to strengthen the foundation. Your body is that tower, Casper and you¡¯re teetering on the edge of death. The worst part is, you don¡¯t even seem to notice.¡± ¡®That¡¯s can¡¯t be right.¡¯ I didn''t feel any different with the exception of the miasma and the phantom heart being present in my body. ¡°Then, what do you think I should do?¡± I asked, giving serious consideration to what she said. Even if I felt fine for the most part, I had absorbed the miasmic essence, expanded my limits on the Art of Sanguina, and purchased the Phantom Heart in an incredibly short span of time. The factors surrounding the added powers wasn¡¯t one of life and death since, with the exception of realizing the strength of the sanguina, everything came after the battles were done. So it was fair to say my body wasn''t used to the new abilities. Right now, I had to admit there was a lot of stagnant power in me and I had hardly mastered a single one. In fact, I felt a vague horror creep up on me when I realized that the only thing I was accomplished in was Penelope¡¯s Dance. Back when I chose to be a Death Bringer, that was the only real source of power I had so I focused on it solely, but now I had spread myself too thin. As much as I hated to admit it, I needed another situation like the proving grounds where I could allow my body to grow under the pressures of an extreme environment. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to talk about your growth, but it¡¯s just too important to ignore now¡­ If you have the time, which I hope you do for your own sake, I¡¯ll bring you to the Iron Wyvern facility. If there are no other options, I have something in my possession which could help you, but...¡± ¡°What?¡± I saw her visibly hesitate and couldn¡¯t help but grow curious. ¡°You¡¯ll understand when we get there.¡± She sighed, shaking her head as if dispelling whatever thought she had and then continued, ¡°I came here to tell you that, one, your information checks out and the government has chosen Sleeping Lion to assist them this time, so you have time before any of those New Era guys come looking for you. Two, and more importantly, I called in a favor for this hell gate thing and I have an old friend visiting who''ll help us out.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Andreas Sauer,¡± Alexandra said with a smile. ¡°Is that someone I¡¯m supposed to know?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know the Panzer Knight? He¡¯s basically the poster boy of Germany?¡± I couldn¡¯t reply since I had no idea who ¡®Andreas Sauer,¡¯ was. ¡°Hold on¡­¡± She retrieved her phone and typed something in before showing me a video. The short clip depicted a tall man with a body covered in muscle, wearing a harness. His greying hair stuck to his sweaty forehead as he heaved loudly and pulled a tank. His skin turned red and veins surfaced on every part of his body as he exerted tremendous effort. To the side, there were people cheering him on in what I assumed to be german as he single-handedly pulled the tank forward. After ten steps, he stopped and the harness was detached under the sound of loud clapping and cheering. He raised his hand with clear signs of fatigue as a crowd swarmed him. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°That¡¯s him?¡± I inquired. ¡°Yep, Andreas Sauer, the man who pulled a tank that weighed sixty-two metric tons. We ran into each other at an international guild event and I pulled some strings with Morgan Pharmaceuticals to get him a pretty expensive item and he¡¯s owed me a favor ever since.¡± She stood up and gestured for me to follow. ¡­ A metal statue sat in the front of Iron Wyvern¡¯s guild. It, of course, depicted two wyverns attempting to tear the other apart. Hardly a symbol of solidarity if I was being honest. ¡°Mr.Andreas arrived a few minutes before you, Miss.¡± A man standing in front of the mahogany gate spoke as we approached. ¡°Got it,¡± Alexandra said. As we entered, I found that the interior of the facility was more ¡°rustic¡± than I could imagine. There were several individuals practicing with different weapons, but most of them used their fists. ¡®I wonder if Matthew is here?¡¯ I looked around, recalling my experience with him as a guide. The last time I saw him Alexandra was punching him into a fetal position for his attempt to screw me over. ¡°Alexandra!¡± said a large man, his aged face sported a few deep wrinkles, but his body seemed as energetic as ever. ¡®That¡¯s him.¡¯ I recognized his appearance from the video she showed me, but at the moment he wore a buzz cut with a scrappy white beard. ¡°Andreas!¡± Alexandra greeted with equal enthusiasm. "How are the kids?" "As spry as you are, old man." I observed him a bit closer and was surprised to see just how muscular he was. He looked like a marble statue of a Greek deity, but on steroids. His fatherly face was overshadowed by his massively imposing physique. In spite of that, he wore a shirt with a cartoon kitten on it, cargo shorts, a fanny pack around his waist, and sandals which was an odd wardrobe given the cold weather. ¡°And who is your friend? Wait...¡± He said as he turned to address me while speaking surprisingly good English. I didn''t even pick up the slightest trace of an accent. Maybe it was the work of an artifact or maybe he was just a talented person all around. Alexandra began speaking as Andreas¡¯ eyes narrowed with scrutiny. ¡°Casper Clay!¡± ¡°Casper Clay.¡± They spoke in unison, but Andreas was clearly more excited than Alexandra. Andreas laughed heartily which felt more like someone beating a drum without mercy as it entered my ears. ¡°Ah, I know you¡­¨C¡± He fumbled for the right words it seemed, but I was more in awe of him. ¡°Where are the bone boys?!¡± He asked, letting out a genuine chuckle. ¡°...The what?¡± My admiration for the man came to a screaming halt. I¡­ had no words at all. I could only stare blankly at him as I tried to process whatever he meant. ¡°From the analytic profile done on you¡­¡± He said, his smile slowly waning. ¡°H-Have you not seen it?¡± He asked, probably feeling just as awkward as I did. ¡°Let''s put that aside for now, there are more important issues.¡± Alexandra cut in, her face becoming solemn as she changed the subject. ¡°Right,¡± Andreas agreed, nodding his head. I, on the other hand, was still baffled by my brief interaction with him. ¡­ Following the introductions, Alexandra brought us deeper into the guild building where a private room awaited. I sat in silence as she gave a short explanation to Andreas who only nodded without saying much. He let out an occasional ¡®Hmm,¡¯ or an ¡®Ah,¡¯ and sometimes ¡®I see,¡¯ but kept quiet otherwise. After she finished, he spent a few moments contemplating something before opening his fanny pack and retrieving several items. A folded paper, a small hourglass, and a travel-size packet of veggie chips. ¡°Coincidentally, I carry this little tool around wherever I go¡­ Would you mind holding this?¡± He asked me, pushing the hourglass toward me. I felt the penumbra stir, prodding the rune binding it, but it couldn¡¯t break free. It was an artifact, that was obvious, I just had no idea what it did. I grabbed the hourglass and the sand within it began shifting before a glowing number was displayed on the glass surface. ¡°Hmm, no good,¡± Andreas said, his face turning grim. ¡°Shit.¡± Alexandra rubbed her temples as she read the number. ¡®Four?¡¯ I looked at it but saw no significance, I alternated my gaze between them and hoped they¡¯d enlighten me. ¡°This is an Hourglass of Life, you understand?¡± Andreas started. ¡°It measures your projected lifespan based on the state of your body as well as your overall health. While it isn¡¯t the most exact tool, it can generally produce a correct estimate. You have to look at the number displayed and the amount of sand remaining to understand it.¡± ¡°So what does that mean?¡± I asked as I looked at the measly pinch of sand trickling down ever so slightly. ¡°I have four years to live?¡± Alexandra shook her dejectedly and I couldn''t hide my astonishment. ¡°...Four months?¡± I eased out the question, but her expression turned worse. With a dry laugh, I continued, ¡°So four weeks?¡± When her face darkened even more, I felt my heart skip a beat. ¡°You¡¯re fucking kidding, right?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the absurdity of it, but neither Andreas nor Alexandra shared in my sentiment. ¡°I knew it was bad, but that is really fucking bad, Casper.¡± She ruffled her hair before reclining into her chair with a look of surprise. ¡°All hope is not lost yet, Little Alexandra,¡± As Andreas retrieved the hour glass, I couldn¡¯t help but notice the sand filled all the way up and the value changed to what looked like a triple digit number for the briefest of moments. I almost wondered if my eyes were faulty. ¡®I doubt he¡¯s a precursor, so his gift must be strong or he¡¯s consumed a very strong elixir at some point.¡¯ ¡°Do you not recall those days where your gift ran rampant?¡± He asked Alexandra who was pensive toward my situation. ¡°You resolved your issue by obtaining and using the Drachen Arch, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°There are other ways to help him consolidate his power.¡± ¡°Yes, but none pose an immediate solution, correct? It would take more than four days to get results and he''d be dead by that time if the hourglass is correct.¡± ¡°Using that is no better than gambling, Andreas. You¡¯ve seen more than enough people get killed by artifacts because they were willing to risk their lives.¡± ¡°And it was their decision, Alexandra. A decision they made while being well aware of the risks posed to them. When my life was at risk, I made that choice and this young man here should have the same opportunity.¡± ¡°I only told you about his condition because I thought you¡¯d have an alternative.¡± "Nothing that I can produce in just four days." ¡°Okay... What are you guys talking about?¡± I interjected, no longer able to sit idly by as the conversation grew vaguer. They shared a meaningful look before Alexandra finally began to speak. ¡°I own an artifact that can settle the instability inside of you, but it isn¡¯t as clear cut as it sounds. The Drachen Arch is something that can trap you forever if you aren¡¯t careful. It¡¯s no better than being stuck in a fucking ruin, Casper.¡± My experience in the proving grounds came to the forefront of my mind. The brutal ordeal left its mark, that''s for sure. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to die just yet,¡± I said with a wry smile. Alexandra sighed deeply as a look of regret appeared on her face. It seemed she had a personal investment in the ¡®Drachen Arch.¡¯ She slowly stood up while wearing an expression I had never seen before. ¡°Come on,¡± she said while fighting back tears. Andreas and I hesitantly followed behind her, going even deeper into the building. After navigating several corridors, we came to a room with an archaic stone door with images of different types of dragons chiseled into it. ¡°Last chance, Casper,¡± Alexandra spoke gravely. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± I said in reply, maintaining a calm face even under the ominous implications. She pressed her hand against the door and it flashed before creaking open, revealing a dim interior. There were dozens of candles lit within the room, maintaining small flames while producing a sweet scent. In the center of the room, there was a bronze archway that nearly reached the ceiling. At the peak of the arch, there was an embedded amber jewel with a pupil-like substance sitting in the interior. Just beyond the arch, there was a man sitting cross-legged. Despite the haggard gauntness surrounding him, he wore a fresh set of clothes and his long hair had clearly been brushed recently. ¡°Who¨C¡± ¡°My husband, Oliver Hallworth,¡± Alexandra said as a sad smile formed on her face. Chapter 65: A Dragons Wisdom Can Be Tempting Oliver Hallworth, I looked at him once more. His soul was¡­ odd. Activating my Spirit Vision showed a soul that continued to blink, alternating between a blinding radiance and a dim flicker. Since I had never seen a soul as indecisive and strange as his, I had trouble placing it. Alexandra had recounted me with a story of how he ended up trapped in the ¡°Drachen Arch.¡± Alexandra and Oliver met, or¨C were drawn together by their dragon-related gifts which are still rare to this day. While Oliver could control his dragon-aspect, Alexandra¡¯s gift was much less steady and thus she sought out the Drachen Arch. The artifact provided a sort of spiritual enlightenment that could trap the user in it if they weren¡¯t careful. She was a little foggy on some details, but I got the essence of it. While feeling a stagnation in his personal growth, Oliver sought to use the Drachen Arch and was stuck ever since. ¡®Somewhere between five and seven years, then?¡¯ I guessed inwardly. Alexandra hadn¡¯t really told me anything about her children and I felt it was weird to ask, but I vaguely recall her telling me her youngest wanted to be a superhero. That sounded like something in that age range, I think. ¡°Casper,¡± her voice disrupted my thinking. ¡°This thing is like a curse. The further you go, the harder it is to resist¡­ I knew my limits and stopped there, but Olly¡¯s different. I think his pride got the best of him.¡± ¡°Will I¡­¡± I was hesitant to ask but followed through anyway. ¡°Will I see him in there?¡± ¡°It is impossible to enter more than once or I would¡¯ve already went in and brought him back,¡± she spoke bitterly. I could tell she must¡¯ve tried to wake him up for weeks or months, maybe even more. Throughout all of that, her eyes shone with a ray of hope. ¡°Is there anything else I should know before I go in?¡± I said, ready to enter. ¡°I can¡¯t speak for Alexandra, but know that your body will be protected by me. I¡¯ve seen the articles and I know that New Era is very keen to remove your head but they won¡¯t get past me!¡± Andreas beat his chest enthusiastically. ¡°Are you sure you want to enter? There could be other options, even contacting Morgan Pharmaceuticals is better than just walking in.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned that cutting deals when your life''s on the line can be a bit troublesome,¡± I said, even chuckling as I recalled my own experiences. ¡°Then all I can say is to avoid ascending too high or it¡¯ll draw you in and trap you.¡± I nodded solemnly and stepped toward the arch and stretched out my hand. The bronze structure seemed to faintly vibrate with power, giving off an almost electric, hair-raising, feeling. I looked back to Alexandra who looked grim and Andreas who revealed an admirable stoicism. ¡°Viel Gl¨¹ck,¡± he whispered. Whatever that means, I took it to be positive and stepped through the arch without waiting another moment. The moment I stepped from underneath the arch, I felt as if something was switched off and a weightless feeling overtook my body. My vision grew so white that I couldn¡¯t close my eyes to protect myself from the bright sensation. I moved with my arms outstretched, fumbling around in the light before I fell forward. I closed my eyes instinctively, but this time things went dark. When I cautiously opened my eyelids, I found that I was standing in the center of a dreary world. Boulders, stone, sand, and the turbulent grey storm clouds dancing above me painted a picture of lifelessness. Dead ahead was a set of wide steps, stone statues of men, too lifelike to be stone-carvings, lay on either side. I had to tilt my head all the way back to see the summit of the path in front of me. At the very peak, the clouds were the darkest and stirred with a violent force. Small flashes of amber flame within the clouds illuminated a vague outline of a massive creature. ¡°Are you curious as to what lies above, friend?¡± I heard a voice from my side. I turned to look and there he was, Oliver Hallworth, his long black hair and amber eyes were extremely lively. Wearing nothing but a simple waistcloth, his gaunt body was crouched right beside me without me being any the wiser. ¡°Tiamat, Ladon, Nidhogg, Jormungand¡­ I wonder, is there a name for it? Is it all of them? Is it none of them?¡± ¡°Are you Oliver Hallworth?¡± I ignored his musings and sought to confirm it was him. ¡°The passage of time obscures history, it erodes truth, so I ask you, is there a need for names at this moment? Now, tell me, do you think that entity above is real?¡± I looked above once more, seeing a singular serpentine shadow appear, much clearer than before. ¡°Ah,¡± Oliver grinned at me, standing up as he did. ¡°May I ask what form it appeared in for you?¡± ¡°A snake?¡± I spoke with certainty. ¡°A wyrm, friend." He corrected with eagerness. "It isn¡¯t bad, but...¡± His amber eyes flashed with a strange light. ¡°You aren¡¯t suited for the aspect of a dragon. There¡¯s a strange power in you, something that even my eyes cannot discern and you should know... there is very little which can be hidden from the eyes of a dragon. At the very least, you carry something very old with you.¡± ¡°You lost me.¡± I¡¯m not sure exactly how long he was in here, but Oliver seemed less than together where the sanity department was concerned. Unless his original personality was full of riddles and eccentricities, there was something very wrong with him. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry, what you see above is only meant to guide you toward a certain destination. Do you want to know what I see?¡± Oliver leaned in, his eyes narrowing while producing a wild light. ¡°A dragon with one hundred heads, it''s spewing fire and hatred so visceral that it burns the air and scorches my skin with each breath. It¡¯s raging, even now, its endless roars thrum in my head.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. My body rang in alarm for a moment, urging me to immediately take distance, but Oliver returned to his previous self in that same second and my sense of danger vanished. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what form it appears in because it isn¡¯t real, friend. It is a manifestation brought on by the will of a fallen lord, perhaps the progenitor of dragons or maybe some dead draconic deity. Whatever it is, an incredibly small piece of its will has manifested in the form of this place.¡± ¡°Right.¡± I nodded along, finally understanding him a little. ¡°Uh¡­ If you were curious about the outside world, your wife, Alexandra is waiting for you.¡± ¡°Alexandra?¡± Oliver¡¯s eyes grew cloudy as his body stiffened. His face revealed his struggles with recollection and confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± He looked to the summit and stared for a few minutes before shaking his head. ¡°What is it that you are here for?¡± He asked. ¡°I¡­¡± I held off on bringing up Alexandra and instead answered honestly. ¡°My body is going to breakdown in four days, apparently.¡± ¡°And you came here looking for a miracle then?¡± ¡°Yeah, you could say that.¡± ¡°Then, unfortunately, you¡¯ve come to the wrong place. This place harbors no miracles and will not bestow you with any special power. It only brings wisdom meant to guide you to realization. Anything you gain from your time here, no matter how long, is a result of what you already know. If there is a problem with your body, then perhaps your mind is the solution.¡± ¡°My mind?¡± ¡°We often restrain ourselves, whether it be consciously or subconsciously, correct? You gain an idea of what you can and can¡¯t accomplish and ingrain within your mind so strongly that it becomes a reality. You form an unchanging conclusion before an event even occurs, tethering yourself to a single outcome that previously decided on. Perhaps this applies to you even more so, maybe you are comfortable in believing that your body can only function in a singular way... In the end, the only true solution is control.¡± ¡°But I can control my power better than I ever have,¡± I objected. ¡°If that were true, then would you be here, looking to save your own life?¡± Oliver asked as he began ascending the stairs. ¡°Well, I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter. If we meet again it will be near the top, friend.¡± With that, he slowly vanished from my sight with as grey clouds filled the stairs. ¡°Control,¡± I muttered. ¡®I can control my power well enough. Even in the proving grounds, I¡­¡¯ I thoughtlessly climbed the stairs while pondering my own abilities. Seconds later, while grey clouds surrounded me, I noticed that the further I went up, the more removed from my own body I began to feel. At first, my sense of touch grew dull, numb, I couldn¡¯t even tell if I was still walking, I could only hear my footsteps. And then I lost all sense of sound, an overwhelming silence replaced everything else. Next, my sight waned, with the scenery melding into a grey blur. I couldn¡¯t tell what was happening anymore as I fell into darkness. ¡­ Upon entering the lightless hollow that my mind guided me into, I discovered there was sound, a rhythmic beating. Then came light, emitting a dim red glow, there was a heart. My heart, beating, louder and louder. I observed it without acting, I restrained myself and refused to be unnerved. I watched as my heartbeat filled my ears like a drum being beaten. The dim red light emitted by heart spread, a wave of light expanded in front of me, pathways of veins and arteries stretched on endlessly. I could see through them, like transparent tunnels that held my blood. I had been here before, this wasn¡¯t anything new, but I recalled what Oliver said and didn¡¯t disregard the scene before me. The dark violet color of the miasma appeared next and entangled itself with the many pathways connected to my heart. And then finally, the Phantom Heart made its appearance. A half-deformed organ that intersected all pathways rather intrusively. I could see the instability within myself and sought to correct it. I focused on each strand of red and willed it to change. It was a begrudging process that occured frustratingly slow, with only several thousand moving at first, but I remained earnest. It could¡¯ve been minutes or hours, but at some point, the process became faster. Like untangling a mess of wires, I had instilled some order into the pathways. At the very least, they were no longer being touched by the miasma or the Phantom Heart. However, my work was far from done. I needed to bind all three of them together in some form. When I focused on the miasma, its vague shape of mist-like consistency began to congeal, turning solid, I molded it into the same form as the many glowing veins filling my vision. I pushed for it to connect to my heart and the rest of the pathways and I got a reaction in turn. The miasma sunk into my blood, turning it darker, a tinge of violet occasionally surfaced within it, but it seemed to be completely assimilated as far as I could tell. ¡®Whew.¡¯ I brushed off the mental exhaustion and turned my attention to the transparent heart that had a membranous surface in addition to the ethereal blue glow. When I urged it to react it, a series of translucent veins spread out like a web, protruding into the red pathway I had just finished sorting. ¡®Damn it,¡¯ with a bit of annoyance, I dove back into arranging the veins set before me. ¡­ Sometime later, I blinked as my eyes creaked open. A sense of clarity and freedom filled my body, but I was still within the Drachen Arch. I had made it past the first level and I assumed that I was safe from any potential harm caused by my unstable powers. ¡°So you¡¯ve exerted your control and brought your body back to a stable state, I assume? Then again, if you hadn¡¯t you wouldn¡¯t even be here.¡± ¡°Is that it?¡± I asked, feeling like there was no danger to the Drachen Arch, but there had to be for Alexandra to be so down about it. ¡°How long do you think you¡¯ve spent doing that?¡± ¡°A day or two, maybe? It¡¯s hard to say really.¡± I looked toward the clouds above which had yet to change. ¡°The moments you experienced could have taken you a week or even a month to process. Time isn¡¯t something you¡¯re meant to grasp here.¡± ¡°Wait... Can I leave then? More importantly, can you leave?¡± ¡°If you descend those stairs now, you¡¯ll awaken to whatever world awaits you. As for your second question, I can depart when I wish to.¡± ¡°Then why the hell are you still here?¡± I asked. ¡°Alexandra wants you to come back, so why¡­?¡± I stopped speaking when I noticed his eyes had gone unfocused once again. It was apparent that mentioning her would daze him, but he never seemed to realize the significance of the name. Since he mentioned control and overcoming preconditioned ideas, I wonder if he had instilled some sort of a mental block to forget her. At least, temporarily. It made sense, if he was searching for some greater power within himself, thinking of his family may cause reservations and make him fearful. I did have to wonder if the temptation he felt was strong enough to warrant censoring the thought of his family from his own mind to avoid distractions. To put it plainly, he was selfish. There was no extreme danger that required such actions, so Oliver''s endeavors seemed self-serving. I never claimed to be morally upright, but I didn''t have a family or else my decisions might''ve erred toward more cautious choice. ¡°You can leave if you want¨C¡± he finally spoke, pointing to where I came from, ¡°However if you do, you will never get to return. If that is your choice, then only you alone can make it just as I can make my own.¡± He headed for the steps once more. ¡°You say that, but I wonder just what you plan to do now?¡± ¡°To see you at the next level, of course,¡± he said with a knowing grin. I looked back, seeing the stairs leading down were clear of any fog, but I wasn¡¯t ready to return after just sorting myself out. If there was more I could learn about my own capabilities, I couldn¡¯t just ignore it. I just needed to gain enough and before I went back... I just needed to understand a little more, that¡¯s all. I moved my feet forward and began climbing the next set of stairs. Chapter 66: Life From A Drop Of Blood I was met with scenes of my previous fights, nearly all of them and I couldn¡¯t help but frown, especially when I witnessed myself wielding blood, I could see where I grew and gained experience, sure, but there was no discipline, maybe? No, I guess Oliver would say control. Something I agreed with as I thought the very same before. I wasn¡¯t certain, but I think the proving grounds made it easier to assess myself. I could see small inconsistencies in using the Art of Sanguina, but I didn¡¯t have a solution. I suppose this second level was to come to a conclusion myself. After understanding what was required of me in this next juncture, I found myself in an empty field of sand underneath the same grey sky. I let a blood mist spread out with me as the center, but I didn¡¯t take any further action. I sat down, crossed my legs, and continued to expel blood until it filled the air completely, preventing me from seeing anything. I could still see traces of the violet-colored miasma flashing within it. I began condensing the blood so that it would stick close to my body while thinking of that endless bloodscape I had seen once before. ¡®The Path of The Dread Sorcerer embodies freedom, so much so that it earns scorn. Is it really necessary for me to alter the way I wield my sanguina¡­?¡¯ I closed my eyes and watched as my own fights played out in front of me as I searched for an answer. As I continued to see memories, I began to feel a sense of enlightenment brewing. I likened the blood I controlled to water and pictured rivers and waterfalls before settling on an ocean. Just like when I pushed for further control, the ocean of blood was the obvious solution. I stood up and began wielding the blood. There was a rhythm to waves, an ebb and flow, push and pull so to speak. With a tinge of joy, I took a step and thrust my arms forward, sending the blood crashing like a wave. I twisted my body, spinning around while withdrawing it and sent it upward like a water spout. ¡®Penelope made her own way of fighting, right?¡¯ I thought as I tightened my movements and became more fluid. I jumped vertically while spinning my body and a spiral of red rotated around me. Throwing both of my hands out to the side sent wide scarlet arcs flying in each direction. ¡®Ebb and flow.¡¯ The blood that was sent forward had to be pulled back in retreat. It would allow me to attack and defend. I combined my movements from Penelope¡¯s Dance with my blood wielding and created something new. If my left hand was sent out, my right would pull back and vice versa. If both hands went forward in one breath, I¡¯d have to bring them close to me in the next. I followed a calm rhythm no matter how powerful an attack I performed. By doing that, I could draw out all of its potential while wasting little to no power. I clasped my hands together and a wall of blood slammed together in front of me before rising up as if erupting from the ground. If Penelope¡¯s Dance involved using the strengths of a Death Bringer to draw out immense physical power then this was a Blood Dance befitting the path of the Dread Sorcerer. ¡­ ¡°Have you found what you¡¯re searching for? Is this where you stop? Or is there more awaiting you, friend?¡± Oliver¡¯s string of questions was the first thing I heard when I recovered myself. I felt intoxicated with the feeling of success in my endeavors as well as an annoyance in being pushed out right after achieving another milestone. ¡°Why are you still here anyway? You¡¯ve been here for years and you¡¯re still searching for more, is that it?¡± I asked with a bit of a sour tone. ¡°Those are wonderful questions,¡± He turned his eyes upward. ¡°What I seek¡­ I suppose it is the truth, friend.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t vague at all.¡± My sarcasm filled statement failed to get any real reaction from Oliver. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Isn¡¯t the nature of truth sometimes incomprehensible? Or¡­ perhaps its ambiguity signifies a lack of perspective. If you and I fail to understand the world as a whole, does the problem lie with us or the world, friend?¡± ¡°You sure love your philosophical musings,¡± I muttered, looking toward the stairs that continued up to the next level. ¡°This place is meant to help you find wisdom that already lies within yourself, it would be a waste not to ponder questions that may or may not have answers.¡± ¡°Whatever you say¡­ I¡¯m going up,¡± I said, heading upward without waiting for him. ¡°I guess that I should return also but I¡¯d like to think that my time wasn¡¯t wasted speaking with you as I¡¯ve come to learn much more. Thank you,¡± said Oliver from behind, his voice growing more distant with each step. ¡­ The next juncture in my ascension wasn¡¯t as grandiose as I expected. Instead, it was horrifying. I felt my body falling apart as I moved higher as if it were being broken down and dissolved. There was no pain associated with, but it did cause me immense panic to no end. It was like being drowned in mud or fighting to stay afloat while covered in cinder blocks. I could only watch in stunned silence as my skin very much melted, my muscles seem to be stripped away and my bones withered like they were eaten with acid. By the end of it all, I was only a thick puddle of reddish viscera that continued to liquify. I kept my consciousness in all of this, which was anything but reassuring. My perspective changed and I could see myself, or, what was left of me. ¡®This is¡­ I get it, I¡¯m supposed to reconstruct myself.¡¯ I was aware that the Art of Sanguina held the potential for regeneration, but I was scared to see how far. ¡®This isn¡¯t real,¡¯ I told myself. If this was reality, I¡¯d never tried something so dangerous, but in this space, it allowed me to experience as if it were happening. I focused my concentration on a singular point and tried to pull myself back together. The puddle of blood rose and contorted according to my will, but it failed to take shape. I stopped everything and began to think. Rather than just being a liquid, the Art of Sanguina gave my blood mystical properties. To take control of my own lifeblood meant that in a way, I had a way to achieve extended longevity. The soul was not something physical and it held me, every part of my being, every thought and memory was of my consciousness was carried with it. As long as my soul was undamaged and I had blood that was still ripe with vitality, it didn¡¯t matter if my body was destroyed to this extent. I watched as strands of blood expanded, twisting and turning as a shape was formed. Bones and muscles developed before a human body came to fruition. Something pulled my consciousness toward it and with a deep gasp, I opened my eyes, feeling as if I had escaped a whirlpool. ¡®That won¡¯t be something I can do with ease.¡¯ I realized that when I still felt a biting sense of exhaustion inside of me regardless of this place is a construct of some other being¡¯s will. If I was lucky, I could escape death every so often. I imagine that reforming my body from a literal puddle of blood would leave me drained of everything. In that state, I¡¯d be extremely vulnerable, but at the same time, if I waited too long I knew my soul would be damaged. ¡®Let¡¯s not gamble with my life any time soon,¡¯ I ingrained the thought within my mind. Any number of factors could alter my success in reconstructing myself and thinking I was invincible would only get me killed faster. ¡­ ¡°It¡¯s been a while, friend.¡± Oliver greeted me, sitting cross-legged next to a stone statue of a gaunt man. ¡°Has it?¡± I couldn¡¯t really tell anymore. Places like these, whether they were dreams or ruins, made my internal clock go haywire. I learned from the proving grounds that trying to keep track of time would only hurt me rather than help. ¡°Hey, Oliver.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± He turned to me, giving his full attention. ¡°Do you plan to leave this place?¡± Instead of answering immediately, Oliver closed his eyes, deep in thought before he spoke again. ¡°There is a verse in the Dhammapada which reads something like, ¡®A man may conquer a million men in battle, but one who conquers himself is, indeed, the greatest of conquerors.¡¯ Even now, I still fight against myself.¡± I saw his eyes narrow as he gazed distantly so I quickly spoke. ¡°Do you still want to see Alexandra? And your family?¡± ¡°Alexandra,¡± Oliver mumbled softly, reaching out as if attempting to grab hold of something. ¡°My family,¡± he whispered. His body vanished in the next moment leaving me alone to climb further up. "Strange," I muttered. A growing suspicion continued to grow in me, but I held back for now. I hoped that he¡¯d remember what he left behind, for his own sake. I quickly noticed that his strange questions and observations were an attempt to help me. Each time he spoke of something, it gave me an idea of what to expect next. So, maybe I¡¯d be fighting against myself during this next climb. As eager as ever, I awaited whatever came next as the grey clouds surrounded me. Chapter 67: Reaching Ever Higher Black crows with red-tipped feathers descended from the sky before a human-figured was revealed. His body was covered in plates of ivory that protruded from his skin, covering each individual muscle like a protective shell. The bone mask protecting his face revealed a set of familiar eyes. ¡°Casper,¡± I said, nodding my head toward him in greeting. I¨C no, he¨C remained silent, taking stock of the situation. ¡°Which one of us is real?¡± He asked, in what seemed to be an attempt to rattle me. I would¡¯ve done it if he hadn¡¯t first. ¡°Does it matter?¡± I replied, ignoring the mind-altering implications his question carried and began creating an aura of blood around myself while segments of bones arose from my skin and covered me. He did the same, but there was something that stuck out to me. It was as if he hadn¡¯t created the Blood Dance to better wield his blood. ¡®I wonder.¡¯ Instead of just rushing forward, I performed the blood dance where I stood. I moved my arms, sending waves of blood crashing into him. He crow-shifted and dodged, but I raised both of my arms up and sent a rising wall of crimson chasing after him. In the end, he soared well above my range so I pulled the blood back and letting it orbit around me. He shifted back while in mid-air, half-astonished by the moves I performed, but sent dozens of blood arrows down at me without getting distracted. I twisted my body and the blood moved in tune with me, a barrier that resembled a river absorbed his projectiles. I responded in kind, sending out several large arcs of blood laced with the fires of miasma, the purple glow illuminated the barren area as they struck his body. He let out a loud groan as he plummeted toward the ground and I was already on my way toward him before he landed. I leaped forward, crossing tens of meters in a brief span of time before landing, bringing the rampant tides of blood with me. The moment my feet touched the ground, the blood had already struck the ground with incredible force, sending sand and stone flying to the air as it eroded everything it touched. I brought my hands to my chest with a sharp pulling motion and pulled the massive wave of blood back to me, bringing the clone of myself with it. He was in a daze, staring up at me from beneath the mask with shock, but I didn¡¯t hesitate as I drove in sharp tendrils into his body, draining all of his vitality along with it. The moment the fight ended, my body was reset and I returned to my original position. I faced a newer version of myself, he appeared a few meters away like an apparition. Exhaling a visible fog of cool air which meant he used the Breathless Walk. Instead of speaking, he clad himself in blood and used the Blood Dance with ease, in fact, it was slightly more practiced than my own use. Considering I had only just begun to develop it, I was taken aback but understood the gist of this part. Our struggle began and we fought for control. Performing with more experience than I had, he made a leg sweep and sent a ripple of blood outward. It forced me into the air, he left me exposed and I was struck by an explosive surge of vermillion power that rose upward like a geyser. It knocked me off balance and he was there to capitalize on that opening before I could re-establish a rhythm. He threw a punch before he arrived and a spiral of blood extended forward, bursting as it struck me. While still in the air, he flipped backward as if unaffected like gravity and the blood followed his movements. I felt as it struck me from behind, following his movements. Stretching his hands to the side, he continued to spin as he floated to the ground like a feather. All I could see was a vortex of red that rotated so intensely I felt as if it were screaming at me. The miasma within the bloody whirlwind began to sear at my bones, even reaching my flesh as the rotations stopped. I protected my weakened body with a barrier of blood and landed with a soft impact while my expression crumpled in agony. I staunched the pain of the wounds he inflicted on me, ignoring it, and began to piece myself together. ¡°That really... hurts...¡± I groaned painfully, feeling my bones snap back in place. ¡°Should I take it easier on you next time?¡± His derisive inquiry filled the ears. The moment I was healed, I immediately rushed him and our entanglement began again. This time, I took a page from his book and covered the ground within my own blood everywhere within a 50-meter radius. We fought for control over our environment, trading blows all the while. Arcs and waves of blood seemed to fly endlessly as our fight went on. I became more comfortable with using the Blood Dance and began to match him at every turn. I blocked his strongest attacks and countered with my own, noticing that he too began improving which meant the fight was bound to drag on until one of us caved. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Not willing to face a battle of attrition, I made a feint, sprinting right for him. It looked real enough as he went right for the opening and formed a blood spear before thrusting it forward, impaling me straight through before I could reach him. ¡°Khk,¡± I let out a strange sound as my teeth clenched. The taste of iron filled my mouth as blood came spilling over my lips. I persisted, hardened the blood flowing through me internally and made use of the reddened ground. Four walls of blood formed around him and slammed shut, trapping him within. I triggered the miasma and stepped back as violet flame covered the blood cage. He struggled while inside of it, but I interlaced my fingers and didn¡¯t let myself slip up once. I burned him until I couldn¡¯t sense any more movements, but I continued on after that. I let the miasma chew away at everything, boiling the blood down into nothing but a vague mist that I quickly absorbed to avoid him coming back. I dropped to my knees after it was over. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be real and yet it felt as if I avoided death in this fight. Again, I returned to my original position and felt every painful sensation disappear as well as any fatigue. I ramped myself up, preparing for the next fight, feeling good about knowing that I was growing further with each engagement. Except¡­ no one appeared. I waited and as the minutes went by I almost began to think I was meant to reflect on what I learned. Then, the rain started. I looked up and saw little droplets of red falling down. I cupped my hand and caught one, discovering the swirling dark blood was being manipulated. Alarm bells rang in my head so I immediately erected a dome-shaped barrier and waited to see what happened next. Like clockwork, the next version of myself made his appearance. As puddles of blood formed, he rose up from one of them his body covered in a dark luster of blood. He slowly raised his head, revealing that one eye was perpetually using Spirit Vision while the other was simply normal. He examined me before making a ¡®come hither¡¯ gesture and I felt my muscles contract. The blood flowing through my body was temporarily reversed and the recoil made me feel sick. I expelled blood from my mouth before I was pulled forward, smashing through my own barrier and landing in front of him. I gasped for air as I felt my veins swell, struggling to understand what happened. ¡®What the fuck was that?¡¯ I cursed inwardly, staring up at him with clear confusion painted on my face. ¡°You let a drop touch you,¡± he explained as if reading my mind. I crow-shifted and flew backward but he immediately reacted, firing incredibly small pellets of blood at each one of my crows before striking me and forcing me back into human form. He plunged his hand into his abdomen and a bone-crunching sound rang out as he retrieved a rib. He swung it downward and a war scythe that dripped with blood appeared in his hand. It seemed he was set on using it, but took another look at me and clicked his tongue, throwing it aside as if I weren¡¯t worth it. ¡°Just die, okay?¡± He said coldly and then took a step forward, disappearing in that moment. I watched as several red afterimages were left imprinted in the air before reflexively creating a blood shield to defend myself. The near-imperceptible strike sent me flying backward and I knew what was coming next. Tall waves of blood engulfed the area, making it completely his domain. The sanguine tides crashed into my body with enough force to shatter bone. He was there to greet me as I tumbled around the ever-shifting landscape. He moved like a storm, throwing out punches and kicks that I hadn¡¯t ever performed. He rotated his body and performed a precise spinning kick that struck the side of my head. My momentum shifted to the right, but I crashed into a scarlet wave that hardened as I arrived. He continued his assault, continuously landing blows that sent me in every direction. In a moment of clarity, I realized that he isolated the area to a few hundred meters of range and achieved control of 360 degrees of range. He jumped forward and sunk into the ground, reappearing behind from a bloody puddle. He drove his fist into my back and then grabbed onto my legs with red tendrils, pulling me down in the same breath. The miasmic fire began to appear in bursts as the area grew more chaotic. It began to resemble the bloodscape I had first witnessed and I was shocked to see how dominating it was, but I couldn¡¯t linger on it as I needed to protect myself. I tried my best to defend but he was everywhere and didn¡¯t relent if it looked like I was catching my breath. ¡°Is that enough?¡± He asked, throwing several blood lances at me that impaled me into a solid wall of crystallized blood. I couldn¡¯t see out of my left eye, my jaw felt numb, my right arm was gone, and I was completely riddled with internal injuries. It hurt to draw breath, but this wasn¡¯t the first time I experienced this. ¡®Focus,¡¯ I reminded myself, slowly repairing the most fatal wounds before getting to the less threatening ones. ¡®Wait!¡¯ My right eye widened in shock as my healing began to slow to a crawl as if someone was interfering with it. When I forced my head to raise, he was standing there with two fingers pointed toward me. ¡°This our authority of blood, Casper. Well... it''s not like telling you matters,¡± he said while making a twisting motion. As the area turned into a sea of maroon, I saw something rising to the surface. It twisted and writhed, its cerise-colored skin blended with the ruby waves, but the white bones protruding from its serpentine length served to outline its slithering body. Something burst from underneath and I caught a glimpse of an ivory head that was narrow and pointed like an arrow. It opened its mouth and my vision went dark. ¡­ I wasn¡¯t meant to win the last fight. I realized that when I opened my eyes and found myself on another level, far higher up than when I started. Looking back, each fight was significant in how it played out. One was incredibly easy, I fought a version of myself that didn¡¯t know the Blood Dance which allowed me to see the difference when I hadn¡¯t developed it. The second was against a version which had more experience than me and it was a close fight, I saw where I could improve and did so while fighting with him. The third was¡­ as far as I could tell, it was a product of my imagination and subconscious thought. It wasn¡¯t a concrete representation of future growth, but rather an idea of where I could go. ¡®Still, ¡®Authority of Blood?¡¯¡¯ I wondered about that part. ¡°You¡¯ve climbed quite a distance, friend,¡± Oliver started, peering over the edge as he spoke. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like it.¡± I looked up and found myself closer to the peak than ever. ¡°Do you truly need enervation to in order to feel a greater sense of achievement?¡± ¡°No¡­ I guess not,¡± I gave my honest reply, more than content with the understanding I gained so far. Chapter 68: Penelopes Nightmare, Rusalkas Past, Alexandras Regret Penelope looked upward to the twilight sky her face carrying the same melancholy as it always had. The promised day Casper had arranged had come and gone, leaving her to face rejection as he failed to call for her. Penelope didn¡¯t take it to heart, or, she tried not to. She couldn¡¯t help but think her years of relative isolation caused her to be desperate when facing the idea of respite. The hope she held of spending a few moments away from her duty was high, but when it didn¡¯t come to pass, it stung her deeply. What did it mean to be between living and dead, restricted by an oath that required eternal servitude toward an entity older than time? Her pale blue eyes fluttered as she continued to stare at a boundless sky, recalling countless memories until that point. The days where she was truly alive, seemed so fleeting and distant which allowed doubtful thoughts crept into her mind. ¡®Was I ever truly alive or did I simply imagine it?¡¯ She pondered. Her feelings were¡­ unique to say the least. In comparison, the other Death Bringers took pleasure in their fate of bringing death throughout every realm they traversed. In truth, there weren¡¯t many Death Bringers with positive feelings toward Penelope, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that most of them hated her. The remaining few were totally indifferent toward her. The melancholy she carried and general apathy toward carrying out her duties had led many to be disillusioned by her. It was hard to believe that the first of their kind seemed to resent her fate to an extent. There were even a few who had attempted to kill her and curry favor for whatever lord she served, but they all failed. Her feelings aside, Penelope wasn¡¯t someone easily bested in combat. ¡®Should I relish in this fate of mine?¡¯ She slowly turned away from the horizon and faced the field of corpses lined up behind her, all of them had died by her hand. Countless bodies of empty vessels were strewn about, traces of a fierce battle could be seen everywhere. The frayed cloak she wore swayed, revealing intricately carved ivory armor that had gone unscathed lying just beneath it. Among the withered bodies, a faint shape began to form. A lurching mass of putrid, bubbling, flesh that coalesced into something recognizable. It was a woman with high cheekbones that lent her an air of regality. A thin smile rested on her lips, but there was something very unnatural about it. Her pupils were glazed over and her sclera was tinged with a rotten yellow color. Tantalizing strips of cloth covered her upper body, but from the waist down¡­ She carried the lower body of a massive slug, expelling gelatinous filth that swelled into bubbles. An oily trail the corrosive substance she expelled turned grown into a poisonous swamp, plagued with pools of corrosive excretions. ¡°Oh, our sweet little warden, is there something the matter?¡± The woman spoke, her voice was no more than a chorus of venomous whispers that echoed throughout the area. Penelope¡¯s pale eyes gazed at the monster without any discernible reaction. ¡°Does it please you to know that you keep us trapped here with you, constantly destroying any chance of reincarnation or descent? Your master must be proud to have such an obedient slave! Or perhaps, the slave takes pleasure in enslaving others, could that be it, you poor girl?¡± As the creature writhed, the area continued to shift into a toxic field of death, allowing a sickening green hue overtaking the lifeless ground while swallowing up the corpses. Still, Penelope stared indifferently, which incensed the creature to no end. Breaking into a fit, the creature spoke. ¡°I am the lord of pestilence, Ullar-Pestis! The splendor of my name has rung across innumerable worlds and lifetimes. I have mothered countless children who carry out my will and I have blessed many with my loving embrace! Knowing this, you seek to restrain me?!¡± Ullar scoffed. ¡°Your efforts are in vain, you filthy servant. I grow stronger with each moment, my influence expands with each second, and your control wanes by the hour. I have eternity to find an opportunity. Even now, I have discovered the one who stirs your heart.¡± Penelope finally reacted, her eyes widening ever so slightly, to the Lord of Pestilence, her subtle movements were as potent as an unending scream. Her grin stretched from ear to ear, revealing putrid gums and rotting teeth. ¡°Yes, that''s right, I know of him! A servant bearing one of my gifts lusts after the sweet scent of death that clings to him, but¡­ I may want a taste of him for myself. Seeing you react just now was truly delightful! Ah, there are few things that can bring such pleasure. Now that I know you care for him, I wish to drag my tongue across his flesh and watch as boiling pustules devour him. Hear me here and now, I will be free of this place and I will take him. I will savor the feeling of knowing you cannot stop me as I torture him, as I force him to ingest my delicious corruptions, but before he dies, he will know that it was you who failed to stop me!¡± Ullar let out a horrid cackle as she finished speaking, her purplish tongue glided across her lips as she trembled with pure ecstasy at the thought of exerting her influence in the physical world once more. Penelope lowered her head, donning an ivory mask, adorned with intricate engravings, that covered the upper half of her face. ¡°You should not have spoken so freely,¡± Penelope murmured as the air around her body took on a deathly stillness. Her hand, adorned with ivory armaments, reached out from under her cloak and with an air-splitting roar, a halberd sailed over the horizon and landed in her grip, producing a thunderclap due to the sheer force brought on by its momentum. Glittering with bright runes, the halberd, with a shaft made of pure ivory and blade made of a strange black metal, seemed to growl hungrily while in Penelope¡¯s presence. ¡°I rarely find joy in killing things, and I feel even less when I slay the incarnations of you disgusting creatures, but I think¨C in these next few moments¨C I will very much enjoy what I do to you,¡± Penelope snarled viciously, her white teeth flashed as her bloodlust grew. She took a single step forward and unleashed a corporeal aura of death that spread out in ripples, seemingly without end. Even Ullar was forced to shrink back in front of Penelope¡¯s unrestrained power. At that moment, Death Bringer was the only way to describe her. ¡­ Elsewhere, The Emerian Island exploded with news. A group had come forward, proclaiming themselves to be witches with the leader going so far as to say she was a survivor of a past era, making her hundreds of years old. There was mostly skepticism toward the announcement, after all, Evanora Prower had kept her youth, even if her hair was grey. The proof came soon after, Evanora provided historical records, pictures, and certain details about her origins while still keeping the rather important ones hidden. When put to the test, the physical records were age dated and turned out positive. A few mementos of a bygone era, namely portraits and century-old photos that shared Evanora¡¯s likeness were enough to convince some people.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. The inevitable question of ¡®Why did you remain hidden for so long?¡¯ arose and to that, Evanora stated that witches weren¡¯t the only ones who had kept to the shadows of society. She claimed that there were other precursors, with immense power and influence built up over millennia that had chosen to hunt her kind, citing the inquisition as one such time. She had no evidence to prove that accusation, however, large media outlets were strangely quick to make that clear. Articles claimed that she was seeking to uplift her presence, paint herself and the other so-called ¡®witches¡¯ as saviors, and even sow suspicion among guilds and the public. Not everyone was so easily fooled and a good amount of people remained open to the idea, seeing as they lived in a world where you could enter a sub-dimension to slay monsters. A witness to the turbulent flow of events, Sunny could only light a cigarette in an attempt to ease her stress. She, and many others were moved to an estate which Evanora purchased and listed as ¡®Guild Property.¡¯ The main building was a huge mansion in addition to several small homes she built. It was clear to Rosemary and the other witches that it would become the central locations where all witches gathered. Even after going through a month of uproar, the excitement had yet to settle which bother Sunny to no end. ¡°Is that all you do?¡± Rusalka asked, a frown on her face as she waved the smoke away. ¡°What¡¯s it to you if I smoke?¡± ¡°You could have asked Rosemary to concoct a calming potion, and yet you chose such a crude form of relief instead. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I wouldn¡¯t even believe that you were a witch.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, I don¡¯t particularly think you¡¯re one either, you lifeless fuck.¡± Rusalka pursed her lips in disdain but said nothing else. ¡°Is it Casper you¡¯re worried about?¡± ¡°Tch,¡± Sunny clicked her tongue, flicking the cigarette away, ¡°Do I look boy crazy to you? He was nice at first, sure. It¡¯s been what, nearly two months since he¡¯s tried to contact anyone and what, you think I¡¯m sleeping next to my phone or something?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t what I meant.¡± ¡°Well I¡¯m telling you, Casper can do whatever he wants, I don¡¯t care, so don¡¯t push your fragile love-struck routine onto me.¡± Rusalka recoiled back, her eyes narrowing with hints of aggression. ¡°And what does that mean, exactly? Do you think that is how I see him?¡± ¡°It means exactly what I said¨C You¡¯ve asked about Casper more than I have and now it looks like you¡¯re projecting your bullshit onto me¡­ Hey, between the High Mother and Casper, which one do you want to fuck more? Ooh, or maybe you¡¯re greedy enough to want both?¡± Rusalka responded by unleashing a torrent of water that threw Sunny backward, before sending a few more concentrated streams of water that struck like hammers. Sunny coughed out water as she raised her head, ¡°Touched a nerve?¡± Rusalka raised her hand to attack again but¨C ¡°Enough,¡± Evanora suddenly appeared between the two. ¡°But she¨C¡± ¡°Enough,¡± A sterner reply shot down Rusalka¡¯s attempt at an explanation. ¡°More witches are arriving, go and attend to them.¡± ¡°...As you wish, High Mother.¡± Rusalka bowed before departing. Evanora sighed, turning to look at Sunny whose eyes burned with anger. ¡°Do you have any restraint?¡± ¡°You¡¯re one to talk, always using that charming nature of yours to control people,¡± Sunny gave a biting response. ¡°If you applied yourself even as half as hard as Rusalka you would know that witches develop a natural charming effect as they near their peak. It actually takes effort to control and a moment of inattentiveness can release it¨C¡± ¡°At the press conference¡­ you used it, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That was to ease them into acceptance. You should know very well why we remained hidden all of these years.¡± ¡°You want to win them over by lying to them? It almost makes me wonder why people began to fear witches.¡± ¡°Careful, girl. Voice your disagreement all you wish, but do not disparage your sisters. They have suffered in life just as much if not more than you.¡± ¡°Even Rusalka, your favorite little witch?¡± ¡°Especially her¡­ That girl, do you know how she awakened to her power?¡± ¡°She slipped in the bath?¡± ¡°Rusalka was too young to know, but before gaining control of her power, she was extremely dangerous. Her mother doted upon her, but failed to realize the moisture was being drained from her body in greater amounts each time she held her child¡­ Imagine that, feeling lightheaded or feeble and not knowing that it was a sign you were moving closer to death all because you held something you loved dearly. When her father returned from work one day and found his wife, Rusalka¡¯s mother, a dried husk that had been drained of all moisture, can you guess what he did next? Her own father tied cinder blocks to her ankles and tried to drown her in a lake. She was barely five years of age, an innocent girl, how could she have known?¡± Sunny went blank at Evanora¡¯s words, she fumbled for a response, an apology rose up, but she quickly stifled it, still bitter from being thrown around by Rusalka. ¡°You can resent me, disapprove of my actions, you can become frustrated with our customs, but do not look past what we are. In this world, the only people we can truly rely on to protect us are ourselves, history has made that clear enough. If Rusalka seems rude or uncaring, it is due to her inability to express herself properly¡­ what did she say to you?¡± Sunny closed her eyes, going over the brief interaction she had with Rusalka. ¡®Is that all you do?¡¯ ¡®You could have asked Rosemary to concoct a calming potion, and yet you chose such a crude form of relief instead. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I wouldn¡¯t even believe that you were a witch.¡¯ ¡®Is it Casper you¡¯re worried about?¡¯ ¡®That isn¡¯t what I meant.¡¯ Thinking back, Sunny realized that there was nothing innately hostile about Rusalka said to her. Her propensity to keep order could certainly be obnoxious, but the only time she truly reacted is when Evanora was mentioned. Sunny quickly realized that Evanora likely held the same position in Rusalka¡¯s mind as Rosemary did for her. Since Evanora knew so much about Rusalka¡¯s past, it could be inferred that she was the one who saved her. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ apologize when I get the chance,¡± Sunny said before turning in a huff. Evanora said nothing, only smiling lightly before heading off on her own. ¡­ Meanwhile, at the Iron Wyvern Guild, Andreas and Alexandra looked over Casper with incredulity. ¡°Andreas?¡± Alexandra spoke as she stared at Casper¡¯s unmoving body. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You said that the Hourglass of Life is traditionally accurate?¡± ¡°Well, sometimes it can misread small periods of time, a year, month, week, or day can be off the mark. There has never been a drastic misread as far as I know.¡± ¡°I see¡­ So why is it, that when all signs pointed to life force decreasing, that happened?¡± Alexandra pointed at Casper¡¯s pallid body. A month prior, Alexandra and Andreas waited tensely as Casper¡¯s condition appeared to be getting worse as the days went on. His hair had become inverted with 3/4ths of it becoming grey while a streak of his normal brown hair remained. His skin had gone even paler than before, and his life force shrunk drastically. When the fourth day came around, they expected him to die on the spot, except, he didn¡¯t. Aside from the visible changes, it turned out that his life force wasn''t being reduced, but rather, compressed into a singular point. For those with eyes like Alexandra, it seemed like he was a step closer to death with each passing moment, but a closer inspection revealed he seemed to be bursting with vitality in spite of his sickly complexion and the powers within him had settled, whether the two were related was unknown. ¡°This¡­¡± Andreas trailed, ¡°I cannot be sure, it certainly looks as if he were dying.¡± ¡°To you, my eyes tell a different story,¡± Alexandra retorted. From her point of view, an illusory white flame the size of a tennis ball rested at the center of Casper¡¯s chest, hiding a roiling power just beneath. It was the first time she had ever seen anything so strange and had no idea what it represented. ¡°Well, it can be counted as good news if he isn¡¯t dead, surely?¡± ¡°Only if he can leave the Drachen Arch. If he can¡¯t, then this was all for nothing and our overreaction pushed him toward a trap.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t feel guilty, our actions were made out of concern for someone who, by all accounts, was near death. Besides, I have faith that he will pull through, especially if the analysis profile was correct.¡± Andreas grinned, crossing his burly arms together he stared at Casper intently. Chapter 69: One Hundred Heads Are Better Than One I had achieved another milestone in my ''ascent'' to the peak, rather than it being an observable achievement, it was better described as gaining enlightenment. Before separating my lifeblood, I read all sorts of documents that pertained to the soul itself. It was only now could I say I finally began to understand some of the metaphysical concepts behind it. It was a good foundation for learning the Art of Mortality, but I didn¡¯t get sidetracked and veer off. I would choose a different time to explore my second art, my focus now was only the Art of Sanguina By severing the link that bound my soul and body together, I had been granted a certain freedom. My consciousness could persist for an extended period of time, even if my body was destroyed, my firsthand experience with that came from when I was made to reconstruct my own body from the ground up. The soul, like consciousness, did not have a physical presence. It was a simple observation, yes, but the soul itself appeared to exist on a different plane entirely. So, in that way, the tether connecting both soul and body bridged the gap between two planes. I severed the aforementioned connection and essentially split myself into two separate existences. The physical me and the spiritual me. The reason I could use a puddle of blood to revive myself was that my soul was no longer tied to the fate of my body. It wasn¡¯t wise to destroy my body and stroll around as a disembodied consciousness, but I had gained longevity that many could only dream about. I now understood why the demon princes of hell were disgusted and appalled as well as why higher beings were drawn to me and would seek me out to test me. There was a price that had to be paid to enter the physical realm for spiritual existences and vice versa. I was the exception, I freed myself from those notions and drew both envy and ire. If those entities were prisoners of an unshakeable system, how would they feel to see me freely enter and leave that same prison without suffering any consequences? If I took my thinking a step further, I felt as if severing the tether of lifeblood was a stepping stone on the long road to immortality, not that I wanted it. If that¡¯s where my path was meant to lead me, I wouldn¡¯t shy away, but that wasn¡¯t what motivated me until now. ¡®Ah, this might have been what Penelope was describing when she said she was between life and death. However, her own state was likely heavily related to the pact she made with the entity she served under.¡¯ I recalled her saying she envied my freedom¡­ ¡®Wait, Penelope!¡¯ My mind suddenly was roused to attentiveness. I stood up before viewing my surroundings. I was so immersed in my understanding I didn¡¯t realize I was near the peak of the mountain already. It was so close and yet¡­ it wasn''t close at all. I knew that now. ¡®I told Penelope I would summon her again, but I was so wrapped up in¨C¡¯ I blinked slowly, my mind recounted my personal growth and understanding, and I could say for a fact that I was now more confident in using my abilities than I had ever been. As I looked toward the peak, I felt as if there was no longer a need to continue, not that pressing on would lead to an end. Yes, this was a place that assisted growth and allowed for unparalleled inner reflection, but at the same time¨C There was no need to continue further down the rabbit hole, relying on an external source to provide the answers. My goal was fulfilled and I managed to get even more benefits in my time here. The final straw and biggest sign I should leave was taking a small step toward the Art of Mortality. If I chased the bread crumbs being left in front of me, I would be stuck here forever. I was able to leave without any regrets. As I turned to make my exit, I discovered Oliver standing before me. ¡°Is this where it ends for you?¡± He asked. ¡°...Yeah, it is.¡± His sudden appearance aside, I no longer viewed him the same way. ¡°Then I wish you well in your¨C¡± ¡°Why are you still here?¡± I interrupted with a question. ¡°I have already told you, the peak may look as if it is nearby to you, but for me, it is still¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± I spat plainly. I didn¡¯t realize it at first, but the enlightenment toward my own existence left me cognizant of phenomena relating to the spiritual realm. Of course, at the moment, it was strictly in relation to how my own existence was affected. I could say for certain that I hadn¡¯t moved any closer to the peak than when I had started. It appeared close to me, in fact, it seemed to be only a short climb away, but that was this place. It created an illusion, given the size and distance of the peak, realistically, I would have arrived already. The billowing clouds of grey blocking each level as well as the extended periods of illusory practice disguised it, but the fact was I was being misled. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°I meant to ask if going back to a previous level will cause you to leave, how is it that you can navigate freely?¡± ¡°I¨C¡± He paused. I seized the silence, continuing. ¡°You aren¡¯t Oliver Hallworth, are you? And if you are, you have been lying to me.¡± ¡°I assure you, you are misunderstanding things. If you want to leave, then just leave, your attempts to inspire self-doubt are nothing but troublesome.¡± ¡°I have a few things I want to say before I go, so could you just hear me out?¡± Oliver crossed his arms with a deep frown on his face, until now, he had been rather welcoming so I found it weird for him to sudden show so much hostility. I took his silent gesture as approval and began speaking. ¡°You said that you see a dragon with one hundred heads on that peak, correct?¡± ¡°Do you think I am lying?¡± ¡°No, the complete opposite, in fact, I actually believe that part. I know someone who entered this place to learn to control their gift, one with a draconic nature just like your own.¡± I was referring to Alexandra, but I knew that mentioning her name would get me nowhere with him, so I held back for now. ¡°When you entered this place, you were more than able to control your gift. So now I¡¯m wondering, after you began to unlock a greater understanding of your own power, had it awakened more?¡± ¡°You ask as if you hadn¡¯t experienced the benefits of this place. I learned how to draw out the potential in myself that I had no idea existed.¡± ¡°Exactly, and now I¡¯m beginning to understand a little about draconic gifts. It seems like those sorts of gifts carry egos or a will of their own to an extent. Now, if there is a dragon with one-hundred heads, does each head host a different mind, or are they all a singular entity?¡± ¡°Just¨C¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t Oliver Hallworth,¡± I repeated with certainty. ¡°At least, you aren''t at the moment.¡± Oliver¡¯s eyes narrowed threateningly, a vicious glare formed while the presence he exuded drastically changed into full of bloodthirst. ¡°I don¡¯t know how it happened, but I think that once Oliver entered this place he unlocked parts of his gift that took away his initial control¡­ At first, I thought you locked your own memories, but how would you have been able to seal a part of your own consciousness with a draconic gift? I could be wrong about that, but why would you willingly set aside the family you left waiting for you?¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± Oliver snarled, his amber eyes were filled with rage as he stared at me, but he couldn¡¯t do anything in this place. Smiling confidently, I took a step forward. ¡°Isn¡¯t it time to see Alexandra?¡± I asked. Oliver groaned as a shapeless aura took form around him, towering heads of translucent dragons rose up from the ground beneath his feet. If this was real, I¡¯d be on edge, seeing the majestic aura of changing hues as well as the deafening and ancient roars that made the air tremble. ¡°Do not speak that name or we will¨C¡± ¡°Alexandra,¡± I interrupted, unamused by the threat. He recoiled as if my words had stung him. ¡°It may hurt us, but it is futile, wretch. We will not be broken by something so simple!¡± ¡°Even if I can¡¯t draw Oliver out, the first thing I¡¯ll do when I leave is destroy the artifact keeping this place whole.¡± ¡°NO!¡± The entire illusory world seemed to scream at me. ¡°I get it now¡­¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°You said this place is made from the will of the so-called Lord of Dragons. Is it influencing you? Or do you want to consume it to bolster your power?¡± The dragon heads began to growl at me but failed to shake me. ¡°I won¡¯t break the arch, but in exchange, you have to release him.¡± The dragon heads snapped toward me, letting out garbled hisses and they stopped a few centimeters from my face. ¡°We cannot trust your words, human. You seek to disband us, but we will not allow it!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll absorb this place for myself, I have the means to do it.¡± I lifted my shirt, exposing the black ring encircling my navel, though I doubted they would understand its significance. ¡°With this nifty little thing here, it may be¡­ difficult, but if I cut the arch into pieces, I should be able to consume it all.¡± The dragons slunk backward menacingly, their long necks coiling like the body of a snake. ¡°If you wish for us to release him you must give us your word that you will not destroy the Drachen Arch!¡± ¡°I promise,¡± I said, smiling. Whether I destroyed it or not wasn¡¯t something they could control and I didn¡¯t care much about honoring a promise made while in a fake world. Especially to a group of parasitic beings that were produced from Oliver¡¯s gift. My only concern was that if I was forced to destroy the arch, it would harm Oliver. That and it would take some convincing for Alexandra to go along with it in the first place. ¡°Then he will be freed, but you must keep your word, human.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± I nodded before turning to exit while feeling multiple gazes aimed at my back. ¡­ When I awoke, I took a deep breath as pain crept into my lungs. My body felt heavy and mind was sluggish as I adjusted to my return to the real world. I blinked a few times, seeing two blurry figures come into shape right in front of me. ¡°Hey¨C¡± A quiet and raspy sound left my lips. I really needed a drink of water. ¡°Casper¨C¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± I heard Alexandra and Andreas speak at the same time, but my ears registered the noise as fuzzy. I cradled my head as I shakily took to my feet. ¡°Oliver is¨C¡± I turned to look over my shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s what?¡± Alexandra spoke with clear panic, she took a step toward him but immediately froze. Oliver had remained still as ever, but his eyelids began to flicker rapidly as his breathing grew hurried. ¡°He¡¯s waking up,¡± I finished, pausing for a few moments as I took stock of my condition. ¡°Hey, uh, do you have any food? Preferably something sweet.¡± Alexandra looked at me dumbly, but the desperate growling of my stomach was my main concern. Chapter 70: Stirring Up Monsters, Old And New Somewhere in Great Britain. An old man sauntered forward, pushing open the rusted door of a chamber, keeping a solemn frown as the metal hinges groaned. As light entered the room, a dust-covered, circular, table was revealed. Inscribed in its surface was a fading mural of knights. At the head of each seat, there were nameplates that had long since eroded under the influence of time. ¡°So you received my call?¡± A man spoke from within the shadows, he leaned out of the darkness, exposing a scarred face full of wrinkles. ¡°We¡¯re the only two left, Percival,¡± proclaimed the entrant. ¡°It would be difficult not to have received it. I''m left wondering why you contacted me in the first place considering the world is full of capable people.¡± Sitting down with a groan, the elderly man placed a hand on the table, revealing a ring in with a sword stamped into it. ¡°That does not mean our duties have ended, Galahad,¡± Percival gave a stern reprisal. ¡°You¡¯re referring to the witches?¡± Galahad croaked. ¡°That I am, old friend.¡± ¡°Forget it, this is a new era¡­ besides¨C¡± ¡°I do not mean that we should wage war against them¡­ We are both old and tired men, are we not? The time we live in isn¡¯t so kind as to overlook blatant prosecution without evidence and thankfully we are no longer the ignorant youths we once were.¡± ¡°So what is it you¡¯re suggesting?¡± ¡°We need to find his sword and check if the grail is¨C¡± ¡°The grail was destroyed, he saw to that.¡± ¡°Yes, but even its remains carry power too great and too tempting for anyone to hold.¡± ¡°We can locate his sword, Percy, but we are not the men of our prime. Finding remnants of the grail would be far too hard. It would be like finding a grain of salt among dunes of sand.¡± ¡°That is why after I locate the sword, we will start our search for capable allies who can assist us. We need incorruptible individuals who will resist the allure of the grail and act without hesitation.¡± ¡°Bah, honor is an extremely rare trait these days. There are those older than us who have lost their way, becoming greedy and vain, content with manipulating the world from the shadows to puff up their egos.¡± ¡°So, we will wait.¡± ¡°Until?¡± ¡°Until they move first.¡± ¡°You presume to know their motives. They are not so idiotic as to throw themselves into the spotlight just because the witch did it first.¡± ¡°The old fox will leave his burrow upon knowing the witches have resurfaced.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mean¨C¡± ¡°Indeed, I managed to speak with him once and he still hasn¡¯t abandoned his pointless crusade against the witches, his old bones carry enough hatred to set a city ablaze.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll speak to him, but this time, I will not be as cordial as you were. I can force him to change his mind.¡± ¡°Galahad..." Percival sighed. "It''s too late, not only has he taken measures to hide, he has been steadily raising a small army of hunters for decades. In one on one combat, you may be able to win against him while paying a heavy price, but with hundreds of huntsman at his side, you''ll die a dog''s death.¡± Galahad let out a sigh, his shoulders bearing the weight of a life that had taken many tolls on his body and mind. The days of his youth were filled with heroics and he would''ve gladly tested himself against hundreds of opponents, but now, his age had caught up. ¡°So we have to wait,¡± Galahad relented. ¡°Cheer up, old friend. Remember, just as there are those who will move against the witches, there are those who will assist them. Besides, even if they find themselves without allies, that does not mean that those who still remain hidden do not have grievances with the huntsman''s lodge.¡± ¡°If that is what you believe, then I can only accept it as truth... Now, let us search for that accursed sword.¡± The room became quiet as the two old men departed, leaving the empty round table to gather more dust. ¡­ A tall manor stood within an eerily still forest, a plague reading ¡®The Huntsman''s Lodge¡¯ rested above its entrance. The hour of dusk arrived, casting ominous shadows over its olden structure. Inside of the lurching building, an old man walked through the halls, assisted by a cane. Trophies of beasts with unnatural origins lined the walls of the long hallway.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. The old man was by no means frail, bearing an upright stature full of muscle. His sharp eyebrows and low gaze gave him the countenance of a hawk, but as the head of his cane would indicate, he seemed to prefer foxes. His short grey hair was neatly combed back while his lips remained pursed as if the only expression he could make was a frown. His blue eyes were hauntingly cold, a sign that the man himself was someone who saw little need of joy. He navigated the silent halls of the manor until he arrived at a staircase which he descended at a steady pace. Eventually, he reached his destination and moved to stand atop a speaking platform. Before his eyes, there was a room of men and women that seemed to be no less than a thousand. They stood with discipline and were lined up neatly, without a hair out of place. Their clothing consisted of dark formal wear with coats that bore the symbol of a crossbow and rapier intersecting. ¡°I am not one to mince words,¡± The old man said. ¡°There is no one here who does not know of the world outside and what has occurred, so I will be clear¨C¡± He slammed his cane into the platform, causing it to crack. ¡°Witches are not the friends of humanity! There are those of you who know this, who have studied the records of our battles, who know of the bloody history the witches seek to hide from humanity. They can not be allowed to sink their claws into the veins of the modern world. If they do, a mere plague would be the least of anyone¡¯s concerns.¡± The old man nodded toward one end of the room where someone standing next to a projector began to move. ¡°Take note of these two targets.¡± He pointed his cane toward the images displayed. ¡°Evanora Prower¨C¡± An old portrait of Evanora wearing the prim clothes of a noble lady was shown. ¡°And Casper Clay!¡± The second image was a screenshot from the video involving Casper''s fight with New Era. ¡°The former is the longest surviving witch that we know of, by finding her, we will find the witches she has gathered. The latter is a young man who is capable of using witch runes, he may bear some relation to them, if that turns out to be the case, then we will use him to track them down.¡± The old man lowered his cane and raised his head to look at all of those gathered. ¡°This the only information we have at present, but we are the huntsman, we were once known as the Bloodhounds of Breton. Once we catch wind of our quarry, we do not relent. You all will find your orders and arrangements in your lodgings, let us greet these monsters in human skin with our blades and bullets.¡± Upon dismissal, the room cleared out as the men and women shuffled out in an orderly manner. ¡­ Somewhere within the Alborz Mountains, figures wearing dark clothing that obscured their appearance sat around a man who wore black robes and an equally dark agal. He unfurled a scroll, quickly scanning it before he began speaking. ¡°A request was made for the services of the Hashashin... The target for this mission is Casper Clay of the Emerian Island. At the moment, our client wishes for us to observe him with the intention of striking when necessary. The elder on the mountain has approved the commission, those who have been selected are to take on this task. How you wish to go about this is up to your discretion, but failure is not permitted.¡± Several figures within the group rose, bowing toward the speaker, before melding into the shadows and vanishing. The speaker read the scroll once more, specifically, the additional commission below the request to observe Casper Clay. Commission: ¡®Assassinate Evanora Prower by any means necessary.¡¯ Payment: Legendary sword forged by Kaveh the Blacksmith in addition to 10 billion US dollars. Status: Denied as per dictated by the Elder. Billions of dollars were just a penance in the eyes of the speaker, but the weapon mentioned was valuable enough for even him to wonder what the elder had in mind when refusing it. ¡®Even if those witches brought themselves to the eyes of the public, that does not mean their strength is sufficient enough to ward off our blades¡­¡¯ The speaker thought, stashing the scroll away while withholding his obvious doubt. ¡­ In some distant city, a bustling nightclub with a flashing neon sign reading ¡®Hades¡¯ shone in the night. Inside, there were men and women enjoying a typical night out, but a closer look revealed that their eyes were glazed over as if entranced. There were a few who seemed to stay sober-minded, however. Dressed in black and red with rather pale faces and dark gazes, these men and women were followed around by several club-goers with dazed expressions. ¡°Damien,¡± A man without any followers at his side spoke with discontent, ¡°Have you received word from the princes below?¡± The man in question, wore a lazy grin, his dark eyes full of vibrant orange hues curled in delight. His arms wrapped around men and women as he reveled in the decadent air surrounding him. ¡°That I have,¡± Damien gave a dismissive reply, he raised a cup of wine and gulped it down before playfully biting a woman at his side, she, like the rest of the people at his side, failed to react at all. ¡°And? Need I remind you that as one of Hades¡¯ chosen, you are an ambassador for the princes of hell. We need direction, now more than ever. Especially since those witches have come to light. Since they have chosen to expose themselves, why is it that we remain hidden like rats?¡± With an exasperated sigh, Damien rose up and the loud music instantly fell a few octaves. He reached for an empty glass and approached a man who stared wistfully into the distance. Damien raised his hand and his fingers warped into demonic claws, his nails extending into fine points while dark red veins encapsulated his hand. With a languid swipe, he sliced open the hypnotized man¡¯s throat, sending blood sputtering out. Oddly enough, as the man died, he remained upright while his body trembled and his life faded. Damien filled the empty cup with fresh blood, not out of a need or desire, but simply because he enjoyed its taste as well as the unique feeling of absorbing someone else¡¯s vitality. ¡°The Emerian Island,¡± Damien murmured. ¡°What?¡± The man who confronted Damien frowned confusedly. ¡°We paid a heavy price for the information, but the demon princes are certain that a relic they desire will appear very soon. That is where we¡¯ll make our debut if you so desperately wish to be known by the public. If the witches wish to make themselves known, we will do so in the grandest manner possible.¡± The look of criticism the man showed had all but disappeared and he broke out into a smile. ¡°Of course, I knew that as Hades Chosen you would not disappoint.¡± He bowed his head. Seeing his display of courtesy, Damien¡¯s eyes flashed with a murderous look, but he hid it well, keeping a charming smile stationed on his face. He licked his lips that had been stained with blood before returning to his chair. As for the man who had been killed, his body expanded, his bones snapped and constructed as he began to grow. Before long, his shape had become something that was vaguely humanoid. With horns, a spiny back, large wings, and stony skin, the corpse was turned into a gargoyle. In between its raspy breathing, saliva began dripping from its mouth as it eyed another one of the club attendees. ¡°Have at it,¡± Damien waved his hand. At once, the Gargoyle bit into the neck of a woman who didn¡¯t even blink. She stared out into nothing as she was devoured alive. Chapter 71: Is It The World Or Is It You? I chipperly ate away at a pile of junk food while Alexandra tapped her foot not too far away. Oliver was free of the Drachen Arch¡¯s control, but his condition was unstable. The arch helped preserve the physical condition of those who were in it, in addition to both Oliver and me having gifts that bolstered vitality. The problem occurred when Oliver was released, as his body no longer had the benefit of having his life force preserved. Although he had been freed, Alexandra seemed less than enthused in spite of what I assumed. As I told her of my experience with Oliver, she seemed to grow angry, even. It was obvious that she wouldn¡¯t forget or forgive his actions, but that was something for them to work out. I, on the other hand, needed to catch up with everything that happened while I was unconscious. The biggest news by far was that Evanora had revealed the existence of witches and was in the process of establishing an official guild on the island. It was a huge step for them, but it didn¡¯t have much to do with me, especially since I had no plans on joining them. Guilds and guild politics were rough, but I recalled the only way to operate as a gifted in foreign countries was to apply and receive permission or be in an internationally recognized guild. The next thing I discovered was countless emails from guilds all over the world in my inbox. From the small powerhouses who kept those with rare and eccentric gifts to huge guilds like Sleeping Lion and Eternal Sword. I soon figured out what Andreas meant when I stumbled on the analytic profile that detailed my abilities extremely accurately. It was almost scary, which made me realize why the creator of the article, ¡®TheLookingGlass,¡¯ kept themselves anonymous. Knowing what I know, it would be odd if no one attempted to get their hands on him or her using forceful methods. Knowing the exact type of gifts someone had at a glance was an invaluable skill whether it was one hundred percent accurate or not. ¡°What a crazy world,¡± I muttered, tossing away the plastic wrapper of a chocolate bar as I stood up. I¡¯m just glad that only a small portion of the news affected me. Having to worry about New Era was already too much. As Alexandra said before, New Era was now being targeted by the Emerian government who solicited the help of Sleeping Lion. Overall, it meant that the Emerian Island was seeking to establish closer ties to the US which could be a good or bad thing depending on how it was looked at. Ezekiel was adamant on retrieving his brother which he alleged was held captive in the US. To tie ourselves close to the latter meant we¡¯d likely run into the former. ¡°How is your condition?¡± Alexandra suddenly asked. Oliver was still recovering, so she left him to his rest. Though, I suspected that she would end up smothering him in his sleep if she stayed near him. Her frustrations aside, I checked my body. ¡°Uh¨C¡± I shook my hands and bounced on the heels of my feet before nodding. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°Great, then we won¡¯t have to delay our trip to the Hell Gate. Everyone joining us has been practicing, but without you present, we couldn¡¯t account for how you¡¯ll affect our approach. If you¡¯re free, I hope that you¡¯re open to running a few smaller ruins as a training exercise. It''s nice to have a feel of your allies abilities¡± ¡°Fine by me.¡± I shrugged. It was an opportunity to test my reach and apply what I had learned. The matter of the demon princes hating me wasn¡¯t something I felt too concerned with¡­ but it was still wise to prepare. ¡°Hey, if you don¡¯t mind, I need to go grab some stuff.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Alexandra replied with a distant look. It was clear her mind was moving elsewhere so I took my leave. Or... I would''ve if it wasn''t for a question. ¡°Oh, by the way, where is Andreas?¡± I asked. ¡°Him? His engineering team arrived on the island with his armor and weapons so he went to greet them.¡± ¡°Engineering team?¡± I repeated. ¡°It¡¯s a hassle for him to armor up without assistance seeing as his equipment is all top of the line. You''ll see why they call him the Panzer Knight,¡± Alexandra said, chuckling to herself soon after. ¡­ I made a short trip to the downtown area and retrieved the Guardian¡¯s Armor before paying for the services of a hauling truck. The entire time, the penumbra seemed to be dormant, or at least, restrained, since it didn¡¯t stir even as I physically examined the guardian¡¯s damaged armor. I wasn¡¯t sure how the penumbra would consume the artifacts, but I guess I would figure it out once I arrived back at my apartment. ¡°Sign here.¡± The driver handed me a paper with all the eagerness of a man who wanted to get away quickly. I didn¡¯t blame him, seeing as most people assumed artifacts were either something great or something extremely dangerous. He seemed to be in the latter category and since he did this as a profession, I suppose his pensiveness was understandable. I quickly read over it before adding my signature to the bottom line. After getting it, he quickly left just as expected and I stood alone in front of the apartment with several large black crates. I glanced toward Hope¡¯s small garden and discovered all the plants had been uprooted. ¡°Alright, lift with the legs.¡± I strengthened my body and carried it into the complex and left them at the base of the stairs. As I headed up to unlock my door, I paused. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ ¡®Danger lies beyond you.¡¯ The ring whispered. I realized it a step faster than the ring, but I didn¡¯t have time to revel in that fact. I quickly activated my Spirit Vision and blinding lights filled my vision. Just beyond my door were several significant presences as well more than enough weaker ones. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡®Wait, this isn¡¯t even my door.¡¯ I noticed it looked similar, but there was no way they could break in without disturbing the runes I left behind. They must¡¯ve destroyed it entirely and replaced it. That aside, I looked around the entire building and saw that it was totally devoid of life. Given the silence, it made sense, I just wondered how they manage to get rid of the other tenants. Whatever they did, it had to have been after the witches left. I inhaled deeply and my blood began to stir violently yet maintained its controlled rhythm. And then, Form of Bones caused ivory to emerge from my skin before covering my body. Raising my hand, I softly knocked on the door to see how they would react. The presences inside began to move, setting themselves up in positions that were prearranged while a weaker one moved cautiously toward the door. I waited until they arrived directly in front of the door before I thrust my blood spear, and impaled the unfortunate person. I couldn¡¯t see them, but the garbled cry of a man in agony was a signal I didn¡¯t miss. The blood spear acted as a stinger, and I gained control of the dying man. It would take a single thought to make his corpse explode. I took a step back and breathed deeply before becoming formless. My body became corporeal and I quickly moved through the walls like a ghost, stopping once I arrived in my own room. ¡°He¡¯s there!¡± A loud shout was the first thing that greeted me. Luckily, it was directed toward the entrance rather than my bedroom. My small diversion worked, so I stealthily exited my own room and moved to flank them. Stepping into the living room, I saw several men and women focused on the front door with wielding swords and bows. In front of them, there was a group of weaker people armed with basic rings and weapons. Blood spread out from my body, silently contorting as it warped and expanded behind me. ¡°Ehem,¡± I cleared my throat. The first person to face me was a man in his twenties, he turned and showed an instant look of panic. Before he could shout that I was behind them, a tendril of blood sprung forward and impaled, him lifting his quivering body into the air right after. ¡°Aaaah!¡± He let out a painful scream as more tendrils stabbed into his body. His companions were already too late to save themselves as they found themselves being impaled and raised into the air. A man who was lucky enough to have a barrier ring had gone untouched and instead rushed toward me with a sharpened dagger ready to pierce my heart. I shot wide arcs of blood toward which he responded to by rolling to the side. It was too bad that when he recovered his footing I was already in front of him. I grabbed his face and blood gushed from my palms, covering his head before I invoked the flames of miasma. He screamed as everyone else had so far, but it was only for a moment as I slammed his head into the floor, ending quick. ¡°Fuck it!¡± A woman cursed as she spat blood. She raised her hand and a brightly glowing amulet was revealed. With a cruel smile, she shook it and the light grew brighter. I forced my body to enter the breathless form, and once I became incorporeal, I allowed myself to fall down through the floor below my apartment. When I rematerialized, a muted explosion shook the entire building and dust fell onto my face as the ceiling above me cracked. ¡°That was insane.¡± I dusted myself off, returning my breathless form and leaping up. Again, I returned to physical existence, finding the explosion had scattered and stunned most of the remaining members of New Era. One of the stronger ones were directly injured by the blast, which meant my workload had significantly decreased. I waved my hands through the smoke and walked over to him. A scarlet blade extended from my forearm and pierced his chest. He writhed around for a few moments, before going still and I moved onto the next one. Rather than killing it felt as if I was cleaning up after someone else¡¯s mess. ¡°Shit! I''m calling Grier! The fucking plan failed!¡± A woman shouted as she rushed toward the front door¡­ stepping over the corpse I left behind. Another explosion went off, but rather than the sound of a detonation, the air was filled with a fleshy crunch and viscera and bone went flying. The blood within the body expanded like a net before hardening, blocking the entrance while carving the fleeing woman into pieces. I looked around to the few remaining people who were too frightened to even continue. To begin with, they were the weakest of my would-be ambushers. ¡®Hold on¡­ don¡¯t I know some of them?¡¯ I scanned over the cramped faces and felt a sense of deja vu. To confirm my suspicion, I quickly peeled through the memory of the woman who blew herself up with the amulet. A tattooed face appeared in my mind, Grier was apparently his name. Just as he said, he didn¡¯t plan on making things easy for me just because I let him go. He didn¡¯t come personally because of the pressure Sleeping Lion began to put on New Era, but he sent the ones he could spare as well as those who failed to defend an old factory used as a front for smuggling¡­ It was the factory that I had raided by myself, the ones I let survive were meant to personally identify me, but that was clearly a lie. Rather than that, they were supposed to be cannon fodder and obstruct me, while the main group focused on killing me. ¡®So it came back to bite me?¡¯ I let out a hollow chuckle as I looked down at their pitiful faces. ¡°P-Please¡­¡± One man crawled toward me. ¡°I can tell you anything! Just let me live!¡± A woman covered in soot cried out, a constant stream of tears poured out of her eyes. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know anything! I have a friend¨C he¡¯s right below Grier in terms of rank! You let me live and I can get you info!¡± Another man spoke while nursing his broken arm. ¡°My gift is decent enough to help you! Heavy lifting, muscle, whatever you need!¡± Their shouts continued to grow more desperate, each one seeking to make themselves more appealing than the other. My gaze could only darken as I watched them, it seemed as if they would start fighting amongst them if I didn''t interfere. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I spoke softly, but my voice was heard by all of them. They turned their eyes toward me, hopeful but hesitant, wanting to grasp at any straw available. ¡°Really, it¡¯s okay,¡± I said again, lessening the tension. A stream of relieved sighs filled the air and that¡¯s when I moved. A red crescent sliced through the air and took their heads¡­ It was painless. I couldn¡¯t help but clench my fists when seeing the strained smiles still present on their faces, but I didn¡¯t look away. I made a mistake when I let the stragglers at the factory leave alive. My reluctance to kill people who, prior to surrendering, had the intention to kill me would be a bad habit if I continued to indulge in it. I accepted that I was wrong to let them go and the slightly bitter feelings attempting to crawl their way up to my mind were a part of the price I had to pay. ''You can''t afford to be nice,'' I told myself. In an effort to get over the rather empty feeling creeping up on me, I narrowed my eyes and drew in the blood that had been spilled. The fresh corpses were dragged along with the receding tide of vermillion. I raised my hands and conjured the miasmic flames which ate away at the remains, dissolving flesh and bone with frightening tenacity. The liquid covering the floor turned dark, almost black, but the iridescent red hue it carried reminded it was blood. It surrounded me, twisting and growing before I absorbed it into me. When it had finished, I closed my eyes and felt as if there was a turbulent strength hiding in me. I subdued it and compressed it until I was certain it wouldn¡¯t be wasted. I was carrying around a small storm inside of me and whoever it was unleashed on would be caught by surprise. My apartment was a mess, but there were only traces of battle, no actual carnage remained. I headed back into the hall and carried up the crates and then finally, I sat down. I took a breath, realizing that I didn¡¯t have many opportunities for breaks. I decided to sit down and think for a minute in order to gather myself before moving again. ¡®What a crazy world,¡¯ I thought. I raised my head and stared listlessly at the ceiling. Chapter 72: Ivory Warden The Endless Penumbra has developed the ¡®Tempered¡¯ attribute. The ¡®Tempered¡¯ attribute will cause the following to occur: -Weapons or relics manifested by you will undergo a ¡®tempering¡¯ process which allows them to gain increased power and durability. -The Penumbra is now limited in what it can consume, once it reaches its maximum capacity, it will refuse to eat until it grows hungry again. -In order to feed Penumbra low-quality items, they must be delivered in large quantities or else it will refuse them. -The ¡®Tempered¡¯ attribute allows the Penumbra to digest consumed items carefully, as a result, greater benefits from consumed sustenance will be drawn out. -Due to the increased restraint and discipline applied, the Penumbra will seek to assist you and actively search for items that relate to the power of death. To remove the ¡®Tempered¡¯ attribute, you must feed the Penumbra souls reaching a value of 50,000. To evolve the Endless Penumbra, it must be fed at least one ancient relic or artifact. The current value of souls in your possession: 6,750 Path of The Death Bringer: Bind: Bring forth any incorporeal foes and chain them to the material world for a period of time, making them vulnerable to physical attacks. If used against living creatures, the effectiveness is halved. The strength of this ability is connected to your understanding of death. Cost: 5,000 Penelope¡¯s Vow: Draw on the power of Penelope¡¯s vow and call to all willing Death Bringers. Those who accept will manifest as spirits and assist you for a short period of time. Cost: 10,000 Phantom Heart: This ethereal and unmoving heart will strengthen your soul and your connection to spiritual realms as well as protect you from the entities that may populate them. Cost: Purchased Soul Reaving: Beyond increasing the effects of siphoning the souls of the dead, this ability allows you to strip weaker beings of their souls which may outright kill them. When used against beings with souls either stronger than or equivalent to your own, it will serve to weaken them for a time. Cost: 25,000 Invocation of Limbo: Invoke the power of the purgatorial realm itself and trap your foes between the land of the living and the dead for a short period of time. Any being caught within the radius of this invocation will not be able to move. The power of this ability will exert a terrible burden on your body, so it would be wise to exercise restraint in its use. Cost: 30,000 Skeleton Key: This is a weapon forged by your soul and tempered with your flesh and blood. Your very existence grants this weapon power. As long as you persist, this weapon will not falter. Cost: 50,000 Path Of The Dread Sorcerer: Wield these ancient and forgotten forms to vanquish your enemies. These skills cannot be purchased with souls, only learned or taken. Acquiring each skill will strengthen your soul. The Endless Penumbra: The Penumbra remains tempered, it follows your will. The path of its growth lies in your hands. Art of Sanguina: Take control of your lifeblood and you will find the only restriction in the use of blood arts lay within your imagination. Your blood hums with power. Art of Mortality: To think that raising the dead is the peak of necromancy is pure ignorance. Only once you explore your own death and gain enlightenment will you gain an idea of the power you can wield. You possess a greater understanding of death and yet, there is still more to be learned. Form of Bones: For a Dread Sorcerer, your body is your greatest defense. To be bent, broken, and crushed is a small price in that regard, wouldn¡¯t you agree? Form of Flesh: To use this form requires you to act as a medium between worlds. If you use your flesh as a gateway, you may summon spirits to fight for you¡­ for as long as you can withstand the pain, that is. Or perhaps you wish you carve runes upon your skin and make use of their effect for a time? Song of The Crow: Because you possess an artifact with a small affinity toward death, you can enhance its powers further and permanently bind it to your soul. Song of Silence: This will summon a death fog in the area around you. The longer your enemies stand within it, the more you can will it to weaken them. You cannot move or speak while using this power as any sound you make will cause the death fog to target your soul. Penelope¡¯s Song: A unique skill that is the result of walking the Path of the Death Bringer and Dread Sorcerer. Once a month, when the moon is at its brightest, you may meet with Penelope should she be willing.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Breathless Walk: Move as the spirits of the dead do, silent and unseen. Pass through any solid object that is not affected by magic or living. While in this state, you may not attack others. Beings with strengthened perception and eyesight may discover you if you are not careful. If discovered by the living, you will be removed from this state. In addition, the moment you breathe is when this technique will end. The Broken Scale: A pound of flesh is the greatest collateral of all. Offer a vital part of your body and your sorceries will become more powerful. Any part that is exchanged will be rendered unusable for a year. Stampede of Pale Horses: The ones atop pale horses acknowledge your existence, but have yet to be impressed by your actions. Touch of Azrael: You cannot accept this in your current state as it would tear your soul asunder. Inheritor of Thanatos: You are absolutely worthless and will continue to be seen as such until deemed otherwise, Casper Clay. While I read the content of the grimoire, the penumbra slowly consumed the guardian¡¯s armor. Though it usually could consume everything in one go, the pieces of armor were far too large. At the moment, the shadowy arm had expanded like a web and began dissolving the armor. In the meantime, I closed the grimoire¡­ If there was anything I would buy, it would have to be ¡®Bind¡¯ as the Hell Gate was likely full of demonic entities, some of which might be incorporeal. ¡®I need to get more souls,¡¯ I told myself. If I was contracted with a guild, I would probably be able to clear the ruins they held control over as much as I wanted. Since that wasn¡¯t the case, I could look for ones with higher difficulty that most would avoid. It would be killing two birds with one stone since I could get a steady stream of souls as well as a good amount of training. I reclined back and waited for the penumbra to finish eating the armor. ¡°I guess I need to find a new place.¡± One look around revealed immense damage that made staying in this humble apartment less than worth it. There were houses created with the gifted in mind, added protections like enchanted doors and rare building material that had been obtained from ruins were commonplace. They usually carried massive price tags, but in my case, I definitely needed it. After I spent an hour searching for listings on my phone, the armor had finally disappeared. I felt a change in my body, but I decided to try something else before checking the grimoire. I removed the Dagger of Premonition, which was in its ring form, and placed it atop the heavy greatsword that remained. If I could upgrade it, there was no telling what sort of effect it had¡­ If I recall correctly, only by combining it with a greater artifact would allow me to upgrade the Dagger of Premonition. ¡®Well¡­ get to it.¡¯ I tried communicating my intentions which caused the penumbra to move. Dark and hazy threads began to wrap themselves around the greatsword and the ring, but the unthinkable happened in the next moment. I heard a loud crunching sound and was forced to watch as the ring broke in half while the greatsword became covered in web-like cracks before it shattered completely. ¡°You''re kidding me.¡± I slowly lowered my face into my hands. The penumbra scooped up the pieces of the ring before sinking back into me. I was left speechless without any time to regret what I had done. ¡®At least, there¡¯s the armor.¡¯ I brought out the grimoire and read the fresh letters filling the top of the page. The penumbra has finished digesting. The items consumed have produced a lower manifestation of an armor created by ancient lich known as the Ivory Warden. In his tower of bone, he strove to create an osseous skin that would make him invulnerable to everything¡­ While he failed to achieve his dream, his work resulted in the creation of a form with incredible strength, durability, and an innate connection to the spiritual realm. When using Form of Bones, the Ivory Warden¡¯s Armored Skin will be adorned. An additional layer of protection known as a ¡®Spirit Barrier¡¯ lies on the surface of the armor allowing the wearer to resist spiritual and arcanic attacks. The strength of the barrier is dependent on the strength of the wearer¡¯s soul. Once the barrier is depleted, it requires one day to reform. If you wish to obtain the full manifestation of the Ivory Warden¡¯s Armor, thereby deciphering a small number of his secrets, a powerful set of armor must be consumed. If the process is unsuccessful, the Ivory Warden¡¯s Armor will fracture and be rendered unusable until it is repaired. Your attempt to strengthen the Dagger of Premonition has failed. A worthier blade must be combined with its remaining pieces of the dagger. Additional failure will permanently destroy any manifestation of the dagger. Due to possessing the ¡®Tempered¡¯ attribute, The Ivory Warden¡¯s Armor gains an additional level of strengthening. I felt like I had seen the silver lining in all of this. Reading the description of the Ivory Warden¡¯s Armor numbed the pain I felt from losing the Dagger of Premonition. The worth of the dagger wasn¡¯t in its ability to be a weapon, but the fact it could save my life at any given time. If I didn¡¯t have it, Grier and his two subordinates would have caught me unaware. I would mourn its loss, but I now had a better way to protect myself. So, I deemed it to be a fair trade. At least, that¡¯s what I told myself in hopes of consoling my broken heart. I headed for the bathroom mirror so I could at least get a look at the armor. ¡°Woah!¡± I shouted at my reflection. I didn¡¯t notice at first, but my looks had changed. For one, my hair had gone gray, leaving all but one patch that kept its dark brown shade in an act of rebellion. My hair had also grown twice as long over the last few months, but that wasn¡¯t something worth mentioning. My skin, on the other hand, had become even paler. I wasn¡¯t as pallid as Penelope, but if someone confused me for a reclusive vampire, I wasn¡¯t in the position to prove them wrong. I instantly used Form of Bones and quickly became astonished at the changes that occurred. An illusory armor began to materialize before sinking into my skin and fusing with my flesh, causing my clothes to vanish. What appeared in its place were layers and segments of sleek, pearlescent, ivory that shaped itself to my body. A lustrous skeletal helmet covered my face like a mask, The strangest piece that came with the armor was the dark waist cape that had a leathery, almost skin-like, texture. It was attached to the base of my spinal area, so it wasn¡¯t as if it were some sort of accessory I could remove. As long as it didn¡¯t hamper my movement, I didn¡¯t care much. I stared at my reflection, the haunting image of an ivory being was shown to me. I could hardly picture the appearance of the lich who created the armor itself. I felt that if I had left my apartment like this, I might be mistaken for a creature that had crawled out of one of the stronger ruins. I undid the transformation and luckily, my clothes still remained. It seemed that once I summoned the armor, my clothes would only temporarily vanish, which was a good thing. If I happened to be naked all underneath the armor, I could only begin to imagine the problems I would cause by undoing the transformation in public. ¡®Now, all I need to know is how much the barrier can withstand.¡¯ I still had a few days before Alexandra¡¯s practice run, but I didn¡¯t want to register for a ruin. Instead, I would follow up on the memories I received from my attempted ambushers. Chapter 73: The More Souls, The Better Standing alone in alleyway nestled between two buildings, a figure with a bag slung over his shoulder toiled away in the shadows. His hands moved, painting a brick wall with some strange substance. ¡°Hey!¡± A man wearing several rings shouted at the vandal. ¡°Hey, old man?! Fuck off, would you?¡± ¡°Old man?¡± Casper snapped back, stepping out of the darkness. ¡°That¡¯s a little rude, I mean sure, it¡¯s a little grey, but still...¡± He murmured to himself. Wearing a grey jacket, a plain white shirt, black pants, and black sneakers, there was nothing especially strange about Casper, at a glance. However, looking at Casper¡¯s pale face and mostly grey hair was enough to put the man on alert. His rings twinkled with a dim light as his eyes narrowed, blanketed with suspicion. ¡°Those are artifacts, right?¡± Casper questioned. ¡°Shit!¡± Apparently smarter than he looked, the man immediately called for help, one of his rings blinked rapidly which sent a signal to some unknown receiver. The recent raids conducted by Sleeping Lion had put pressure on the New Era members stationed on the Emerian Island, so it was only normal for him to react so quickly. A mass of blood coalesced in the air before coiling around the man and crushing him. With a short scream, his body gave way to the tension and he died just like that. Casper approached him and pried the rings from his fingers before letting the miasmic flames destroy the corpse. He turned to look over his shoulder and glowing blood rune he drew had begun to work. A loud explosion ripped through the air as a wave of heat brushed past his face which caused him to shut his eyes. When he opened them, a large hole exposed the interior of the seemingly abandoned building. Inside, dazed members of New Era were stumbling to their feet. Donning the Ivory Warden¡¯s Armored Skin, Casper stepped into the crumbling entrance, activated his Spirit Vision and looked around, spotting someone who was likely class-5, the strongest one among the bunch. A woman with a longsword came bearing down on Casper, her blade crashed into the blood spear and pushed him back by a few steps, but he held his ground. ¡®Is she really a class-five?¡¯ He wondered. Just as he thought her gift only provided additional strength, her body split into two and he was faced with two identical attackers. Her division hadn¡¯t lowered her strength at all, in fact, he seemed to have doubled. He found himself being pushed back as she kept his spear at bay. While her main body pressed down the blood spear with her blade, her second body lunged to his side and thrust her sword. The sword scraped across the surface of his armored skin, and sparks went flying, but Casper hadn¡¯t been harmed. The rest of the New Era members had begun to move, lifting all sorts of enchanted weapons into the air before sprinting toward him. ¡°Jules!¡± A man shouted as he charged with a battleaxe in hand. ¡°I have him!¡± The woman shouted as her body multiplied once more and three identical forms surrounded Casper. The two additional copies raised their weapons and performed simultaneous strikes, but their swords bounced off of Casper¡¯s body once more. Jules took a deep breath and replicated herself again, her face becoming visibly strained as her strength increased once more. Keeping Casper from moving was hard enough, but three powerful strikes slammed down on Casper and a luminescent barrier covering the surface of his armored skin became visible. ¡°Kill him!¡± The axe wielding man ignored Jules and swung aggressively as he attacked Casper. Jules felt an eerie chill and looked into Casper¡¯s eyes, seeing that he wasn¡¯t panicking at all. If anything, he seemed to be waiting for something. ¡°Move!¡± Jules shouted as she forced her body to move backward. The others who had just arrived were too late and could only watch as Casper¡¯s body exploded into numerous crows with tinges of red decorating their feathers. As they silently spread out, the ground began glowing. The entire time Jules thought she had him cornered, Casper had covered the ground in runes. Miasmic fire shot up from the ground like a violent geyser engulfing those unlucky enough to have been caught between. If that wasn¡¯t bad enough, the crows began to dive toward anyone they saw and exploded into a bloody mist upon making contact. The blood that stained their clothes transformed into binding runes which momentarily obstructed their movements. Casper reformed and made full use of the opportunity granted. He gripped the spear in his right hand and pierced through a man¡¯s skull, while he waved his left hand and sent a narrow wave of blood outward. It swept over several people before receding, drawing them inward. The scarlet wave then began to take the shape of a large sphere that entrapped four struggling individuals. With a clenching motion, the sphere hardened, killing those within, before exploding, causing blood to splatter across the room like rain. A man holding a battle axe grew in size as he arrived at Casper¡¯s flank. Even with his increased size, it took some effort to lift the axe which showed its enchantment had something to do with its weight. He brought it down, hoping to cleave Casper in half, but hit nothing but empty air as Casper became incorporeal. His ghostly form darted around the man before he rematerialized and stabbed out with his blood spear. Piercing flesh and bone, the sharp head of the spear emerged from the other side, leaving the man dumbstruck. Writhing tendrils appeared along the staff of the spear and began tunneling through his body though they were met with resistance as the muscle they sought to tear through was too compact. ¡°Royce!¡± Jules shouted. ¡°Fuck off!¡± Royce shouted at Casper. While ignoring the pain of his wounds, he reached for the spear, intent on snapping it in half. As Royce''s hands tried to wrench the spear from his attacker, a wave a miasmic fire appeared along with it, causing Royce to cry out unable to cope with the searing pain. Even the tendrils that struggled to tear through his muscles had caught fire, inflicting what felt like endless agony onto the man. ¡°Stop!¡± All four of Jules¡¯ forms rushed toward Casper but he raised his hand and they came to a halt. ¡®The Authority of Blood, huh?¡¯ Casper recalled his time in the Drachen Arch, attempting to recreate the same phenomenon. The blood that covered her body from the fight allowed him to restrain her without drawing ¡®bind¡¯ runes, but it was difficult to hold her. His arm trembled and cracks appeared along his armored skin as she fought through his control. Even though he had managed to withstand several direct attacks, it appeared as if using the authority of blood caused more damage than his enemies could. Seeing the splintering of his armored skin spreading toward his shoulder, he finished off Royce. The blood pooling on the ground moved, gathering into a thickened pool of red that gathered into the shape of spikes that launched themselves at Royce. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Ah,¡± A singular exclamation left his lips as the blood spikes punched holes through him. His vision dimmed as he looked toward Jules who began screaming, but her voice grew fainter when the last vestiges of life departed from him. At the same time, Casper¡¯s arm creaked, the armor covering his forearm began to shatter in several places, releasing spurts of blood from the cracks. As Jules forced a fifth copy of herself to manifest, he could no longer hold her. His arm burst underneath the strain, leaving a badly mangled limb to hanging at his side. Unperturbed by the development, Casper absorbed blood into his body and repaired the damage. However, it left a large enough window for Jules to attack, all five forms moved in sync and aimed for Casper¡¯s head, arms, and legs respectively. A wall of blood was erected between them to slow her charge and it succeeded for a few moments until she broke through by demolishing it in a single blow. ¡®This could be bad,¡¯ Casper thought lucidly, giving a fair assessment to her current level of strength. Blood orbited his body as he leaped into the air, avoiding the five swords that came crashing down. He twisted his body while airborne, drawing the Spectral Bow with greater ease. Tugging his fingers on the pale bowstring produced an arrow which he fired without hesitation. His hands moved deftly as he fired two more in quick succession. Like that, three of Jules¡¯ forms had been struck, fading from sight soon after the arrows passed through them. ¡®She¡¯s like a glass cannon then!¡¯ Casper realized, her strength might have increased, but her defense would lower in turn. Otherwise, it would be strange if she hadn¡¯t managed to withstand one arrow. Jules lurched forward, expelling blood as her insides churned, but she kept her footing and moved toward Casper in tandem with her remaining copy. One ran left and the other sprinted right, hoping to behead Casper the moment he touched the ground. Since she had hedged all of her bets on the moment he touched the ground, Jules threw all of her weight in strength into the attack. The moment Casper landed, he augmented his strength, using his forearms to accept the blows. The spirit barrier immediately shattered and the blades pushed a few centimeters in before being stopped. Jules was caught off guard, but even more so when two scarlet blades pierced both of her bodies. ¡°You¡­¡± Jules coughed as her second form faded, leaving her stuck with a scarlet blade through her chest. ¡°Who are¡­ you?¡± She mustered up the strength to ask. Casper willed his helmet to disappear, revealing his face. ¡°Casper Clay... You should know me right?¡± ¡°...Yeah,¡± Jules weakly spat out. ¡°Grier told me to look out for you¡­ You son of a bitch.¡± ¡°Speaking of¡­¡± Casper looked toward a service elevator. ¡°Is he down there?¡± Jules laughed before spitting a clump of blood at Casper. ¡°I¡¯ll find out either way,¡± He spoke calmly before stabbing her once more. She groaned as strength left her body, but she kept a defiant gaze as she stared into Casper¡¯s eyes. Undaunted by the hatred being delivered to him, Casper tossed her aside and entered the elevator. As the doors shut, his helmet returned, covering his face while lending him a solemn air. ¡­ Creaking downward, the noise of the elevator filled the basement floor. The hushed breathing over dozens of individuals filled the low-lit hall as they raised their weapons. Crossbows that shone with a magical luster, as well as staves thrumming with magic, were pointed, waiting for the arrival of a possible enemy. ¡°You think its Sleeping Lion?¡± ¡°Quiet.¡± Tension ran through the air, allowing for growing apprehension to take hold which sparked several reactions. ¡°W-We should leave.¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± ¡°The lift is nearly here.¡± ¡°We still have time, we should at least¨C¡± ¡°You say another fucking word and I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s here!¡± A loud bell sound reverberated as the elevator creaked open, revealing a dark interior. Through squinted eyes, a man searched for any recognizable shape he could find but found only darkness. The stifled breathing only grew louder as seconds passed, feeling more like hours. A light bulb shattered, painting the hallway in even more shadows. For some, that sharp sound was enough to put them on edge and arrows and magic went flying before the hall was illuminated with blinding lights. ¡°Stop!¡± A shout was drowned out by the consecutive impacts. ¡°I said stop! God damn it, stop!¡± Eventually, the air settled and what was left was a scorched elevator with no sign of life, but strangely enough, blood began pooling, slowly making its way toward the improvised firing line. ¡°What the hell?¡± One man furrowed his eyebrows, touching the dark red liquid with his hand. ¡°It¡¯s blood¨C¡± he just barely managed to say before the blood reacted. It quickly pierced through him, draining him of his vitality before growing in mass and expanding. ¡°Shit!¡± ¡°Move, move, move!¡± ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Screams filled the air as the situation changed dramatically. A twisting mass of blood continued to grow, extending its reach outward, killing whoever it touched without fail. The number of living people fell drastically as they retreated the opposite way. ¡°Wait¨C¡± One man came to a halt, seeing a figure standing behind them only a few meters away. Beneath a flickering light, a single figure was revealed between the brief flashes. Unknowingly, all those who had been running came to a stop, forgetting the mass of blood behind them as it stopped pursuing and pooled on the ground once more. The figure moved slowly, a weapon forming in its grip as it stared at the small crowd before it. A violet flame burst to life, cladding the tip of the blood spear which cast a light on the skeletal mask covering Casper¡¯s face. No one could move, whether it be from fear or caution, their enchanted weapons would need time to recharge so those with weaker gifts could only wait for the stronger ones to react first. ¡°Should I go first?¡± Casper asked calmly. ¡°Aaaah!¡± A man wielding two batons ran out, however, Casper was frighteningly quicker which allowed the first attacker to greet the tip of the blood spear with his head. Casper kicked the body away sending it back toward a pensive group who took a few steps back after seeing how fast one of their own died. ¡°If the rest of you won¡¯t go, then I¡¯ll have to,¡± saying so, Casper took a step forward causing the group to retreat a step backward. Right then, the corpse they overlooked in their haste exploded into a thick blood mist, obscuring Casper¡¯s movement. Horrific screams filled the hall as the bloody mist grew heavier, so much so that iron could be tasted in the air, but no one had time to pay it any mind. The cramped space and quickness of their enemy left many to find themselves stabbed through. In the end, no one managed to escape or fight past Casper, leaving his ivory armor stained with blood that quietly dripped onto the floor. Surveying the area with his spirit vision, Casper found no survivors or hidden individuals so he cleared away the armored skin and began walking toward the furthest room. The reason he brought a bag with him in the first place was to collect whatever artifacts he found on the way. Scanning through some memories revealed the existence of something referred to as the ¡®Healing Goblet¡¯ which could produce a powerful regenerative liquid once per day. It wasn¡¯t especially great, but seeing as New Era was suffering constant losses on the Emerian Island made it crucial. If their strongest gifted were to die from their wounds, it would mean their influence and presence would soon completely fade. Knowing that Casper was more than eager to steal it and anything else he could find. Adding it to his duffle bag before heading back upstairs. ¡°Hmm?¡± Casper diverted his attention from looting corpses to the ringing of a phone. He walked over to Jules¡¯ corpse and pulled the phone from her pocket, quietly exclamation at the fact the contact name was ¡®Grier.¡¯ ¡°Jules!¡± A serious voice was heard from the other line. ¡°Try again,¡± Casper replied. A moment of silence fell between them before Grier spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me right now, asshole.¡± ¡°Aw, in a bad mood?¡± Casper mocked, but Grier was unreceptive to his jeering attitude and began cursing with more aggression. Casper hung up when it seemed man would only continue rambling but was a bit surprised when the phone rang once more. ¡°Hello¨C¡± ¡°It''s you, isn''t it? Casper? You better pray that I don''t get my fucking hands on you, you son of a¨C¡± Casper sighed, pulling the phone away from his ear as Grier continued his ranting. ¡®I guess he¡¯d be on edge if New Era gets pushed out of the Emerian Island. After all, it¡¯d be embarrassing for Ezekiel to declare war on everyone just to lose footing a few months after,¡¯ Casper figured. The first thing to be done once New Era was rooted out would be to announce it to the world. Doing so would diminish morale for the group, so Casper¡¯s assessment was fairly accurate. ¡°We''ll see each other at some point, Grier,¡± Casper said into the phone, crushing it in his palm before throwing it across the room. Casper returned to filling his bag to the brim before he set the pooling blood ablaze. A normal fire rose up and quickly spread throughout the building as Casper made a hasty exit accompanied by the sound of a bag full of artifacts clanging together, creating an odd symphony. Chapter 74: A Fair Trade Disappointment wasn¡¯t quite the word that fit, but it felt close to how I felt now. I knew very well that the penumbra no longer had the same appetite it once did, but never did I imagine that piling all of the artifacts I gathered from my fights with New Era would fail to make it move even slightly. Recalling it was attached to my will, I filled my thoughts with consuming all the artifacts, but that also did nothing. Even the goblet was useless, well I didn¡¯t give it much value since I had what I felt was a decent level of regeneration. Out of curiosity, I wanted to test its value in the penumbra¡¯s eyes¡­ well, hands, but that got me no further than when I started. So, feeling hopeful, I took my stash to Alexandra. I wasn¡¯t generous enough to just hand my hard-earned items over without a price but my buying options were limited. I had vague recollections of fencers and dealers who New Era often used, but you needed a certain amount of clout and notoriety amongst the black market to just start interacting with the shady organizations who dealt with those things. Since Alexandra actively engaged in illegal activity on behalf of the government, I figured she¡¯d be my biggest chance of securing a buyer. Especially seeing as we were due to take on a ruin. I could guarantee she¡¯d buy the healing goblet since it could help Oliver recover faster though I don¡¯t know if that would be good for the man in question. Whatever. I lifted the bag onto my shoulder as I stepped out of a car. By now, I was able to enter the guild premises pretty easily, so no one stopped me as I entered. I found Alexandra pretty easily, she was in the middle of a conversation with some of her members and I had to wonder how often she saw her children. It was none of my business and I had no plans on taking it up with her since it would probably lead to her telling me off. ¡°Here he is,¡± Alexandra said, announcing my entrance. ¡°What¡¯s with the bag?¡± Her mood was surprisingly upbeat in comparison to the last time I saw her. I guess she was happy Oliver was out of the Drachen Arch though he¡¯d probably still have work to do as far as their marriage went. ¡°Stuff to sell.¡± I shook the bag, the clanking of artifacts seemed to be enough for her to realize what I meant and she quickly shooed her guild members away. ¡°Come with me,¡± she spoke, neither enthused nor uninterested. That changed when we entered a private room and dumped the contents of my bag onto a table and immediately pointed out the goblet, explaining its use. ¡°May I?¡± She nearly snatched it away, but stopped herself, asking my permission instead. I shrugged, gesturing for her to do as she wanted. What surprised me was the fact she immediately activated the goblet and took a big gulp of its contents, swishing the liquid around before she finished it. ¡°Twenty million.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± I blinked. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bit short for all of this stuff?¡± ¡°Not for all of it, that¡¯s just for the goblet. We¡¯ll work a price for the rest as we go through.¡± ¡°Ah, I see...¡± I pondered the market price and the value of such an item. I did my research on the way here, so I wasn¡¯t ignorant of the average price. She started five million lower than what even the cheapest of Grade-B artifacts went for. ¡°That¡¯s still a little low,¡± I said without being worried about upsetting her. ¡°Yeah, but I plan to buy more than just this, so at the very least you could cut me a bit of slack, right?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s call it a discount then. For a friend.¡± ¡°Great,¡± she set the goblet aside and moved on. I slowly went through what I could remember. A few of the artifacts were one-time uses, so I couldn¡¯t let her test them all without a guarantee she would pay for it. Luckily, Alexandra was more than open to bearing the cost and began testing them. Barriers, quick escape tokens (strips of paper that would send you flying backward in a certain direction and presumably out of danger), temporary acceleration, power amplification, invisibility, instant recovery (for non-fatal wounds), sensory enhancement, threat detection, and long-distance communication. We managed to sort through the uses of the artifacts after about an hour while she haggled on the price. ¡°Ninety million.¡± ¡°Ninety-five,¡± I countered, ¡°You used one of the best artifacts already. If I had known what it did, I probably would have kept it for myself.¡± I was referring to an enhancement ring that could only be used once before the gemstone in it cracked, rendering it an empty piece of jewelry. While it wasn¡¯t something unique, it could¡¯ve been very useful, especially since the remaining pieces weren¡¯t on the same level. Even now, Alexandra was bursting with power, her skin was slightly flushed and her breathing was hurried as she tried to contain the rampant energy flowing through her. ¡°Fine,¡± she agreed, just as upset she used it prematurely. In her defense, the ring appeared to be rather dull and whoever owned it before was sure reluctant to use it. That, or they didn¡¯t get the chance to. We shook on the deal which turned out to be a mistake. She nearly shattered my hand without even realizing it¡­ There was no way she was sour over five million dollars. Probably. ¡°By the way,¡± she started while attempting to subdue the energy flowing through her, ¡°I decided on a class four ruin full of stone golems for our training. They are very reminiscent of the magma guardians in the Hell Gate ruin. We have it for the entire week so we can get a feel for your combat potential and fighting style.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I thought about anything I had on the cards but came up short. ¡°Just let me know.¡± ¡°Tomorrow then.¡± ¡°Tomorrow it is,¡± I replied. I knew the money would arrive within a few days and I was in no rush. The funds I had now were enough for a downpayment on a luxury penthouse made with all sorts of expensive minerals recovered from ruins. It was essentially a bunker that looked fancy given that the real estate agent made sure to sell me on the details. I left the Iron Wyvern guild and headed toward my soon to be new living space without delay. ¡­ The next day, I arrived at the ruin just as planned. A group of ten were waiting, the notable faces were Alexandra, Andreas, and most surprisingly, Oliver who waved at me with a reserved smile on his face. ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ unexpected.¡± I looked to Alexandra for an explanation but she only rolled her eyes as if to say don¡¯t ask. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Casper!¡± A clean-shaven Oliver approached me, his hair neatly trimmed. ¡°...Oliver,¡± I greeted him, extending my hand but he pulled me in for a hug. It felt as if someone pushed me into a brick wall, which made me wonder if Oliver was given a bunch of recovery drugs and potions. To be frank, the man sported a powerful stature. I read the excitement on the faces of the guild members and it occurred to me that Oliver was the guild master and Alexandra was likely the vice master. That changed when he went comatose, but it was sure to have some effect on inner politics, but since they were originally a smaller guild, to begin with, it wasn¡¯t a big deal as compared to juggernauts like Sleeping Lion who would suffer from infighting. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re okay, but¡­¡± I trailed, thinking of his children for some reason. ¡°But?¡± Oliver echoed my words, intending for me to continue. ¡°He¡¯s probably wondering why you¡¯re here, so why don¡¯t you tell him why you haven¡¯t gone to see your children first, Olly.¡± ¡°I¨C um¡­¡± Oliver stammered, reservation apparent on his face. ¡°Alexandra, could we not do this right now¡­¡± It was clear he wanted to save the discussion for another time, but she continued to stare at him intently. Andreas cleared his throat and it was only then did I look at him, or more specifically, what he was wearing¡­ I couldn¡¯t quite say. The bronze-colored armor was solidly built, with a dim gemstone embedded in his chest plate that seemed to grant some effect to the set. In his right hand, he held an axe that was as tall as me. His left hand was free of any shield, but the fact his gauntlet on that side was larger must¡¯ve meant it carried defensive options of some kind. ¡°Nice armor,¡± I said. ¡°Thanks.¡± Andreas puffed out his chest, doing his best to look nonchalant. His attempt to lighten the mood fell flat, as Alexandra paid him no mind, only glaring at Oliver who kept a wary smile in light of his wife¡¯s aggression. ¡°The truth is¡­¡± Oliver finally said a sigh of defeat followed his words, ¡°I¡¯m afraid to see my kids. My gift scares me¨C There are one hundred other entities inside of me and I¡¯m not sure I can control more than a few. If I relax for a moment and leave myself open, who is to say that they won¡¯t take control of me again and do something that will haunt me for the rest of my life?¡± I could see his logic and those dragons inside of him were pretty pissed to be dragged out of the arch. I looked toward Alexandra, but she immediately scoffed at his explanation. ¡°If that was the case, why aren¡¯t you resting or meditating, Oliver?¡± The rhetorical nature of her question didn¡¯t escape me. ¡°I¨C¡± ¡°He wants to see how he fares in a fight. I made the mistake of telling him my plans and he rushed over the moment I left,¡± she cut him off, directing her statement toward me. ¡°I need to know, Alexandra.¡± I held back the tired sigh that threatened to leave my mouth. I could understand what both of them were saying, but I resolved not to get involved any further. ¡°How about we just go into the ruin?¡± I cautiously suggested. Seeing my hesitance to get entangled or perhaps realizing there were plenty of other pressing issues, Alexandra turned on her heels and marched into the ruin. Which seemed to signal she was over arguing, or at least, she¡¯d hold back until it was appropriate. Seeing everyone eagerly head inside took some pressure off of me. Situation defused. ¡°Thank you,¡± Oliver whispered to me. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°Helping me get out and¡­ well, redirecting her attention for now.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, don¡¯t be so sure about the second thing,¡± I said. ¡°Wait? Aren¡¯t you going to change into armor?¡± Andreas stopped me, apparently concerned for my safety. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Seeing me smile confidently, he had no choice but to relent and we entered just like that. What awaited us was a relatively wide field of grass with several knolls that were suspicious when compared to the otherwise flat environment. I donned the Ivory Warden¡¯s Armored Skin, gaining some impressed and expectant looks in the process. I managed to impress them at least¡­ or unnerve them. I traced my hands over the grim skeletal design of the mask. ¡°That¡¯s one hell of a gift,¡± A man chimed adding a long whistle at the end. ¡°No. That¡¯s an artifact, right?¡± A woman asked, curiously examining me from head to toe. ¡°It¡¯s his gift as far as I can tell.¡± Alexandra¡¯s eyes sussed out the partial truth. That reminded me, if I gathered more souls, I could upgrade my Spirit Vision to Spirit Eyes, which would likely be far better than what I have now. Though, at the moment, I was partial to learning how to bind spiritual beings to the material world. For now, I would save what I had in lieu of my lack of spiritual-based enemies. That strange creature that appeared in front of me aside, what I got from Alexandra made the Hell Gate seem as if the enemies we would face were physical beings which reassured me. ¡°Hey, focus up!¡± Alexandra shouted as she noticed my daydreaming. ¡°Right, right,¡± I responded lightly, unwilling to step on any landmines since she seemed pissed enough about Oliver¡¯s presence. She lifted a stone and threw it at one of the hills faster than my eyes could track. It hit its mark, it was hard to miss given the size, and the small knoll began to rise. Breaking free of the ground, a bipedal monster made of stone with a single core in its head, climbed to its feet like a sleeping giant had been prodded. As tufts of dirt fell from its body, it simply turned toward us. ¡°Get ready to move,¡± Alexandra said. ¡°What¨C¡± A beam of light shot out from its core, carving through the landscape as everyone split off in separate directions. I was a little late on the uptick, but a quick crow-shift allowed me to avoid the bluish beam. ¡°Let¡¯s see it, Casper!¡± Alexandra yelled from below with a beaming smile on her face. ¡®Yeah, whatever,¡¯ I grumbled inwardly before producing a few dozen crows to accompany my dive bomb. I intentionally made sure that I was slower so they could strike first. Bursting into splatters of blood upon impact, which I forced into the shape of binding runes. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ The runes lit up, which would have ideally brought me a few seconds, but the golem seemed unaffected and broke them just by swinging its arms, albeit as slow as expected from a towering mass of rock. I returned to my normal form as I headed straight for its core, conjuring a blood spear in my hands before thrusting it into the glowing crystal sphere. It immediately shattered and I filled the opening with miasmic flames to ensure it would fall. As expected, the golem crumbled like a sandcastle as soon as its core was broken. I jumped backward, dissolving the blood spear as I landed. ¡°Well done,¡± Alexandra praised, ¡°But those cores are worth a million dollars if you get manage to extricate them while keeping them intact.¡± ¡°Noted,¡± I replied, unshaken by what was a small amount in comparison to what I could earn raiding New Era. The effort required made me feel as if it wasn¡¯t worth it in the long run. ¡°I¡¯d like to try,¡± Oliver spoke up which earned a scornful glare from Alexandra. ¡°Feel free,¡± she muttered, pointing toward a nearby knoll. Oliver nodded, breathing inwardly as his eyes widened. A violent fire-like aura took shape around him, the vague image of a dragon coming into view. The air trembled as a majestic roar shook the ruin, and Alexandra¡¯s gift seemed to be forcefully activated by it. Her own aura coming into view as two illusory wyvern heads appeared over her fists, roaring in defiance. However, it didn¡¯t stop there, as three more heads appeared, sporting different shapes which I took to indicate differing egos. Oliver stopped once four dragon heads appeared behind him, and he took a step forward before thrusting both of his palms out. I was forced to narrow my eyes at the bright flash, but I managed to see what occurred. Heat shimmers with a faint red tinge traveled in a straight line, striking the hill, followed by a deafening explosion that knocked a few of the guild members over. Even I was pushed back by it, but I kept my footing, mostly due to the strength of the armored skin and its damage absorbing properties. ¡°Holy shit,¡± I muttered at the five-meter wide scar leading straight to an even wider crater. While Oliver seemed exhausted, his lips curled into an excited smile. ¡°And that was only with four.¡± ¡°And how many can you control?¡± Alexandra asked soberly. ¡°Uh, well¡­ just four¨C¡± Oliver quietly answered. ¡°At the moment,¡± he made sure to add. As we surveyed the damage while full of surprise, the rest of the hills began moving. Apparently, the disturbance was enough to rouse them. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to it.¡± Alexandra tried to bring everyone¡¯s attention back to the main goal, but they were just too dazed and it didn¡¯t feel like they put much into the fight. I never felt as if I was in danger and handling the golems was easy enough, but I doubt our chemistry as a group was improved after the first run which was less than reassuring. The Hell Gate would be dangerous after we retrieved the stone, so I¡¯d hope to have people I could trust to do their part. I didn¡¯t completely blame Oliver, but the experience left me¡­ less than enthused. Chapter 75: A Night To Forget Matthew groaned as he began to recollect the events of the previous night. A friend of a friend invited him to an outing and he went along. It was a pretty standard get together, but an extremely attractive man accompanied by similarly beautiful men and women invited him back to an ¡°after-party¡± of sorts. From there, things went¡­ far different than he expected. As in, vaguely ritualistic, masked orgy, different. ¡°What was I thinking?¡± He gingerly rubbed his head before a sharp realization brought him clarity. ¡®What do you know about the Hell Stone?¡¯ A question echoed his mind as snippets of coercion rose to the forefront of his mind. He suddenly felt a searing pain on the back of his neck and touched the spot only to discover blood. When he moved to check the mirror, he discovered a fiery seal carved onto the base of his neck. ¡°What the fuck?!¡± he cursed, only then did he see the reflection of a man sitting in a chair behind him. ¡°You! What did you do?!¡± Matthew growled at the man he only knew as ¡®Damien.¡¯ ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk¡­ So hostile,¡± Damien spoke, mocking recoiling back as if hurt. ¡°Are you telling me you didn¡¯t enjoy last night? You seemed quite accepting during our little gathering.¡± ¡°Did you fucking drug me?!¡± ¡°I did no such thing, Matthew. You were eager, thusly, no such things were necessary. Well, I admit that I did have to put your mind into a lull in order to get the information I needed, but other than that, those desires were very much your own. Normally, I would have either wiped your memories or killed you, but you had so much frustration and resentment that you were qualified to be a servant of Hades.¡± ¡°A what¡­¡± Matthew narrowed his eyes piercingly. ¡°Why so aggressive? You¡¯re going to be more powerful than you have ever been and if you perform well, you¡¯ll only get stronger.¡± Damien rose to his feet. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t realize it on your own, but you held quite a lot of negative feelings toward this ¡®Casper Clay.¡¯ While it wasn¡¯t irreconcilable hatred, it was just enough to allow our ritual to enhance those violent subconscious thoughts and brand you as one of our own. Ah, you know I looked him up? That Casper Clay, I mean. Quite an interesting person with his relation to death and all. That being so, I communed with some very powerful beings from below and you know what I discovered? He¡¯s very hated and killing him would earn you an enormous reward. While it wouldn¡¯t do much for me, the other servants are extremely interested in the power that comes with pleasing the interested parties. I only gave them vague details, but he¡¯s very popular so, while you have the advantage, if they find him before you, well, count yourself unlucky.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your fucking puppet!¡± Matthew threw a punch at Damien as soon as he stepped within an arm''s distance, but a paralytic rigidity overtook him while the brand on his neck felt as if it were set alight. With a pained cry, he was forced to fall to his knees. Any control he felt he had was wrenched away as the cost of defiance was ingrained into his mind. A scalding warning touched his nerves and forced him to abandon any thoughts of fighting Damien. ¡°Believe or not, you still have some free will in all of this. Whether you go after him or not is up to you, for example. The brand, however, is permanent and the longer you go without demonstrating your worth, the more you¡¯ll feel your thoughts stray and that free will becomes a little less. It happens gradually¡­¡± Damien whispered with a wicked smile, opting to go into more detail. ¡°You won¡¯t even notice as it happens. The ones like you, who put up a resistance, they never notice the increasing aggression, irrational thoughts, and undeniable urges, incredibly dark urges. Ones that tell you to do things you could hardly dream of. By the time you realize you¡¯ve become a puppet, you¡¯ll be standing over the mutilated corpse of some poor bastard carrying out a ritual for some lesser demon,¡± Damien finished, moving to leave the hotel room right after. ¡°See you soon, Matthew.¡± Damien¡¯s arrogant laughter rang in Matthew¡¯s ears even after the devilish man was gone. ¡®Alexandra is going to kill me,¡¯ Matthew panicked, on the verge of a breakdown. Just speaking about the Hell Gate wasn¡¯t a crucial secret, but he diverged the structure of his guild as well as the strength of his fellow guildmates, worst of all, he mentioned the various illegal assassinations they performed as part of a deal with the Emerian Government. The severity of his actions would earn him nothing short of a covert and carefully planned death if he were a part of one of the top 5 guilds. While illegal, betraying the guild with important secrets was enough that even the leaders would break the law and arrange to kill the supposed traitor as discreetly as possible. That being said, if Alexandra discovered that Matthew leaked the details of their work as, more or less, hired killers, she would kill him. ¡°Shit, shit, shit!¡± Matthew pulled at his hair as his mind raced. He contemplated running or outright confessing, but in the end, there was a better solution. If he could get stronger, then he wouldn¡¯t have to worry. ¡°R-Right, after all, it¡¯s no secret that class-seven¡¯s are above the law in some regard. Even being a class-six would grant me protection,¡± he convinced himself. All the while, the seal on his neck began to glow even brighter as he became more convinced that gaining strength was the answer. And, as Damien said, there was one obvious way to do so. Casper Clay.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡­ The final day of the training exercise approached. With the first one being a complete waste due to Oliver¡¯s demonstration, the following runs were taking far more seriously. What Casper learned is that the top individuals of Alexandra¡¯s guilds all fought hand to hand. There were guilds who recruited on a gift-specific basis, whether it be the ability to heal or wield enchanted swords, those sorts of guilds were often small, but always sought after whether it be from freelancers or established guilds. In this case, there was a noticeable lack of healing potential where the Iron Wyvern guild members were concerned. Casper could assist in that area, but only so-so. Anything other than a flesh wound was beyond his grasp, hell, he even wondered if putting too much of his blood into someone would poison them. The miasma was infused into him, so it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that there was potentially a small amount that could be transferred into someone should he try to heal them. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t Casper¡¯s forte nor was inclined to take up the practice. It was on Alexandra to secure healing and with the artifacts, she purchased from him, it wasn¡¯t a necessity. In addition, they would be going in with enough regeneration potions to save a few lives should it come down to it. ¡°Going low!¡± Someone shouted, to which Casper nodded. ¡°Got it,¡± Casper replied, leaping into the air as a man rushed toward a golem¡¯s leg. He let out a powerful shout as he sent a weighty punch toward the golem¡¯s legs, the impact left web-like cracks traveling upward and diverted the stone creature¡¯s attention. Casper arrived in front of the golem¡¯s head, thrusting his blood spear forward without hesitation. The fight ended just like that, but off in the distance, a group was struggling. Andreas and Alexandra held back in observation, while the small group of four contested the golem¡¯s advance. Casper drew the Spectral Bow and knocked an arrow before firing three consecutive shots toward the golem. While the ghostly projectiles dissipated upon impact, they carried immense force, knocking the golem off its balance. The opening was seized and a series of strikes battered away at the stone, the monster toppled backward, crashing into the ground. It wasn¡¯t yet dead, but its attackers moved quickly to pry out its core, securing a nice payment in the process. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± The young man who Casper paired up with to fight the golem¡¯s asked. Vincent was his name and he was a pretty jovial person. He was rather fresh-faced, only a year or two younger than Casper who was going on twenty-four. Apparently, Vincent dropped out of college to join the Iron Wyvern Guild. ¡®Easy to get along with¡¯ was Casper¡¯s general appraisal of him. He was a class-4 gifted and his gifted allowed him to drastically increase the impact of his punches. It took some concentration, but the result allowed him to produce an impact that could carry up to several tons of force if he was given enough time. The weakness lay in the fact he had to really focus or else his strikes would be weakened. ¡°I guess so,¡± Casper replied, removing his mask. His mostly grey hair and pale skin tone was something the men and women of the guild grew accustomed too. A few even joked he was a ghost after seeing him enter an ethereal state. Well, the only one who managed to notice him was Alexandra and strangely enough, Andreas. To be clear, Andreas couldn¡¯t actually see Casper, but rather, felt he was near, even if it was a vague notion, it was more than enough to pull Casper out of his form. The weakness with the Breathless Form was that discovery pulled him back to a physical state which he was often unprepared for. ¡°Hey, Ghosty, wanna split it? You helped after all?¡± Kaylen approached. She wore her hair short and had a tattoo sleeve as well as one on her neck. Her eyes were bright and full of attentiveness which made sense given how much Alexandra relied on her. Most notable were the two small earrings she wore, which seemed to be artifacts of some kind. She was a class-5 gifted who literally threw explosive punches but the drawback was she couldn¡¯t throw them out endlessly or else she¡¯d injure herself. The way she put it when explaining to Casper was that she could throw around 10 strikes before needing to ¡®recharge¡¯ in her own words. It often took anywhere from half a minute to ten minutes depending on how controlled she was. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± Casper replied, ignoring the nickname the Iron Wyvern members tried to make stick. ¡°You sure?¡± Wilson double checked, but it was more of a formality, the man was already looking to pocket the core and the fewer people that had to split, the more it meant for him. While Casper didn¡¯t know much about him, he seemed to be romantically involved with Kaylen. It made sense as his neatly trimmed beard and a very expensive haircut made it seem as if he could¡¯ve been a model in the time before gifted appeared. He even stood shoulder to shoulder with Casper, a bit taller even, and that was saying something considering Casper had grown during his first bone restructuring. Though with Andreas present, everyone was dwarfed in size and stature. Wilson was another class-4 who could honestly pass a class-5. His gift was simple, he could gain a large burst of strength and protection for a set period of time. While it was cut and dry, Casper saw it as something great seeing as the man could create openings and tie-down opponents. To demonstrate his ability, he allowed a golem to stomp him in front of everyone. Rather than get crushed, he caught the foot intending to squash him and managed to lift it for a few seconds. He caught the eye of Andreas, but the difference between them was that the older man¡¯s gift seemed to be more complex or at least, more potent given that he could deal with a golem with a few swings of his ax. Even then, he seemed to be restraining himself. ¡°I hope all of you are ready. The real thing is tomorrow and there is zero room for mistakes. If we encounter a ruin anomaly then we really can¡¯t afford a single accident. I don¡¯t want to needlessly worry anyone, but it has been known for a while that this ruin has the potential to reach class-six if that happens. I want you to be prepared for anything, double-check your equipment and get some rest.¡± Alexandra dismissed the group and they made their exit, stepping out of the ruin without appearing to be shaken. Casper recalled the plan going forward, he made sure to remember it clearly. The Hell Gate had two different areas that needed to be destroyed, the task would be divided between two teams of five, led by Alexandra and Andreas respectively. To reach the aforementioned areas, there were dozens of creatures that had to be dealt with. The Magma Guardians were the most problematic if approached carelessly due to their size and regeneration. However, what followed were Gargoyles, Hell Knights, and Lesser Demons, all of which had some semblance of intelligence which made them bigger threats. The latter two were the supposed titles of the creatures. Hell Knights were apparently fiery skeletons who, while not very difficult to face alone, often moved in large numbers. There were only two lesser demons and they guarded the areas needed to get the Hell Stone. After that, well¡­ It was hard to say. Even the strongest guilds suffered losses in some cases, but worst of all, the effects of taking the Hell Stone varied greatly. Some accounts mentioned an entire army, full of thousands appearing, and others said a single demon appeared, killing almost everyone without much effort. The fact that most people avoided the ruin in favor of ones with greater profit with less risk, there wasn¡¯t enough data to pin down the probability of a certain result occurring. In some ways, the Hell Gate was a glorified dice roll. Chapter 76: The Hell Gate Hot. A single word could describe the climate into the infamous ruin and it was the most fitting. The expansive cavern sported lava waterfalls, crooked towers of stone, bat-like creatures flying through the air and just a general air of¡­¨C well, hellishness. Geysers of fire hissed, spewing flames upward while the rivers of molten rock seemed to be unending. The remains of a castle loomed in the distance, a path straight down the middle led right to it. Our other choices consisted of a path to the left and right, where two small watchtowers stood, solemn and unwavering. The only thing in this entire place that wasn¡¯t crumbling were those outlooks that no doubt held two lesser demons. I was vaguely familiar with the hierarchy of demons, or rather, as far as I knew, the princes were at the top. I couldn¡¯t remember their names since the demonic aspects of necromancy were off-limits for me and the demon princes themselves hated me, but I could recall one vividly. The Demon Prince of Blood and Rage, or something along those lines. I made use of its brand while in the Forest of Nightmares and nearly died because of it. It was my own fault really. That aside, I felt that the chances of an actual Demon Prince appearing were slim to none. Even if a class-six entity appeared, it would be weaker than a demon prince I¡¯d imagine. I based my reasoning on the simple fact the grimoire recognized the existence of the demon princes and they even barred me from using any demonic power. On the off chance, a demon prince did appear, we¡¯d all likely end up dead, especially me. I put it out of my mind but I had no worries toward a situation like that occurring¡­ Just to be sure, I avoided bringing it up to everyone present. ¡°This is where it really starts, will you be alright, Andreas?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be fine, just watch yourself, Alexandra!¡± Andreas spoke loudly, enthused by the whole thing. His armor was massive and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he was burning up in there. We all consumed a few temperature control potions and they were effective to an extent, but the blistering heat seemed to ignore that in an attempt to force its way into my skin. ¡®Does it come with an air conditioner?¡¯ I wondered fleetingly, sharpening up when Alexandra glanced toward me, giving a nod. ¡°You know the plan, stick with it and watch each other¡¯s backs. Now, let¡¯s go!¡± And like that, we were off. Alexandra spear-headed our formation with Kaylen and Wilson only a few steps behind her. Vincent and I kept the same amount of space between ourselves and them. I was fairly sure that Kaylen and Wilson were dating since they usually flirted with each other whenever Alexandra wasn¡¯t paying attention during our short stint training together. There was probably some hr clause about dating a fellow guildmate, but neither of them cared so, more power to them, I guess. ¡°Hold on!¡± Alexandra shouted, coming to a halt immediately. I activated my Spirit Vision that instant and saw it, a soul drifting over a pool of lava. It bubbled up as if sensing us drawing near, swelling and roiling before it took shape. The magma guardian climbed out of its pit, letting out a congested roar that sent its molten insides spewing forth. We were out of range, but I could feel the heat even from far away. Like they previously rehearsed it, Alexandra and the other three raised their hands, aiming the rings they wore toward the magma guardian attempting to gather itself. Water and ice projectiles went zipped through the air, crashing into the malformed creatures of melting stone, and steam filled the air. That was my signal and kicked off of the ground, rushing into the burning steam while sending two waves of blood forward. They traveled in a straight line before they turned abruptly and struck either side of the guardian before crystallization. By the time it happened, everyone, except for Alexandra and I, was downing fire resistance medicines, before Kaylen moved first. With the magma guardian tied down, she couldn¡¯t miss. She shot forward with an explosive burst, another use of her gift I noted. She arrived in front of the magma guardian and began laying into it, three punches rang out like shotgun blasts, revealing an inner core protected by a translucent crystal rib cage. Vincent stepped up next, delivering a focused strike right at the rib cage, shattering it easily. The coup de gras was Wilson who grunted as he ripped the core out of the guardian. Before a wall of magma could encase him, I shifted the crystalized blood and formed a barrier which allowed him to retreat. ¡°Aw man¡­ that was something.¡± Vincent sighed, he seemed relieved, but mostly was expelling tension. ¡°Pretty easy, right?¡± Kaylen asked, motivated by the short battle more than most. ¡°Was it?¡± Alexandra raised an eyebrow. She was the only one who hadn¡¯t pitched in and that was intentional. She and Andreas were the strongest ones here and they needed to conserve their strength as much as possible¡­ if possible. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. I looked at the path ahead of us only to see two more souls come into view. Much like before, the lava began to take shape and we were destined to face two more magma guardians. ¡°Nice jinx,¡± Wilson muttered playfully. Of course, his grin faded when Alexandra shot him a glance and he immediately straightened his posture. ¡°Same as before,¡± she gave her orders and we moved to follow. ¡­ ¡°Watch out!¡± Wilson shouted from somewhere behind me. I knew I should have been watching, but I had to move to defend Vincent. A strike was aimed at my exposed back, I was aware of that much. My instincts told me to avoid it and as I dodged I could feel something pass over me, bringing an unbelievable amount of heat with it. I twisted my blood spear and moved for a counter-attack, stabbing the distorted form of the magma guardian directly in its chest. I summoned more blood, spreading it out like a net that wrapped itself around the fiery construct. The hissing of liquid evaporating resonated briefly before I conjured the miasmic fire to consume the golem. Its body began to tremble as sparks of orange and violet fire intertwined, whittling away at its entire being. Kaylen let out a shout as she arrived behind the bellowing golem, she pulled her arm back before delivering a punch that echoed throughout the entire ruin. The magma guardian split in half, its core broken, and the fight was over. We caught our breath, Vincent shot me a thankful look for my earlier interference which I gave a nod to. So far, we had stuck to the plan quite well. Fighting two guardians at once was difficult, but we didn¡¯t need Alexandra to interfere so we managed. If there was one issue, it would be the fact that it wasn¡¯t exactly possible to drain blood from a creature made of molten lava. ¡°Here, just in case you¡¯re starting to get gassed,¡± Alexandra tossed me a canteen. I caught it, laughing as I looked at everyone else. I had one advantage and that was the immense control over my physical body. I remembered it a little later than I should have, but I could lower my own body temperature and heart rate with ease. The heat that threatened to sap all strength from me was no longer a problem. Still, I drank whatever was in the canteen. ¡®A stamina regenerative?¡¯ I felt a cooling sensation spread throughout my body as well as a renewed sense of alertness. I handed it back and she took that as a signal to start speaking, though she lowered her voice so the others wouldn¡¯t hear. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if we should press on from here,¡± she said in a quiet but somber voice. ¡°What? Why?¡± I asked, lowering my voice to accommodate her. I thought our fight went pretty well, all things considered. I glanced at the others and they were catching their breath as expected, but our current location made their recovery process take longer than it should have. Even still, I couldn¡¯t see a problem. ¡°Look past them,¡± Alexandra said, even quieter. I narrowed my eyes, invoking my Spirit Vision and I saw a glowing sea that continued to expand, encompassing the entire area just ahead. Even further in the distance, the gargoyle statues sitting atop the watchtower were beaming with life. As for the watchtower, there was blindingly bright soul waiting within. ¡°It¡¯s what we expected, isn''t it?¡± ¡°It seems that way, right? It¡¯s just something about it feels a bit off to me. There¡¯s more activity than I expected.¡± Her green eyes shone with a cautious light. ¡°Let me take a look then.¡± I sat down, sending out a crow to scout the area. It covered an immense distance in the blink of an eye, reaching the watchtower before I guided it in circles. I spied what I assumed was the ¡®Lesser Demon¡¯ a creature around 3 meters in height with blood-red skin, hooved feet, and tall horns. It wore pieces of armor, but nothing complete¡­ There was a weapon in its hands, a greatsword I think¨C My thoughts came to a halt as the lesser demon looked at me, or the crow rather, it raised its stone sword and drew a wide arc before my vision went blank. A moment later and I felt a terrible pain in my right eye. It was as if a hot needle was driven directly into my eye socket and stirred around. Flashes of demonic symbols appeared, illuminating the darkness of my mind as they tried to worm themselves deeper in an attempt to reach my soul. The attack failed, but not before dragging a wave of agony like barbed chains being pulled across my consciousness. ¡°Ah,¡± I let out a suppressed groan as I settled myself. I felt blood trickle down my face from my eye. I was half astonished that it caused physical effects, but it wasn¡¯t enough to make me panic. ¡°Casper?¡± Alexandra called out with clear concern. I ignored her, and completely focused on recovery. I reconnected the nerves, muscle tissues, and ruptured vessels that had split under the sudden strain. My vision had returned, I blinked my eyes a few times as my sight righted itself before finally I turned to Alexandra who wore a deep frown. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how this ruin is supposed to be structured, but there¡¯s nothing out of place. At least, nothing outside of the info we went over. I was just caught off guard by that lesser demon,¡± I said with a dry smile. The apparent soul attack was unexpected, to say the least. I wasn¡¯t worried and now that I was aware of it, there was no way it could do any real harm to me. I had both the phantom heart and a better understanding of my soul which made the soul attack nothing more than a small annoyance¨C minus the literal eye-splitting pain. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you¡¯re good to fight?¡± she asked, raising her chin toward the rising lumps of molten rock that took on a humanoid shape. Lifting crude stone swords and shields, they advanced, growing in number as they headed toward us. A high pitched roar filled the air as the two gargoyles broke free of their stationary outcroppings and flew toward us with palpable fury. They immediately joined the gathering forces and began circling above. With a sigh, I centered myself and formed a blood spear. This was the best possible outcome for me. My skill as a Death Bringer truly shone in large engagements. There was no better opportunity to practice my Blood Dance, bringing what I learned from both paths into one technique. As I rotated my spear, it left lingering trails of crimson streaks in the air. I felt my blood stir with growing fervor as I took a step forward and cracked a wry smile. Chapter 77: An Empty Castle Casper met the Hell Knights without reservation. His body moved like a gust of wind, while his blood spear continued to rotate. With the miasmic flame adorning the spear¡¯s tip, it was more than enough to deal with the legion of monsters forming in front of him. With a step forward, he shifted the momentum of the rotating spear and stabbed a hell knight, piercing straight through its molten body. Two waves of roiling blood spread out from his flank, engulfing several of the hellish creatures just like that. A second later, a violent light shone as the miasmic fire appeared within the growing coalescence of blood and slowly eroded away the bodies of the hell knights. ¡°Coming up on your right, Ghosty!¡± Kaylen shouted. Casper stepped to the side, drawing the expansive wave of blood toward himself as Kaylen landed right in the center of the hell knights. Her fist smashed into the ground and a shockwave sent the molten skeleton creatures soaring away. Casper stepped forward once again, parrying the swing of hell knight intent on taking his head. His soul siphon had begun enhancing his body and with a burst of strength, he kicked the hell knight and sent it tumbling backward before leaping in front of it and finishing it with a quick thrust of his spear. ¡°I¡¯m sending them up!¡± Kaylen shouted. Another shockwave followed and dozens of hell knights were thrown into the air like ragdolls. Casper conjured a wall of bloody spikes that shot upward, impaling the helpless creatures before miasmic fire engulfed their bodies. ¡°Gargoyle!¡± Wilson cried out, attempting to warn Casper a second too late. The stony creature with fiery veins lining its skin swooped down and struck Casper with all the force of a bus, knocking him back. ¡®That could¡¯ve been bad,¡¯ Casper shook off the impact, most of which had been absorbed by the Ivory Warden¡¯s Armor. Bringing himself out of his temporary daze, his hands moved to draw the Spectral Bow. ¡°Another one, Casper!¡± This time, he rolled out of the way just in time as the Gargoyle flew past, just barely missing him. Just as he took aim, Wilson had already launched himself into the air and grabbed onto the gargoyle, his body swelling as his enhancement gift worked in full force. ¡°Haaa!¡± With a deafening shout, he tore away one of the gargoyle¡¯s stone wings and it let out a pained shriek in response before it entered a free fall and crashed in the middle of dozens of hell knights. ¡°Vincent,¡± Alexandra said meaningfully. ¡°I¡¯m on it,¡± the young man replied, he took slow and careful steps forward, his arms looked in place as the air around him began to shift. He pulled his hand back and with a small exclamation, threw a punch that echoed throughout the hellish cavern. An invisible force traveled through the grouping hell knights, carving right through their ranks and opening a path, revealing Wilson who was engaged in a fight with a wounded gargoyle in addition to the swarming hell knights. Casper seized the open path and rushed through, circulating his blood fast enough to cause his body to heat up. A blood spear appeared in his hands and he began decimating any hell knight in his path. He swung his spear, throwing himself forward immediately after, and the fiery heads of the knights were sent into the air. ¡°This makes us even,¡± Casper said as he arrived in front of the gargoyle, raising his spear to block its strike. ¡°I guess so!¡± Wilson let out a dry laugh before delivering a bone-shattering uppercut to the gargoyle being tied down by Casper. The gargoyle stumbled backward, cracks appearing in its skin, but it remained standing. Casper jumped into the air, leaping over the gargoyle, and pierced its skull with his spear, but even then it remained upright. With a pained roar, he entered a frenzy and grabbed onto the spear before flinging Casper away. Unbeknownst to the angered creature, two glowing runes appeared on the base of its skull. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡®Perfect,¡¯ Casper thought, activating the runes. Two consecutive explosions rang out, splitting the grotesque head of the gargoyle into pieces. ¡°What about the second one?!¡± Kaylen¡¯s fist exploded with a shocking amount of power, obliterating a hell knight completely. ¡°I got it!¡± Casper replied, drawing the Spectral Bow and firing three arrows within the blink of an eye. The spirit attack caused the gargoyle, who remained previously out of reach, to plummet toward the ground, crashing into a pool of lava. Its skin-crawling shriek reverberated as it clawed its way out, but awaiting it was another strike from Vincent who had enough time to align his strike. A concentrated force of energy split the air, delivering a fatal blow to the gargoyle who lurched backward and sunk into the lava, never to rise again. Casper rotated his blood spear fast enough for it to turn into a reddish blur and began sweeping through droves of the hellish creatures. Arcs of blood flew out, cutting the burning soldiers apart before retreating. Steam rose into the air as he made his way through them. As the process of Soul Siphoning filled him to the brim with power, he halted his momentum and raised his spear before driving it into the ground. The ground splintered as the spear dissolved, blood ran through the cracks before rising up as earth-piercing spikes that impaled countless hell knights. A second later, the fires of the miasma rose up, dissolving the writhing creatures into a dark-colored substance that dragged itself toward Casper¡¯s body. He drew as much life essence as he could from the creatures, and while it could hardly compare to a living, breathing, being, it was enough to keep him from falling behind. The lingering forces of hell knights were cleaned up in a timely manner and the group advanced toward the location of the lesser demon. Of course, more hell knights appeared to hinder them but it was fruitless as they grew more adept with dealing with the low-intelligence creatures who seemed to focus solely on the offensive. The watchtower boasted of a design reminiscent of a feudal era, yet no one kept watch over its desolate walls. Nothing kept them out, but a bloody air flowed from its open gates, the distant growls of the lesser demon reached their ears. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± Alexandra rotated her shoulders, inhaling deeply as her eyes took on a faint glow. Flashes of illusory wyvern heads, appeared on her fists as she stepped foot within the watchtower where the lesser demon sat arrogantly. He knew of their arrival and yet stayed in the same position, one hand loosely gripping the handle of the greatsword inscribed with demonic runes. ¡°Filthy human,¡± It spoke in an ancient tongue that no one seemed to understand, but its derision was clear. The demon rose, his figure casting a shadow the group as his forked tongue drifted across his sharpened teeth. Alexandra smiled at the demon before she took a step forward, closing the distance, and planted her fist into its kneecap. The shattering blow did just that as distinct snapping sound rang out. The lesser demon roared, falling onto its knee. It swung its greatsword in a wide arc, with no real direction but the hefty blade was caught in the jaws of a translucent wyvern. A high-pitched cry filled the air as the jaws of the illusory beast closed, leaving web-like cracks along the blade of the ancient sword. ¡°Human¨C!¡± The wrathful bellowing of the lesser demon was cut short as Alexandra delivered several strikes to its abdomen. The wyvern heads tore out chunks of flesh, leaving holes in the lesser demon¡¯s body. It spat out a clump of dark blood that hissed as it touched the ground before slowly falling over. ¡®That was¡­ anticlimactic,¡¯ Casper couldn¡¯t help but think. A tinge of regret came at the fact he lost out on the soul of the lesser demon, though he remembered that things would only get more difficult after they advanced. As the lesser demon crumbled into ashes, Alexandra moved with a clear purpose. She made sure to destroy the demonic greatsword which triggered a small reaction. A small plat of darkened earth split apart and a large fleshy eye, nearly a meter wide, was revealed. The large pupil darted around as it took in the sight before it, but could only show panic as a fist quickly appeared in front of it. A squelching sound reverberated as the eye burst, Alexandra wasted no time in destroying it and ignored the bits of gore that flew out as a result. ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± she said, her voice solemn as she made eye contact with each member of the group. Understanding the meaning behind her glance, everyone began to make preparations. Restoratives and resistance potions were consumed en masse. Shortly after, the entire ruin began to tremble. ¡°Andreas finished on his side,¡± Alexandra said in a low voice. Casper, curious as to what was changing, sent out a crow to scout the surroundings and could only stand dumbstruck as a castle began rising out of the sea of magma. An incomprehensible construction of walls long since stained with ash. The mind-numbing groaning of tired iron chains attached to a draw bridge filled the air as a path was revealed. Activating his Spirit Vision, three souls, nearly as bright as Alexandra¡¯s and Andreas¡¯ instantly filled his vision. ¡°How¡¯s it look?¡± Alexandra took note of Casper¡¯s stunned expression as his eyes unconsciously widened. ¡°From my perspective? Not too good¡­¡± He whispered, wondering what was waiting in the castle. Chapter 78: Dancing With Demons The realization struck me cleanly as we made our way over the extended drawbridge, an admirable construction that remained sturdy beneath the waves of heat that threatened to draw life from us. Ruins were self-contained spaces, little loops that reset quite often. Unless they went untouched, then, eventually, they¡¯d spill over and release a tide of monsters onto the public. However, the ruin shifts, they began to make more sense to me. The reason why the Hell Gate was unpredictable? Once both lesser demons were slain, their swords broken, it made this place a real place for a period of time. At least, that was the theory I ran with for now. It made sense considering the sheer randomness of what might occur should one seek the hellstone. Maybe every time the conditions were met, a portal was opened somewhere in the demonic hellscape that housed those spiteful princes. A flicker of my gaze revealed the three stationary silhouettes that awaited our arrival. It was almost theatrical, I thought. Short of a demonic prince themselves, I pondered the identity of the party but it was revealed quickly. ¡°Hold on,¡± Alexandra whispered, sweat trickling down her face. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel right,¡± Andreas grumbled, his face probably locked in consternation beneath his helmet. By now, the others felt it too. A combination of the scent of something burning, the sudden drop in temperature, and the air becoming so heavy it felt like liquid cement. The faint traces of ancient glory that could be gleaned from the exterior of the castle stood in opposition to its interior. It was empty and long since ransacked for any potential wealth if the overturned vases and empty candelabras spoke of any truth. Beyond the darkness of the desolate and unending hallways, something echoed a small sound that pricked at my nerves nonetheless. I felt an urge to run into the shadows and entangle myself with whatever it might be, but it was only a passing thought, nothing to spur me into action. ¡°I heard the guild master of Sleeping Lion owns a place like this in Europe.¡± Kaylen broke the growing tension with a rumor, though I can¡¯t tell if Alexandra was annoyed or pleased as she kept her eyes forward without the intention of humoring her subordinate. ¡°He does,¡± Andreas replied, his voice slightly muffled by his helmet. ¡°It was owned by Vladimir the Impaler, or so the story goes.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a heartless bastard so it makes sense,¡± Alexandra chimed to her old friend, making her derision for the aforementioned guild leader clear. It wasn¡¯t the time to dig deeper and I had no vested interest in hearing about the aforementioned figure. I held my blood spear tighter and kept myself alert. Small tidbits of conversation flowed between the others, but as we approached the inner court of the castle, everything became silent. Alexandra took the vanguard, pushing open the creaking wooden doors revealing a well-lit room. ¡°You see them?¡± she asked in a low voice. ¡°Mhm,¡± Andreas nodded. My Spirit Vision had highlighted the presence of enemies within the room. ¡°So, the intruders have arrived?¡± A voice that carried soft purr echoed through the empty court. We spread out, placing our backs against the solid walls while scanning everything before us. ¡°And there is very a special one among you¡­¡± Stepping out of the shadows was something that resembled a human. Nearly two meters in height with a reddish tinge to his or her skin, long red hair, two horns pointed upright. They wore a long black coat, a frilly shirt, black trousers, and boots, with an ominous-looking rapier at its side that flashed with a dim glow. It could only be a demon and though it looked visibly less menacing than the so-called lesser demon I found that to be foreboding. With a slender build and soft-spoken voice, I couldn¡¯t tell its gender, that is, if the demon world even worked like that. For all I knew, they were just androgynous demonic spirits who could freely take on whatever form they wanted. Besides the strongest, there were two other demons who wore armor, shields attached to their arms and swords on their hips. Their subservient behavior to the one standing at the forefront made the pecking order obvious. The demon turned its narrowing eyes toward me, gently licking its lips as if a sumptuous feast as placed in front of it. ¡°It is you, isn¡¯t it?¡± It asked me, choosing to ignore everyone else. Even as Andreas raised his axe and Alexandra formed her dragon aura, its eyes stayed locked on me while its two subordinates stepped forward to guard its flank against sudden attacks. While I contemplated a response, the demon began speaking again. ¡°You, the one who once borrowed a brand of power, the one who now turns his back on the laws that bind the world of the living and the worlds beyond it¡­ I almost find it surprising that I would encounter you here had it not been for highnesses ability to see occurrences like these, I would have surmised it to be the work of fate.¡± ¡°Is it speaking to us?¡± Alexandra asked with a slight surprise. ¡°You don¡¯t understand it?¡± ¡°You do?¡± Andreas turned to me. ¡°...It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s willing to talk things out so how about we¨C¡± ¡°I must confess, I dislike being looked down upon.¡± The demon clapped and my surroundings warped. I felt disoriented, sick, as my sense of balance was disrupted but I corrected it. I centered myself, nearly tripping over my own feet in the process, but managed to keep upright and ready. ¡°Now, that we are alone, allow me to introduce myself. I am Lythas and this lowly one is but a mere baron serving under his highness, Prince Eligos. In order to please his highness, I will cut you down here and parade your soul around each kingdom of Hell. When the other princes see that I, the proxy of Prince Eligos, cut down the one who has set himself against all natural laws, they will have no choice but to acknowledge my prince as a true contender for the throne.¡± Our location changed and we now stood in a courtyard of sorts, empty and barren of plants. I couldn¡¯t see a single door, likely his doing. The only possible escape would from above, but that was pointless. A skylight rested above us, but metal bars that were covered with what I guessed to be demonic seals rested above me. While searching for a possible escape route or something that would grant me an advantage, I tried to make small talk with Lythas. ¡°Well, since I¡¯m going to be killed anyway, could you at least humor me? When you said that your prince has a knack for seeing events like this, what did you mean exactly?¡± ¡°It is but a simple thing, matters concerning budding conflict are often revealed to his highness. His revelations are beset by the inaccuracies of time, but he has truly outdone himself this time. If there was no need to act urgently and the price of traveling here, I believe he would have summoned a member of his strongest legions to deal with you. I will admit, I assumed that you would be something greater. However, I find myself disappointed. The way your eyes search for answers and opportunities are the signs of fear.¡± ¡°Fear?¡± My face froze before I broke out into a short stint of laughter. ¡°Fear?¡± I said it again, stretching my enunciation with a genuine smile. ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong but, a baron is one of the lower levels of nobility, right?¡± I relied on my faint recollections of feudal systems and found myself chuckling even more. All the while, Lythas¡¯ expression darkened, crumbling as veins surfaced on its delicate skin. There was a devilish beauty to their appearance moments ago, but now only the world devilish applied as flames of anger flickered from within its eyes. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. If what I vaguely recalled was true, then Lythas was only above a knight in terms of nobility, far below the prince he served. ¡°Enough talking, wretch!¡± The demonic baron erupted with a scream. Her shout lacked the vague intonation that previously obscured the matter of her identity. No longer wearing a mask of composure, she drew her rapier and swung. It extended into a fluid whip that split apart the air with a deafening crack, bringing a wall of fire with it. The heat licked my face, even beneath the Ivory Warden¡¯s Armor, the innate barrier surged to light as I moved a step too slow. It stopped the power behind the first attack, but it was still troublesome. My feet carefully glided across the hardened soil as her whip continued to give chase. Each swing split the ground apart, summoning a terrible fire with it. The weapon itself was a blur, only becoming visible once it had struck. I wracked my mind for a countermeasure. I tried to close distance with a quick lunge forward but Lythas expected it, using a wide horizontal sweep to keep me at bay. The barrier shattered, the brittle sound alerted me of it. Without the guarantee of the barrier¡¯s defense, I couldn¡¯t afford to carelessly allow attacks to hit me. ¡®My breathless form won¡¯t work¡­ Crow-shifting might, but if I use it now she¡¯ll be aware of it.¡¯ I flung a gesticulating sphere of thickened blood that burst into dozens of small orbs once it was halfway to Lythas, but her whip turned into a blurry whirlwind. Catching fire, the whip thrashed about like a snake, releasing a high-pitched scream as it destroyed everything nearing it. It was an intentional show of force telling by the taunting grin hanging on Lythas¡¯ red lips, but my aim wasn¡¯t to hit her. The droplets of blood that stained the floor began to coalesce into the shape of runes, but Lythas showed even that wasn¡¯t something she¡¯d ignore. She made a few simple swings and made the blood evaporated with her fire. ¡°You assume I would fall victim to such simple tricks!¡± The way she spoke made me feel as though I had insulted her in some way. With growing anger, her swings extended past their previous range. I felt a strong shock pass through me as it crashed into my chest. I was caught unaware, unprepared to accept the strike that reached my bones. My body was carried back by the impact, only stopping once I slammed into a wall. I saw a bright array of stars when I forced my eyes closed. The pain caused by the strike was a simple thing to ignore, the effects it caused were not. I lost my grip on the spear as if my hand had surrendered itself from my control. I scoffed down the blood that tried to escape from my mouth before I threw myself to the ground. Another attack, carrying far more power than the previous one, shattered the wall as it missed me. I heard pieces of debris hit the ground like shrapnel. I scrambled forward, under the assumption that Lythas won''t relent until I was left battered. She was angered by my earlier disregard of her nobility and wanted to make me feel it. To her credit, it fucking worked. I hadn¡¯t noticed her attacks changed once more until the pain of being struck with incredible blunt force had transitioned into the sensation of my skin being torn. I caught a glimpse as the whip touched my shoulder, curved barbs that were closer to teeth than thorns. As it launched past me, narrowly missing my head, the barbs tore through my armor and bit deeply into my shoulder, pulling me forward as Lythas brought it back to her side. I freed myself before she had the chance to drag me along, but the damage was already done, my shoulder throbbed as blood poured from the broken cracks of the ivory armor. She swung once more with the grace of a ribbon dancer, but each movement left a small vision of hell in its passing. ¡®Is it poison?¡¯ As I felt my shoulder pulsate, I forcefully numbed the sensation of fire ants crawling beneath my skin and let blood gush from my new wound, pushing any potential toxin out with it. I unconsciously looked toward Lythas¡¯ shoulders while thinking of my wound. It was subtle, but her shoulders, as well as her entire upper body, moved while she brandished the whip. I couldn¡¯t see it in motion, but I recalled the movements she made and dodged. A blur ripped by me, failing to make contact. ¡®So that¡¯s it?¡¯ I grinned knowingly, deciphering the physical tells of each attack right then. A rush of excitement came as I moved with renewed vigor. I circulated my blood, stimulating my adrenal gland, forcing my heart to hammer away like a manic blacksmith wanting to forge a masterpiece. My breath grew hot, even as the fire rose up around me, I felt it couldn¡¯t compare to the temperature of my own blood. I knew what to look for in Lythas as she conducted her assault. With added agility, I launched into the air, spinning as I conjured a bloodspear clad in miasmic flames. Lythas countered, demonstrating a surprising intuition, I could see she noticed my change and began to adapt, retreating while maintaining a constant attack. It was a good idea, the only problem was that it came to her a little too late. Our weapons clashed together, but never for more than a brief moment. I let my hands put the bloodspear into an endless rotation and met the fiery whip. The resounding echo of our weapons making contact created an odd sound. Her whip carried an inordinate amount of force when it struck, but my spear moved with the momentum of a storm. Strike. Strike. Strike. Deflect. Strike. The pace was set. If I wanted to prove myself against the demon in front of me, or found excitement from overpowering an enemy through sheer force of will, I would¡¯ve continued to engage in a single-minded attack until one of us dropped. Luckily, I wasn¡¯t ignorant enough to resign myself to one method of fighting. I released the excess blood that lurked within my body which caused a rippling fog of red to emanate from my skin. My movements quickened and a lingering trail of blood was left floating in the air wherever I passed. My spear had become a paintbrush of sorts, it drew red arcs with each swing. Lythas was forced to change her approach again. Strike. Strike. Strike. Deflect. Strike. We continued. ¡®Did all demons fight so well?¡¯ I thought as she continued to surpass any expectations I might have had. A moment later, she looked to have properly adjusted to the newest obstacle I provided, so I added another change. Crows burst out of my body in the midst of my assault. Their vermillion tipped feathers shook as they silently spread throughout the spacious courtyard. Strike. Strike. Strike. Deflect. Strike. A crescendo neared. Another variable added, another change to our rhythm. It felt very much like a dance now. The practiced movements I gained from Penelope¡¯s technique only served to bolster my offensive. I maintained pinpoint concentration, the crows didn¡¯t need constant orders from me, but I would need to personally control once the moment came. Lythas grew more reserved, no longer wearing an arrogant sneer, she sported a pensive grimace. Her eyes met mine and I could tell her mind was filled with uncertainty, having no way of knowing what I would do next. Strike. Strike. Strike. Deflect¨C I smiled, retreating¨C the ebb. My aggressive offense had receded until I looked as if I never moved to attack at all. Meanwhile, the strike she tried to receive never arrived, in the entirety of our skirmish, I hadn¡¯t adjusted the frequency of my attacks. The tempo remained constant until now. A break. There was a moment between the sudden shift in my strategy. Her realization, my anticipation, it gathered, building toward something greater. I sent the crows down at once and they released a torrent of bloody sharps aiming for Lythas¨C the flow. She reacted at once, attempting to break them with her whip, allowing me to quickly form the Spectral Bow before firing three arrows in rapid succession. Even as she pushed her physical body to its limits in an attempt to deflect the shards, she fell short. I watched as she was pierced by the ghostly blue arrows and blood-red shards. The blood of a demon, a boiling, dark liquid, spilled onto the ground as she was wounded. The shards that missed or were broken, dissolved and began moving to form shapes and curves as they slowly assembled into runes. ¡®Keep your eyes here.¡¯ I needed to distract her. She let out a scream that voiced her damaged pride. I could see that there was a level of pain and humiliation that demons did not expect and when they did, they became irrational. Maybe that was the true nature of demons in the first place. Her eyes burned holes into me, she withdrew her, favoring the use of its rapier form as she rushed toward me. The previous grace of her technique looked as if it had been dulled by her turbulent emotions. Waves of heat emerged from her body, her breath grew uneven. Her pupils locked onto me and me alone. I was given her undivided attention. ¡®That¡¯s it.¡¯ I felt my lips curl in satisfaction in response to my growing fervor. The air turned red. Was it my blood that caused it? Was it the heat? Or maybe it was a mirage set in motion by my growing desire? Her turbulence was infectious to me. Our weapons created the music. Hers was an orchestra reaching the peak of their piece, they played an epic made up of anger itself. The sound was deafening and direct while mine was quieter yet ripe with purpose, a chorus of string instruments descending into a lull while a soft percussion full of languid pulses accompanied it. The glowing runes drawn on the ground signaled the finale, if this was a dance, it had reached its end. By the time Lythas understood that it was too late. I dissolved my spear and slightly bowed to my partner. Our eyes locked and I could see it, the abrupt shock of realization, followed by immediate fear and dread, desperation, all sorts of emotions before she revealed a sudden peace. ¡°It seems that it is my loss,¡± she whispered softly, the last words she would ever speak to anyone were full of humility. A violet light flashed and the end came in the form of a sea of blood and flames that began to devour the lowly baroness but she didn¡¯t scream. She manifested all of her pride and dignity in the face of her own death and died without letting out the slightest of sounds. Her body crumbled into ash while her soul had been absorbed by me. Once the fire had died, a demonic rapier was revealed amongst the scorched ash. Ignoring it for a moment, I bowed my head once more out of respect for her stoic departure and for the experience I would take from our fight.